The Wookie or Rookie??...

Have you ever seen the Disney movie "The Wookie"? At least that is what Brayden calls it. It is one of those heart felt comeback Disney movies about a wookie (maybe a cousin to Chewbacca not sure) who used to be an aspiring baseball player and then hurt his arm and became a high school baseball coach, but then has a second chance to get back in the big leagues.

It is actually called "The Rookie" and is a story about Jim Morris, but our little B-bear cannot quite pronounce his r's correctly and they sound like w's instead.

Brayden: Can we have a movie night and watch The Wookie?

Daddy: Do you mean The Rookie?

Brayden: That's what I said The Wookie?

A Dream Come True...

Around her 10th birthday Sarah began to dream that one day she would go to Paris and see the Eiffel Tower. As her mom I would love to share that experience with her, so last month when I started journaling and praying over for some dreams and goals I have I added being able to take Sarah on a trip to Paris to my list.

The week after writing that dream in my journal a teacher friend of ours asked me if Sarah and I would be interested in taking a trip next summer with her and a group of students she was taking overseas. I would be a chaperon and Sarah would join the other students. When I asked where they were going, her response was "We first land in Paris." My jaw dropped and I explained how I had just written and prayed over being able to take Sarah there some day. 

After much discussion, Sarah and I are officially signed up to go on the trip in July 2015. We go for 10 days and visit France and Spain. We will be going with a group of approximately 40 students and 10 adults. We just had our first team meeting last week and got to know some of the other students and leaders. We are looking forward to making some new friends.

Daddy and Brayden will be staying home and taking care of each other. We will miss them, but excited to have this opportunity to go and see places we have only dreamed of.

When I wrote it in my journal I didn't expect for the answer to come a week later, but it continues to speak to me and Sarah that God hears the prayers that we pray and he can answer them at any time.

I know God doesn't say yes to every prayer we pray. Sometimes what we pray isn't what he has for us. He has a better plan, a greater plan that we may not see. In my relationship with Christ I have grown and continue to grow in my trust of him. Giving up my control and trusting that he is in control. He knows me better than I know myself. He knows my beginning to end. For whatever "yes", "no" or "not yet" he gives to my prayers I will choose to trust.

For this answer to prayer I am so thankful. I can't wait to walk out this dream with Sarah. Thank you Lord.

Not Feeling So Good...

On Tuesday night Brayden got really sick with a stomach bug. He got up at midnight complaining of a tummy ache and from then until 3:30 a.m. he and I were up going back and forth to the bathroom. He was finally able to sleep for a couple hours until 6:00 a.m. when he was up again.

Unfortunately, this is his third time this school year that he has gotten a stomach bug and through these times I have noticed when Brayden is sick he is very short and stern with his answers. It makes me giggle because it is so not who he is normally.

A few things he said...
When I asked him to get up and go to the bathroom, he said very firmly, "I can't walk, I have to roll." I ended up carrying him.

He repeated constantly "I wish this had never happened." Me to buddy.

"I know one thing, Sarah shouldn't be around me when I'm like this." Glad he is thinking of his sister. 

He laid on the couch all day Wednesday. I felt awful for him. Sarah is battling a cold and was home sick as well. I am so thankful I could be home to take care of my babies.

Sarah went back to school today feeling a bit better.

Brayden stayed home though since he hadn't eaten anything Wednesday and the little water he drank during the day got brought up right before going to bed. However, when he got up he told me right away that his tummy was feeling better and I could even see he was better just by looking at his face. Thankfully it was just a 24 hour bug and my little bear is back to his normal silly self.

Almost Show Time...

Less than 2 1/2 weeks until Sarah and the rest of the cast for Peter Pan, Jr. put on their production.

Drama practice is almost every day now after school. They are working on getting every scene just the way it should be. They will perform a few scenes from the play for the students at school on Tuesday, April 1st and then perform the play in full for audiences on Friday, April 4th and Saturday, April 5th.

This girl has been working hard at memorizing her lines and singing her songs. I have gotten a sneak peek on the lines as she asks me to practice them with her, but we haven't heard a single song.

Yesterday we got her Wendy costume in the mail and it will be the perfect finishing touch for our Wendy girl.

We can't wait to see it all put together. You can bet I will get some pictures and blog about it.

Indoor Soccer...

Since the beginning of January Brayden has been playing indoor soccer every Saturday morning for an hour with other Kindergarten boys from our town.

This was his first time playing soccer. The first 30 minutes Coach Tucker instructed the boys on soccer ball drills. The last 30 minutes were spent playing a game.

Brayden just scored a goal!!

For the very last day the coach allowed them some time on learning how to hit the ball with their heads. This was a highlight for Brayden. The coached asked some of the Dad's to help, so Jason got to help Brayden and Johnny a friend from his class.

Brayden had fun learning how to play soccer. It was great for him to spend an hour on Saturday morning running around and having fun during our cold winter days.

Everyone received a medal on the final day.

Johnny and Brayden

Neon In A Night...

Normally our Jr. High students have their youth meeting on Wednesday night and Sr. High has their meetings on Friday night. However, last Friday night everyone came together for a United event called "Double In A Night/Neon Night". Each student was asked to bring one friend to double the number of students at youth in one night.

Sarah invited 8 of her friends from school and 6 of them came with her. Our Activity center was completely dark with black lights and neon everywhere. They had over 300 students attend. The activities included basketball, games and pizza. They also had worship and the youth pastor from Hillsong New York spoke.

Sarah's friends had a great time. We believe that Sarah is planting seeds. She has a heart for her friends to know Jesus.

