Go Dawgs!

Sometimes you have all the feelings, on all the things and they just keep swirling around and you never wrap your brain around them.  That has pretty much been my adult life with five kids.  SO. MANY. FEELINGS.

 

Last weekend we moved our baby girl to college. Her main goal from the time she started swimming was to swim in college.  Since I have been home from moving her in UGA, all I want to do is to lie down but life must go on.  The journey has been exhausting.  The highs and lows so extreme.  Here’s a highlight reel of the LONG 12 year journey.

 

Annie grew too fast and was super klutzy. She loved playing soccer but spent more time pummeling people and falling down.  She had this crazy competitive drive and her doctor suggested getting her into swimming that would be safer for everyone!  I can only doggy paddle so I was at a loss about how to do that.  

As fate would have it, I ran into my Young Life leader and was catching her up on my fam.  She happened to be a beginner swim coach at the nearby swim club. She had Annie come to her back yard and learn the strokes.  Her son was a college swimmer and on Annie’s first lesson, she stopped, went inside to her get her son who was home to watch Annie’s backstroke.  Her little arms looked like propellers.  I’ll never forget what she said that day, “Watching Annie swim, is like watching water ballet!”  This cracked me up because Annie secretly dropped herself out of ballet class when she was 4 years old!

As Annie grew as a swimmer, I see how God brought coaches into her life at the right time. Coach Lisa was one of those coaches.  She was stationed at Mayport and took Annie and her swim friend Evan under her wing.  She is such a huge part of training them to be college swimmers. She is the one who told us about qualifying times for higher level meets and that Annie had several.  We were not aware at the time but she traveled with both our families to big meets on her own dime because she saw their talent.  She bought Annie her first tech suit because her clueless parents didn’t even know there was such a thing.  She would take the kids to the base to train in their amazing long course pool.  Coach Lisa became a part of our forever swim family.  She has moved all over the world but still shows up for our kids.  I look forward to seeing her soon at the UGA meets cheering for our girl!

When Annie was a young champion breaststroker we left at the crack of dawn and drove her and Bubba to Miami for a swim meet in the morning and a basketball game in the afternoon.  We watched the Miami swimmers come out in their college logoed gear, the parkas, the caps and the SHOES!!!  Always the shoes!  

Dan lost his mind when I said I wanted to get a picture of Annie with the swim team and he was like please (insert eye roll).  Has he learned nothing about me?  God always helps me with this type of thing.  I went to the bookstore next to the pool and he called me (I’m sure annoyed) and said that there was a swim mom getting a team picture and this might be my opportunity.  The college girls were so sweet to Annie and hyped her up about swimming. We dreamed that one day she could swim at the U.  Welp, she got faster and faster and surpassed that program at the time. June 15, 2021 was the day all hell broke loose for recruiting.  The first school that contacted her was Miami at 12am.   It was a moment for me because I know my Daddy was hanging over the balconies of heaven proud as a peacock (or an Ibis :) that his beloved school was recruiting his granddaughter.  Man I miss him.

It was a tough winding road to get her to UGA.  Learning all the things. So much praying about what to do. Changing swim clubs, changing schools, surviving the Covid shut down while trying to maintain her training, too much stress and anxiety to say the least. I can now look back at the trials and tribulations and see God’s hand helping us through it all but man it makes me cringe to think back. Random things were actually divine appointments.  My brother in law harassed me for YEARS, that I had to move Annie to a new swim club in Ponte Vedra because the coach was legit and he was building a new pool. 

I couldn’t fathom moving her because she was having such success.  I partnered with a tennis coach and he introduced me to Coach Gus Calado…the same coach my brother-in-law wanted us to meet! It was destiny! I mentioned my daughter swam and he was like great. Then he watched a video of her IM and said a strong expletive and then started telling me where she could cut time with her technique.  Dan took her for a private lesson and the rest was history.  IMMEDIATELY she was cutting so much time because he coached her for her individual skill set.  I was so nervous like a junior high girl moving her to a new swim club. Annie was determined like a boss lady and so brave…much more than I was. The Planet Swim families were so welcoming to us.  They were thrilled because with Annie they would now have a relay team!  Those first families helped grow that swim team from a handful of swimmers to a high level, respected swim program. Annie was meant to find Coach Gus.  

