Last of Summer & Busy Weekends

School is in Session!

my new teal lights, 'adorbs' as they say in middle school

  

Anyone totally overwhelmed!?!

I hear you, I feel you, I get you.

It looks like this year my precious Mrs. E. is retiring.

This is the first room we taught in together and the room she has come full circle back to this year.  

What a bunch of memories we have together.  

I wouldn't trade it for a thing (even the 50 pounds I need to lose in this picture).

Wow- we look rough here.   haaaaa

To our credit, it was the end of a long day and I was here to meet Carlee's teacher.

Darren snapped a shot of us without much time to prepare.

I have a great group of kids this year and great co-workers.  What I don't have is time. 

Zero time to do what I know I need to do for these kids.

It is beyond frustrating.

As for me, I am having a terrible time choosing between time with my family and taking the time I need to complete paperwork and planning for my students.  While the answer should be obvious, when dealing with students who deserve the best you can offer while also observing that other teachers are sacrificing for my own children, the answer is not obvious.   I'm working my hardest at walking the tightrope of setting boundaries with ADULTS and doing what is best for students.

Today I ran across Pocketful of Primary for good tips....

This is one dedicated teacher and I enjoy her vlogs.

Honestly, I am fitting all this into one blog because I haven't even had a chance to get my thoughts down or photos organized (this takes more time than you would think).  

Extra Curricular and School 

I'm not just trying to work over here.  I'm also trying to be the Tom Brady of this family.  There is more to manage at home than ever and I am NOT a spring chicken anymore.  #40CLUB

Still,

the kids are loving their activities.  They inspire me to become more physical like when I was young (and I'm going to do it... one day).

I also try to always use times of stress as times to think of blessings. I am very blessed to have kids who are healthy and have at least one creative outlet they enjoy.  

(I think it's ballet with one t but some dictionaries list it with two 't's?)

Christian Flag Football

 8th Grade-  I thought it would be easier than 7th but we don't find that to be the case.  Still, anything worth doing is going to take effort forever.  I always teach my kids when given the opportunity don't give 100%, give 110%!  

They really hate me for that philosophy BTW.

Weekend Project

Speaking of School Work

These are notes posted by Connor's teacher.  

Is there a contest for best handwriting in America?  This teacher gets the award.  I mean WOW.

The downside, we tried to fit in about 10 pages of these beautifully written notes in C's head just now and I was like....

2nd Grade:  Carlee is working hard and loving her teachers.

She has a few things I am very worried about, so please be in prayer for her and our decisions for her.   I live in fear I am going to do something really stupid to mess up my kids.  

I mean more stupid than normal. 

I love this recent assignment by Carlee.  

She had to choose between fun activities- a play date, trampoline, dogs, snow day, etc. and she chose to write about the time she- 'Planted Flowers with her Dad'! 

#sweet  #daddysGal

Friends, Friends, and More Friends

There are always kids around during this stage of my life. 

Although time consuming, it makes me happy to see children have fun/ play together.

I think because I am a teacher and I see the lack of socialization today.  I support my kids spending time with other friends.  When I was in school social time was as big as academic time (or maybe just for me because I never shut up).  Now kids don't have the time or the prior knowledge to interact with others in a non-tech and healthy way. 

Birthday Continues 

This weekend we traveled to Mama's house to celebrate the September Birthdays and for some pizza with bowling!  

spoiler alert (a gaming chair) 😼  very exciting

Me Familia

my cousin, my sissy, my son, my daughter, my niece  

We all had a fun time.

The Bowling Alley was such a Hoot! 

Every time we would roll, it would play a hilarious cartoon with our pictures.

Friendly Get Togethers 

 That same night we had a cookout with the deacons and families. It was such a nice thing to host as the church year starts.

I feared I would be too tired to enjoy but it was a really neat spot.

Again, there were so many great photo ops.

Definitely my daughter with a SMORE.  lol.

Last night, my friend H, gave me this book for the kids.  

It is such a great book.  I highly recommend for anyone who has lost a family pet.  It is so sweet.

This is a woman after my heart 

1. a mother of 4 

2. the 4 are all boys  

3. great sense of humor.

4. admits to not having it all together

5.  loving soul

CHURCH ON THE MOUNTAIN

This morning we had a really great service on the mountain.

