For the love of the game...

I'm not sure if there are many better moments as a parent than taking time out of your busy week and getting to sit in the sun and watch your kid play a sport.  I looked forward to it all spring.  Granted, it made for a super-busy season, bustling kids to practices and games, but I wouldn't trade it.  I believe it is so good for my kids to be learning a skill and get to be a part of a team.  

 Allie played tee ball for the first time this year and loved it.  Rich and I weren't sure if she would, though, since it's a lot of standing around and hoping the ball comes to you.  But she looked forward to it every day and was always asking if she had practice or a game that day. 

Our friend and neighbor had his son on Allie's team and helped coach.  Thanks, Tyler!  In this picture, he's probably telling Allie not to fall on the ball when she goes to field a hit.  The girl thinks it's a race against everyone else on her team to get to the ball first.  Never mind if you fall on it like it's a land mine and you're saving your teammates from imminent death, then you can't actually make a play and get the runner out.  It's a tough world out there and you gotta make sure no one else gets the ball...

 

She got a hit and was standing on first base.

And now it's turn for me to admit my failure as a mom.  I guess I was just having too much fun relaxing to actually take good pictures of Avery this season.  I feel sad, but these are 2 of the only 4 or so pictures I took, I guess!  At least I have proof she played. 

She still loves soccer.  And by golly, she's getting to be a great little player!  Her coach calls her a fireball :)  She has gotten so much better at handling the ball and she just gets in there and gives a good fight.  I really love to watch her play! 

This is an example of the reason I love my kids to be in sports.  They learn early to take a knee when a player on either team is down with an injury.  They all drop instinctively when someone gets hurt.  So cute!

And this is the other awesome picture of my stud little soccer player!  Sorry, Avery, I'll do better next season!

Guatemala

I can hardly believe it, but Rich and I will soon be traveling to Guatemala.  I'm done with school and I can finally focus on this giant thing that we are about to do.

Rich and I decided to sponsor a second Compassion child a year or so ago when our church encouraged everyone to sponsor a child in a certain town in Guatemala, with the hopes of someday doing a mission trip there and visiting the children.  That really appealed to Rich and I and we picked a little girl a year or so younger than our youngest daughter.

So here we are!  A group of people from our church is joining the Reid Saunders Association and heading down to Guatemala.  We will be visiting the Compassion center where around 80% of 150 are sponsored by people from our church.  We will be able to run a vbs for these precious children.  Many of them come from homes of drug addictions, alcoholism, and domestic violence, not to mention poverty.  Many of them just want to feel loved!  Rich and I will be able to visit with our sponsor daughter, also. 

In addition to this, we will be visiting schools for several days.  They will allow us to share our testimonies and the good news of Jesus with all the kids in these schools.  There will also be a medical team running a clinic for several days, as well as a pastor's conference.  Toward the end of our 11 day trip, we will be assisting RSA with running a 2-day evangelistic festival, complete with professional bmx stunts (I'm rusty on my skills, so I won't be a part of that). 

Of course we would love to have you pray for the people of Guatemala, that their hearts will be soft and prepared to accept salvation.  Also pray that the team would be unified, confident, and healthy.  Lastly, I would ask that you pray that our kids stay happy and healthy while we're away and that this mama and daddy can serve God without missing our kids too much!!

We're so very grateful for everyone who contributed financially to this mission and for all your prayers.  In the words of Reid Saunders, "All for Jesus!" 

Allie graduated kindergarten last week!  With how crazy our lives have been, I'm lucky it's only taken me six days to get this posted.  She has had an incredible kindergarten year.  I taught at Albany Christian School for the main purpose of allowing her to go there for kindergarten.  I knew the teacher was amazing and we felt like she really needed an extraordinary start in her school career.  I couldn't have been happier!  I can't believe all that she was able to learn or how well she was loved and nurtured.  We were greatly blessed!

Allie with her teacher, Mrs. Elliot.

Family photos rarely turn out the way I want them, but at least it documents that we were all there!

Um, how precious is this?

Me and my girl.