Sunday Funday

Yesterday was the one year anniversary for my church, Song & Sword.  I got this sweet picture taken with two of the other welcome table volunteers, Mike and Sandy.  I have met so many new people through this church community.  I am so thankful for this church, the people in the church and the pastoral leadership team.  

 It was gorgeous yesterday in Central IL.  Nick and friends went out on a double date.  So cute! 

2nd annual Bass Bash

Last night was our 2nd bass bash.  It's our big fund raising event for the year.  I am so proud of this team and what it has accomplished.  I wrote the proposal for this team in the spring of 2020.  Our school board approved it in what was the dark days of 2020.  In early 2021 I remember me and two other guys sitting in our school library, trying to come up with a plan.  We didn't have one.  Ha.  Over what was a short amount of time Ryan found Jon (above).  Jon became our coach and what a coach he is.  Our team took off and became very successful in a short amount of time.  Last night the seniors gave a speech to Jon, thanking him for all he does for this team.  Even though Nick is graduating, he intends on being a captain next year.  Mike and I plan on continuing on as board members.  

It was so fun to have Jay and Trystan join us last night.  It's such a blessing to spend time with your adult children!  

Mike kept the books last night.  He learned a few things from last year and said this year went much smoother.  The great news is we are able to fund our upcoming spring and fall season with the money brought in last night.  Yay!

More antics with my sister.  I'm always so appreciative of her and Craig coming out for the bash.  

 

Dinner with Lauren

 Recently Lauren and Kim told me she didn't make honor roll but just barely - literally she missed it by a percentage point.  Learning does not come easy for Lauren (oh, how I can relate).  I see how hard she works.  Honestly I love her school but she would have made honor roll at any other school.  Her school standards are tough.  I could see she was disappointed she didn't make honor roll.  I proposed that her aunts take her out to dinner to celebrate her and that's just what we did.  Kim joined us too.  The four of us had a delightful dinner, full of conversation and laughs.  

Nana down

 On Saturday mom came out for Jay's birthday dinner.  It is getting more challenging for mom to get in and out of my house.  I don't have a railing which makes things very complicated for her and for the person trying to get her into the house.  At Christmas when mom left we put her in her wheelchair and had the guys lift in her and out of the house in her chair which worked much better.  As I was trying to get mom into the house on Saturday I made the mistake of her telling to lift her good leg up the steps first.  Her bad leg is not strong enough to hold her up and down she went.  Thankfully I was with her and was able to control her fall.  She was able to fall softly back into Kim's van.  In that moment I could see someone out of the corner of my eye.  I was sure it was Mike who came to help me.  It was Nick's best friend, Chase.  He literally swooped in and put his arms under my mom and lifted her up to safety.  About that time Nick joined the commotion and made everyone laugh by yelling, "Nana Down, Nana Down."  Then he had to help her get her shoe back on.  He didn't hold back when he said, "Nana, your feet are disgusting!"  Leave it to Nick to have us all laughing over what was a tense situation.  Chase and Nick were awesome!  Thankfully my mom was not hurt.  Kim and I made a mental note that from now on everytime mom enters and leaves my house she will be in her chair and the guys will be lifting her.  

Jay's birthday dinner

I believe that last night was the final conclusion to Jay's birthday celebrations.  Jay and Trystan did fun stuff together all week and we were able to meet them for dinner on Jay's actual birthday.  Last night I had my usual family birthday dinner.  I had 14 people over.  My heart was full.  My mom, Kim and family came and I invited Jay's friend, Aaron (pictured with Jay)  and his parents.  I loved the noise, the laughter and the conversation.  Happy 22nd birthday dear Jay! 

 

Nick's accident

 On Jan. 3 Nick was driving home from a friends when he hit a tree.  He was driving on a rocky county road, too fast I might add, and lost control of his vehicle and this happened.  It didn't help that his tires were balled.  In fact Mike and I were planning on getting him new tires this month.  Mike received the dreaded phone call from Nick about 9:45 pm.  Nick was calm and when Mike and I got to him he was out of the truck and his friends had arrived to help us get the truck home.  It was immediately clear Nick was okay - Praise God.  Nick, with his friends, Mike and Jay got the truck on a trailer and brought it home to our driveway where it currently sits.  The truck is totalled and we only had liability insurance on it so it's a wash.  Years ago when my boys were small an attorney friend of mine that I worked with who had raised his boys once said to me, "Amy, as long as as you can write a check for something, there's no harm done."  It's so true.  This truck can be replaced.  My boy cannot.  I have always appreciated lessons learned wherein the consequences hurt but don't leave a permanent stain on their lives.  Jay had one incident in high school (the signs) and this is Nick's.  Nick will have to figure out how to pay for another truck so he can haul the boat he just sunk thousands of dollars into.  I have complete confident he'll figure it out.  

I am so thankful to God for His hand of protection over Nick.  This accident could have been SO much worse.  The tree Nick hit stopped his truck from going into a creek.  The truck didn't flip.  His friends were rock stars in helping us get the truck home.  Nick had no injuries and thankfully didn't have any kids in the car with him.  The list goes on and on.  I am also thankful that it was just enough to wake Nick up.  He has common sense but he's reckless.  He's a typical l7 year old boy whose frontal lobe hasn't developed all the way.  I know I am not even aware of all the things God has protected my children from.  Thank you God for hand of protection over my boys.  

Happy New Year

Happy New Year!!  Sieb and I were scheduled to visit Mike and Jenny in Texas for New Years's.  However, plans changed.  Sieb has been dealing with a terrible sinus infection.  Faith's dog unexpectedly died this week which has been extremely traumatic.  Faith, Mike and Jenny are devastated (rightfully so).  Additionally when I made these plans I was confident we could get away for a weekend and leave Nick.  I'm still confident we can get away and leave Nick but maybe leaving him over New Years Eve wasn't the best parenting decision.  Here I am on Jan. 1 and it appears to be uneventful for both my boys but just the same I didn't want to be in Texas if Nick got himself in a pickle - just saying.  So as is always the case I called my sister, my unwavering and devoted side kick.  On Dec. 30 we had cocktails at our favorite cocktail bar/restaurant. 

On New Years Eve we tried a new restaurant - Wesley's Grill.  Sieb is a foodie and we rarely have success when we go out to eat.  We leave and shrug our shoulders with an "it was okay" attitude but not last night.  Wow!  Wesley's Grill did not disappoint.  Craig had suggested we try this place months ago but it's located in a strip mall and we made fun of Craig.  Oh Yes we did.  I've since apologized to my brother in law.  One certainly doesn't go to Wesley's for the ambience.  It's definitely all about the food.  

After going out to eat Kim and Craig had a party to attend.  When I realized Kim was going to wear a sparkly shirt I had to lend her my rocking sparkly boots.  

Although we didn't ring in the New Year in Texas as planned we made the best of things.  Big hugs and thanks to my sister and Craig for hanging with us for a short while last night.  Jay was with Trystan and Nick was with friends.  It was nice to get out and do something last night and of course I was in bed and sound asleep well before midnight.  

Cheers to 2024!