Advancing in rank!

The boys tested in Tae Kwon Doe on December 14th for their Advanced Blue belt.  Both did well.  Oldest managed to land wrong during the "three step flying side kick" and twisted his ankle.  Ankle brace and crutches for a few days.  He's better now.

Anyway, they got their new belts today.  With the Christmas Holiday and TKD schedule, they were delayed a bit.  No sweat, they still got them.

We are proud of them!

Being 10!

Do you remember being ten?

     I sure as heck don't!  It is a hazy memory at this point.

For our son, today totally seemed like a good 10 year old day.  It went something like this:

• no set time to wake up as I was having a marathon therapy session with the oldest.  Not sure if Kevin had him wake up at some set time
• being able to leisurely do his independent work
• almost a full afternoon free with the sun shining, t-shirt & blue jeans sort of day
• playing with chalk
• riding bike
• playing tug o war with the dog
• playing with the dog and a stick
• making a fort on the deck
• taking the dog for a walk through the woods
• time to read
• playing catch with his brother
• Tae Kwon Do (TKD)
• getting their blue belts at TKD

Not sure what else would make his list of cool things today, but that seems like a fairly descent list as I see it.  But what do I know, I am mom!

Play a game of Catch-up!!

in the last nine days we've:

• Thing Two has has played in two play off games and Red Sox's have won both games.  Should they win on Tuesday, they win it all.
• This past Tuesday, June 4th, Thing One finished up all requirements for Second Class in Boy Scouts and has begun the meetings with the Scout Master and others.
• Saturday, Thing One tested in Tae Kwon Doe and passed to earn his Advanced Green Belt
• This week, I've been working on repainting the main level powder room.  We just need to take a bit of time to put things back in.  The walls need a lot of work, so we took the tank of the toilet and the sink out o make the work easier.  Everything that need to be bought, has been, and needs to be installed.
• There has been a close out bash for Quest Kids (5th and 6th graders) on Friday and "closing remarks" during Sunday school, so they officially move up to 7th grade this next Sunday.
• Also on Friday, I spent a few hours in Richmond, VA at the HEAV convention.  Picked up a few things for school next year.
• Tonight, we go to a year end party for Grace Group.  6th graders get recognized (as well as 8th graders and graduating seniors, if there are any),  Thing One has been looking forward to this since last year's party!!!!!!!!  =]

Think that's just about it!  Not a whole lot else blog worth to mention.  Hope you have a wonderful Sunday afternoon.

Reflections . . .

on today would be to borrow Matt Maher's music ~

Let no one caught in sin remain

Inside the lie of inward shame

We fix our eyes upon the cross

And run to Him who showed great love

And bled for us

Freely You've bled for us

Christ is risen from the dead

Trampling over death by death

Come awake, come awake

Come and rise up from the grave

Christ is risen from the dead

We are one with Him again

Come awake, come awake

Come and rise up from the grave

Beneath the weight of all our sin

You bowed to none but Heaven's will

No scheme of Hell, no scoffer's crown

No burden great can hold You down

In strength You reign

Forever let Your church proclaim

Christ is risen from the dead

Trampling over death by death

Come awake, come awake

Come and rise up from the grave

Christ is risen from the dead

We are one with Him again

Come awake, come awake

Come and rise up from the grave

O death, where is your sting?

O hell, where is your victory?

O church, come stand in the light

The glory of God has defeated the night

Sing it, o death, where is your sting?

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O hell, where is your victory?

O church, come stand in the light

Our God is not dead, He's alive, He's alive

Christ is risen from the dead

Trampling over death by death

Come awake, come awake

Come and rise up from the grave

Christ is risen from the dead

We are one with Him again

Come awake, come awake

Come and rise up from the grave

Christ is risen from the dead

Trampling over death by death

Come awake, come awake

Come and rise up from the grave

Christ is risen from the dead

We are one with Him again

Come awake, come awake

Come and rise up from the grave

Rise up from the grave

From this week ~

• Oldest earned two strips at Tae Kwon Do yesterday - woo hoo way to go kiddo
• took a walk through the woods earlier, this past week.  Nice break to the day.
• Spring Break never seems to last long enough!  Fortunately, summer vacation starts soon.

