It's Game Day Y'all

In towns all across America, people are gearing up for tonight. Months of hard work will finally be showcased tonight. Those hard working men (& some women) will finally be able to show off what they've learned, how they've grown, be seen under the lights, & have their names echo from the stands. And for a few moments, those ordinary, everyday youngins can feel like stars!

Those Friday Night Lights are legendary, especially in small towns in the south.

We are gearing up for our 11th football season. It takes over your time, your money, your car, your laundry. It takes away your voice, takes away your breath, & steals your heart.

As always, we start every season with hopes & dreams. Hope for a good season, hope for no injury, hope for success, & dreams of championships & glory.

This year is a little different for us, well for me anyway. I start this year with the same hopes & dreams, but mixed with anxiety, concern, & trepidation. (For the record, I'm not sure where the word trepidation came from. I'm not sure I've ever used it before, but as this post was flowing through my head, so was the word trepidation. So there you go.)

It was only a year ago that I watched, helplessly, as our family went through the biggest trial we've ever experienced. All because of a stupid decision during opening week of football.

I can't help but worry.

Even though I've seen my son grow. I've seen him change. I've seen him walk away from fights when I know his temper was boiling. I've seen him break up fights so others wouldn't get hurt or in trouble. I've seen him hit the altar at church with tears in his eyes. I've heard him call home from church camp absolutely broken about how good God has been. I've seen him make hard decisions that I know at the time he questioned. I've heard "I'm sorry for the hell I've put you through mom".

I've also heard the laughter return to his voice. I've heard joy & excitement when he talks about things. I've seen more friends coming back around. I've seen him opening back up. I've seen less worry & stress on his face. I've seen his eyes light up.

I can't help but worry.

After last season, he swore he wasn't playing again. My heart hurt. It hurt for him. It hurt for me. It hurt for missed opportunities & making memories. It hurt for regrets.

We have a brand new start this year. A brand new year, a brand new team, a brand new number (oh mercy kid, pick a number & stick with it), a brand new coach, a brand new set of plays, a brand new principle.

A brand new hope.

Don't mind me. I'll be the one praying fervently, screaming my head off, & ringing the cow bell for all I'm worth.

So here's to another football season & those Friday night lights.

Hello Juvenile Delinquent

I have wrestled with whether or not to post this one. Usually I'm an open book, no holds barred type of person. But this subject, while it could easily happen to any one of you, will probably cause lots of talk. So welcome to another edition of my less than perfect life...

As some of you know, there was an "incident" with Austin earlier this month. Now, my oldest isn't a fighter by nature, but he isn't one to back down either...ever. As we are learning, he can certainly hold his own. Long story short: a friend of Austin's started it, Austin finished it, resulting with the friend needing medical attention & glue.

Its never a good day when the school shows up on my caller id. But what started out as dread, turned into full fledged panic with more questions than answers.

Since there was "serious injury", the county, NOT the school or the other family, HAD to press charges. Because of a situation that started out as nothing more than boys being boys, now both of these 12 year old BOYS were being charged with misdemeanor assault!

Great...now I have a juvenile delinquent. At 16, sure maybe, but 12!!!

After the shock wore off, talking to the other family (who we are also friends with), and getting a few more answers, we were able to try to laugh about the whole incredible ordeal.

Even through the jokes, worry still remained. What would the juvenile protection services say, would there be long term repercussions, counseling, community service, worse?

After 10 L O N G days, we finally had our meeting. Since this was his first offense, all went well & the case was dismissed.

I think part of her job is to scare the pants off of kids.

While talking with this woman, we learned so many shocking things.

Did you know that the school refers every case involving fights, weapons, & drugs? EVERY ONE OF THEM! Including 6 year olds who through something across the room!!!

At any given time, there are 250 children (under 16 - because 16 is legally an adult here in NC) in this county on probation! REALLY??!!??!! Is that necessary?!

It shocks me to think that the school no longer wants any part of trying to help children that truly need help. While our case was nothing in the grand scheme of it all, I just can't imagine what some of these families go through just because the powers that be don't want to deal with it.

If my oldest child, who is not, nor ever has been, a saint, gets into another fight, whether he starts it or just defends himself, (which let's face facts, most boys do fight) he will be right back in that office facing stricter consequences.

Its a sad time we live in folks. Children can no longer be children, they can't try to settle things between themselves, they can no longer take up for themselves, without threats of legal action looming over their heads.

