Getting started with school 2021-2022

It's been a busy start to our school year! After we got back from Colorado, we have been watching the Olympics and prepping for the school year. I hosted a Ch1 Parent Orientation, attended a ChA Parent Orientation, and hosted Ch1 Week 0. Noelle attended ChA Week 0. Luke did all of his back-to-Letu meetings and we attended the Faculty/Spouse dinner. Isaiah, Noelle, and I had Week 1 of Challenge, and Lucy has had a soft start - only math and cursive at this point. We also squeezed in a sweet lunch with Scott Lambert, which was a huge blessing! We also had Isaiah's 15th bday celebration a little early. William and Landon spent the night after Week 0. They definitely enjoyed spreading their wings - riding bikes to Silver Grizzly and the antique store, fishing in the neighborhood creek, hanging at the pool on their own. These boys are growing up and we just adore them all.. especially ours :) They stayed up late watching Quiet Place 2 and eating ice cream sundaes. Luke took them to the lake house of a (very) new friend from church. Brad invited us out to fish and play, and we took him up on it! The boys spent half a day fishing and playing before coming home for a little school. It was a fun little celebration for our nearly 15 year old, who is counting down the days to his permit and increasing steps of freedom and independence! 

This is going to be a big school year for all of us. Lucy is taking a big step up into Essentials and upper elementary math. I really can't believe she's in 4th grade! She will also have to manage CC days (Foundations and Essentials) without me, but she's totally excited and eager. Noelle is more than ready for Challenge A. She's had such fun getting her supplies ready, packing her backpack, learning how to manage her planner, etc. It's a big year because the workload grows a ton, but she's so ready and has an awesome class and Director. Isaiah and I are tackling Ch1. I should say HE is tackling it. I'm just guiding the process and learning a lot along the way. He's officially in High School now, and we are starting to take it all very seriously now - grades, tests, transcripts, volunteer hours... Here we go. 

I will also continue in classes, but I've had a 8 week break, which has been glorious! I start back soon with a CBT course, which I think I will really enjoy. Together we are doing Prudentia Speech & Debate Club. Swim Team will continue for at least a few months. Basketball is on the horizon, and Isaiah has already had some open gyms. He's very excited to be on an older, more skilled and competitive team. Noelle is excited to have Coach Dad and to grow in her skills. They will continue in piano, and maybe guitar. And church feels busier with Youth Group now! I don't think Luke is tackling anything new per se, but the regular rhythm of classes, Passage, and university responsibilities keeps him plenty busy. We are buckled in and ready for the ride that is the fall! (Hoping the current Covid surge will calm down soon... ) 

July

The main event of July was our trip to Colorado! We spent a week with each side of the family. Both sides celebrated big birthdays and anniversaries (70th/50th and 70th/45th) with professional pics. With the Tallon side, we stayed in --- , which had a beautiful few and acres full of bushes full of stickers! We hung out at the house, hiked, played at the lake, and did some Family Olympics.

After Tallon time, Jack, Alex, Noah, Luke, Isaiah and Noelle spent 2 days backpacking. Lucy, Remmie and I headed on up to Denver to hang out with Mimi, Pa, and Burchams. During Sykora time, the men golfed, the women shopped, we ate, played at Ninja Nation, and enjoyed being able to HUG and be inside together :) The girls were especially excited to spend the night at Burcham house. Very sweet. We also squeezed in some Family Olympics with this side of the fam. 

Lovely trip overall!!  

June

June felt like the old pre-pandemic days! It was packed! 

Week 1 - Luke was in Alaska for a Passage-esque teaching experience. We had a good week at home which included Isaiah working on scraping paint (Summer income), setting up the pool, a family church night picnic, a Challenge party, 5/6th grade "splash bash" at church, standardized testing, and daily swim club. Several times, people asked if we were doing ok without Luke. This was the first time he's been away in many months! And I realized how much older the kids are now. It is no extra weight for me when he's gone, because everyone is getting older and is so capable! I had help making dinner, doing chores, taking care of the dog... It is pretty awesome to have old, responsible, helpful kiddos all the time - and especially when Luke's gone. 

Week 2 - This was a fun week, which kicked off with Noelle promoting into the Youth Group. We are so, so grateful that this transition into Pine Tree has been smooth. "Avocado Sunday" was the morning to welcome the new class into the youth group. It was a fun morning, and Noelle's happy to be moving on up! We also went out to lunch that day with several families that we really enjoy and have been very hospitable towards us. It has been a very sweet blessing to be welcomed in. This week also included Mission Longview. Isaiah and Noelle joined the One Hope crew this year and loved serving alongside those sweet One Hopers / dear friends. In the evenings, we had VBS at Pine Tree. Luke, Isaiah, Noelle, and I led "KidVid" with another youth groupie. It was so much fun to jump in and take part in VBS. AND it was awesome to see the big kids step up into a new role in a new church. Good experience all around as we met more people and served in ways that are familiar and enjoyable to us. 

Week 3 - Passage! Luke did a fantastic job with camp being back "on ground" after the virtual version last year. We have heard many positive comments about what an impactful, fun, meaningful week it has been for the campers, counselors, and staff. As Luke worked hard there, Isaiah and Noelle worked hard as babysitters. They put in many hours with Hazel & Harrison Lett, coming home with new experiences and many stories of their first real babysitting. I am getting close to wrapping up my current class, which included a video recording of an intake assessment and working through a psychological report. I decided to drop the class I was going to take in July, so I'm happy for a school break for 8 weeks!

Week 4 - Father's Day, Camp Deer Run, Luke's 43rd birthday - The kids had a great week at camp! We dropped them off on Father's Day, which made Luke sad. He'd hardly seen them in June! It was hard on me to leave my babies at camp. I am sure not used to having no contact with them! But, of course, they did not miss us nearly as much as we missed them. They all had a great week. Lucy was blessed with a super sweet cabin, and we knew most of the girls (Cora, Wiley, Meg, Addison, Halle, and others). Noelle loved being with Chandler and Allie - remembering that she'd gone to CDR Peewee camp with these same friends many years ago! Isaiah was so brave - he jumped in, knowing no one his age. His cabin ended up being almost entirely a youth group from Oklahoma, so they all knew each other. He had a good week though! While they were away, I worked a lot of preparing for Challenge 1, and Luke worked at the office. We got to have a few dates, including dinner out with the Spencers and a birthday dinner and ax throwing date for his bday :)