Boys Advance to Yellow Belt

The boys tested, this morning, for their yellow belt in Tae Kwon Doe.  I didn't think to bring the camera as I hadn't fully comprehended that they were testing when it was mentioned last night.  Snapped a couple photo's on my cell phone, as they were getting their belts.  Below, is at home (obviously).  Thankful for a sport they can do together!

Charlotte likes the smell of the belt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Merry Christmas Eve!

Twas the day before Christmas and nothing was stirring at our house.  It's quiet, mostly, and a slow start to the day.  Breakfast is in the oven, coffee is being consumed, dog's been out, animals fed.  Not such a bad start to the day!

It's been a pretty good year for us.  We've survived the Home Study process and have an adoption application in at Adoption Answer.  We're officially waiting to be matched.

The boys finished up 4th and 1st this past May.  We took a few weeks off and started 5th and 2nd lightly through the summer.  Both boys have enjoyed being involved in Cub Scouts and Tae Kwon Do this year.  They're progressing and earning their ranks in both activities.  Thing One is a Webelo 2 and will move onto Boy Scouts near the beginning of 2011.  Ian is a Wolf  this year and enjoying it.  Both guys are a Senior White belt in Tae Kwon Do and looking forward to testing for their yellow belt.

Kevin continues to work at The Emmes Corporation as a Senior Software Programmer.   Hard to believe he will have been with the company for 15 years next month.  Only down fall with his job is the 30 plus mile commute, one way.  In this economy, that's not such a bad thing.  Outside of work, he's been active in various ministries at Burke Community Church  (BCC).  Probably his most favorite is playing bass, with a close tie for second in the various aspects of Men's Ministry.

This year, I've enjoyed attending Breakaway, the Women's Bible Study at  BCC.  During this past fall semester, I joined in with some of the ladies to preform skits at some Breakaway.  It's been fun getting to know a few ladies a bit better through this.  Learned a few things knitting this year.  Started off by learning how to make a hat.  Also learned a few new stitches. 

I hope you have a Merry Christmas while celebrating the birth of Jesus.

A Long Month

This month has felt so very long and tiring.  Forgotten to update so many things about our lives, that I am willing to share on the internet anyway.  So here goes the run down of life:

1. Our official Home Study is in hand.  It was post marked 9/2/10 of this month.
2. We celebrated another birthday for Kevin, one that ends in a "5".
3. The boys tested for their Senior White Belts in Tae Kwon Doe on 9/11/01 and passed
4. We've now had 3 service calls on our kitchen fridge since 9/11/10 and are hoping that it will work properly now.  Fortunately we've only lost a half gallon of milk.
5. Scouts have started back up for the boys.
6. Quest has begun for Thing One.  It is the Sunday School for 5th and 6th graders at our church and they have events a few times a month as well.  He is so excited about this.
7. Breakaway has started for me ~ this is our churches ladies Bible Study time.  There are actually about 9 different studies going on between Tuesday morning and Wednesday night.  We head out to the Tuesday morning one, which means I need to be well organized and have plenty of seat work for the boys to do.  Our church has child care through 6th grade as Tuesday's Bible Studies are attended by a lot of homeschooling families.  I've also joined the drama team.  That adds lines to memorize and rehearsal times to my schedule.  First one went well.
8. Base Camp has begun for Kevin ~ this is the men's bible study at our church.  One study that the men can go to, either Tuesday morning or Wednesday night.  Kevin is leading a table this semester.  Basically keeping in touch with the guys during the week, encouraging a time to meet outside of Base Camp, and encourage Biblical growth.  They have chances to earn points and at the end of the semester, the table with the most points wins gift cards to local restaurants.
9. Two separate rounds of colds for me!  woo hoo, lucky me.  Okay, maybe not.  At least it's over and life can move on.

That is our month in a nut shell!

Tae Kwon Do

The boys tested for their Senior White belts on September 11th.  The were excited because both boy past.  The downfall of this particular belt is that their teacher has to order the belts from a place that takes longer to get the belts.  So, on September 22rd the boys received their senior white belts.

 No idea what I did to the html code, but managed to get both of

the above photos stuck together.  The top photo is of Thing Two belt

being put on.  So obviously, the second photo is of Thing One getting

his belt.

After the class that the boys received their belts.