I thought I'd play a little catch-up on my blog.  We did do some fun things this month, though perhaps not as many as I would have liked.  My heart just wasn't into things as much this year.  It can be hard to grieve and also celebrate. 

I appreciate the prayers, notes and encouragment that I've received.  Thank you.  This has been hard for my heart.  I try to stay busy as it helps keep my mind off of things.  I am also trying to be thankful.  I'm thankful that a family has come forward for Tonya.  I continue to pray for her daily as well as for the family that has commited to her.  I'm also continuing to pray for the many other children waiting for a family and still praying that perhaps one day this will be our path.  I'm not "over it" and honestly, this leaves a hole in my heart.  I know that time will heal and also know that part of my heart will always be with this precious little girl that I've loved through prayers. 

Please join me in praying for these children.  There are 147 million orphans around the world.  This breaks my heart.  I'm praying and giving and waiting to see if there is more that I could be doing.  Is there more that you could be doing?

I wanted to share one of the fun times we had early this month.  Rebecca and I were given a gift after we did the program with the Duke Athletes - a tea for 8.  It was enough for our whole family!  Or if some of them didn't want to go, we could ask friends to join us.  We ended up going with the a mix of the options - half family and half friends.  It was a lot of fun!

We went to the Washington Duke Inn - a very nice local place.  It was beautifully decorated and we went on a Friday afternoon.  We met friends and then went into the lovely dining area.  We each chose a drink.  Most chose a tea, but they also had other options for those who wanted something different.  Hot chocolate was an option for several of the children.  Doesn't it look delicious?

Pink lemonade was also a choice.

We sat and talked as we waited to see what would happen next.  We'd never been to this hotel for tea and I've never been out for tea so I didn't really know what to expect.  It was nice to spend time with friends in a relaxed and lovely setting.  Here I am with two of my handsome boys.

When the waiter brought out the food, it was incredible!  There were 3 layers of delightful offerings and enough for everyone to have one of each item.

The top tier included a cucumber sandwich, a pimento cheese sandwich, a devilled egg and a turkey sandwich with a cheese and dill spread.  The waiter described each item to us in a very tasty way - but I can't remember the details.  They were as yummy as they look!

Next, chicken salad in a little shell, a truffle, smoked cheese and a type of pudding.  (Now this is all to the best of my memory and I could be wrong!). 

The last tier - cheesecake, coconut cake, lemon meringue pie, shortbread cookie and a dark chocolate truffle with edible gold.

We talked about which level we liked the best and we all had different responses.  They were all yummy, but we each had our own favorite.  Afterwards, we had a group photo made in the lobby.

We also said our good-byes in one of the sitting areas off of the lobby.  The children enjoyed this carousel which was playing Christmas carols. 

Thank you friends for spending the afternoon with us and making sweet memories of this time together.

Blessings
Leslie

Posted in Eliana

I'm not up for writing much, but couldn't let this day slip by without writing a little something.  My life is forever changed because of knowing you Eliana.  You have opened my eyes, broadened my dreams and given more laughter and joy than I thought possible.  There is more love in the world because of you!  I'm so thankful that you are my daughter!

Your wonderful big sister made this slideshow of and for you.  She posted it on her blog and I wanted to share it here too.  Didn't she do an awesome job? 

Thank you to all of you who have been and are praying for us.  It is much needed and appreciated.  Thank you also for your notes and words of encouragment and understanding. 

Blessings

Leslie

I can't tell you how long I've dreamed of a different title to a post - "He said YES!".  I've hoped, waited and prayed for this for over a year. 

Last fall, while looking at the Reece's Rainbow site, Rebecca and I were looking for a little girl to sponsor.  One that didn't have much, if any, money in her grant fund and one that needed support and prayers.  We chose Tonya.

I loved the picture of this spunky-looking little girl.  She was already past 3 years of age and could be sent to an institution to live when she turned 4.  I really believed she needed someone to commit to her by Christmas.  I began praying for her daily, faithfully. 

I should mention that I've been interested in adopting for awhile and especially since we were blessed with Eliana.  Even a year ago, I dreamed of adopting a little girl with Down syndrome.  I must confess though that I probably wouldn't have picked Tonya because I though I'd like someone younger than Eliana.  It's funny what prayer will do to your heart though.  The more I prayed for Tonya, the more I began to fall in love with her.  I know it must sound silly to some of you reading and I can't explain it.  She feels like a daughter of my heart. 

Last Christmas I so hoped that my gift might be a "yes" to adopting Tonya.  As time passed, I continued to hope, and dream and pray.  My prayers began in just wanting a family for her, but as time passed, I also greatly wanted the family to be ours.  I can just imagine her here playing with Eliana, sharing toys, crawling up into my lap and just being loved.

Fast forward to this Christmas.  There is a family adopting from the orphange in which Tonya lives.  They took new photos of her.

This created a great interest in Tonya and much money has been donated to her grant fund.  I knew in my heart that her huge grant would cause someone to come forward.  I still hoped and prayed it might be us. 

Roger has also been praying about this decision for a long while too.  This week-end, we really committed to pray.  We were both praying and asking for a sign from God to let us know what we should do.  I was honestly scared that there would be no sign.  I was frustrated that I'd been praying for over a year and He had done nothing!  I was afraid of what would happen to my heart if nothing happened. 

Over the week-end, we prayed and talked like we haven't done in a long time.  It was much needed for our marriage and sweet as well.  It was something that happened because of a little girl in a far away country that we have never seen.  She was able to do for us something that all of the trials and tribulations we have faced with our children could never do - draw us closer to each other and to God. 

On Sunday night, Roger thought we should adopt her.  Almost immediatly I became sick and stayed that way through the night and much of the following morning.  I felt better by afternoon after talking with a precious friend.  We knew we needed to decide quickly if we wanted the decision to be ours.  We decided to say yes!  I was elated!

I emailed to tell of our decision and we began to talk details.  We knew that Roger's age was a few months past the limit of the country's requirements.  We'd been told that was something that could be worked around.  Then I was asked if I had income and told that was also a requirement.  I was devastated.  Crushed.  Of course, my answer was no, no income.  I'm a stay at home mom.  Was there anything that could be done?  I was told that they would ask the officials in country and get back to us.  Another night of many prayers. 

I was confused (and in some ways still am).  I didn't sleep much and just spent a lot of the night praying.  I was also sick again.  I begged God that if this was not to be the path for us (adoption) that He would close the door.  It seemed an easy thing to me.  He could not allow us to have a loophole and we would know what His will was in the matter.  It seemed clear. 

