Photo op

Zach, myself & Leah backstage before the musical, KRAZY KAMP!

Pam

Lots of excitement!

Exciting times in this small community!

Last Monday our basketball team (who I have been photographing all season, along with my 2nd son)

WON SECTIONAL!

Perspective.

We have one of the best teams in the state in our sectional.  Bishop Luers.

Private schools create teams that are designed to win ball games.  Public schools often lose out, using only the kids born & raised in the district.

My opinion.

This is only the 2nd sectional win AC has won since division basketball began.

We also won the ACAC conference team championship.  Going 7-0 in the conference.  When you rank among the smallest school in the conference.  Let’s just guess when the last time that happened?

THIRTY-THREE YEARS AGO!

Another night of celebration!

No team from our school has ever won a Regional game.  Has ever won 20 games. 

Today that could change!

Today we travel to regionals & we play 2 games if we win the first!!

Really exciting!

Check out AC Basketball Facebook Page to follow the team or learn more!

Not only is this a good basketball team, they are almost too good to be true people involved!  Absolutely incredible attitudes.  Fun, nice, good kids.  Excellent program.

I really saw that a few weeks ago when my son was suspended (from a game) for missing the community service project they went on.  Zach’s attitude has been a thorn in their side all year (and last year).  It just won’t be tolerated.  Unfortunately, he hasn’t been able to pull himself together & be what he needs to be.  So, he has sat the bench on JV much of the year, when in reality is is good enough to be on the Varsity bench.

As I thought about that, I realized that they were putting my son as a person ahead of winning games.  They were doing what they as a coaching staff could do to teach my son that living with that attitude will not give you success.  It will not be tolerated. 

I have been under the basket this season for every game.  I will say that I have seen a ton of attitude on the courts.  Much of it coming from teams that wear “Christian” on their chests.  The reality of the rarity of a program that will not tolerate attitude to poison their program hit me.

Too bad it has to be when I see my own son be the one to go through it.

But, we are on a journey.  He’s gonna learn.  Perhaps later rather than sooner.  But, we will be there through it all.

See him standing behind the bench in the black shirt… the one with the mohawk…

So, today we travel… Excited.  Zach will go as a fan, on the fan bus (praying he stays out of trouble).  James & Brookelyn are home.  James, Brooke, Leah, Dad, Ben & Myself are all traveling out together to watch the Jets! 

First game at 1:00 & second won’t start til close to 8:30.  Then travel almost 3 hours home… With the time change… GONNA BE A LATE ONE!

PLUS…

It’s musical week!  KRAZY KAMP

Zach has a lead… he’s a “junk food junkie”

Leah’s in the chorus… I have very few pictures of her, because she’s always in the back!  WHY are your eyes closed girlly!!! 

Perspective:  3 of the 5 starters on the basketball team are in the musical!

Last performance, that was supposed to be tonight is moved to Sunday at 4.

Can we just say exhausting weekend.  But, oh so much fun.

By Monday we may need a 2 hour delay in the worst of ways!!

Good luck to all this weekend!

AND

go jets!!!

Pam

I just don’t understand

Today I ran into my ex-husband’s 90 year old grandma at w-mart.  She’s amazing, living on her own & thinking about others… she’s a devout Christian who never misses a Sunday in church & also never misses sending any of her great-grandchildren a birthday card!

She also has a f-book account!  She saw on there that I had posted about Zach being in the musical.  She said that she had been thinking about calling me, because she would like to come to the musical! 

This is where I feel bad because I didn’t think to call her and ask her if she wanted tickets myself…

I mean what’s the etiquette here?  Is it my responsibility to contact my ex-husband and all of his family to let them know about all the of the kids activities? 

He takes no initiative to find out what’s going on with his kids.  He lurks on their f-book pages, so I know he KNOWS what’s going on.  Yet nothing.  Presale tickets for this musical are sold out for 2 of the 3 nights.  Unless he called the school and ordered tickets on his own, he doesn’t have tickets.

