Johanna

Another soccer player–Johanna

| Stacy

One of the things Johanna asked God for was a place to play soccer. 
It was just one of those things – where a click leads to a connection and VOILA here we are.  About 20 minutes west of us a local church has embraced their Upward Sports Ministry.  They had such an outpouring of interest they were able to have more teams than ever before and spread practices over two nights.  She is on Monday nights with her team – Courage.  Half way through the night the director leads a devotion.  This year they are doing devotions inspired from the book of James. 

I am so grateful for God’s provision. 

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School started in SC last week, we started today per our tradition of starting the first Monday after Stewart’s birthday.  Homeschooling is different here.  More on that later. 

THE BUSIEST WEEK OF MY LIFE–day three…

| Stacy

The day started with me realizing my Bible was not on that little brown table there in the first picture where it normally greets me in the morning.

Thankfully, there were only a few boxes in that room and one had the word, “Bible’” scrawled on it.

I opened that box carefully, as there was no chance I was going to go without my Bible for who knows how long…

In the box I found the following:
A wodge of paper, that when unwrapped revealed a small photo album from the China cabinet.
A second wodge of paper with a second photo album. 
A wodge of paper with my Bible, a reading text of Katriel’s, a small journal, and a plastic toy utensil.
Two large pillows from the couch.
A box of mittens and a box of scarves from the family room closet.

Oh… unpacking is going to be a riot!!

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My dear friend Christine picked up Katriel.  I ran errands and packed up our clothes and such. 

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Johanna, Tab, Marie and I went to the mall and then grabbed Taco Bell…. a first for sure.

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Johanna, Tabitha and Marie all went to the last night of youth group they will be here for.  Libby’s mom took this lovely photo.

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Here are a few my friend’s DL and TIffany took of Johanna on the slide.

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One of the things I am most sad about in leaving is that Johanna will not be part of the PCC Impact youth group.

MUSIC MAN!–one year later!

| Stacy

It was over a year ago Johanna found out she was cast as Eulalie Shinn for the Home School Christian Theater Club production of the Music Man.

Then – blah – blah – blah – Zoom – Mask – toilet paper – time to go back.

Or something like that.

We had fun with the 1920’s hair.

She had fun being the campy mayor’s wife.

We LOVED being around our friends.  Our people.  Our like-minded peers.

(whom we are moving away from? – ouch.)

SO SPECIAL.

She had to wear a mask, but these kids were more than able to emote.
There was MUCH less parental involvement this time, and that kind of worked at this stage of life.

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We also had a FANTASTABULOUS time at the after show party Sunday.

And we cried all the way home.

ELEVEN years of Johanna!

| Stacy

We did things out of order… that’s how Saturday birthdays roll.

She had a few gifts in the morning, so she’d have things to do as the day went on.  Big kids coming and going, because — Saturday.

As sisters got prepared for the prom, mom got some enchiladas underway.

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While sisters did prom-y things, we did dinner, gifts and cake.

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Both Nene and Mama got her dresses with jean jackets.

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She asked for lemon cake and we were happy to provide it.

It’s been a weird week.

Glad it ended on such a joy-filled note.

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A new insanity…

| Stacy

We were prepping the house for the realtor and the photographer to come tomorrow to take pictures for when we list the house.

We noticed a LOT of dandelions had popped up overnight.

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Yes – she has scissors and a basket.

I’ve now done everything.

Houghton Graduate!

| Stacy

Life is weird.
I’ve run out of ways to express how much so.

Here we are… John and I… social distanced in a class room watching graduation on a screen.

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There’s Stewart.  Only he wasn’t actually watching from the chapel, either.  They, too, were in socially distant classrooms coming in here and there for their “moment.”

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Sweet Noelle.

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And now we are outside.  On the only cold day in weeks, it seems.

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We have boxed lunches. 

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They were very good, all things considered!

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We gave Stewart a mug. 

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While his roommate Dustyn couldn’t be bothered with the weird graduation, he did don his cap and gown and come around for pictures. 

In this painfully-miserable two years to be at college, these two people are the reason I haven’t said, “I wish you’d never gone.”  God was so good to Stewart. 

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We had steak and Nan’s famous beans for dinner.

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And now for the cake story…

Johanna was talking for a week about how she wanted to make Stewart’s cake.  She baked the cake on Friday.  She preheated the oven and somehow turned it off and forgot it.  So it didn’t burn, but it didn’t really cook, either.  THEN we realized it and made our best guess how long to cook it.

Saturday morning John and I had to leave early (7AM ish) and Johanna was prepping to frost the cake.  About an hour later Marie called me laughing so hard she couldn’t breathe.  We were almost to Mt. Morris, where my cell service always stops, so I couldn’t understand everything she was saying as the call patched in and out.  Essentially, she was saying they were struggling to frost the cake, can they do something creative?  Well, what else am I going to say.  I wouldn’t have time to start over.  Sure – do what you have to do.

After we got to campus and my Wi-Fi was turned on, Marie texted they did the best they could and they saved some frosting so I could try to fix the cake when I got home if I wanted to try.

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I don’t know what superpower she thought I had that I could fix this cake with two ounces of frosting.

Honestly, it is his third graduation in four years…. it’s apropos.

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My 20 year old, first born, homeschooled son has a Bachelors Degree. 

I’m more than a lot proud and humbled. 

GOD IS SO GOOD!
ALL THE TIME!!!!!

A musical and fries

| Stacy

Today marked the resumption of rehearsals for the Music Man production that was abruptly brought to a halt last year when the world locked down.  Johanna asked if we could have dinner at Wendy’s to celebrate.  She said she’d been dreaming of Wendy’s for “so long now” and nothing else would do.  

The best part was the Freestyle beverage machine was fully operational AND self-service made it so she could combine any numbers of pop flavors together for the perfect concoction of sugar.

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So insanely grateful for any bits of our former activities.

(Mama also got to hang out in Hobby Lobby for a little while.)

Play dates are good for the soul.

| Stacy

I am not so good at taking photos – either remembering to take them, or executing them…   but we’ve been very intentional about setting up play dates for Johanna and Katriel this fall. 

Today, we picked up Asher and headed to Chase’s for doughnuts, and some animals.

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He made Katriel this incredible picture out of LEAVES from his yard!

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