Again today, many prayers.  Many.  Early this evening, we heard back.  They could work around the requirement!  Hope!  Is this the sign we had been asking for?  I knew that a no would mean that the adoption could never happen.  Was this the yes?

Time for more prayer.  Asking God for peace, clarity and wisdom.  Also asking for Him to give us the same heart.  This has been my prayer for so very long.  Years.  During all of this time of praying, I also came to realize that I had to give my desire for Tonya to God.  She is His.  He loves her more than I can even fathom. 

As we prayed we talked about things from all angles.  I know all of the many reasons that we shouldn't adopt. 

*We don't have the money - though the large grant would help so much!

*My/our plate is full with the many medical/special needs we are already dealing with.

*It would be hard for some of our family and friends and thus hard for us without their support.

As I prayed though, I was lead to a verse in 2 Timothy, where it states that God does not have a spirit of timidity, but one of love and power.  I thought of our fears and wondered if this was truly God cautioning us.

This is a huge decision.  A life-altering one.  We both wanted to do His will.  We both wanted to follow where He was leading.  We both wanted peace and to have the same heart.  I wish I could say that these prayers were all answered. 

As we prayed, I came to think that the door was opened due to the answer we got when it looked so very closed.  I know that God would bless us for stepping out in faith to follow.  I knew this would test our faith and would teach us much.  I was ready to commit.

When I turned and looked at Roger, I knew he was not feeling the same way.  He just said "I'm sorry." 

We told the children and Rebecca was also deeply saddened.  She has been praying for this little girl a lot too.  She has a heart much like mine. 

I would be lying if I said everything was fine.  I'm crushed and heartbroken.  For a brief time, we said yes and she was going to be our daughter.  I have hoped for this time for so long.  Something to be excited about, to look forward to. 

I'm thankful that there appears to be another family ready to adopt her.  I've prayed for this for a long time.  I'm not sure what God is going to do in our lives now.  My heart is feeling battered once again.  I feel crushed.  I'm thankful for the things He has taught me through this beautiful little girl.  My heart will never be the same for having prayed for and loved her. 

God bless you precious Tonya!  I know He loves you so much more than I do and that He has a plan for your life.  I'm thankful to have been a part of it.

With love

Leslie

It's to the right in the sidebar of my blog.  I can't figure out how to do it in a post.  (If anyone knows, I would love the help.)  If you would like to donate money to help bring Tonya home, you can do it right there.  All donations are tax deductible.  Thank you for considering this!  Any amount is truly appreciated.

If any of you want to post this chip-in on your blog, I'd love for you to do that.  Or if you want to post about it on Facebook, twitter or your blog, please feel free to do that.

We have more coming - hopefully tomorrow - about a fundraising idea for Tonya.  I'll give you a hint, my oldest daughter has made something beautiful that we hope will help raise some money!

Blessings,

Leslie

Have you heard this yet?  What do you want for Christmas?  If you have children, you've probably heard it or maybe even asked it.  It's not a surprising question.  When we are stumped we often want to know what will really please someone we love.  We want them to know that we hear their heart and understand.  It is a sweet thing to be known and understood. 

When I ponder on Christmas and gifts, I confess that it leaves me feeling a bit overwhelmed.  There are a lot of reasons - from money to time to even the need. 

When it comes down to my heart, there is really just one thing I want.  Now, before I list it, I don't want you to think that there aren't other things that I would be thankful to have or even see as a need.  There are those things too.  (A chair that need to be replaced before it falls apart, carpet that needs cleaning, a gift card to Panera to enjoy a little treat, etc.)  I would glad give up all that and more for just one thing. 

Those that know me well, will see this as no surprise. 

I want this precious little girl, Tonya, to have a family.  (And yes, I would love for it to be ours!)

I want her to know how much she is loved by someone who will wrap their arms around her and hold her tight.  I want to her feel kisses on her faces and tickles on her toes.  I want her to see the joy and love for her in the eyes of parents and siblings.  I want her to have a family.

I've prayed for this little girl for over a year.  During that time, I've fallen in love with her - as much as one can from just a picture and lots of prayers.  There have been many tears shed for her.  Why?  Well, her fate is grim.  She is already past her 4th birthday which puts her in line for a trip to an institution.  A place where she will receive no stimulation, no affection, nothing.  Most children die within the first year.  It is a horrible fate.  It makes me weep.  It is all because she has Down syndrome. 

There are many children like Tonya facing a similar fate.  Far too many.  She is just the face of an orphan for me.  Will you please consider doing something?  Would you consider making a difference in the life of this child? 

If you donate $35 (it is deductible on your taxes) to Reece's Rainbow, you will receive an ornament with a picture of Tonya (or any child you sponsor) on it.  It makes a lovely Christmas gift.  Think of those who really don't need "more" or those who have a heart that would be blessed knowing that you have given to a child in their name. 

***I've added a "chip in" to the right of this post in the sidebar of my blog.  If you would like to make a donation to Tonya, you can do it right there.  These are tax deductible donations as well.  Thank you for considering this.

For many families, the cost of adoption is prohibitive.  It costs about $24.000 for an international adoption.  It's not in the budget of most people I know.  Yet, I've seen families do it.  I've seen many trust God to raise the funds so that they can make a difference.  I know I might not be able to make a difference to all these children, but maybe I can make a difference in the life of one child. 

For those who may be wondering, we are prayerfully considering what God is asking of us.  We would love for you to join us in praying for a clear sign of what God wants us to do.  We know that He has called us to care for orphans and there are many ways to do that from giving money to praying to adopting.  Just waiting to find out if God is willing to send us. 

Blessings

Leslie

Posted in Family

It's been a long, long day.  We started our morning early by doing a service project with our FIAR group.  (More on that later.)  We gots lots of hugs and encouragment there and several friends even brought things for Daniel to have during his appointment.

This one was a huge hit - thank you Savanna!

We left early, went by Chick-Fil-A for lunch and then home.  I should clarify that this was Joshua, Christopher, Daniel and I.  The other children stayed with a friend at the service project to continue helping and to have a potluck lunch.  After giving Joshua his shot, Daniel and I headed to Duke. 

We arrived a little before 12:30.  It was after 5pm when we left.  It was a long, long afternoon.  We spent some time waiting - and more time in tests. 