Of yeah, and my juvenile delinquent goes to church, plays football, wrestles, makes good grades, plays guitar, rides dirt bikes, & ties bow-ties just for fun!

Goodbye 2014 & Praying for 2015

With the new year upon us, I like to look back on all that transpired during 2014. I can say, with all honesty that we faced things we have never faced before. We experienced new joys, higher highs, & lower lows. Through it all, we are still BLESSED!

2014 brought with it a brand new business, Freedom Fire & Safety, that we are slowly building to its great potential. It brought the best year yet for Blessed Boutique. It brought a new car (finally), parenting struggles, the death of my grandfather, the resignation of a church, a FULLY self employed year (which scares the daylights out of me as tax time gets closer). It brought, not once or twice, but three occasions that brought my mom to church. It brought not one, but two, Super Bowl championships to my children. It brought the opportunity to hear, meet, & shake the hand of one of my favorite singers. It brought new friendships, while others ended. And hopefully, it brought my family closer to each other & to God than ever before.

One of the (many) things that I regret about this past year is the fact that I didn't write nearly as much as I have in the past (only 41 posts in 2014 compared to over 150 in 2013). I just had so many tangled emotions that I felt were best left unsaid at the time. But hopefully 2015 will bring clarity & freedom with it.

We did see 2014 out with a bang & a prayer. We started revival last night at Maple Springs (which will continue through Friday! Come join us!!) then prayed in the New Year at a friend's house. And what New Year's celebration is complete (at least around here) without fireworks & gun shots!

Now a few of my favorite posts from this past year. These have nothing to do with number of views, comments, etc. These are the ones I enjoyed the most, the ones I learned the most from, the ones that moved me to tears.

The one that surprised me the most this year was Weary Mom, I feel You It honestly started out as a venting session. I was so aggravated the day I wrote it, but I had no idea just how many people would need to hear they are not alone!

Another special one was Leaps & Bounds. She's still growing & I'm so thankful for that!

100 Happy Days wasn't one of my favorite "blog posts" but the result of it was. That simple post, that simple decision, brought with it an entire summer of purposefully looking for something EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. to make me smile. Some days, I had several things to share, some days, I struggled to find just one. But I faithfully posted a picture to my Instagram about being happy for 100 days!

I Wonder What He's Thinking reminded me just how similar parenting must be to God trying to direct our paths.

Country Must be Country Wide was special just because it had so many fun memories with it! And I have never been featured on someone's website before!!

And of course, no year would be complete without all the fun adventures of Twinkle the elf. So check out all the insanity that the Elf on the Shelf brings with it.

Finally So I Write tells the dark side of me.

I hope that you enjoyed sharing 2014 with us. My goal is that something I said made you laugh, cry, grow, shake your head, or empathize with not just me, but those around you as well. I pray that 2015 will be your (and my) best year ever!

Love you all!!

What's One More Thing

Well, its that time again. Its time for the Ultimate Blog Challenge.

If you will remember, I flooded your newsfeeds with LOTS of posts in July when I last took part in this. I was unsure as I wrapped up the month if I would sign up for it again. I was still unsure when I signed up to do it again last night. I am still unsure even as I sit here writing.

My life has been crazy busy & complicated lately - even more so than normal!

We ALWAYS are overbooked every fall. Between football & cheerleading, there really isn't much room for anything else. Well, this year, we have added 2 different school schedules (public school & homeschool). We have added Justin not only helping to coach Austin's football team, but also being the athletic trainer for the high school football team, which means that he has to be at every practice right after school as well as every JV & Varsity game, both home & away.

Its that time of year where my home business picks up. I am up to my ears in ribbon, tulle, & bottlecaps trying to stock up for the Apple Festival, various fall festivals, vendor events, & Christmas orders.

I have also recently started another business. I have become an Ambassador with Plexus Slim. I am working so hard at trying to build this business into something lucrative so I can help our family.

Add to all of this, the every day chores around the house, the demands of being a pastor's wife, & the requirements of a homeschool teacher and it seems so overwhelming right now.

So I still wonder if trying to write 30 blog posts in 30 days was the smartest decision.

Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE writing my blog! I LOVE hearing from someone how much I have encouraged them! I LOVE knowing that God is using ME through something that I enjoy!

I just don't EVER want to feel like I HAVE to do this! Then it becomes a J O B & not many people enjoy their jobs.

So bare with me while I attempt another challenge. Bare with me if some days life takes over & I don't get to post. Bare with me if occasionally something I write doesn't make as much sense as it did in my head.