I won’t even start about the recruiting process.  I won’t even get into what it does to the athlete. A wise friend of an older swimmer told me the perfect analogy…it’s like going through Sorority Rush on steroids. That was an understatement. I have never been so thankful for Dan who prepped Annie, our only introvert child, how to deal with the onslaught.  It was not for the faint of heart.  I sure wish it didn’t start so young and without parent involvement.  Annie got to know so many wonderful coaches along the way but “breaking up” with them when decision time came almost broke her.

 

Our family has always loved the Dawgs but that school seemed out of reach for Annie.  Well, she had a break out swim at states the fall of her junior year and that elevated her to another level.  She had verbally committed and was at peace with her decision until the coaches she connected with left the program.  I almost died when she popped out one day that she wasn’t sure anymore that’s where she wanted to go…..I freaked out and not because I already had every spirit wear item that existed.  I freaked out because the process was so hard on her and I dreaded opening the door again BUT…her wise Daddy supported her and helped her through the ordeal.  

When we arrived in Georgia, it was a different world.  Dan and I had personal notes from the coaches and they immediately made us feel a part of the Dawg family.  You could feel the priority and support that all athletic teams have at UGA. Sitting at the football game, and seeing a runner on the screen about the upcoming swim meet blew our mind.  We were so honored to have a personal tour from the legend Coach Harvey who had me crying multiple times on the tour about the Dawg legacy. I had no idea that the University of Georgia received their charter in 1785, making UGA the first chartered public university in the United States. My extreme patriotism and love of history was soaring! 

As fate would have it, there was a coaching change and a Brazilian coach who was a UGA Alum and a backstroke specialist was hired right before we visited.  Coach Fernando felt like home for us since Annie had been coached by several Brazilian coaches at Planet Swim.  She had even worked on learning some Portuguese so she would know what the coaches were saying about the swimmers on the pool deck. :)  It took me about 10 minutes on campus to text my coworker and tell her that I didn’t know what Annie was going to decide but I was going to be a Dawg. I told her to pack up our offices and head to Athens LOL!!  

 

Thankfully I was out of town at a conference the day Annie was going to make her decision.  I could not have handled the stress.  I will never forget the text message I got from her…”Imma gonna be a Dawg!”  I think I started ordering UGA spirit wear in the next 10 seconds!!  Needless to say, we had an extreme Dawg Christmas last year! 

On the national signing day, our sweet swim team mom helped plan a precious time for Annie at her home pool.  She would be a part of the school ceremony with all the athletes but they wanted to recognize Annie individually and her accomplishments. A relative of the family who the UGA pool is named after came and spoke about the history of the pool.  Childhood friends, family, coaches and swim team families honored our girl and we felt so blessed. 

As a mom, you are proud of weird things that no one knows.  I have flashbacks of my baby girl who I worried so much about.  I have trauma from all the things she has gone through that can still make me cry.  As I listened to her give speech after speech this past year at all the things, I marveled at the faithfulness of God.  From a baby child that was never suppose to talk to this amazing young lady who is articulate and poised.  Proud doesn’t encompass my feelings.  Shock and Awe is more accurate.

I am thankful to Maggie who drove with Annie to UGA. You can always count on Mags to bring the hysteria and fun.  She helped slap Annie’s massive, private room together like a boss lady and walked the bazillion hills with her fit self with no problem. I am annoyed that she wouldn’t let me spend more time and money in the LARGE UGA spirit store inside Walmart but it’s probably for the best so we will have money for food!

We are so excited to be a part of the Dawg family and so thankful to Coach Stef for making this possible for our baby girl.  We promise to show up, to volunteer, to pray, to cheer with all our hearts and to squeeze every ounce of joy out of the next four years.  I know life is a blur as I turned off that blasted country song “Don’t Blink” two times on our trip to Athens.  I determined for us not to make this sad but to have a ball and we did.  Dan even fit in a golf game at the UGA golf course with his new best friend Brandon!  

I am filled with so much expectation of all the goodness to come.  Will it be hard?  Of course but our Baby girl works harder than anyone I’ve seen and has always stood alone if necessary to stay focused. I would love to give Dan and I credit for her awesomeness but I know myself too well. It’s all Jesus. I admire her strength, grit and resilience that I don’t possess.  I'll never forget a swim mom offer me a Xanax right before Annie swam as a young swimmer.  Lord the swims that had me all stressed out!  We have leaned on Jesus and the prayers of so many. 