I'm not an outdoorsy girl, but I always enjoy this service.

We've had to miss the last few because I (or someone) was sick.  So far, my allergies are at bay but I'm working hard at combating them.

Coach Darren

Football, football, football

This is all my family studies during the Fall (sigh, good bye Lifetime for Women).

During our meal, I got one of these delicious United States Cookies.  I thought Florida was looking a little post hurricane-ish or perhaps I've read too much about the Super Continent from Connor's notes. 

? hmmmm

Luckily I have supportive church friends who turned my cookie up to show that it is actually the mountain that we were currently on.

Makes Total Sense 🤣  It's all about perspective.  

I'm just a woman out here trying to turn peoples' cookie up y'all. 

 I seriously need to be sleeping instead of writing this blog,

but I think it was a perfect weekend to capture the beauty and love in our space.  💗

#14 on the Field

14 years ago I was nearly four weeks overdue.  Being 'The Sechrist' kind of kids that we were, Darren and I went for a regular check up in Winston Salem with no phones, no overnight bag, no lunch, no preparation when the nurse said- 

"We need to get this baby out of you".  

We were both like 'ummm, but we are not prepared".  

Darren had to use a landline to call someone to get our stuff.  

I guess nearly 39 weeks wasn't enough time for us to face this little fellow:

And now he turns 14.

Check out his football number this year!

Today was a great day.

We have had so many precious family and friends wish this one a Happy Birthday.   
He is loved by so many.  My heart is full because of that fact.

 

 

I designed Connor's cake special (because I waited too long to order it).  While I had the cake iced in black, I placed the Monster Drink and emblem on the cake.

How do you like my "floating" can?

Just call me The Cake Boss!  Better yet, just call me The Boss.  

I love it.  Bruce Springsteen said I could have it.

While I don't endorse Monster Energy Drinks for kids, adults, or teenagers, they are the sponsor for NASCAR, motocross, etc.  You know all that stuff teens are into these days.

Of course, Connor wanted Monster Energy Girls to show today with the cake but he got Monster Energy Mom instead.

That's close enough, right?

For Connor's friends, I found these great water bottles on Amazon.  They are so durable.  I had the stickers made.  I thought they turned out great (best of all you can replace water for Monster Energy).

I've heard my whole life that raising a teenager is harder than anything. I use to roll my eyes and think "you haven't had my kid at 2".  The truth is having a teenager does present many challenges that are different from the toddler years.   I'm not sure if the teenage years are hard because our kids suddenly began to draw away and act like we have zero sense...

or if we as parents struggle most with the "babies" suddenly becoming their own people without warning.  It's like 'excuse me, you just can't pick and choose my services, I am mom at all times'.   

The cards don't have wrestlers on the front anymore?  What's up with that? 🙄

Being a teenager today is NOT easy.  It is not easy.  

While I will be the first to tell you that I am as hard as heck on this kid.  I also believed in his gifts from that first day he refused to show up on time 14 years ago. 

I won't stop pushing him to be his best self.  
When others count him out.  I count him in.

Sometimes that results in fights.  

Sometimes it results in him telling me to trust more.

Sometimes it results in him surpassing even his own expectations.

God placed me at the middle school with Connor at the exact time for so many brilliant reasons. God opened my eyes to many issues and situations.  One thing I can tell you is - 

Our son is a good boy.

This isn't for a blog.

This isn't written to sound good.

Connor is a just a good boy.

We are blessed.

Happy Birthday Connor

Love, 

Monster Energy Mom

Goodbye Good Buddy

Can I be honest when I say I never understood the term, "Man's Best Friend" concerning a dog.  I never want to see an animal harmed or abused but, in the past, I have truly never had a close attachment to animals.   

Buddy and Connor Age 2

While I never wanted to be a pet owner, I married a dog lover.  

So, when Connor was the ripe old age of 2, Darren knew his boy needed 'Man's Best Friend'.  We learned that the local animal shelter had two Lab puppies.  

  

Connor 3 Feeding Buddy

Darren walked through the door that evening with a mutt.  I was like 'what...where did this one come from?'  I was pretty shocked.   Where was the cute puppy Labrador??

It was this dog who had become an immediate "buddy" to Darren when he walked into the overcrowded shelter.  Darren had a feeling this was the one and took him that day (no family meeting).

