Celebrating Isaiah

 Isaiah's birthday was a celebration spread out over two days.

It started with reusable water balloons and buckets of water. Thankfully October 4 was warm enough for water!

Ezra and Lydia came over to for some youngest-of-the-family cousin time. Isaiah wanted Cookout and shakes for supper. Cookout even did a good job managing my very long take out order!

That night Grandma and Grandpa came.

Joel came Saturday afternoon and Grandma and Grandad came for supper. Isaiah decided on breakfast for supper and ice cream cake for dessert.

Later in the week a friend stopped by with a customized Cheerio box for Isaiah. There was really a toy tucked in under the Cheerio bag.

The label was created by Chatgpt which is pretty cool and still blows my mind.

  

And just like that our youngest is a whole 10 years old!

 

 Happy 10th Birthday Isaiah!

Double digits! It's going to be a fun year!!

Joy Dare::September

 11,559. Guest speaker at church
11,560. Anna and Jeremy working together
11,561. The way the weather seems to know when school starts
11,562. Smooth first day of school
11,563. Girls helping with supper prep
11,564. Lingering at the table after supper
11,565. A perfect afternoon to be outside
11,566. One more drive with Josiah
11,567. Starting the day earlier
11,568. Dad is ok
11,569. Aliza came home smiling from her first day of classes
11,570. Isaiah really excited about taking a quiz
11,571. Spending the afternoon with Mom and Dad
11,572. Spending the evening with Aliza
11,573. Meeting lots of ESL students
11,574. Getting the thumbs up from Josiah that he passed his driving test
11,575. A preview of fall weather
11,576. Sept. 7 Island Creamery tradition
11,577. Work went well for Aliza
11,578. A very restful Saturday
11,579. Josiah and Isaiah driving off to pick up lunch
11,580. A baptism and communion
11,581. Anna really excited about youth group
11,582. Enjoying a fire for the evening
11,583. Something Josiah told me I did right when he was young
11,584. Porch talk
11,585. Teenager loudness
11,586. Guitar lesson for Anna
11,587. Learning how much to push Josiah
11,588. Hearing all about Aliza's day
11,589. "It's Gonna Be a Good Day" by Forrest Frank stuck in my mind
11,590. Squirrels busy gathering chestnuts
11,591. Uncommon shopping trip with Jeremy
11,592. First ESL class

11,593. Jeremy keeps our cars running
11,594. Anna enjoyed helping in ESL class
11,595. Josiah's positive, helpful attitude
11,596. New mattresses for the boys
11,597. Listening to the children talk late at night
11,598. Christie
11,599. Family game of 4 square
11,600. Just being together
11,601. Arriving home safely
11,602. Stories after youth group
11,603. Anna in her happy place

11,604. Red leaves on the dogwood tree
11,605. Just enough patience for school
11,606. Janell took Anna to dance and made her feel special
11,607. A bag of cucumbers from Dad's garden
11,608. Spending the evening serving with Jeremy
11,609. Isaiah excited about Kids Kamp
11,610. Being the landing place for Aliza
11,611. A morning full moon

11,612. Lots of listening
11,613. Anna and Aliza enjoyed teaching English
11,614. Aliza slept well
11,615. Brownies and The Chosen
11,616. Josiah surprised me with his grande on a test
11,617. Catching up my my moms
11,618. Weekend rest
11,619. Cut grass
11,620. Special music at church
11,621. Supper with friends
11,622. Strength for each moment
11,623. Anna excited about her new glasses
11,624. Choir refreshed Aliza's soul
11,625. Deep cleaned bathrooms
11,626. Productive school day
11,627. Aliza had a good day
11,628. Josiah's kind heart
11,629. Playing with Maggie
11,630. Sleeping all night
11,631. Anna learning another song on guitar
11,632. Flowers that are still blooming
11,633. Mom at our (crazy) lunch table
11,634. Brothers deciding to have a slumber party
11,635. Ramen bowls for supper
11,636. Candle burning on a cloudy day
11,637. Visiting with Mom and Dad
11,638. Coffee with Jeremy
11,639. Finished reading The Action Bible with Isaiah
11,640. Guitar lesson with Anna
11,641. Car tags and title
11,642. Jeremy working from home
 

Senseless

 Senseless death. I know, that makes you *really* want to read this. You may stop...you have my permission. 