As a family, we are beyond grateful to all the countless people who have encouraged, hyped, helped, cheered, prayed, coached and loved our precious baby girl.  Dan’s face says it all in the face time pic of Annie showing us her first college UGA swim cap. We ALL worked hard for that cap. The amount of time we spent driving her twice a day all over this city for her to swim was massive but a true privilege to spend that large amount of time with her.  Although we did suffer from extreme road rage on occasion that I am sorry about but I wouldn’t trade that time for the world! We have confidently turned her over to the UGA swim program and truly believe the best is yet to come!  Go Sic ‘Em Baby Girl and Go Dawgs!! 

 

Traditions

Wrapping up a year is a reflective time.  Time is a blur and I admit I have stared at my Christmas card collage a few times and was like, “We survived all this?”  It’s been quite an epic and busy year.  Not that any year in the life of the Wogs is calm or boring.  Wogs and calm are never said together!

Historically with all five kids, I have dreaded Christmas.  Not in a grinch kind of way but in a “We Broke!” kind of way.  When you are trying to be “Santa” and keep Christmas magical, it tends to get pricey.  It’s not that our kids ask for outrageous gifts. It’s just the amount of kids asking.  Once reality kicked in with the kids, we could have honest conversations like, “Are you out of your freakin’ mind?” when gift requests were ridiculous.  There is a wonderful relief when the Santa façade is over.  Although shopping for gifts at the Dollar Tree was fantastic!

 

Instead of lamenting how big the kids are and how sad it is that they are grown, I will celebrate the joys.  Before I had kids, a wise older mom of one of my youth group kids told me something I have never forgotten. I asked her if she was sad her daughter was now in youth group already and she said, “Absolutely not!  I made a decision to celebrate every stage of her life!”  I have tried to do the same each time that sadness starts to creep in my heart when my huge children are listening to questionable rap music and driving away into danger in the cars, we bought them.  

 

As the kids have aged, the time of present opening is later which I LOVE!!!  It’s a peaceful, sweet time of Dan and I listening to Christmas music and sometimes staring at a fire depending on the weather.  Dan and Annie LOVE Christmas music and may or may not listen year around. Dan asked Annie if she was worried that her college roommate wouldn’t like all the Christmas music and Annie may be most stressed about that possible situation.

 

I have never enjoyed cooking.  It’s an annoying ordeal.  I think maybe I could have if I had less mouths to feed.  It’s always been a stressor for me because they want to eat all the time.  Thankfully God is merciful, and kind and Maggie is a fantastic, wing it kind of cook.  She slaps together food in the spirit of my sister Sharri and my mom.  It seems effortless and I cheer her on for selfish reasons. Along with her cooking skills, Mags also made straight A’s this semester in college, and I couldn’t be more proud of her!  The kids got Dan a gas griddle and Dan said yesterday that it is his most favorite gift….mine too since I am regularly the recipient of the goodness from the griddle.

The biggest change for the Wogs this year was adding a family member! Bonnie and Billy met at 4 and married almost 20 years later!  It was so perfect but way too long of an engagement but such a beautiful, perfect day! The craziest part of the year was Bonnie getting a puppy a month before the wedding. What? That cute little beagle looking, mini-KC looking puppy wreaked some havoc of exhaustion and stress as we wedding prepped. She is super cute but super hyper.  I love my grand pup Penny and try to walk her regularly!

Bonnie had all her siblings over for Festivus and played games for hours. We babysat the dog on the coldest night of the year which was super challenging. Penny didn't seem to notice though! I did buy her the cutest dog jacket ever! Overshadowed by the wedding was the fact that my firstborn graduated with honors with her masters! I am so proud of her and all she went through and how hard she worked! 

Eddie is thriving and seems to keep growing and growing!  He had a surprising, incredible season of football.  His team lost EVERY football game last year and ended up this year winning the WHOLE championship of 38 public charter school.  The saddest thing that happened was Eddie got the stomach flu for the championship, but his team rallied and won anyway!  The most touching moment was his team holding up the trophy screaming “FOR EDDIE!”  Eddie said he cried every time he watched the video…it meant so much to him!  He felt like he was letting down his team.

Dan turned the BIG 50 this December and I surprised him with an overnight stay in Fernandina.  It was so perfect, and the good news is we still love being together after almost 30 years.  I think that is a miracle in itself and a testament to God’s blessings. We have always but God first in our family, training our kids in the way they should go! The kids have had their ups and downs, but they know God is always there for them in times of need.