We met first with the doctor who was very, very nice!  I explained about Daniel's sensory issues, being sure that it would come up.  She thanked me for letting her know, but I still wondered if it would make a difference.  She could not have been nicer or more patient.  She did a number of visual tests on him including checking to see how he viewed colors.  (He is colorblind.)  After testing and collecting information, we went to a different room.

The next series of tests was looking at his peripheral (sp) vision.  He had to  press a buzzer whenever he saw the light.  It didn't look good from my perspective.  The doctor told me later that this test was worthless in terms of information as she could see in her tests that his vision was better than it showed up in this test.   That was good to hear.  All I could think was that he had already lost some of his vision. 

Next came the drops.  It was awful.  He screamed and cried.  I had to help hold him down while he was on my lap.  He was distraught over this.  :-( 

We waited for the drops to take effect and then were back to see the dr.  She looked at his eyes and asked if he had had the drops.  His eyes weren't dilated.  She had to do the drops again.  :-(  Again, not fun!  More waiting.  Looking at his eyes some more.

Another room for testing.  I'm not even sure what this machine was doing.  Some sort of imaging.  He was looking at a blinking or moving green light.  He had to be still.  He is never still unless he is sleeping.  It was hard too.  After trying for awhile, the technician brought in someone else to take the pictures. 

One more room for the last of the tests.  In this one, she took a picture of his optic nerve.  He screamed when the light went off.  It hurt him.  I know it makes no sense to other people his extreme sensitivities to things.  It is real though and it makes me hurt for him.  And then he had to do this a second time.  He was again very upset and difficult to manage. 

Back again to meet with the doctor.  She pulled up the images of his optic nerve.  There is no clearly defined area (as there should be).  Also the nerves running to the nerve were showing signs of pressure.  She showed me a normal eye so that I could see the difference.  She said that this indicated that there was pressure behind the eye.  What is behind the eye to cause pressure?  The brain. 

She said that the next step was another MRI (for a different series of scans than had been done last year).  She said that she felt comfortable that there are no tumors!  Praise God.  She said this was based on last year's MRI.  I wasn't sure if things could change in a year, but I'll just accept this as good news.  She wants to find out what is causing the pressure on his eyes.

The next words just made my eyes tear up.  She said that she also wanted Daniel to have a spinal tap.  I know she could read my face and I didn't know what to say.  Of course I want to know if there is something there, but all I could think of was the pain that I know this causes people with typical sensory needs and then to multiply what that would be for our sweet boy.

As we were talking about what could be causing the presseure and what each would mean for Daniel, the doctor said she wanted to do one more test.  It's after 5 at this point and we head back to her office.  Daniel is not cooperative at all.  I am not surprised.  It is a non-invasive test though basically just "massaging his eyelids" with a tool that helps her to look at his eye (looked like an ultrasound).  I offer an incentive for cooperating and we convince him that he can do this while sitting on my lap.  As she scans his eyes, she sees calcification behind one of the eyes. 

She said this could be the cause of the pressure.  She said that instead of going forward with the MRI and spinal tap, that we'll just wait 3-4 months and come back for a repeat of the tests.  While I don't like the idea of another day like this, I'll take it over the other options!  If things stay the same, there may be no action needed at that time.  It does sound like this is something that will continue to be monitored though over his life. 

If we see changes - in vision or having headaches, this could indicate other problems.  The only risk she told me of related to this calcification was a type of stroke.  She also said it was a fairly common type of stroke and shouldn't be a worry.  (It seemed like this was something in adulthood too.) 

I know this seems cut and dried.  I'm worn-out.  Daniel fell asleep before we were a few miles from Duke.  It was a very draining day for both of us. 

In the midst of it all, I find that I have reason to be thankful.  I'm thankful that there is no cause to believe there is a tumor.  I'm thankful that he will not have to have a spinal tap.  I'm thankful that for now, we can just wait and see how things progress.  I'm thankful that he has no other symptoms causing concern like headaches or vision issues.  I'm thankful for an incredibly kind doctor and staff.  VERY kind and compassionate!  I'm thankful we didnt have to wait a month for answers!  I wish I had all of this in writing.  I wonder if I'm forgetting something or mixing things up.  It's a lot to take in.  She did give me a number and said I could call if I had questions. 

I'm thankful for our little boy.  I'm thankful for all he adds to our days and our lives.  While we don't have all the answers, things for now look pretty good.  We'll just wait and see how things look in 3-4 months and try not to worry about it until then. 

Thank you for praying for us.  It means a lot to all of us. 

With love

Leslie

Posted in Holidays

We spent Thanksgiving in the mountains with my parents and my sister's family.  We had a wonderful time together.  This is the first time we've all been together since this summer.  We spent a week together at the beach just before Joshua was diagnosed with diabetes. 

As I look through my pictures, I realize that there were a lot of things I didn't get pictures of this year!  I should have taken more pictures.  Oh well. 

We enjoyed a traditional meal with lots of yummy foods.  The table was beautifully decorated.

Rebecca added a new piece to the decorations this year in placecards.  She made these very cute turkeys for each person!  Didn't she do a great job?

We had a nice selection of pies for dessert (the only food I got a picture of this year).  Rebecca made 5 different pies for us to choose from.  She also calculated the carbs on each of the pies too! 

We had a relaxing time while we were there.  We played games.

The girls did some knitting.

We enjoyed a play that Rebecca wrote for Thanksgiving (which was really cute!).

We read books, talked and did some organizing.  Roger took some of our children to a Christmas parade and they enjoyed getting some candy.  It was fun to just spend time with family.

Eliana got an early birthday present.  A stuffed animal that sings Happy Birthday.  It's mouth moves and so does the animal.  Eliana loves it!  She quickly learned how to make it sing and has been having a great time with it.  (And thankfully we didn't have to listen to it all the way home either.) 

Thanks Mom and Dad for having us up.  We had a great time and appreciate your hospitality!  We look forward to having you here sometime soon.

I have much for which I'm thankful and enjoy this holiday and the traditions that go with it.

Blessings,
Leslie 

On Thursday of this week, Daniel will be going to the Duke Eye Center to meet with a neuro opthamologist.  We have been told that he will be there for 3 hours of testing, though I don't know what any of the tests will be.  I do know that his eyes will be dilated and that is really about it. 

I think 3 hours of testing could be hard for anyone.  I know that having your eyes dilated is no fun.  For our sweet little boy with sensory processing issues though, it is all magnified and compounded.  It's going to be a hard day for him.  I'm going to be taking things with me to try to help, but it's hard to plan for something when you really have no idea what is going on.  (If anyone has suggestions, I'm open to hearing them.) 