Bare with me if I don't make it to 30. I'm going to give it my best effort, but if I fall short, remember I am human & bare with me!

Another Lesson Learned Through a Child's Eyes

As parents, we all know just how special our children are. They are blessings from God. They are put on this earth to make our lives a little brighter.

But how much more exciting is it when someone else realizes that your child is special as well.

I had the pleasure of getting to speak with one of Austin's teachers yesterday at his game. She asked how he was liking middle school. With a smile on my face, I told her of course he was enjoying it. He is making new friends, & getting along well with the old ones. He also seems to be a favorite among the girls. But that is nothing new in our world.

She told me what a good kid he was. Yeah, he is but he also has a smart mouth on him right now that I will be more than happy to get rid of.

She laughed about how he can be the"stud of all studs" out on the football field, but she gets to see another side to him. She then started telling me a story that brought tears to my eyes. She talked about how Austin had a gift from God unlike anything she has seen in over 20 years of teaching. She gave me peace & I finally understood WHY he needed to return to public school this year.

Austin has reached out to another kid in his class. This child is a little slower. He doesn't get things quite the way most children do. He doesn't understand everything that is put before him. Austin has realized this & has taken it upon himself to make sure that this child gets whatever the assignment is. Before he even begins his own work, Austin re explains the task to this child & through Austin's help, this child GETS IT!

This teacher went on to say that Austin doesn't even pay attention to the fact that this child is different. He sees him through God's eyes. He doesn't allow the other students opinions to influence how he treats him. She has never seen this type of bond in all her years of teaching & she KNOWS this is a gift from God.

I was reminded of yet another lesson yesterday. Not everything we do is always about us. More often than not, the decisions we make affect those around us. And sometimes our sacrifices end up making a world of difference to someone we least expect.

No matter what the rest of the year holds, if Austin's sole purpose for returning to public school was to be a help to this one child, it was worth it.

This meant more to me than this teacher could possibly realize! The Austin that the world sees is silly, cool, competitive, & a flirt. The Austin that I know & love has the biggest heart of anyone I know when he allows himself to show it. He would rather argue than accept anything that he is told to do. But he is still quick to say "yes ma'am". He lives to pick on his sister. But will be the first to take up for her or help her if she is hurt. He is becoming an amazing young man even though we have to pick through the junk to find him sometimes.

Would You Do It All Again

How many times have you said the words, "Can I get a redo"?

How many times have you looked back on some thing crazy that you did or said only to wish that you hadn't?

How many times have you wished you could go back & change history?

I don't know about you, but I've said those words or thought that thought many times.

We watched the movie Touchback this weekend. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it! Football plus family plus community plus second chances makes for an awesome movie!

I was able to use this as a springboard for how one decision can alter your whole life. Don't you just love those unexpected teachable moments?!

Anyway, there are plenty of things that I would love to change about my past. Maybe, I would have said "No" instead of "Yes". Maybe, I would have went right instead of left. Maybe I would have woke up early instead of staying out late. Maybe, maybe, maybe. Who knows?

The only problem with those ideas is that the outcome would be different.

Yes, there are still plenty of things I would rather do different. But would it be worth the cost? Would it be worth the different outcome? Would it make me a different person?

So, even though I made mistakes & even though I can't get a do over, I'm not 100 percent positive that I would do it different if I could.....

I am a C

We sing a song at church with the kids

I am a C

I am a C H

I am a C H R I S T I A N

And I have C H R I S T in my H E A R T and I will L I V E  E T E R N A L L Y

Its a simple song & the kids like it, but if you take a few minutes to think about it. I mean REALLY think about it. It pretty much says it all.

We had Austin's football awards program tonight. The guys love getting together for food & lots of goofing around. I enjoy seeing them just getting to be kids. The boys always get so excited about their trophies & secretly, I get excited too. Not because of the reward, but because the coach always tells what stands out to him about the kids. I enjoy hearing about inside stories & personality quirks that sometimes only come out on the football field. Its a good time to recognize how special each boy is. Sometimes, its easy to pick out who is being described.....

When Coach Brian started talking about Austin, he did acknowledge his football skills. But more importantly, he told how proud he was that Austin would lead the team in prayer, how Austin was never afraid to let everyone know he was a christian. Those few words made my heart sing. I couldn't have been prouder if he had said that Austin was the best player he had ever seen.

Even though, Austin doesn't always make the wisest decisions, Christ still shows through in his life. Can people say the same thing about me?

All in all, God blessed me with a pretty awesome kid!