I mentioned to Zach about it, “did you ask your dad if he wants tickets?"  I didn’t get a response…

It’s all really quite difficult for me to swallow.  I want to do the right thing.  What exactly is the right thing?  Is he going to show up at the door and expect to have a decent seat?  Is he waiting for me or Zach to call and give him a call & invite him like a favored guest? 

URG!!! 

Bitterness is still after my soul… It is a patient foe that will take me anytime it can…

I went to dress rehearsal and took these shots last night..

Zach & Kurt are the two thieves… these are taken during their duet

Pam

Musical Success

3 nights of watching my 2 oldest boys & their friends in Friday Knight Fever, A musical Comedy Tribute to the 1970’s.

I’ve been obsessed with pictures.

Having fun editing & taking them.  Posting them on FB for the kids to see & use. 

Zach, me, & James before the final night.

James (who has always had problems sharing the spotlight with his younger brother) just can’t stay out of the picture!  LOL!

 

Zach’s grade…

James’ grade…

 

James & Alisen…

 

Jadon wearing James’ wig…

Both of the boy’s solos…

 

See the rest of the videos here.

It turned out that speaking in that “high squeaking voice” was hard on the singing voice!  But, James made it through all 3 nights!  I was praying for him.  This video was from Friday night, the night it was the weakest.  I hope I can get my hands on video of Friday night, he did the best that night (everyone did). 

They have a great teacher & director.  They do a fabulous job choosing musicals based on the kids they are working with & their personalities.  And assigning parts that fit the kids.

GREAT JOB TO ALL THE KIDS & TEACHERS & PARENTS WHO HELPED!!!  So proud to be a part of such a great group of people!

Pam

Musical Videos

If you are interested in seeing some of the musical my 2 oldest are in this weekend, here are some videos!

James looks like this…& has a high-squeaky voice for much of the play (which it seems is quite harmful on your vocal cords & is going to be a challenge to sing tonight in a “normal” voice)

Zach  looks like this…

Except when he looks like this…

Enjoy…

Pam

Friday Knight Fever {Thursday}

Last night was the opening night of our High Schools Annual Musical!!  What a treat!!

Friday Knight Fever, A Musical Comedy Tribute To the 1970’s

Barry {James}

 

 

Peter {Zach}

Jan {Alisen, James girlfriend}

Tonight I’ll take video.  Promise. 

Pam

Your Hands… thanks for sharing

My friend Jodi told me I’d like this song & I should search for it… she was right…

Oh, and by the way, I no longer have my music on the sidebar in auto mode.  You just have to hit play if you want to hear it.

Also, see James Senior Pictures (some of them) over on my photo blog… & this is my second post today so read on…

Vlogemotion: Minus the Vlog

It’s Thursday, the day I join Tim @ Fort Thompson in his vlogemotions carnival.  BUT, for the third week in a row, i find myself missing an important element in the whole vlog creation process… first it was the camera, then the computer, now the camera’s battery charger is MIA. 

I was all set to video, I was even going to let you witness my freshly washed head of hair & my crisp clean face.  (you know cause if i run the hair dryer THEY might wake up, and THEY are all still asleep! YEAH!!)  And if I wake any of THEM to ask where the charger is… yeah, I might as well save my breath and type.

I was not sure what my emotion was going to be today anyway.  Is BUSY an emotion?  HAPPY is.  ANGRY is. WORRY? IMPATIENT?

So, with no camera battery, I sat down to work on my Bible Study Me, Myself, & Lies by Jennifer Rothschild.  Read the first paragraph and knew what I needed to do. 

“To sort fact and feeling, she makes a list of lies and truths when she talks to herself.  It’s helped speak truth and hope to her soul.”

I feel like I have been so busy that the truth and the lies get all mixed up together & I need to sort them all out again.

Lies I hear in my head:

You are alone.

Your kids are not going to make it.

You are forgotten.

You aren’t going to make it.

How is James going to go to college? 

What if he makes a dumb choice?

What if he fails?

What if he ends up following his dads life path?

HSSH is getting away with this.

HSSH is never going to change.

What God has told you about HSSH is not what you think it is.

You are holding on to something that is never going to happen.

You can’t do this.

Truth:

You have a ton of friends & family who would do anything for you.