For those who may have missed an earlier post on this, Daniel has "prominent optic nerve pallor".  This was seen at his last routine eye appt in Oct.  She has referred us to a specialist to see if there is something going on.  I've googled a little bit to find out more of what we are dealing with.  Pallor is also sometimes called "atrophy".  It also appears a little more worrisome that it is in just one eye. 

I have to be honest -  I'm scared.  I try not to think about it much and that is helpful.  (The Scarlet O'Hara method of dealing with things.)  There are times though when I have to face it.  I'm not trying to borrow trouble and thus try not to think on the "what ifs".  I still find that I am fearful of what the future my hold for our little boy.  Scared that there will be something.  Scared that it will be another something "big".  Again though, I don't dwell on it. 

I know God is holding our little boy.  I know He loves us.  I know He is with us.  It is really all I can hold on to right now. 

I've been told that it may take a month to get the results back.  I'm really hoping that is not the case!  I would love to know more on Thursday.  I really just want to hear that he is fine. 

Thank you for praying once again for our family.

With love,

Leslie

P.S.   I've been trying last night and again today to post pictures and am having troubles with photobucket.  Not sure what is going on there, but am hoping it is fixed soon.  If not, I may be posting somewhere else and will certainly update here. 

Just wanted to share a little bit of how we celebrated our sweet girl's birthday.  Roger took the day off from work as is his custom for their birthdays.  (Isn't that a great tradition?!)  Rebecca wanted to go to the park to picnic and play.  We invited some friends and headed out to the park. 

It was a chilly day, but still fun to hang out with friends.  One sweet friend brought cupcakes (thank you Rebecca!).

The kids played capture the flag and tag.  Fun games that can involve all who want to play.  Of course there was a playground to play on as well.

We even got a family photo!

After several hours we went home.  Rebecca and I then headed out again.  We first went to Panera to get smoothies.  Yum.  Then we headed to a spa for pedicures.  We were the last people in there for the day.  It was fun to have some pampering.

Then home for dinner that Rebecca picked out.  She also picked out Key Lime Pie for dessert. 

Most of the rest of the evening was filled with packing and baking.  Rebecca made 5 pies for Thanksgiving.  We had a great Thanksgiving week-end with my family and I'll post more on that tomorrow.

Blessings
Leslie

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Posted in Family

Where do I begin?  I think I must say that with all of the birthday posts.  Just having these days come causes me to be reflective and to think back in ways that I don't always take time to do.  Has it really been 14 years?!  Don't I sound like an "old person" just saying that?  I remember when I was that age wondering why older people were always so surprised that I had gotten older.  I didn't understand how fast the years could pass.  I didn't know that I would want time to slow down one day. 

I have even joked with Rebecca that we were going to skip this one so she didn't get older so quickly.  She laughed - but was not in agreement.  Guess you only want to skip birthdays when you get older.  LOL

I remember being pregnant with Rebecca and having a vision that I would be having a girl.  I had wanted a "Rebecca" for years.  I was so certain I was having a girl, that my mother had bought only gifts for a girl!  I was delighted with our beautiful new daughter - and yet had no idea the joy that was awaiting us.  I couldn't even begin to fathom the blessing she would be - to me, to our family and to so many other people. 

Where do I start?  I'm thankful for the gifts Rebecca has been given and the beautiful way she uses those gifts to bless others.  She is creative, talented and hard-working.  This is evident in her Wholehearted bracelet ministry (see sidebar for details) in which she has made hundreds of bracelets and raised over $8000 for Duke Children's Hospital.  I see these qualities in her day to day life as well as she is constantly creating things - both craft projects and also cooking projects.  All of us benefit from these!

Rebecca is bright, inquistive and interesting.  She is a joy to teach and has always been a great student.  She is motivated and willing to do all that is asked of her.  I know this will serve her well throughout her life. 

She is brave and willing to try new things.  Starting a business at age 11 is amazing to me.  Speaking to a group of 150 is daunting - and she was wonderful.  All this for a young girl who is somewhat quie and a little on the shy side - until you get to know her. 

Rebecca has a heart to serve.  She demonstrates this every day in so many ways to her siblings.  I would not be able to manage nearly so well without her capable help!  She has also served in the community.  She is wonderful with young children.  She is energetic, athletic and sensitive.  She is also unassuming - so much lies behind her sometimes quiet exterior. 

I have loved being your Mom, Rebecca.  I have learned so much from you.  I love spending time with you, sharing interests and just talking.  You are all I could have ever wanted in a daughter and so much more!  I thank God for you every day and look forward to another amazing year with you!  I know that God has great plans for you.  I have loved watching Him at work in your life already and look forward to seeing the work He will continue to do in and through you.

I love you!

Mommy

So much has happened over the last several years to make me stop and appreciate the little things.  I think it can be easy to become overwhelmed with the big events, projects and deadlines that occupy so much of our energy.  These can become the focus of our scrapbooks (and sometimes our memories).  It isn't the bulk of our days though.  Most of our time is spent in the ordinary, every day things.  Things that are just as sweet and maybe even more important than those big things.  I want to remember to stop, enjoy and spend time in these moments as it is what my life is made of.

We've been enjoying being outdoors this fall.  I love the fall - the colors, the crisp sounds, the cool breezes (well, eventually we get those!).  We have been studying clouds for a week.  Wouldn't you know that 4 of the 5 days we had beautiful, clear - cloudless - skies!  LOL  The other day was our field trip day which has some great clouds which we enjoyed seeing but weren't able to draw in our nature journals since we weren't at home. 

Even without the clouds we found things to enjoy in nature.  I loved the color of the blue sky against the color of the changing leaves.  Isn't this beautiful?

I also enjoyed seeing my children thrive in the fresh air.  I think it does them good to be outside and I do want them to appreciate the many amazing things that  God has made for us to learn about and enjoy. 

I also enjoy seeing them have fun together.  It does warm a mama's heart to see a site like this one.

Rebecca took advantage of the beautiful weather to take her siblings to our neighborhood park one day.  They had fun playing and I loved that she took pictures while they were there!  Isn't this a sweet one?

She also let Eliana help cook again.  Have I mentioned what a great big sister she is?  I wonder if they truly appreciate how blessed they are to have her?  I probably need to help this along. 