Two tragedies are heavy on my heart this week. One current. One a year ago this weekend. 

The current one: While we were visiting Jeremy's family, we got word that one of Jeremy's cousins and her husband were in a car accident. They were hit by a car leading a high speed police chase. The cousin is healing from multiple broken bones and her husband, who lived his life of 37 years with spina bifida, did not make it.  A wife left with broken bones and a broken heart. A family without a brother. a brother in law, nieces and nephews without an adoring uncle. Cousins hurting with their cousin.

A year ago I was making my grocery order when I received the text telling me that a friend in our close knit community had taken his life. This one brought out grief in me I didn't know how to process. My friend without her son. My children without their friend. An empty place at every church gathering.

As the familiar questions and feelings swirled  in my mind, on Sept 27, 2024, Ann Voskamp wrote an essay titled "When you wonder: How God Feels About All Kinds of Storms & Flooding Grief?" (You can read the full article on annvoskamp.com) Every once in a while an article comes into my feed and I read it at just the right time.

 

Here are my notes from Anna Voskamp:

"God has a heart. And it hurts. In the face of grief, in the midst of our storms, God's heart fills not with just a few drops of ache, not just with a slow drip of sadness--His whole massive heart fills, swells, burns with this raw, relentless pain." (based on Genesis 6:6)

"And God whispers hoarse: That mother whose heart is bound to her child's--doesn't compare to how your Father's heart is bound to you." (based on Isaiah 49:15)

"It's the quantum physics of God: one broken heart always breaks God's in two. We never cry alone."

"God catches every one of our falling tears and He's keeping us from falling apart." (based on Psalm 56:8 NLT)

"Sometimes God will calm the storm for you--but sometimes God will calm you for the storm. Sometimes God calms the storm---and sometimes the storm still swirls, and He calms our fears. All storms ultimately still to the sound of One Voice."

We do not hurt alone and we do not hurt without the hope of our eternal home in heaven with our Lord and Savior. 

(photo credit::Anna)

West Virginia Weekend

 This weekend was playing games,

early morning studying on the deck,

playing with Ronan,

Pokemon and fancy drinks in Shephardstown,

 

family 4 square games,

and getting back home in time for Josiah and Anna to go to youth group Color Wars.

2 Milestones in 1 Week

 

 Aliza's first day of college! Jeremy and I stood on the porch together and watched our first child drive off for her first day of school away from home. (I know that's wierd, but that's the story we've written for our family!) 

I think Aliza and I were both relieved that the first day had finally arrived. We had anticipated it for long enough! 

I do not want to admit how happy it made me to get a picture of Aliza (with a huge smile) and her Uncle Jeff. It was definitely the mom feeling of relief that her child looked happy doing a new thing. Jeff was at the college with some of his students and was very surprised to pass Aliza in the hallway. The moment made both of their days.

During the just few hours that Aliza was at school that day, I got an unexpected phone call that kept me distracted for the morning. It was a strange feeling to have to wait to tell Aliza and to have to drop some concerning news on her as soon as she got home from her first day of school. 

I was double relieved when Aliza walked in the door smiling and ready to tell us all about her morning. I continue to be spoiled this year. Aliza eats lunch with us almost every day...it's just the way her schedule worked out this semester. 

It does make me happy (and relieves my homeschool Mom heart) that Aliza is thriving, enjoying classes, working hard on homework, staying late at a friends house, and generally just embracing the college lifestyle.

Josiah has his driver's license! It was no easier watching the second child take his driver's test. Getting the thumbs up and smile that he passed when he got out of the car was the best. Josiah was excited and he smiled BIG for his license picture. 