Rebecca, Jessica, Ethy, Kate, Ana, Sarah and Jenna

He speaks for the trees...

Last week Brayden's school had Seuss Spirit Days to celebrate Dr. Seuss' birthday. Brayden loves Dr. Seuss so he was SUPER excited to be a part of it.

The first day was "Fox in Socks Day" where everyone had to wear crazy socks. The craziest we could come up with in his size was two different color socks, with one high and one low.

That day his class got to try green eggs and ham, which Brayden said he liked!

Day Two was "Oh, the Places You'll Go". You had to wear something representing a place you've been or a place you hope to visit. I really wanted to make him a Legoland shirt, as he is REALLY, REALLY, REALLY wants to go there, but he settled for his Yankee shirt which represented him having gone to Yankee stadium.

On the last day was "Seuss Day". They asked everyone to wear red and white, a Cat in the Hat hat or something that represented their favorite book. Brayden couldn't wait to wear his hat to school.

He said this is how Cat in the Hat poses.

Throughout the day they had different activities. One of them was going to the library and playing different games. Sarah's class actually helped out during this time. She was excited to be with Brayden's class and told all his classmates that she was his sister.

Later in the afternoon they had an assembly for grades K-4. Each grade did something special for the assembly. The Kindergartners were all put into groups and each group was given a sentence from a Dr. Seuss book to memorize. At the assembly they would say their sentence and people had to guess what book it was from. This was a BIG deal for Brayden!

This is an e-mail I sent to Mrs. Arnoldi about it ---
Mrs. Arnoldi, 
     Just had to share with you that Brayden is SO EXCITED about his "sentence" that he has to memorize for Seuss Day. Last night when I read him the line he would be memorizing, he said "That was the line I was wanting!" with great enthusiasm. For the rest of the night he proceeded to repeat his line.

      This morning Brayden told me that he needed to practice his line at school today, so if you hear throughout the day "He speaks for the trees and all living things." I apologize. You or whoever is in charge of the assembly next week has given Brayden the role of a lifetime, he is taking it very SERIOUSLY. :) LOL!

      Now if I could just get that same enthusiasm into some other areas that would be great. He can't wait for next week and all the Seuss celebration days.

Mrs. James

This was Mrs. Arnoldi's response ---
Thanks for the TERRIFIC e-mail!!  Yes, I knew that was the line Brayden would want so I gave it to his group!  He will also be the one to hold up the Lorax book!  I LOVE how excited he is!  Competition for Sarah!!
Mrs. Arnoldi

This was Brayden's moment to shine.

"He speaks for the trees and all living things." 

He said it perfectly. All those hours of rehearsing paid off.

The Mayor of our town also came and declared it "Dr. Seuss Day" in the town of Wanaque/Haskell.

They sang several songs about reading and Dr. Seuss.

Of course Cat in the Hat also made an appearance. 

He took off Brayden's hat.

I love the expressions on Brayden's face. He is right below the Cat's hat.

Brayden had such a fun couple of days. Even meeting Cat in the Hat. 

That night when I was putting Brayden to bed he was asking about the Cat in the Hat and his costume. How did he fit in the costume? How could he see out of the costume? How tall was the person? Lots of questions about the costume. 

Next, he asked if I knew who he wanted to be for the next "Trunk or Treat" we have in October. Of course because of all the questions and the past couple of days celebrating I immediately said "Cat in the Hat!"

His response, "Nope, the HULK. " 

His is a funny kid.

20 Years...

Yesterday Jason and I celebrated 20 years of marriage.

20 Years? It really doesn't seem like it for either us. We are both so thankful for our marriage and all that God has done in our lives since the day we first met at Evangel University in August 1991.

I am grateful that God brought Jason across my path one day to say "Hi". Little did I know that in just a few months of knowing him this handsome 19 year old guy would change my life forever. God knew the man that I would need to walk this life with and as I look back on who I was and who I have become Jason was the man I needed.

We married on March 4, 1994 in Springfield, Missouri where we were both living. I was working at Evangel in their Financial Aid department. Jason was finishing his last semester of college.

By our 5th anniversary we were living in New Jersey and found ourselves buying our first home in Haskell. I had just quit my job with KPMG to stay at home with the hope of starting a family. Jason was working for Presentation Systems. They were exciting years of setting up our home.

Two years later our princess, Sarah, was born.  
(Did we not have money for clothes? I'm still wearing the same overalls that I had two years prior!)

Our 10th anniversary found me at home taking care of Sarah and doing medical transcription. Jason was still working for Presentation Systems.

Three years later in 2007 our little bear arrived, Brayden. Our family of four felt complete.

By our 15th anniversary I was loving being at home with our beautiful kids. Sarah was in 2nd grade. Jason was working part-time with Presentation Systems and part-time as a pastor at Bethany Church.

At 20 years we are still living in Haskell, New Jersey. I am still able to stay home to take care of our kids and our home. Jason is the community life pastor at Bethany Church. Sarah is in 7th grade and Brayden is in Kindergarten.

We enjoyed celebrating our 20 years a bit early on Monday by having a nice lunch and time together.  Yesterday Jason had meetings at church and with our church district and would not be home until late in the evening. We are looking forward to taking a trip, just the two of us, at the end of May to South Carolina and Georgia to celebrate our 20 years. 

Our love has grown deeper and richer because of all that has taken place in our lives since we first met. We in no way have a perfect marriage, but in my opinion we have it pretty good. Jason is my best friend and I love the life God has given us to share together.

So here is to 20+ more years together. I can't wait to see what they hold in store for us.