Nothing big.  Nothing dramatic.  Just a few of life's sweet little moments.  I'm loving them!

Blessings
Leslie

Posted in FieldTrip

I love field trip days.  I look forward to the time learning more about nature or history whatever out topic of the day may be in a fun and hands-on way.  I look forward to seeing our friends.  I just look forward to all the day has to offer.

As our field trip day approached last week, it was raining and the forecast was grim.  It was calling for rain and our field trip was an outdoor nature one.  I wondered what the day would hold.  We were assured that it would be a go - rain or shine - as shelters were available (unless it was storming). 

As we drove over to Falls Lake, a few drops were hitting the windshield.  A number of people had to cancel for various reasons.  When we arrived, we were a small group.  It was overcast and dreary  ... and yet beautiful.

The haze obstrucing the view.  The brilliant colors of the leaves, muted through the fog.  Can you see God in views like this?  So many times, I want my path to be clear.  I want to see where I am going.  I want to know what lies ahead.  I want God to tell me what His plans are.  I want.  I want. 

What I don't want is to wait, to wonder, to worry.    I don't want to let go of my hopes and dreams.  I don't want life to be so unfair for so many.  Again, it is all about what I want.  Sigh.  It is hard when you can see so clearly that your focus is on yourself instead of on God. 

I want answers to so many things right now.  Things I've been praying about for a long time.  It is hard to wait and yet I really do want what God wants for my life.  I know He loves me.  I know He is working in my life.  I know He is there - even when I can't see clearly. 

There is beauty in so many places if only we will stop and look.  There is often beauty in places that may at first not look beautiful at all.  My eyes see things so differently now than they did a few years ago.  I'm thankful that God has given me that gift.  I continue to pray that God would give me His eyes to see things.  It is an area in which I fall short often.  I think that the many struggles that our family has been through have helped to open my eyes to so much.  I'm not the same and for that I'm thankful - and yet there is still so much work left to be done in me.  I think the more I learn about Him, the more I can see that I lack.  I'm thankful that I don't have to earn His love, but that it has been freely given to me. 

Now, on to the field trip.  We split into 2 groups.  The younger children were learning about Dangerous Plants and Animals.  The Ranger talked with us about spiders, snakes, fire ants, bees, ticks, poison ivy and unfamiliar dogs.  He gave the children a lot of good information on what to do when you encounter these animals/plants.

We looked at pictures in order to recognize various species such as the Black Widow spider.

And even saw some that had once been alive.

The most dangerous snake in our area is the Copperhead.  It was good to see what it looked like so that we could hopefully recognize one we might see.   (Though I hope we never see one!)

Due to its coloring, this snake can easily hide among the leaves.

The Ranger also shared the most poisonous snakes have larger triangular shaped heads and eyes shaped like slits.  One of the snakes that breaks these rules though is also found in NC, though typically not near us.  It is the Coral Snake.

 In order to help remember this snake, the children learned a rhyme.

Red and yellow kills a fellow
Red and black, OK  Jack

They looked at some snake skins.

We walked around a bit and looked at the poison ivy vines growing on some nearby trees.  Then we just played.  It is a beautiful area and I'm thankful we had the opportunity to be outside today. 

While we were with the younger children, the older kids had a class on Compasses.  They learned about how to read and use a compass and then were tested on this by having to put their skills to a test.  There were directions given and then they followed them to see where they ended up on a numbered line.  The teams were given points based on how close they were to the right numbers.  I heard great reports on this class, but unfortunately have no pictures to share.  Please check out my friend Lynn's blog (click on her name) for more details and some pictures of this group. 

A couple of hours later, some of the fog had lifted and the view was a little clearer.  I love the reflection of the trees!

At lunch, we had a scare as Joshua's blood glucose numbers were very, very high.  I haven't seen numbers like this since the week he was diagnosed.  It was frightening.  I had him wash his hands again and then we did a recheck.  The number was accurate.  We treated it and thankfully he was down 200 points by mid-afternoon and another 100 points by dinner time.  Yes, it was that high! 

He ALWAYS spikes on our field trip days.  Always.  I'm not sure if it is just the excitement of being with friends on a fun outing, but I've come to expect higher numbers on those days.  Just nothing like this.  It usually evens out by later in the day too.  I'm not sure if there is more I could or should be doing about it either.  I have talked with his doctor about this.  I'm going to try to make sure he is well hydrated on these mornings and just continue to do our best.  (There is no other factor that is different in terms of food, carb counting or amount of insulin.)  It's a mystery as this disease often is.  It can be a hard thing. 

So often I'm asked if his diabetes is "under control".  I'm not sure if it ever will be under our control.  We are doing our best to manage it day by day and I think that is all we can do.  Just yesterday a friend told me that it was still a struggle for her dh who also have Type 1 and that he still has highs and lows.  I think part of the challenge is that so many different factors can affect your numbers.  We are learning though and hopefully we'll continue to improve and get better.  There is a high incentive to do well and with God's help we will continue to work at it each day.

I feel like I've been rambling and want to end with some things I'm thankful for.  I'm thankful for our health.  I don't think I'll ever take this for granted again.  I'm thankful for a wonderful medical team.  I'm thankful for friends.  I'm thankful for a great FIAR homeschool group.  I'm thankful for the many things in nature that God has made - each pointing back to a wonderful Designer.  I'm thankful for my family.  I'm richly blessed.

With love,

Leslie

What I would love to be able to write is what a sweet fun time we had today making this craft.  I don't do crafts all that often and the boys typically really like doing them.  I was looking forward to them having fun with this activity.  I would like to say that we enjoyed laughter while we talked about turkeys and the day of giving thanks.   I would like to say that everyone was happy and cooperative while we were working. 

Instead though, I'll tell you what really happened.  We waited until the end of the day to do this craft.  (That was probably mistake number one, but we had a couple of therapies and a science lab interupting our day).  The boys were to have gathered pine cones earlier in the day.  One hadn't and went out to find one in the dark.  It was a small one and he was not pleased with it.  Another boy had gathered two earlier in the day.  Well, the first boy decided he wanted the extra one (though wasn't all that nice in asking).  The other boy didn't want to give his up.  Hearing them argue over a pine cone didn't do a lot to put me in the best of moods either.  And no, I didn't take advantage of this teachable moment to talk about sharing or listening or anything else.  My first thought was that I needed to remember this when it came time to do Christmas crafts!  lol

The boys were a little ... less patient that I would have liked for them to be.  I probably was too!  The pine cones were prickly and didn't feel good on the hands.  The pipe cleaners hard to manuever and the level of difficulty was just too much for my boys at this time.  I ended up helping them a lot.  (And did I mention that they weren't really being patient?) 