You have an amazing God who fills your heart with love & takes away your loneliness.

You have amazing kids who ARE going to make mistakes & who are going to learn and grow by them & become better people because of it.

Where James ends up going to college may not be your choice, but you will have peace that I will take care of things.

Remember you laid HSSH on the altar?  And you intended to leave him there?  Leave him there.

Don’t believe for a minute what you see with your eyes when you see HSSH is truth.

"Jesus replied, 'I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, 
you will be free indeed.'"  John 8:34-36

God has you in the palm of His Righteous Right Hand.  He will never leave you or forsake you.  Wait patiently on the Lord and He will Help you. “Delight yourself in the LORD        and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this:” (my collection of verses put together as they came to me just now, Ps 37 is part of it, not sure where the rest are found)

So, between all the running, and I do mean running, Lord Jesus help me to keep the truth in my mind & to believe it.  And I pray that you help me discern the lies. So many lies. I need You.

A run down of the “busy”

• football camp for Lucas
• football camp leading for James & Zach
• shopping for school shoes & clothes
• cheerleading practice for Leah
• swim party for Leah
• Campus Life Retreat for James & Zach
• Out to dinner with family on my birthday.
• Out to paint pottery & eat dinner with a friend.
• Work.
• Dentist.
• Chiropractor.
• Doctor.
• Groceries.
• Visits from out of town friends.

And that is just this week. I heard a country song yesterday while riding in the van with Zach… here i found it on you-tube…

Hey, Tim!  I added a video, so can I officially all this my vlog!  I sure need to tell myself much of this! :)

Well, the kids are up, and NO ONE knows where that battery charger is… sounds like life to me…

Thanks for “listening” to my thought closet adjustment today!  And head over to Tim's place to watch real vlogemos with actual vlogs on them. Ahem.

Pam

“He Is With You”

While driving Lucas home from football camp today, I heard this song I’d fallen in love with last spring, by Mandisa had been released.. It has been awhile since I’d heard it… sure is touching, again.

I need to keep remembering this in my own life… but how comforting as we pray for others too… still praying for Stellan & Abby

Pam

How fun is this!!

Remember last week when I was blog-keeping and posted this contest?

Remember that I had won the cd that I gave away on the radio call in show, The Family Name Game, on Star 88.3?

Remember that the cd they sent me for my prize was Point of Grace, How You Live.  One I already had?

Remember that I gave away the second copy to the first person who left a comment that had never left a comment before.

Amber of Life with Murmer was my winner that day, with her quick commenting skills!

I had two new commenters that day.  I was sad that I couldn't give them both one.  I even left the second one, Rachel of Nathan and Rachel a comment telling her I wished I could send her one too!

If I had been smart, witty, and savvy, I would have said that the contest is open to all new commentors.  And that I would choose from all of the comments that day at random. 

But, I'm not so smart and quick.  And I often think of much better things later, like when I am trying to sleep at night, that I could have said that were much more clever than what I did say!  Oh well.

Anyway.  I have a second chance.

Saturday.  I get the mail.  In it is another package from Star 88.3.  In the package is another CD.  I did not win another contest.  Someone is not keeping great records over there I would imagine.  For a moment I was hopeful that I would still get a a free cd out of the whole deal.

Nope.

It was Point of Grace, How You Live.  Again.

So... now... a chance to give another CD away!  I would like to give it to Rachel, of Nathan and Rachel.  But, if I don't here from her before I am ready to go to the post office in the morning, I will choose from all the new commenters that leave me a comment before tomorrow morning!  How about that!?!

So, here is your second chance all your blog-lurkers!!  Post me a comment and you could win this CD!  And who knows, Star 88.3 may send me more and I can keep giving them away! 

Pam

Blog-keeping... and a contest!

You know, like house-keeping… although I confess, I tend to my blog better than my house many days!

I saw a cartoon on someone’s blog last week…

‘If my house is clean, my computer must be broken". 

Oh how truthful!

A few things that I have been working on with my blog that I wanted to tell you about.

First, I added music to the side-bar this morning.  I have debated about that for a long time.  Sometimes, music can distract from the message.  I just wanted to tell you that if you don't like the music you can click on "stop".  You can also move it to a different song.

