Well, here I am again. I am obviously not the best blogger in the world, although I have hopes to be one day. For now, I am going to try at the end of every week to sum up our week with 5 quick takes... an idea I got from my favorite Idahoan, Sarah.
1. School started this week for Silas. CAN NOT BELIEVE that he is a first-grader already! He absolutely loved his first two days (that's all he's had so far) and when I asked him how his first day went he said, "It was so so so so so so so so so so great!" (with a few more sos in there I think) He is such a sweet and agreeable kid (except when his brothers are bothering him). So happy he loves being at Harding. What a blessing that he can go to such a great school and best of all be there with his dad!
2. The not so happy flip-side of Silas starting school is that means that Jonathan started school too. Although his job is a 12 month job, summers for him are very easy and flexible. We get used to having him around a lot more than normal which makes it really hard when he starts the school year. Not only does he not have his summer hours anymore (9-2 with lots of time off), he also starts off the school year coaching volleyball, which means even longer hours. Getting up super early, coming home late, falling asleep by 9 pm... we miss him already! But, I am so thankful that we do have the summer months when we get to spend so much time with him, and I'm thankful that he is willing to work so hard for our family. He is a great man and I love him dearly!!
3. Eli and Cooper are doing great. They are 4 1/2 and pretty fun. They are going to preschool two days a week now and can't wait until they can start Kindergarten next year. They talk about it aLOT. Eli has been sick this week with his nasty cough that he often gets, but has been complaining about his ears hurting for the first time ever. So, I took him to see Dr. Johnson yesterday and he has a sinus infection and an ear infection. Yuck. He is already better today though.
4. I have had a very busy week! Finished up a bat mitzvah order that I've been working on (woo hoo!) and started on another one. Seems the little Jewish girls in Atlanta love me! :) These orders have been really fun to work on. All cute and girly for sure. I took Silas and his friend from school, James Ryan, to the Adventure Science Center on Tuesday. E & C were at school, and that was the last free day we had that I could take Silas to do something special. They had a blast and I had fun too watching them have fun together! I think Silas felt special getting to do that without his brothers! Silas chose where we went to lunch, which was The Picnic in Belle Meade. Kind of a funny choice for a seven-yr. old (we picked up some Taco Bell for JR on the way), but he likes their mac and cheese. His first choice was actually Whole Foods (a child after my own heart), but I told him we didn't have time to go there as we needed to get back to pick up E & C from school. The Picnic is a Nashville tradition- yummy sandwiches, salads, desserts and tea punch! The best quote of the day was when JR said, "This is a strange question, but why do only grandparents work here?" (in his British Forrest Gump accent) I told him I didn't know but that was a really good question! (yes, there are mostly old ladies working there!) Too funny. Other events this week included... saying good-bye to our dear friend, Anna Lee, who is moving back to Texas, a Thirty-One party, school starting (and all that goes along with that!), 1st grade picnic, visiting our good friend and neighbor, Amanda, and her new sweet baby, Helena at the hospital, a visit from an antiques appraiser who made some very happy discoveries in some of our treasures from Jonathan's grandmother, GaGa (more on that later), and to end the week, serving lunch at the Ronald McDonald House. I said I had a busy week!
5. Jonathan and I have started a Bible Study with the High School kids at Broadmoor, and our first class was tonight. It is on Being a Servant and I think it will be really beneficial for them and for us! We have really been thinking lately about how we need to be doing more. We are so blessed to live in such a great city and be members of a wonderful group of God's people, but sometimes I think we are a little too comfortable with our life here. I was listening to an audiobook by Beth Moore a while ago, and something she said really spoke to me. In short, she said that God has not appointed you to a life of mediocrity, but to a life of profound harvest. The last thing Satan wants is for us to bear much fruit. But God, however, desires to be glorified by us bearing much fruit. I realized that sometimes I feel like I don't bear much fruit at all! Anyway, I want to write more on this later, but for now I think this class is going to be great. Every other time we meet we will be doing a service project, either for our members at Broadmoor or something in the community. Really looking forward to it!
So, those are my 5 Quick Takes for the week. Not so quick, but maybe I'll condense it more once I start writing more often!
A couple of verses that really spoke to me this week... "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." Phil. 4: 11-12