 

I love traditions but have learned that sometimes they become bondage and stressful. One such tradition is to get and decorate the Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving.  I never meant for it to be a tradition but for Bubba, it’s the law!  This year he stayed behind from the river trip to keep up the tradition.  He may or may not have ripped off the poor young kid at Ace.  The $60 dollar tree is huge, so I am a bit suspicious.  Bubba and Annie decorated the whole yard with lights why we were gone and said they couldn’t find the Christmas lights….I told them they were now in the yard apparently.  So, obviously we had to get new lights for the tree and now it seems to have morphed into a “Go Dawgs” tree.    Bubba started a YouTube show, College Football Cauldron and amazes with me with his football knowledge.  He also graduated from college and is ready to start his life most likely in a sports realm.  He has been dedicated to all things sports from the age of 4!  I know the greatest of days are ahead for him! 

 

Speaking of the Dawgs.  I am still processing Annie’s switch for college swimming to the University of Georgia.  It was always her dream to swim there but seemed out of reach.  Annie had a breakout backstroke swim last year so that changed the opportunities for her. Who knew what cutting ½ a second could do for you!  As stressful as the recruiting ordeal is, I can see God’s hand in the whole thing lining things up for our baby girl.  I don’t think it was an accident that UGA hired a Brazilians backstroke specialist right when Annie decides to take the rest of her recruiting visits. (Annie’s coach for the last seven years is Brazilian)  It’s just the right fit and luckily Bubba was prepared for this moment with all his vintage Dawg jerseys and shirts.  

I have always used my beautiful china for Christmas dinner but this year as I was getting ready to set the table. I heard a familiar sound.  I went in the dining room and the kids set up ping pong on my nice dining room table.  My first instinct was to tell them to stop so I could set the table and then I let it all go.  Nope.  Keep playing and have fun.  My china stayed in the cabinet, but the ping pong games went for hours.  Yes, I beat Dan in case you were wondering…. I think knowing when to let traditions go is an important part of life.  Be free and flexible!

 

I really needed a Christmas break for my brain.  It constantly runs. It takes discipline to stop it.  I love my job and the mission behind it, but the pressure is great.  I have never prayed more in my life, and I feel God’s good pleasure on the work we are doing at Cornerstone. Saving the country one prayer at a time.  We are not just shielding kids from the nonsense going on in world, but we are building true leaders….in the adults and students.  An army that will fight for freedom and truth.  I am most grateful that God wasn’t finished with me yet, that He had a surprise deployment for me.  I was born a fighter and a fighter needs a fight.  It’s a worthy one and I believe miracles are on the way because we serve a miracle working God who never sleeps nor slumbers.  He is always working on our behalf and wants to bless us.  I am resting and revving up for a new year of surprises and answered prayers.  Let’s go Spartans and Go Dawgs! 

 

Anniversaries

Milestones, markers, memories, the good, the bad, the ugly, the joy, the sadness, the pain and the healing.  The countdown, survival, progress, growth, relief.  This is what I feel today. When you live through a year and experience every day in a whole calendar year of transition, it’s good to Selah, to praise, to pause, to recognize the moment, to give thanks to God who does not forsake, who is faithful and true and who truly knows what is best.

I have lived through many anniversaries, 52 birthdays, 50 years at the same church, 35 years out of high school, 31 years out of college, 29 years of the same employment, 27 years of marriage, 26 years without my sweet Daddy, 23 years as a mom and now today, 1 year as a Spartan!   I could not be more thankful, more humbled, more awed, more proud than I am today.  My anxieties, doubts and fears did not slay me. My lack, my limitations and my mistakes did not wreck it all.  I am more than a conqueror and well able to do all He has called me to do. God went before me and His gracious hand is upon me. God miraculously assembled every one needed for the new mission and answered the most prayers I have ever prayed. I have confirmed that the devil is a liar; the tormenting voices in the night that I combated were false and powerless and my God is greater!  Through Christ, I am an overcomer.  

 

My advice for anyone who cares is this….TRUST GOD! Perpetually forgive those who betray and lie to you. Shut it out of you brain and pray for God to renew your mind and wipe it all away.  REFUSE to be bitter and DO NOT retaliate.  It takes great discipline to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.  It is the most difficult thing I have ever done in my life.  