Josiah and Isaiah have had an agreement for quite a while that when Josiah gets his license he will take Isaiah to get McDonald's. And so Saturday lunch was the agreed upon time. Isaiah wakes up early and when it got to be 11:00 and Josiah wasn't awake yet, Isaiah was getting a little worried about his lunch. Josiah appeared about 11:20, got ready and off they headed to McDonald's.  My heart just keeps multiplying as each child drives out of the driveway!

I never thought I would have to insist that one of children carry a cell phone, but with Josiah, I did. He has had zero interest in having a phone (having a phone means he would actually have to return a text! *gasp*), but he has conceded to taking one with him when he drives because my one ask is that they text me when they are on their way home or if their plans change. And Josiah said, "OK Mom, I'll send you a car emoji and a house emoji." I'll take it!

 

Joy Dare::August

 11,469. Entertaining lunch conversations
11,470. Indian restaurant for supper

11,471. Long conversation with a friend
11,472. Sending off 2 very excited girls
11,473. Taylor.
11,474. A good book for the weekend
11,475. A quiet, lazy Saturday morning
11,476. Clean car, tidy yard
11,477. Josiah's favorite supper
11,478. Our Sunday School class
11,479. Reading most of a book in a weekend
11,480. Aliza and Anna had so much fun
11,481. Watching Isaiah boogie board
11,482. Mothering
11,483. Soaking up the summer schedule pace
11,484. Afternoon walk with a friend
11,485. The way Jeremy and Aliza work together
11,486. Isaiah faithfully passes out "I love yous"
11,487. Bible study night I didn't know I needed
11,488. Humility
11,489. Getting to lift a burden for someone else
11,490. Aliza receiving incredible kindness
11,491. Meghan.
11,492. Anna being my shopping buddy
11,493. Receiving forgiveness
11,494. A good, much needed talk with Anna
11,495. Preparing for a party
11,496. Celebrating Mom and Dad
11,497. The whole Sheats family together
11,498. Driving the girl van
11,499. The concert was so fun
11,500. Isaiah singing loud
11,501. Sleeping in
11,502. A huge "win" for Aliza
11,503. Enjoying the memories from the weekend
11,504. Laughing with Josiah and Anna
11,505. Anna started school--8th grade
11,506. A cooler morning inspired me to do a whole bunch of yardwork
11,507. Aliza did something new
11,508. Pear crisp
11,509. The boys caught a lot of fish
11,510. Girls lunch
11,511. Nights that remind me that Isaiah is still a little boy
11,512. Getting to hug Chrissy
11,513. Road trip with Mom
11,514. Quieting myself
11,515. Seeing Linda in her home
11,516. Playing with the little guy
11,517. My aunts
11,518. Karlene's homemade cinnamon rolls
11,519. A day of visiting and listening
11,520. Sunday dinner with my aunts and uncles
11,521. Aliza telling me all the things
11,522. A day of safe travel
11,523. Home
11,524. Grocery delivery
11.525. Windows open
11,526. Hearing about Aliza's first day of work
11,527. Willing helpers
11,528. Cucumbers and peppers from Dad's garden
11,529. Getting my school prep started
11,530. Working with Josiah on his room
11,531. Perfect afternoon for a walk
11,532. Anna doing things (projects) that make her happy
11,533. Deck lights and a fire
11,534. Boys to help me with projects
11,535. Laughter
11,536. Aliza so excited to see her theater and choir people
11,537. An evening on the porch with a friend
11,538. The sounds of friends having fun together
11,539. Finding pictures on my phone

 11,540. Another good Sunday School class
11,541. Sometimes a full heart means my eyes overflow
11.542. Spending the evening close to Aliza
11,543. An involved Daddy ready to hold his little girl
11,544. Watching The Little Mermaid
11,545. School shopping with Aliza
11,546. Talking to my moms
11,547. Patience for a night that Isaiah needed me
11,548. Getting to serve for the afternoon beside Anna
11,549. Jeremy took care of supper
11,550. Aliza had another evening of positive new experiences
11,551. Melinda.
11,552. Feeling all the feelings of change
11,553. Afternoon at Mom's house
11,554. New recipe for supper
11,555. Long talks about life
11,556. Pokemon family time
11,557. Pulling together a meal
11,558. Rested