Does anyone know anything about those music players?  At the moment it isn't even wanting to upload on the blog.  It was working earlier.  Does anyone know if you can add your own music to any of the programs?  Some of the songs I would like to have on there I can't find in their library of music.

I also created "You're Gonna Miss This" photos with each of my kids pictures.  Does anyone know how to create a slide show on the sidebar with these?  None of the programs I have used in the past work the way I want them to.  I want the pictures to automatically play, quietly, and just randomly change.  Any ideas??

Blogger has added a new feature for keeping track of the blogs that you regularly read.  It is called "followers".  I love how one mom handled this, she said, follow me, while I follow HIM.  I agree.  If you are interested in following me, follow Him, click that on the side bar too to sign up.

I've had some people have trouble leaving me comments.  I have now allowed "anonymous" comments on my blog.  You don't need to have a user name or password to leave a comment.  You can sign your name to the comment and I will know who left it!  I hope that helps.

I heart commenter's!  Thinking that another contest is in order for commenters! 

Last week?  The week before?  I was listening to the radio station Star 88.3, where they play "the family name game" a few times a day.  The name they were asking for was anyone with a son or daughter named "Zach"!  I called, and got in! Got on the radio, with a 30 second or so blurb telling them about my son Zach! 

As a prize I got a free CD.  I told them to send me any CD, thinking I have very few CD's.  Well.... I got one that I already own!  What are the odds!  But, it is a very good one!  I've been wanting to give it to someone.  So I am going to give away this CD to the first NEW COMMENTER on this post!!  If you have never commented on my blog before, and you have been a regular reader I want to hear from you and I want to send you this CD!! 

Oh, I didn't tell you which CD it is did I!

Point of Grace, How You Live

You can listen to the title song, or maybe you already are, in my new music!   The song I copied the lyrics to, on the post before this one, is on this cd too.  Fearless Heart.  The Fearless Heart song is one I really want to get on there.  I just don't know how!  Frustrating!

Okay, I think that is all I have for now!  I know my blog is busy with "stuff" on the sides.  One day I may have to get professional help for all my blog clutter!  Oh my!!

Okay, back to the house-cleaning...

Pam

Because of Your love.

If you haven’t listened to any of the new album by Ayiesha Woods, or enter both my contest, and 5 Minutes for Mom’s contest.  You really should do that!!  I am very excited for this album to come out.  I am also very excited that I get to hear it on my computer even now! 

The sixth track is called Because of Your Love…

“Because of Your love, I don’t have to be afraid anymore.

Because of Your love, I'm stronger that I ever was before.

And I can do anything, I can do anything.

It's true, It's all because of You"

This may not be your style of music, that is fine.  But, the words to some of her songs are so amazing! 

I could have skipped out on telling you about my frustration yesterday.  I could have kept a pretty face of peace and contentment in the midst of trial.  But, I wouldn't have been honest.

This is a hard road I've been on.  Full of grief, pain, trial, frustration, unrest, and turmoil. 

Things have been better lately.  You know that if you've been reading long.  But, it is a fight to keep the peace.  Gee... sounds like another one of the songs on that album.

Fighting to keep my peace today... as much as I hate the circumstances.

"...we've got to stand up and fight for it..."

Pam

New Album: New Theme Song? New Beginnings…

Over at 5 Minutes for Mom's they are giving away 3 copies of this new album.

 

 

When I listened to the, recommended by the author, song, New Beginnings. it seemed like one that really related to my life… here are some of the lyrics… you can listen to the WHOLE album above!  Don’t miss that!

“I know you’ve been hurt before and you don’t want to try no more,
said you already closed the door to that part of your heart.
But you can love again, in time your heart will mend.
Before it’s all over, you’ll be doing fine.

I believe in new beginnings, no matter what they say, yesterday is over. Today’s a brand new day.”

To make this even more fun, how about I give away one copy of this CD too?!  Just leave me a comment on this post to enter!

Contest goes until Friday, August 29, at midnight!  On Saturday I’ll pick one person to win a copy of this album, too!

Pam