Day 7 - Blessings in the waves...

Day 7 in our countdown to school and pictures of our last week of summer. I feel like Snoopy in writing his great novel that always starts with "It was a dark and stormy night...". It was a stormy day (emotionally) which most of our days seem to be right now, but we had some blessings among the waves and moments of good. So I pluck those moments out and savor them.

my mommy and crazy kitty, having a moment in the kitchen getting ready to say bye-bye to the red car. We have had our bright Red PT cruiser for over two years, but since Angela is no longer living with us, I really do not need a second car, and can use the reduction in insurance money, and the funds that selling it can bring. So this last week we got new brakes, battery, smogged and registration...and it is going bye bye. The kids had to have a last hug with big red. It is funny, each day when we drive home in the mini-van, Olivia looks for the red car in the driveway and says "Is MY car there?" Tonight was the back to school BBQ at the kids school, Summit Christian. It is always an exciting time for the kids. to reconnect with friends they have missed over the summer, great their teachers, tour their classrooms, before the big day next week. Nick, Mary and Tad all had new haircuts...and Olivia, of course, had her pretty curls all styled.

Nick and Ms Baer, the Kindergarten teacher. Tad on the stairwell to his classroom. Praying for a close best friend for him this year. Mary Beth with her new hairdo, glasses and her two close friends, Grace and Jetty. The most amazing (blessed) thing happened with Olivia at the BBQ tonight! Thank you Jesus! She has been really nervous about starting school, especialy the last few days, saying she does not want to go to school. And for a couple days she was off and on about going to the BBQ. Just scared of new faces and no one she knows and all the strangeness. (Who would blame her, I remember needing to stop and throw-up on my way to 10th grade at a new school). I have been praying and fretting about her starting school and connecting. (Won't tell you how much was fretting and how much was praying). Today in her tutoring session, Ms Kwon practiced with her greeting people, saying hello, talking. Olivia was so nervous. When we got there, in the parking lot, she shut the car door, after the other kids got out and said she would just stay in the car. I coaxed her out, and she held my hand.

Well the most amazing thing happened with first three, than a fourth little girl, who was Jesus-with-skin-on to Olivia tonight:

After Olivia and I got our food, and were sitting at a table, Mary, Nick and Anthony ran off to play and greet friends. Three precious girls (who will be in Olivia's class) came up to us and introduced themselves and said Hi. I could have kissed their smiles! Olivia was shy, but I could tell happy. We had just sat down to eat, so I thanked the girls and told them we would look them up after we ate. A little later, Olivia kept spying over to the playground and finally said, "Well, I am just going to get up and go over there!" (My brave little girl!).

And she did. I looked over in a couple minutes and saw her going off side-by-side, with her three new friends, to tour all the classrooms. I later found them in Olivia's room, she had met the teacher and was right in the middle of now four girls, all who will be in her class. An hour later, still thick as thieves, I found them in another classroom, laughing and having a great time playing school.

Olivia with her four new friends! Take a closeup look at that smile! Thankyou Jesus! What a tremendous blessing! All the way home shes chattered on about her friends and how she was not scared about school anymore, excited and giddy! All four of my kids were super happy, and kind to each other for the rest of the evening. I love that my kids love school. I love that we have such a wonderful school. And I thank Jesus for three little girls that have made the world of difference to a scared little girl from far away! I pray favor and blessing on all three of you, Indie, Amberly and Julia!....and Cassie too.

my new porch rocking chair that papa put together today. I eventually want four or five chairs for the front porch... A new Bible Study book waiting in the wings. I am almost done with the Ruth study. I am procrastinating on the last two days of homework, I hate for it to end. But now that the new one arrived today, I can let go and finish.

I so needed some grace and favor today. I feel so blessed with how the school BBQ went and the blessing God had planned for me and my children. Thank you Lord!