 

Looking forward, I see the miracles that have yet to come. The vision is great. The plan is set and my God will continue to do abundantly more than I could ever ask or think  Will it be easy? Absolutely not!  Will there be pointless, time wasting, ridiculous things to constantly challenge the vision?  Of course!  I expect nothing less than a fierce battle for what is needed to save this country.  Will I stop and give up?  NEVER!  I was made a warrior with a fighting spirit. Other’s tried to squash it calling me combative and unsubmissive….I have always been submitted to my Lord and Savior to do all He has called me to do…. To FIGHT for the next generation of leaders ALWAYS!  To speak the TRUTH and to do the good for as long as I live.   Will it be hard and uncomfortable? YES!  What I see more and more everyday is doors we are not even knocking on, flinging open.  The masses gathering, calling evil, evil and demanding protection and freedom for our children.  How will I survive what is coming?  The same way I have always survived…I will pray and will pray without ceasing because it is not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty. Zechariah 4:1. SELAH!

A New Chapter 2021

Never in my life would I have imagined I would leave all I know in my 50’s and start out on a new adventure.   I still wake up some days in shock.  I also would not have believed we are living through a pandemic that has taken so many people.  Life is strange but wonderful.  

I learned so much about myself and my faith as I reflect on the past couple of years. This is rare because I like to stay future focused and not look back. The main thing I am relieved about is that I did not loose my faith when people of faith who I love failed me.  I cringe when I think about those long, tormenting nights when the enemy of my soul crushed me with panic, fear and hopelessness.  I celebrate that I did what I knew to do, what I trained for…I battled.  I interceded. I worshiped. I used the armor of God…every piece of it, to survive the doubts and the voices in my head.  I sought help.  I humbled myself and acknowledged that I needed a counselor to survive with me intact.  I regret not finding one sooner.

I am thankful that I have a husband that after 27 years of being together, STILL thinks I am the smartest person he knows.  His unending pep talks, reminders, advice and the clarity he brought was life saving.  He has no idea how many nights I swirled around in my head his suggestion of selling it all and moving to Montana.  I wanted to run away more than anyone knows. His faith in me and my calling has been unending.  He combated every lie that I was plagued with in the night.  This is marriage at it’s finest.

I am blessed that my five children stand on their own faith with their own strong opinions of right and wrong.  I am relieved that they still believe that God is good after being pastor’s kids since birth and living the reality of ministry life.  I am grateful they gave me the courage and permission to walk away from all they knew also.  I am overwhelmed that God trusted me so much to give me so many kids being the complete hot mess of a mother that I am.  They have grown into my best friends who have cheered me on through transition.

I am so thankful that I have my mom, my big family and sweet friends who propped me up, spurred me on, who challenged me, who yanked me up and forced me to remember the truth that I was born for such a time as this and that I was well able to do all God was calling me to do. God did not give me a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind.  I have seen what true loyalty looks like and the importance of the right team who is strong and courageous. Trench friends are the best friends.

At the end of our life, Christians pray that we walked out what we have learned.  Have we walked the talked and not just talked the talk?  I have shared countless messages of God’s plan, mission, purpose, and destiny.  Did I really believe it?  Could I truly believe that the best is still yet to come like I told so many?   I feel like on the downward slide of my life, that I am just now stepping out in faith, living on the edge like the Host with the Most challenged us to do.  I am still living everyday hoping/praying I don’t turn into the train wreck who is always looming right under it all. 

I grimace at the thought of going through what I am still coming out of but what I know, not hope, not believe, is that my God is faithful and true, that he never left me or forsook me, not for a moment.  The worship songs I filled my ears with in the dark nights are true that He took what the enemy meant for evil and He turned it for good.   All my life He has been faithful.  All my life He has been so, so good.  

I am stunned that God seems to have led me to a place where the original visions he put deep in my heart are actually going to become a reality.  Visions other’s mocked.  Visions other’s rejected.   Visions that felt like they were just there to torment and taunt me.  Visions of changing the world. 

I see and feel God gathering His army, those who will truly fight arm in arm, back to back, to combat what is unfair, subversive, evil and wrong.  It is time.  It is time to wage the war for the next generation.  It is time to lay it all on the line and go after it.  It is time to be uncomfortable.  It is time to walk in faith and not by sight.  It is time to stop making excuses about resources, age, gender, knowledge or experience.  It’s time to draw a line and to take back our land that the enemy has casually snatched from us.  It’s time to remember the point of it all…Freedom!  

“The spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”  Luke 4:18-19

My Daughters....

My son Eddie and I watched the movie Suffragette tonight and it sent me into an introspective state.  I grew up with NO limitations.  I had amazing parents who gave me a firm foundation so that I never thought I was limited because I was a female...that thought was almost shocking.  When I entered into ministry and encountered denominational men in ministry, I realized that other female ministers had suffered with this archaic mentality.  They probably thought I was peculiar because I never related to their feminist cause….honestly it never crossed my mind because of my upbringing.

