Scarlet Knights Banquet

November 10, 2018 | Stacy

I asked Marie to take some photos.

Hmmmm.

At some point I got the phone back, but honestly, I wasn’t much more successful at trying to capture the evening via pictures.

What do I want to remember?

Tabitha was excited all day long.
Katriel cried that her friend Asher didn’t get there at the dot of 6:30, then she was far more excited to play with him than watch the proceedings.
Stewart did the AV booth.
Marie was voted most Christ-Like by her teammates.
Nigel was bored, but a good sport.
Johanna was astonished that “Dr. V” (from VBS) was there. She excitedly told Dr. V. how she had been praying for her.

The girls got photos, and trophies, and new beanie hats.
And they got one last party with their awesome team mates.

Seeing things through…

October 23, 2018 | Stacy

Tabitha’s SK team did not make it into the top four. But in this league, the bottom four get to play into the post-season against one another. I love this.

It poured and poured and poured. It was cold, as well.

The rain was driving at times and it even hailed for about 10 minutes. The students were allowed to wear sweatshirts and mittens and they worked really hard.

Daddy made it by the second half, and our friend took this rare photo of Mom/Dad/one kid. I hope it blesses Tab as much as it blesses me.

And I love memories like these.

Varsity Championships 2018

October 20, 2018 | Stacy

Almost nothing prepared us for how fabulous this night would be.

Marie and I headed up to the fields around 5PM so that we could get the seats we wanted. Dad, Tab, and Nigel came much later, and Stewart was just a little after them.

Marie and I cheered our hearts out for the boys’ team, though they lost.

The girls game started around 8:00 P.M. It was a wild game. Marie played like a boss. She was on fire. The whole game was intense. Marie had the ball hit her square in the face within minutes of the kick-off and she stated later she felt at that moment that she was ALL IN like never before. She went after the ball like we’ve never seen her before. When the game was finally over the scoreboard said we’d lost, but I am hear to attest that you’d never convince any of these girls that they were anything but winners tonight.

The girls drew names to make posters to encourage one another. Marie’s friend, Lauren, made this one for Marie. It had light up, mini lights. It was very cool.

I’m going to miss the fellowship with these families. I’m so exceedingly grateful for our Scarlet Knights relationships. We still have the banquet to look forward to.

Mini Knights photo shoot…

October 16, 2018 | Stacy

Finally had a day where we had sun and both girls and it wasn’t a minute too late!

Marie’s post-season game today was to determine if they would advance to the championship game.

Tab is still playing in-season games.

It was a divide and conquer day.
Dad and the boys went to cheer Marie on; Mama and Tab headed over to Rochester School for the Deaf. It was brisk and cold and I stopped by to say “Hi” to the Genesee River.

Tabby got her first goal today, on what is her half-birthday!

We headed home c-c-c-c-c-o-l-d with a quick stop at Dunkin’.

It’s what we do.

September 20, 2018 | Stacy

I’m not even sure how we pull it all off, to be honest.
The games are on Tuesdays and Thursdays, for the most part. And we have to be there by 2:45 in most cases.
The girls have Spanish on Tuesdays and Thursdays, at 12:30 P.M.
This means school for Tuesdays and Thursdays has to be done by 11:45 A.M. or so.
Survey says….. it isn’t getting done.
Marie is on top of her studies. And Tab really is, as well. The thing is, it’s hard for me to get school done with the younger girls, and prepare meals, and get to our away games, AND did I fail to mention that we have to get Nigel to FLCC by 2 P.M. on Tuesdays and Thursdays? Yes, really.

Nan has been helping. And John has taken some half days. And I’ll let you know if a few weeks how it is going.

Tournament Time

September 15, 2018 | Stacy

First ever tournament for Marie. We rode to Binghamton with six other girls and another mom. The girls played three games and watched three of the boys’ games. It was a gorgeous day and I enjoyed a ton of fellowship with other parents. They won one and lost two and we enjoyed dinner at Cracker Barrel afterward.

Soccer, Soccer, and more Soccer…

September 8, 2018 | Stacy

First – there is the good, old HIS Sports.

Johanna, Katriel and Nigel are playing HIS Soccer on Saturday mornings again this year.

John is a substitute coach and will fill in weekly wherever he is needed.

Then there are my Scarlet Knight daughters. Marie is playing her first year of Varsity and Tabitha is playing her first year of Modified.

If you can’t find me… look for me at Bullis Park. Or Brockport. Or Binghamton. Or Hilton. Or….

Soccer Smiles and Winning Miles

March 9, 2018 | Stacy

(Corny… I know.)

Mrs. Marshall organized some indoor mixed soccer for the varsity kids to get them some winter/spring play time.

Meanwhile, Johanna and Tab had cars racing in the Pinewood Derby at church.

I can’t find the photos of their cars anywhere!!!

But I think Johanna was happy with her trophy…

Proverbs 17:22
A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

I love it when a plan comes together

November 5, 2017 | Stacy

especially when God is in charge.

Let’s dial this day back to a day in mid-September.
I overheard the secretary of our Scarlet Knights soccer club, Aly, say they didn’t have a church venue set for the annual banquet. The church we normally use had experienced some changes and had some date conflicts.

I felt the Holy Spirit nudge me – “Suggest your church.”
I pushed back. “Aly is exceedingly capable. She has everything under control. She does NOT need suggestions from a peon like me.”
Again, “Suggest your church.”
Me, “Our church isn’t big enough.”
The push was palpable, my voice was small, “Excuse me, Aly? My church isn’t too far from here, and we have done some dinner programs in the past. Would you like me to see if it is available?”

She asked a few questions and I sent an email to the church from the field. Kim, the church secretary, got back to me in minutes.

And so it began.

Early on I got NO response from anyone from church on A/V support. This was going to be a key component. My nature is to WORRY and want every thing set. But I did not have a moment to work on it because Friends…. October was BUSY. So exceptionally busy. I had a heavy work schedule. Marie’s soccer team played all over the county. And there were the normal speech, Spanish, piano, guitar, orthodontist, co op, etc., etc., etc. I think I literally threw my hands in the air and said to God, “LORD, you need to take care of this for me. I just can’t.”

I squeezed in an appointment to meet with Kim, who was a real hero. When I was a little stressed out early on she was SO encouraging. When I shared with her that I was too busy to think straight, she reminded me it would work out.

A week before the banquet I had zero commitment from our church family. The back up plan was for a dad in the SK group to lug in all his sound equipment and another dad to bring in his projection stuff.

Then my friend Steve approached me. While he normally does video recording he was willing to do the mic piece for us. There – standing before me – grace. An answer to prayer. And even better, someone stepping out of his zone with a heart that wanted to help. That was more of a blessing than the audio!!! He even emailed me the following day saying he’d looked into some of the projection pieces, too.

But then things started unfolding, not BECAUSE of me, but WITHOUT ME. We had a ton of appointments this week and my brain was really thinking more about my family and uncle, and I just really couldn’t do ANYTHING unless it was send an email from some parking lot via my phone.

And – EVERYTHING fell into place. AND IT WAS SO AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So many lovely ladies… but even more so – THOSE SMILES!

I mostly played barista in the kitchen. (I’m not complaining! I’m not much of a sitter, anyway. I love to burn off my nervous energy by working.) But I snuck away for a few pictures and to watch the video for the modified team (amazing!).

I heard so many cool comments.
People sincerely appreciated the location being so much closer, and loved the lay-out; but even more than that:

“My older girls did Pioneer Girls here when they were little.”

”I haven’t been in this kitchen in YEARS,” from a former MOPS mom.

And my favorite, “I was married in this church in 1994.”