Is it Thanksgiving already?

Where does the time go? It seems like we were just starting the school year up, then trying to fit soccer into the schedule and keep the peace, and now soccer is over and Thanksgiving is next week! In the midst of all the fall events, my girls have had birthdays. Maggie is 10 and Meredith is 5! We no longer have a baby or even a toddler in our home. There is a sadness that comes with that, but also a joy as we see the three blessings that the Lord has given us. As I watch our three children grow, I am often reminded -- on good days and bad -- of the verse that a dear friend often quotes, "For they are His workmanship." I can take none of the credit for the good in our children (though in my pride I do)!
Fall is truly my favorite time of the year. Seeing the beauty of the changing season reminds me of the faithfulness of my Father in heaven. I have been so blessed by Him, both materially and spiritually, and I deserve neither. He has given me so much, and yet I have to constantly remind myself that should He take it all away, I must still praise His name for He is good! His goodness has nothing to do with what He gives me or my family. He is good no matter what happens to us here on earth! May we all praise His name as we come into this time set aside for thanksgiving; and yet may we thank Him year round for His mercies to us!

Attending a Memphis Lady Tigers soccer match -- I was amazed at how good they are and how intense the game is at that level!

Riding Cate on the green machine at a family "reunion" this fall

Meredith loved seeing and playing with her cousins!

Beautiful picture of Ava with Maggie

The two Porter great-grandparents

Playing solitaire with Gigi -- one of the kids' favorite things to do with her

Will and Reese

Riding in Papa's new combine

So huge and nice -- what a blessing for Papa!

Celebrating Maggie's birthday in Cruger at Jan Jan's

Jan Jan and the birthday girl

Nana and Maggie

Family birthday supper

Mama and the girls -- Will didn't want to take a picture with Mama : (

Maggie with her new camera and her pumpkin pie

Making homemade pizzas at Maggie's party

Hutton Grandparents

Porter grandparents

Grandparents' Day at ECS Ridgelake

Meredith's big birthday present -- her own American doll Ruthie

Maggie and Ms. Tina Ballard, her knitting buddy

ECS Clown Parade

Will and his buddy Sam Shelton at the ECS fall fest and clown parade

Will's clown parade job -- pulling a wagon of Jr. Kindergartners

Fun Fall pic

Will and Meredith's favorite thing to play together -- riding piggy back!

And of course, Maggie has to join in the fun!

Happy Birthday to our 5 year old! Meredith told me exactly how she wanted her cake decorated.

At the Ennises' for a small birthday cookout

Due to some illnesses, Meredith only had a couple of friends at the party, but it was great fun and really a perfect sized group since were were roasting marshmallows and doing sparklers!

Finally Fall

The weather in Memphis has been so wonderfully refreshing over the last few weeks. Despite some allergy setbacks, we have all tried to be outside enjoying the changing season. Soccer season is in full swing, and we are having fun with it. Maggie and Will have both showed some major improvements in footwork over the last few practices/games.
Ryan and I took the kids to a park last weekend and started to teach Maggie and Will some tennis. There was lots of laughter and chasing of balls. I have not played in at least 11 years, so I was just a little rusty! Will has been begging to go back and try again soon. Hopefully we can turn it into a family sport.
This weekend is fall break, and I had a fun day with Will all to himself yesterday. I asked him what he wanted to do, and he wanted to take a walk along the Wolf River trail. We did that after dropping Maggie and Meredith off at Mother's Day Out. It turned out to be a warm morning. Along the trail, we came upon a box turtle and Will almost stepped on a garter snake on a grassy trail. Later we had some pizza melts for lunch, then he helped me make Rice Krispie treats. After that he went with Ryan to Barnes and Noble.
I have been so thankful for the few days of not having to get him to school so that we can have a somewhat restful morning!
Below are a few pictures from the last month:

Wolf River in the background; very sunny day!

Not a great picture of me, but I thought it was sweet. Great memories!!

These last three are of the kids receiving some medals at our gym for logging 50 miles in the walking class they have for kids. Ms. Wanda is their "coach," and she is so sweet!