I never had to fight the female war because others went before me...Emily Wilding Davidson’s death was reported across the world and drew global attention to the fight for women’s rights.  I can’t even wrap my brain around being discriminated for being a female at the level that they suffered. When you have a father who loved and empowered you your entire life and made you feel like NOTHING was impossible to you, it’s hard to relate. When you have a husband who told people when you were dating that you were the “smartest person he knew” you go into adulthood feeling invincible and limitless. Sad that you encounter men along the way that revert to discrimination that is so foreign to you that you are shocked that they would even suggest you are lesser than because you were born a female.  

Lord have mercy….my God ALWAYS supported women in the Bible….look it up!!!!   I think about the account in the Bible when daughters who had no brothers asked for their father’s inheritance and Moses sought God and got the approval from God to grant them their request.   Or Deborah the JUDGE who commanded the Israelites and orchestrated a great victory or the time when Jesus empowered women to lead churches and to be leaders…..I have three daughters.  I will have granddaughters who should have limitless lives achieving whatever is in their hearts despite ANYONES opinion of what they are capable of... SO…if anyone asks me if I'm a feminist….I will say Yes….I am an EVERYBODYist….We are ALL awesome in God’s eyes, for my God does NOT discriminate….

Pandemic 2020

Never thought I would live to see a pandemic in my lifetime.  Seems like with all the advancements that we could have stopped such a thing…but I guess Bill Gates saw it coming.  It has been such a bizarre thing.  It started as something far away in China and for whatever reason most of us didn’t give it much thought because we feel invincible, but then we have a case show up in the US and we all start paying attention.   Luckily for us we had spring break, which would give us a chance to let sick people heal and to deep clean the school facilities.  Little did we know that this spring break would go on FOREVER!  For me as an administrator, I can’t believe our year is over.   That all that chaos in my office from the students stopping by or needing “counsel” which I know was sometimes….”get me out of class”. Regardless, I miss the kids. I miss my co-workers and their babies.  I miss routine. I miss athletic events. I miss our life, as we knew it.  

It has been quite unbelievable that every person on the globe is dealing with this virus. It has affected every business and changed the way we all live.  I never felt like going to the grocery store was life-threatening but now I am wearing gloves and I own a face mask for public outings.  There is a gloom that has settled over society especially when so many businesses are closed.  We can’t get our teeth cleaned and bless so many hearts, you can’t get your hair cut or colored, nails filled, waxed, spray tans or any of the beauty routines so many indulge in.  There are so many jokes going around how we are getting ready to see what people really look like.  I have noticed a steep decline in selfies online!   

I am believing that this epic global humbling has gotten our attention.  It doesn’t matter how educated or wealthy you are.  The virus does not discriminate.  All ages, races, and incomes levels are treated equal.  I think the world is ready for a revival.  May we all evaluate our lives and learn from this experience.  May we treat people more kind, may we value things we took for granted.  I hope we don’t forget too quickly and jump right back into a selfish life filling every waking moment with busyness.  I pray that many people will turn to God and trust THE higher power with our futures, livelihood and well-being and stop living like we don’t need a Savior.

Miraculously, Annie’s last age group championship was not canceled and she broke state records and surpassed her goals.  Unfortunately for her dear older swim friends, theirs got canceled just a few days later.  A years worth of hard work, qualifying times and focus, OVER, just like that.  All swim meets canceled, pools closed, parks closed, beach closed and pretty much everything not “essential”. Competitive, goal-setting people are lost and struggling more than I have ever seen.  The next goal structures their daily life.  I feel like I am lost in a sci-fi movie and have to remind myself everyday.  I haven’t opened my day timer that organized my every minute in months. There are literally no plans of any kind because we do not know when we will be set free into a safe world. 

Poor Maggie’s mission trip was postponed with no real plan of when that may be.  Her two dance competitions canceled, dance classes now online and their recital postponed.  All the things like Prom and her friend’s graduation canceled or postponed. Maggie has handled this excess of time by working out like a super freak.  She runs and works out like crazy.  We laugh that we will all be FAT or FIT by the time this is over and I can guarantee Maggie will be fit!   She has learned EVERY tiktok dance and fitness competitions.  I offered to be in one of their dances but for some reason, they declined my offer…  Maggie started doing her dance classes on Zoom and almost drove us crazy on Tap Class Night….we would stay outside or just ride around on our bikes to escape the tapping.  I am very thankful her studio figured out how to keep her dancing though.

