The rest of the weekends this fall are BOOKED for the Collins family, so we decided to take advantage of our free morning this morning, and go to the Apple Barn for some apple pickin' :)
Emery LOVED it! She thought the apples were balls, so she kept saying “ball! ball! ball!”. Then we told her she could bite it, and it was food, which she thought was even better!! I’ll let the pictures do the talkin!
Emery and I are pleased to introduce you to Cave Spring High School’s new Varsity Boys’ soccer coach!! We happen to think he is PRETTY great! :)
We are so proud of you Brad! You have put the work in, and now your time has come. There is no doubt in my mind that you will do an awesome new thing at Cave Spring in and through those boys. I am so excited to see how God is going to use you there.
Emery and I promise to support you by coming to your games rain or shine, hot or cold, and screaming obnoxiously loud and cheering on your team. We promise to purchase unnecessary amounts of red and black to wear to the games and there will probably be some smocking involved, for Emery of course (Emily already gave Emery a black and red tutu to wear). We promise to eat lots of fast food in order to make it to the aforementioned games at least close to on time, or before the second half starts. We promise not to complain all that much about sharing you with 18 or so boys. We promise to pray for you and with you, and we promise to be your NUMBER ONE FANS!! We love you, and we cannot wait to become Cave Spring Knight fans!!
Image from Cave Spring website (rcps).
GO KNIGHTS!!
Well, this school year is well underway. Botetourt County is on a semester based block, so since I teach Science I have the same students everyday for a semester (3 six week periods) and next semester I get a whole new set of students. It is moving VERY FAST because we are covering a years worth of material in one semester. I am really enjoying the new job. I have experienced some challenges, but I am definitely enjoying being at Read Mountain! I wanted to give you a sneak peak into my classroom…
View from the entrance
My desk area
My recycling bulletin board (This is where the greatest friend in the WHOLE WIDE WORLD gets a major shoutout for coming in and doing my boards for me because I was super stressed, and it just would not have gotten done without her! Thanks Linz :) )
View from the back of the room
Homework board
So far I am being strengthened, just like I committed to praying for this year…hope you guys are too…I’m still prayin for ya :)
Let me start off by saying I KNOW how lucky our family is that Brad and I get to be off together during the summer and during all of the breaks throughout the year. Also, let me preface this by saying I am VERY excited to start my new job, and I am THANKFUL for God’s provision…BUT…
It is HARD!
I honestly know that God has not released me from teaching. I know if I was supposed to stay at home he would provide financially for us, but that’s not what he wants from me right now. I know God wants me to be teaching. I had an AWESOME moment in my classroom the other day where an overwhelming sense of peace just washed over me…BUT…
It is HARD!
It is hard to leave your baby everyday, it’s hard knowing that the time you spend with them in the evening is their worst time of day, it’s hard knowing that someone else is playing Mom while you’re at work, it’s hard knowing they miss you, it’s hard knowing that you are missing things, it’s hard knowing I will miss Emery every.single.day…
It is just plain HARD!
I have told Emery every day that it’s not that I don’t want to stay home with her, but that Mommy wants to be a good listener to God, and that I’m working because that’s what is best for OUR family, and HER. I wonder in the back of my mind and out loud to Brad every day (bless.his.heart) if Emery will wonder why her other friends’ mommies stay home with them everyday, and if she’ll question my love for her. I know these thoughts are irrational, and I’m crazy…BUT they are real to me, and to lots of other working Mom’s I know…BUT…
He is our strength, our rock, our shelter, our stronghold (Psalm 18:2). He is all knowing (Matt. 10:30), he is faithful (Deut. 7:9), he is loving (1 John 4:8), he provides for us (John 21:6). He love us more than we love our children that we leave when we go to work, so we can take refuge in the fact that he has our best interest at heart, and that those CRAZY thoughts that we’re bound to have almost daily are not of him, and he is the only truth. He will strengthen our families and us individually if we are faithful and obedient to him. I am making a commitment this year to pray for God to strengthen me, and to strengthen my family as we are obedient to him, and I will be praying for all of you working Mom’s too (all three of you that read this blog haha)!
Our second beach trip was with the Collins family (minus Chris), Brad’s cousin Lauren’s family, and his Aunt Ramona and Uncle Terry. We had a blast with them as well!! It was nice that I didn’t have to take as many pictures of Emery playing, and I could just relax and play with her a little more….and yes more picture overload…
Emery’s FIRST carousel ride…the comment may have been made that I enjoyed it more than she did, which was fairly accurate ha!
We were fortunate enough to go to Oak Island TWICE this year. This first time was with my family. It was so nice to get away, and get to spend sometime with family. Emery absolutely LOVED it!! She loved the sand, the ocean, everything! I was a little nervous about her traveling, being out in the heat (she normally doesn’t like being hot) and being out late at night, but she was a ROCK STAR!! Here are some of the pictures from our first beach trip…
Yea I know total picture overload…can you tell it was Emery’s first beach trip??