In the end, we got them made.  And they are cute. 

I think the lessons that I need to learn are several.

*Don't wait until the end of the day for crafting when people are tired and the grumpiness comes on faster.

*Check the level of difficulty before starting a craft.

*Patience, patience, patience.  I need to model it and teach it through my actions.

I know we'll remember these turkeys - and hopefully not the bickering that went with it.  I hope I'll learn.  I wasn't at my best tonight, but thankfully, there will be another chance.  Thankfully the boys are pretty forgiving and love me in spite of my flaws (and the feeling is very mutual).  I'm thankful for the times that I fail for it reminds me that I struggle just like my children do.  It reminds me of how much I need a Savior to shape and mold me into the image of the one I want to reflect.  So while it may not have been a teachable moment that was used wisely, I did learn from it. 

Just thought some might like to see a less than stellar experience.  We all have them.  Sometimes I think people can feel discouraged when they hear about "all" that someone else is doing.  Most of us tend to share the positives (I'm no exception).  Just know that we all have those days - and so do our children.  I still have much to be thankful for and yes, I will still do crafts with them at Christmas. 

Blessings
Leslie

P.S.   If you are looking for something fun to add to your November, check out the blog of my FIAR friend Kendra   She has posted a great list of activities to do celebrating Thanksgiving. 

Posted in FIAR Vol 4

We had another fabulous co-op day.  I feel so very blessed to be a part of this group.  The talent, creativity and energy is amazing - and a delight to be a part of.  And fun!  This is a fun group of children and moms! 

We started out talking about fats.  Hmmm ... interesting start to the day, isn't it?  But, it did weave in through the other topics.  The children went to a table to see lots of jars filled with interesting colors and substances.  Each had water and a fat in the jar. 

The jars were passed around and the children shook them up to see if they could get the fats to dissolve.  Some did while others were more resistant to change forms.  We heated a couple to see if this made a difference and it did for a short time.  It was interesting to learn and observe the difference.  The shaking was a hit too.

Next it was time for art.  This involved fats too!  The children did a crayon resist using light colored crayons on art paper.  The crayons were a fat.  They drew designs on their cards and then went over these with watercolors.  Each child was given 3 cards on which to paint and later send to a friend or grandparent.   Look at this beautiful example.  Can you see the lightning?

It was fun to see the various designs that the children came up with and how the watercolors just did not stick to or mix with the crayons.

I didn't get a good close-up of the art, but you can see the technique in the red card on the table.  The word "Hello" is written in crayon then painted over with red paint.  The word just pops out from the paint.  It's neat and it a good use for those white crayons!

The next part of the lesson was about taste and the ways in which our body sends messages to the brain.  The children formed a chain by holding hands.  They were to squeeze the next persons hand and say "ouch" to see how long it too the message to get around the group. 

Then we learned about the 5 (yes, one more than I learned about in school) areas of taste.  The new one is savory

We also learned that the tongue can taste all of the areas throughout and not just in one spot.  That makes more sense to me.  This ball was a representation of the various areas of taste (see how the ends on the ball match the chart above?). 

We learned about what happens when we eat something hot!  The Scoville chart for measuring heat was discussed and various types of peppers listed.  (This may not sound interesting, but our energetic teacher made this very exciting and hands-on!) 

When we eat something hot and then drink water, the water acts to push the hot further into our taste buds making it seem hotter still.  If however we choose to eat or drink something with fat in it like milk or yogurt, then the fat will bind with the heat and pull it away from our tongue. 

Now, it was time to put that to the test.  The table was lined with 10 containers numbered from 1 to 10.  Each person started at 1 which was the mildest with no heat in it at all and then went as close to 10 as they wanted to go!

They each took turns.  Some needed some coaxing to keep going.   Others were eager to try more. 

A lot of the children made it to 10!  (It was yummy!)

While the older kids were learning, Rebecca was playing with Eliana and her friend.  She even brought some craft things for them to work on during this time.  What a thoughtful big sister!  She is awesome with younger children!

Daniel was given a neat picture from his friend Miss Lynn.  It is the leaves that they gathered at our last co-op.  She laminated them and made the page so that it could be hung on a window.  He was delighted and loves seeing it in our kitchen.  Wasn't that so very thoughtful?!  Thank you friend!

Another fun day with friends.  I love these days!  Hope you enjoyed the pictures. 

Blessings
Leslie

Posted in Family

A sweet friend recently let me know that I'd been nominated for a homeschool blogger award (thank you Kendra!).  I was surprised as I didn't know anything about it.  I wasn't sure whether to post anything or not as I didn't want to be asking for votes.  I do however want to thank whomever nominated me.  Thank you.  It was very sweet!

I've been nominated in two catagories.  You can click on them if you want to see more.

Best Homeschool Mom Blog

Best Cyber-Buddy Blogger

I appreciate the encouragment.  I am thankful for the opportunity to share some of my life and always hope that it may bless and encourage someone else.  I feel that we all have great things to share as God is working in each of our lives.  I love that He has made us each unique with incredible gifts and talents.  I'm fortunate and thankful to be in a place doing what I love.  God is good.

I wanted to share a few other things.  Daniel has an appt with the specialist (neuro ophthamologist) in 2 weeks.  We were told that there would be 3 hours of testing done (to determine why he has optic nerve pallor in one eye).  I'm not sure what kind of testing.  I'm sure though that it will be a hard time for my sweet little boy due to his sensory issues.  We would love your prayers.  I confess that it is hard not to worry about what this could mean - especially if I do any googling on the exact words used to describe his eye.  We are hoping it is nothing or something fixable.  I've been told it may take a month to get the results!  I"m hoping that is not right!  I'll post more as we get closer to the date.  The date and time are also going to be a challenge for us personally.  They can only see us on the one day that is worst for us (field trip day) and beginning at lunch time (hard to juggle with Joshua's diabetes needs).  I know it will work out and I'm glad to have an appt sooner rather than later. 