Bubba’s spring break turned into freshman year OVER.  Thankfully he wasn’t that upset.  Bless his heart, he was so excited to go to the TPC like every day and only brought golf shirts. He only made it to one practice round before they canceled the whole thing.  Now he watches golf tutorials and putts on his little green.  Bonnie’s boyfriend Billy got an intense lesson in golf so Bubba and Billy may be a pro golfer by the time this over!!  Dan and Bubba had to drive to South Florida to collect Bubba’s belongings from campus.  He was sick of his roommate who actually was pretty dangerous when Bubba realized he had a gun in the room.  That was probably due to all the drug dealing he was doing. I can’t say I was that sad when Dan and Bubba were on their way home from moving Bubba out of the dorms. I am getting used to Bubba at home with the large quantities of food we go through and his late night hours. Oh and the laundry….Lord the towels!!

Poor Bonnie who is the hardest worker I have ever seen had been practicing almost everyday for their first trip to Cheer Nationals that was suppose to be in Daytona in April. She was so excited.  We all bought T-shirts and were so proud of this squad who she has cheered with for 3 years.  She would tell me how they were nailing their routines and we couldn’t wait to go cheer for these girls who are like our extended family. Of course Nationals got cancelled but not only that, JU classes were moved to online and she could not longer work at San Pablo Elementary for her internship.  JU ambassador program was suspended and the country club where she works closed. I thought she might have a meltdown because literally the child has her days scheduled from the crack of dawn until midnight. Thank God she took over homeschooling her three younger siblings like a boss.  She showed u the first day with labeled cubbies for their books, while board paper, files with their name and created learning spaces for each of them.  She gave them stars for completed assignments and brought them candy or ice cream for rewards. Bubba caught wind of their stars and being competitive had to get in on that.  So now Bubba also gets stars when he completes his COLLEGE assignments!  Whatever…I am just so grateful for my firstborn for doing what firstborns do…bring order! Bonnie has also been working hard with Eddie to stretch his calves down so he can get flat-footed again. He is making great progress and we are so proud!! 

So what do the days look like since quarantine has been mandated?  Well it started off kinda fun.  I NEVER have all five kids together anymore so that was amazing.  We started going to the beach every night and playing bocce ball and walking.  It was glorious, breezy and so fun!  We would run into to friends and chitchat. THEN…the mayor closed the beaches and we were all like WHAT??  Then they chained the park behind our house where we would have played in the field.  It’s probably for the best because of the amount of airsoft guns we have.  Someone may have lost an eye had it stayed open.  So with our circle getting smaller our backyard became the center of our days.  We did a bunch of yard work and trimmed everything up nice.  We reveled in the fact that all our tropical plants survived the nonfreeze winter we had and saved us hundreds of dollars in replacement plants.  Bubba hung up his hammock and between Bonnie’s and Bubba’s hammock we have been a swingin’.  Bubba’s trying daily to blow the falling leaves away to no avail…surely they will stop falling soon.  We track the big owl that sits in our trees or basketball rim stalking squirrels.  He is one spooky creature looking into our souls. We have loved seeing the two white fuzzy baby owls and the fights when the crows come too close.  And walks…Lord knows we have taken some walks.  The dog just wants to be left alone but is getting some much needed exercise.  Through our copious amount of walks, we have seen so many neighbors and have all simplified our lives more than we were prepared too. 

I worked in the office some but mostly do video conference calls to keep things rolling.  The most normal thing was, of course, is that Dan still goes to work.  Apparently there has been no change in financial rules so he’s the lucky one who gets to carry on despite our global crisis.  He recently started staying home a couple days of week and alternating with a co-worker.   He did have to do his Zoom calls outside because every other room had a videoconference going.  The big almost daily challenge is hunting food.  I think that is the thing that may be scared me the most, not the virus but trying to feed seven of us three plus times a day.  They are plowing through more food than I thought possible.  Eggs, meat, milk and toilet paper are scarce.  We feel like we hit the jackpot when we locate some of the shortage items.  We actually locked up the fridge to manage their intake.  Maggie has cooked some magnificent concoctions and I have done dishes for DAYS…. Annie obsessively cleans our pool. 

Eddie is thrilled that Bubba lets him play his Xbox and plays basketball with him too. Eddie has turned into the Lizard King (not to be confused with Tiger King on Netflix….).  He put several in the mailbox and when we get the mail, they say SURPRISE.  We also take a ton of bike rides to his favorite place…Maw Maw’s house.  We have “porch” visits because of social distancing.  He continues catching lizards and feeding squirrels mushroom and training them to go into the hole in one of Mom’s trees.  We are quite annoyed that ripped up sidewalk off Hagler is a death trap to cross to Mom’s street but so far so good!  

