Splash - July 2016

Our July splash is patriotic, huh?  In keeping with the birth of this great nation, we decided that fireworks would be appropriate.  I grew up in Maryland and fireworks were illegal.  There was always a fireworks display for the town on the Fourth of July, and shows after baseball games, or on special occasions at the beach, but, you wouldn't just go to the store and pick up fireworks for your own personal afternoon recreation.  Here in Arkansas, it's practically encouraged.  Tents pop up literally overnight, like mushrooms after a rain, just in time for New Years, the Fourth and Memorial Day.  We are in the habit of picking up the half price ones on July 5th so that we can have some on hand for birthdays and random afternoons.   James lit these TNT look-alikes on the Fourth out in our street.  Don't try this at home!

Samantha is 17

Samantha is our second daughter.  She is opinionated, blunt and very set in her ideas.  She has no idea what she wants to "be" when she grows up and it's stressing her out.  She works at Tasty Freeze after school and weekends.  She's a senior in high school and she has been on dance team for six years.  For the past year she has been dating a boy in her grade named Jonathan Pace.  He says he wants to be an EMT.

Samantha loves doughnuts, so that's what she got for her birthday cake.  She could live on fruit and hoards watermelons and strawberries in her room .  She is smart (loves math, hates English).  She is brave, kind and helpful.  She keeps her room decently clean (it's cleaner now that it's only her in there) and she is responsible as far as respecting curfews and getting assignments finished for school.  She is beautiful - a whiz with make-up, even though she doesn't need it.

Of all the kids, she is the one that wants to stay little.  She's in no hurry about being an adult, even though the "adult" stuff seems to suit her - job, responsibilities, punctuality.  She will be amazing once she decides what she wants to do.

Dance Team 2016-2017

Meet the 2016-2017 Cabot High School Dance Team.  Samantha Marie is pictured on the front row, fifth girl in from the left.  She is holding an envelope which is her invitation to dance at the Liberty Bowl, in Memphis, in 2017.  This means she made the All-American cut.  Wow.  Never had a lesson.  Literally.  Never been to a class, never danced for a studio.  She has always only been on the dance team and learned everything at school  Way to go, Samantha!

Splash - June 2016

This photo of my BallTeam was taken at the airport at 5:00 a.m.  This was a day of firsts.  Rachel and Josephine are about to board a plane for their first airline flight.  James and I are about to send two of our children literally half way across the country with no adult to supervise - Rachel is 18, true, but she's still our little lady... - and all the while hoping and praying that they can navigate the Atlanta airport alone and make their connecting flight.  Long story short, they were fantastic.  This is our first splash photo taken before dawn and it is to date the only splash photo of Samantha with no make up.  I pointed that out to her, after I told her I was going to use this photo for the splash, and she said, I know.  I thought about it, and I'm fine with it.  They all grow up so fast.

Little Ladies, June 2016

I may need these snapshots one day - look at these two sisters - 20 months apart; thick as thieves and ready to scrap at any minute.  They are tight, true, don't get between them.  But boy can they fight, too; you DEFINITELY don't want to get between them then.  Josephine (in white), 11 years old.  Charlotte (in red), 13 years old.  Known in the BallTeam as the Little Ladies.

Cute Kid Quote

While getting a few groceries the other day, JMichael (8 years old) was horrified at the dish brush he found in the cleaning section.  Mom, look, he said.  Her hair is really cool, but the packaging is choking her.  He's right!  Kids are so sweet in the perspective they bring to our world. I should always keep an eight year old with me to show me the wonder I might miss with my hurried adult mindset. Rock on, JMichael.

James' New Calling

We had not even been home from Maryland for two weeks when James got a phone call.  He said he was expecting this call - he was ready.  We had a new Bishop called in Cabot Ward - the guy in the middle, Brian Busbea.  As his counselors, he chose Tim Schulte, pictured on the left, and my James, as second counselor.  He has been gone ever since.  I'm kidding, of course, but, I'm serious when I say that now that he's in the Bishopric, James is out every day doing all sorts of service and errands.  He checks on people; he takes people to appointments; he organizes moves and helps out where ever and when ever he is needed.  He loves it.  He has new meetings to attend and travels more than ever, but, that's just fine with him.  He is anxiously engaged in a good cause (Doctrine and Covenants 58:27).