Isaiah had an OT evaluation today and our therapist said he would definitely qualify for OT (occupational therapy) based on his handwriting and is looking to score his other tests to see if there are any other areas that need to be addressed.  He did well during the evaluation and seemed to have some fun with parts of it too.  I'm not sure when therapy will start for him.  (She told us there is a waiting list, but that it may be shorter for him since we can come during school hours.)  It's a step in getting some help for our sweet boy so he isn't struggling.  It is hard on a mama's heart to see your child struggle and to want so much to help.  I know that some struggle can be good and hopefully I can help him to learn from the struggles, because that is something that can apply to life over and over again.

Joshua is doing pretty well.  Diabetes managment can be such a roller coaster though!!!  Some days he seems to spike or plummet for unknown reasons.  Learning how to treat him is as much an art as it is a science.  He has a great attitude most of the time.  As an aside, Isaiah is very concerned about him and prays often that a cure would be found. 

Lastly, just something sweet. 

There are times when I just watch and think how lucky my children are to have each other.  One day, Rebecca decided to make cookies.  This wasn't a huge surprise as she does like to cook.  (I really appreciate this as cooking is not my favorite thing to do.)  The surprising part was when she included Eliana.  She got aprons for both of them, pulled up a chair and let Eliana help.

Is that cute or what?  Doesn't  Eliana have the best big sister?!

That's all for now.  I need to go finish up school and then get dinner started.  Thank you friends for your encouragment and prayers.

With love
Leslie

Posted in FIAR

This week-end our Five in a Row homeschool group hosted our biggest event of the year.  This is an event we have done annually and this year marked our 8th event!  It is a wonderful co-operative event.  I love seeing how it all comes together.  Each Mom has a job and is responsible for carrying out that job.  Seeing the gifts, talents and creativity displayed is an awesome thing!  Many of the children and adults come in costume to just make the day one that is exceptionally fun!  (I didn't get a family shot, but think I have photos of all but me to share.)

This year we choose the book The Gullywasher around which to build our day.  The story takes place in etiher Mexico or the Southwestern US (it isn't clearly stated).  It is a tall tale told by a Grandfather to his grandaughter. 

I have lots of pictures and it was hard weeding it down.  Hopefully you'll get a good idea of our day as I explain what we did.  It started early for some of the gals who were busy getting things set up.  There is a lot of behind the scenes work that goes into much of this and this year was no exception.  I love seeing how an grassy field and picnic shelter are transformed into something special!

We began the morning with a welcome and a prayer for the day.  Then we had a telling of the story.  This year it was done with a puppet show.

There were some liberties taken with the story, but the general ideas were all there.  The children were mesmerized and it was new way to experience the story.

After the story, we were divided into 6 groups to go through an activity/obstacle course.  It was not a race, but rather an activity to do as a group.  Our group started with lassoing a steer.

Everyone wanted a try.

Even Roger.

It wasn't easy though and most found it hard to get close to the target!

Next, was the rain from the gullywasher.  This one was a huge hit with our group.  Each child was givein a water gun.

They were to aim at a rain cloud.  (Each group had a different cloud.) 

As the water hit the cloud, the paint from the cloud begain to "rain" down on the catci below!  This was really neat!

A really fun water event even though it was still a bit chilly at this point in the morning!

Next was building birds nests.  Each child was given a baking cup and had to search for items with which to build the nest.

Our fourth station was corn grinding.  There were ears of Indian Corn and after grinding the corn off the cob, it was used for a craft activity.

Each child selected a fun foam that had a frame in the shape of an ear of corn.  The inside was sticky so you just had to press the corn into the picture along with some of the husks at the top.

Even Eliana enjoyed doing this one.

If you notice the "wheel" around his neck, that shows a picture of each station and the order in which to go. 

Our fifth station was "pop, pop, pop".  There were two parts to this one.  First each child had bubble wrap that they stomped on to make it pop and pop. 

Next they were able to choose some popcorn to eat - either plain or spicy.

The last station was a carry the horse station (like in the story).  We had one person to be the horse (a small person) and then the rest of the group stood in a circle.  The horse was then carried from person to person.

Or if the person was smaller than the horse, they might choose to just push the horse.

There was festive music playing while this was going on.  It was the scene of much laughter!

When we finished this event, we gathered for a group photo.

Next it was lunch time!  What a beautiful spread of delicious foods we had to choose from.  Each family brought a main dish, a side and either an appetizer or a dessert.  It was so very yummy. 

We ate in a beautifully decorated shelter too.  I unfortunatly, don't have any really good pictures.  Here you can see some of it - but mostly my little sweetie looking up at a pinata.

After lunch, the children had three choices of activities to enjoy.  One was an art area in which they could do sand art (peel a piece of paper off the picture and pour colored sand onto the adhesive background) or sticker art (fiesta theme).

There was a science area in which they could learn about a tornado in a bottle or sand/water erosion.  There was a demo of how sand was affected by rain (small hole in a cup of water) and flooding (larger hole). 

The children were fascinating to see what happened.  There were even had houses to show the effects during flooding.

The last area was a sound discovery station.  You could expore sound by trying to discern different sounds.  There were group of numbered bottles with different items inside (paper clip, screw, coin, etc.) and you would shake the bottle and try to figure out which of the four items was inside.  There were able 7 different groups of these to try out.  You could then lift the flaps to find the answers.

You could also choose to make instruments like shakers - with a variety of things to go inside and ways to decorate the outside.  Tamborines were made from lids that were hole-punched and then strung with floss, bells and washers.  Drums were made from empty containers, a balloon and a rubber band.

There was also a free play area with sand, play-doh, horses (stick and plastic) to play with at any time during the event.  I have so many pictures that I haven't posted of the creative signs and the set-up at the stations, lots more of many children enjoying the day.  Just too many for one blog post.  One last picture I wanted to share of two little cuties.  Rebecca made these adorable ponchos for Eliana and her friend J.  They even wore them the whole day. 

We had a beautiful day!  That was a real blessing as it rained and rained and rained the days leading up to it.  Someone asked me what our back-up plan was - and the answer is that there isn't one.  We are able to use this site for free (which helps tremendously with the budgeting for the event) and it has worked beautifully for us for many years.  I'm thankful God planned for this to be a beautiful day weather wise (cool and cloudy in the morning and sunny in the afternoon) which was perfect for our day!

I am so thankful to be a part of this group and thankful for each family in it (whether they were there or not).  I'm thankful for the moms (and some Dads too) being willing to invest time, talent and energy into pulling off this incredible event.  I'm thankful to have such a sweet group with which to share this homeschooling journey!  Thanks friends!

Love
Leslie

Thank you so much for your prayers and encouragment.  We spent a lot of time preparing for this event and it was such a sweet time!