This was a feeling I didn't understand at the time.

Our Christmas Card with Buddy "the only nice one"  haaa.

Darren was 100% right on.

No matter how much we tried to monitor the situation, Buddy was the best kind of dog for a WILD two year old that went after the dog's tail, ears, body, and sanity like he was part of the circus.  The whole time, Buddy was patient and loving with Connor as he finally grew out of his toddler years. 

Carlee "training" Buddy

I had one rule: no indoor dog.

Over time I forgot that rule.  What can I say? I was overruled.

At some point we tacked on 'Love' at the end of Buddy's name because he was so loving.  We suspected abuse in this dog's history due to his response when we would move a broom or move in his direction suddenly.  Buddy Love was one of my kids.  He had a fear of fireworks, guns, and thunderstorms.

Carlee's early steps toward her favorites.

Buddy Love was FAST.  

He would keep pace as our van pulled out of the drive each time.

He would chase cars in the rain and once was even hit outside of our road.  The car stopped and Buddy survived, but he returned to our home much wiser about chasing the cars.

Buddy Love greeted us at the door at the end of a long day.

He loved to be scratched and cuddled.  He was a friend to all of our neighbors who called him 'Pork Chop'.

Baby Carlee feeding Buddy

     
The day we brought Carlee home from the hospital, Buddy Love attentively laid in front of her crib each night.  Jealousy was never a problem.  Buddy Love was as caring with the new, screaming, baby girl as he had been with Connor's toddler 'Tribe' yells.

Darren's love for Buddy Love was immediate.  He understood Man's Best Friend.  He grew up with dogs.  

Family Picnic 

The kids love for Buddy Love grew deeper with each throw of a football,  each WWE wrestling match, each snowman built, each dance recital in the kitchen, and each hard day where only a dog can comfort.  A dog's focus does not match the same focus of the world.  A dog's love doesn't care if you are the smartest or the fastest or the prettiest or if you forgot your homework or if you can't read like your friends.  
To Buddy Love- you are just right and there is no need for intervention or change.

Winter Fun

My affection for Buddy Love was like a slow growing plant that winded itself around me before I even knew what was happening.  My family often chided me for not showing the same affection they did.  I would say "I am not making out with Buddy, Ok!"

Neighborhood Dogs & Buddy with O and C 

The fam didn't see me sneak the breakfast sausage to Buddy Love in the morning, or the times I let Bud jump up on the couch beside me while I rubbed his soft ears, or the extra treat I would throw his way on the porch.  My heart would always give a little when Buddy Love would follow me to the track to make sure I was safe or lay at my feet while I was on the computer.

Buddy trying to steal Carlee's favorite blanket 

On the rare evenings that Darren was not home at night, Buddy Love stayed in our room.  He was an excellent guard dog and would alert us immediately to anything or anyone outside of the house.  

Buddy always followed us when we went for a walk to the track.

Buddy Love was a good dog.  He was the best blessing.

For the past few months, Buddy Love has not been himself.  We knew that things were not looking good.  His health had been failing.  He was moving slower.  His appetite was decreasing.

Today we got the news from Buddy's vet that there was nothing more that could be done.  

Darren could not let him go today but tommorrow is the day.

The family is taking it hard.

The kids and Buddy Love

Darren is heartbroken.

Carlee does not know the full extent and will not know until I pick her up early tommorrow.  She is much too emotional when we even discuss Buddy's sickness.  

Connor knows.  

Have you ever watched a soon to be 14 year old try his best to hold it together? 
A terrible age to lose a beloved dog.

Buddy lending Connor his body for a pillow.

This morning, Connor with Buddy

Me & Buddy Love Selfie 

For a while, I tried to remain very non-emotional, refusing to look at Buddy Love or commenting much about the situation.  

But tonight I was alone.  
Carlee was a Nana's house.  Connor/ Darren was at football.  Right before I left the house, Buddy Love very slowly came over and laid at my feet.

I lost it.

I cried so hard I couldn't breathe.

My ALL TIME Fav Picture or Buddy and Connor 

We will miss our Buddy- 
not only Man's Best Friend but Family's Best Love.

Thanks for reading and don't forget to keep us in your prayers.

The Babies

And Time Moves Forward