Closing Chapters

"If you are humble nothing will touch you, 

neither praise nor disgrace, because you know what you are." Mother Teresa

Well, I don't even know where to begin...how do I collect the words to write about closing a few chapters of what has been a wonderful and yet difficult journey?  We really aren't going anywhere and not too much is going to change around here but wrapping up a school year means we are closing a few chapters. We will soon enter a new phase of homeschooling.  Jackson has finished middle school!  When we began homeschooling, my goal was to take one year at a time with the idea that we would get to 6th grade and then reevaluate.  Once 6th grade was in front of us, we were fully vested and so the decision was easy; we would continue until high school.  Well, it's almost here!  I'm sad, I am proud, I am scared, I am uncertain but God is faithful and He's continued to show us that if He calls us to it, He will get us through it.  It's time to clear my head and take a summer break.  We will tackle 9th grade in September.....along with Kindergarten.  

I dropped Jackson off for driver's ed this morning.  It felt like I was dropping him off at school, like we had this whole different routine of rushing out the door and saying goodbye like the non-homeschooling families experience.  I missed Jackson once I dropped him off.  It was weird.  As difficult as homeschooling is some days, I was reminded of the blessings I get to enjoy when my kids are home with me.  One of those blessings is getting to serve them healthy hot lunches and NOT having to make a late night grocery run the night before because there's no bread for sandwiches; I had to pack Jackson a lunch at 10:30 last night.  Homeschooling is hard, the hardest thing I've ever done, but I can always find a silver lining.  

We closed another chapter yesterday, one that began three years ago.  Jackson played his last baseball game as a middle schooler.  And let me tell you, God let him finish his career in the best way imaginable! The The Wake Homeschool Warriors beat West Lake Middle School in the championship game to become the 2016 Wake County Club Baseball Champions!  I knew that we had a great team with an especially great (and handsome) coach but I also knew that we had to win a lot of games to make it to the playoffs.  On Saturday, we faced Leesville Road.  I dreaded that game.  I won't go into details because if you are reading this, you know why I dreaded that game.  I sent out a prayer chain last week to get all of my praying friends to start praying.  I really  wanted to win that game (and I wasn't alone in my feelings, was I Grandma and Granny?)   I felt that there was a little more to prove than just how good our Warriors were.  You see, there was a chapter that began a few years ago; I never completely closed that chapter.  I found forgiveness but maybe the hardest part was accepting that Jackson wouldn't be able to have the opportunity to prove he was deserving of something that he didn't get because a certain coach wouldn't give him a chance.  Little did I know, several years later,  God would give us a small gift and that came on Saturday, when we would play against that coach.  Not only did the Warriors have an outstanding head coach but we had an outstanding catcher and hitter in Jackson White.  They would help lead us to a victory over a team who only had one loss before meeting us for the semi-finals.  We were down by four runs, early in the second inning and things weren't looking very promising for us.  The boys were resilient and the hits started coming. Runs were being driven in one after the other.  It was an amazing, amazing feeling.  We run ruled them 19-5 in the 6th inning.  Jackson proved that he's one heck of a baseball player.  That coach missed an opportunity a few years ago to see what an asset Jackson was to his team but my hope is that on Saturday, he walked away thinking, man, that Jackson White is a great ball player.  And whether he did or didn't well, I'm satisfied.  We got the victory on Saturday, one that can never be taken from us.  The End:-) 

Jackson spent this school day fishing with Papa and his dad

Sawyer's field trip to the firehouse with the Woolard kids

Sawyer's fishing attire

Catching tadpoles

Stocking the pond

The boys with Nate C

This was the first part of the hardest race I've ever run. It was sponsored by my Grandmother's old church.  Beautiful, scenic run with lots and lots of hills.

A little evening swim

Pool Pilates anyone? 

The dog days of summer are on the way

A little Menchie's stop with these two

Some days, I have a running buddy

First snake siting of the spring

                     
                           More fishing trip photos:

                                                   2016 WCCBL Championship Photos:

Cutting up

Sweet Victory!!!!  

Happy boys

"Panda Power"  

Going...

Gone...

Safe!!!!

John Michael came to cheer on Jackson.
A special thank you to Jackson's wonderful grandparents who came out both days.

Coach looks tired

Coach getting dunked

Jackson getting Coach David

Jackson & John Michael

Papa & Sawyer

So much going on in one picture- Nathan and Webb were having a moment, Jackson is carrying Chase while Caden supervises and the Bailey's were taking family photos

I'm so grateful for the opportunities of this season.  I'm even more grateful that my son is able to consider some of these boys his best friends.  These boys are wonderful and come from great families.