School Day Craziness

Now that school and soccer have started, my weeks are flying by, even as the laundry and dishes pile up! 

During the first week of school, we were able to see Emily along with her kids. Meredith and Anna Christine were able to enjoy a couple of prolonged play dates which were so much fun. Meredith talked about them  for days!

Overall, we have really had a great start, despite the busyness, and every one seems to be settling into the routine. My bedtime has progressively gotten earlier as the weeks have passed. Will is loving 2nd grade at ECS. He tells me all about recess or P.E., but doesn't remember the other lessons as well -- go figure!! Maggie and Meredith are at home with me, which has produced a much different dynamic for us. Ballet started up this week, and Maggie is also learning to knit from a dear, sweet lady in our church.  I'm including a couple of photos of "reality" just for a good laugh.

This is a mild version of what the kitchen can look like during the week.

The bane of my existence -- IRONING!!




Meredith and Anna Christine loved having a tea party and dressing like 
princesses.

Great fun trying to get all 6 children smiling and looking at the camera.

Anna Christine cracked a smile on take 7, but we lost the attention of all the boys.

Below are some shots of our "Roman Feast." We had a really fun memorable night on Labor Day dressing up in stolas and togas and eating grapes, olives. homemade focaccia bread with olive oil, lentils, grilled beef, cucumbers in yogurt, and an apple tart for dessert.

First day of soccer!! Maggie's team won with her scoring 3 of the 6 goals (her coach had told the girls ahead of time that if anyone scored 3 goals he would buy her a milkshake. He didn't realize how motivating that was for Maggie!!)

Will's team lost pretty badly, but the opposing team was exceptionally good! Our team never gave up and scored our only goal late in the 2nd half. Will made some great plays defensively, offensively and as keeper. Lots of fun getting back into the season.

This was Will as keeper. He did his best to stop this last goal, but he didn't quite get there.  He did make some other great stops though. (At this point I was taking pictures with Meredith asleep in my lap. She has been sick with a tough virus this week and was having a hard morning!)

Let the Fun Begin

     Okay, so this week, I have felt like I've been on a roller coaster ride, and my brain is trying to catch up and process everything. Between trying to start the girls with the school year, going to ECS back-to-school parties, finding last minute supplies, getting a menu schedule up and running, grocery shopping to make sure I've got food for the menu, keeping up with laundry, and just being a mother to our 3 children, I'm ready for a vacation!! By last night, my brain was like those super slow computers that take forever to open a page! I was getting all the supplies in the backpacks since Maggie and Meredith also had their first day of Mother's Day Out today -- making sure everything was labeled,  getting Maggie's assignments prepared, checking the lists again -- when I just started wondering how I am going to do this!! With Maggie in 4th grade this year, I can't just get a book off the shelf in the morning and work a few pages with her. I really have to prepare! I have a whole new respect for women who homeschool multiple grade children. And I am so thankful that Will can go to ECS because it is so hard to juggle a 4th grader, 2nd grader, and pre-k/kindergartner who's learning to read, when the 2nd grader especially is highly active and easily distracted! My prayer this morning as I sat with my coffee and Bible is that the Lord would give me His strength and keep me in this humble state of mind when I am so tired and feeling so inadequate that I truly cannot rely on myself. "When I am weak, then He is strong," will, Lord willing, lay on my heart each day.
     Part of me is sad to send Will off to school. Most parents have this transition first with their oldest child, and most of them in kindergarten. It is very surreal sending him to school when I've had him with us for 8 years now. I am thankful that I will miss him -- and hopefully he will miss me! And I am still so grateful to the Lord for allowing me to teach him for his first few years of school and to continue to teach the girls.
     Here are a few pictures from our drop-off today. A couple are blurred and I think my camera is acting up again which is another whole frustration.

Will with the Ridgelake principal, Cathy Short

At his desk

With Maggie and Meredith -- I had to show this one as Will looked away at something else going on in the room

All Smiles!

Ms. Landy, Will's teacher

Celebrating the beginning of school at Yogurt Mountain!!