We hit some stumbling blocks before and even during the event, but all worked out well. It was neat to be able to talk with Rebecca about how Satan would love for us to be flustered, frustrated and ineffective - but that God was on our side.

We arrived early and set up and had the help of some of the atheletes too. Everyone was SOOOO nice to us! We were in a large room - and it was full! There were more than 100 - up to 150 student athletes, many of whom were freshmen there.

There was an intro and a gal from campus talking about community service opportunities. Then it was our turn. Just before it was our turn, I realized that I had forgotten to bring in my camera! It was too late to go get it too. I quickly called home and asked Christopher to call Roger (who was on his way with Eliana) to ask him to bring it in. Well, he couldn't find it. We do have some video though (which I'll try to post later once I get some blog problems figured out) and one of the staff took some photos (which I'll hopefully get soon).

I spoke first and talked some about our time with Duke Children's. Mainly about Eliana's heart. I got choked up. Why can't I share this story without the flood of emotions, even now? I wasn't the only one though. The pictures of our angel in the hospital are hard to see and I could see that on their faces. I ended with a more current picture though and it brought a lot of smiles! I also took some time to briefly share how her having Down syndrome has been such a blessing to our family and to many others that we know. I just wanted to plant a seed so that they can know that Ds is not a bad thing.

After I talked, it was Rebecca's turn. She was very nervous. It was a big crowd! She did an awesome job!!! I wish I could have recorded her. Can I just say how proud I am of my girl?  She shared why she wanted to raise money - so that other children with heart conditions could get help at Duke just like her little sister.  Her initial goal was to raise $100.  She has to date donated over $8000 to Duke Childrens!

The next part was hectic. It was time for making jewelry. They wanted to help build up Rebecca's inventory so that she would be able to sell more and thus give more to Duke Children's. We underestimated what they would be able and willing to do! They made a lot (more than 100 pieces - earrings, bracelets and necklaces). They seemed to have a lot of fun doing it too. Rebecca was kept very, very busy answering questions and helping finish the jewelry. She did a great job.

Roger and Eliana came in after we talked. They thought it would be nice for the students to meet her. I considered bringing her early, but thought that having her around while we were setting up beads seemed like a recipe for disaster. We talked to many students. Many came up to meet her and talk with her.

Several shared cookies with her, which she loved. She gave out some hugs and lots of high fives and fist bumps. They seemed to really enjoy her. Many of them thanked us for coming and sharing our story. It was really a privilege to be able to be there.

I'm honestly always so humbled that anyone is interested in our story. Grateful for the hearts that are open to hear and the many that respond in a positive way. I was very impressed by the Duke athletes! Very! It was a wonderful night and I'm so thankful we had the opportunity to be there!

We have been invited to join one of the teams who wants to help make more jewelry.  I'm excited and thankful for this next opportunity.  Who knew when she made that first bracelet that it would ever come to this? 

Here is a photo of my beautiful girls.

We are hoping to set up a "store" or website as we have been asked about this.  If anyone has suggestions or advice for us, we would love to hear it!

Lastly, here is an article you can read about our night at goduke.com.

Love

Leslie

Posted in Diabetes

I wanted to share a bit more about our time at this walk.  We really didn't know what to expect and only decided to go at the last minute.  Joshua had been interested in this walk from the time he was in the hospital.  When we found out that his last football game was at the same time as the walk, he wasn't sure he wanted to miss his game.

At his last practice, he decided he wanted to do the walk.  So we got registered just a short while before the walk and I posted a note here just a day before the walk.  We didn't send out letters or try to do a lot of fundraising.  We were all thrilled though that some gave anyway.  Thank you!  You were an encouragment to us all!

The walk started at 10:30.  We left early and thought we had plenty of time.  We didn't factor in the traffic.  LOTS of traffic.  It took about 45-50 minutes to go from the exit ramp to the site.  I thought we'd never get there.  We arrived after the start time, but thankfully it hadn't started yet.  :-) 

It was a beautiful day!  We checked in and got 2 shirts (based on the money we raised).  Then we started walking.  It was a 2.5 mile walk. 

We learned this week that they estimated that there were 8500 walkers there!  Lots of people had unique t-shirts for their "team".  Joshua thought he'd like one for our team for next year.  If any of you are interested, we'd love to have you join us there. 

While we were walking, we saw just one person we knew - Joshua's doctor.  His wonderful doctor from UNC hospital.  I was incredibly touched that she chose to be there. 

After the walk, we split up.  I stayed with the younger boys at the walk and Roger took the oldest 2 to their sports games.  We had lunch.  While we were walking to lunch, the boys saw someone "checking blood sugar".  It was a first.  We've never seen someone else do that.  After lunch, we did some of the fun things there like jumping in the bouncey thing.

Getting our photo made in a photo booth.

Playing foosball

There was concert and we listened for a little bit.  The bonus was meeting a really nice man with a pump.  I spotted it and pointed it out to Joshua.  I told him that I was sure he would be willing to answer any questions he might have about it.  Sure enough, he was.  He was incredibly kind!  He is an athlete and competes in the Bike to raise money for JDRF.  He showed Joshua his pump and the pump site and told him about it.  It was good to see and to learn more about it.

All in all, a fun day.  We learned that next year, we need to go earlier. 

I'm thankful that there is a group working to raise so much money to help find a cure.  There is a saying "Insulin is not a cure, it's life support".  That is so true.  We hope that there will be a cure one day soon.  I hear that there is hope for it in our lifetime.  While I do hope this is true, we know that our true hope is in Someone Else.  I'm thankful that God knows, understands and walks with us through each day - both the fun ones like this and the ones that are hard.

Thank you for your support and prayers for our family!

With love

Leslie

We had a lot of fun on Saturday - more on the rest of the day later when I have a bit more time.  We did the  JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes in the morning and then sports in the afternoon.

Christopher's team was playing in the Championship game for his league (Homeschool Football League).  I know I've talked about this league before - it is a great league.  They really stress the importance of good conduct and Christian witness.  When a player is down/hurt, they all stop and drop to a knee and pray for him.  They pray and have devotions together after the games.  The importance of being a good sport is emphasized.  It has been a wonderful group of which to be a part.

Anyway, this was the last game of the season.  They played in the play-offs two weeks ago.  The final game was a great one for our team.  Here is a photo at the end of the game.

 Christopher, I'm proud of you!  Congratulations Warriors!  Great job! 

Blessings
Leslie