The highlight for Bonnie and Annie is getting to go with cousin Isaac and Uncle Mike to the gun range but it did make Annie ask for a 12-gauge shotgun for her birthday…NO! It broke up the daily routine of exercise and swinging in the hammocks.  We ended that day taking our chances with Popeye chicken sandwiches frankly because to cook again was too much for any of us.  We watched an intense game of street hockey and when I went inside…it morphed into airsoft war!  Sorry Neighbors!!   The kids created a game called Pool cricket in the pool, which never disappoints if you are a spectator. 

With us being quarantined with no church to go to on Easter, we decided to go to the River with all our kids and their significant others.  With us now having adult kids, it’s very difficult to get them all together and it’s actually been two years since we have all been together.   Dan was skeptical if we could find enough food for 9 people for three days.  Thankfully, I ventured out and God was good to me. I got almost everything I needed! We packed more food than we have ever taken and hauled it all to the River.  The kids were driving separate which always makes me nervous but thankfully arrived safe and sound!   The kids decided on an airsoft Easter egg hunt so that was something to be afraid of/look forward to depending on what team you are on. I was so thrilled to have everyone there!  They kayaked and Billy even jumped out of the big tree.  They had a practice airsoft game in preparation for Airsoft Capture the Bunny.   The first night we made a fire and did smores, took a nice walk and played a crazy card game of spoons.  

The kids got up and started prepping for the big “war”.  I filled two big plastic bunnies with candy and each team was supposed to defend their bunny and steal the opposing team's bunny.  The kids prepped for this all week.  Ordered new guns and bullets and coordinated their black clothes.  Bubba’s team consisted of Annie, Maggie and his girlfriend Emily who was a very good sport to participate with these competitive freaks.  Dan, Eddie, Bonnie and her boyfriend Billy were the other team and they did not strategize or plan much at all.  Bonnie kept offering to give her gun away and bow out. We enjoyed a HUGE Easter brunch with more food than we ever served at the River and then the kiddos started to depart which always makes me sad. All and all I know this is precious FORCED time together with the people I love the most.  What I realized and I think my kids have also that you really don’t need much to live.  

Despite the mandatory quarantine due to the global pandemic, our postman scolded, threatened, wrote notes, honked and harassed us about all the cars at our house like we could help it. We did the best we could not blocking the mailbox with 7 of us working and doing school from Home. We put cones to mark the 30 feet he said he needed and the rain kept washing them away. Dan finally snapped, killed the yard and slapped in a driveway. I was not in favor of this but Dan and the kids worked so hard with blisters on their hands. We sure hope the postman is happy now that restrictions are being lifted and we won’t all be stuck at home anymore!

And with that project completed, still being quarantined with too much time on our hands….then came the Putting Green Pitch!  Bubba campaigned HARD with a 20-slide power point.  Some of my extended family would ride over to check out all of our crazy rock projects and IMMEDIATELY supported the new idea, which didn’t help Dan stand firm on his NO!  I have to say we were very impressed with Bubba’s research, perseverance, tenacity and “drive” to get it done! LOL He fundraised and built the putting green in the back yard in a week. Of course Dan pitched in because he wanted it done “right” and Annie was Bubba’s personal assistant throughout the project.  He even did a ribbon cutting ceremony….Lord let him go back to work soon so we can rest! 

The end of May finally brought the end to the school year and I have to say I am Sorry not sorry that remote learning is finally over! I am so extremely thankful for Bonnie and Billy who taught many lessons and helped the kids push through on hard days. Very nice to finally see my table again! Prayer, pool, walks, baby owls, beach, nice weather, hammocks, streaming shows, helped us surviving quarantine with 7 of us.  Eddie matured so much and was the most enjoyable thing about our time together! Dan gets up early everyday and asked me for weeks to go see the sunrise with him….I was like WHAT?  Finally after a string of sleepless nights I got up and made him so happy!  I did feel like I needed a nap by 10am though.  

Now restrictions are being lifting and we are going back to work and resuming our former lives. Makes me a little sad because scaling back our busyness and simplifying life is something I will be forever grateful for and something I will never forget.  I pray those we love stay healthy and that we will all live to tell our grandkids about the pandemic of 2020.  Until then…we pray and we hunt for food and TP! Let’s just all pray like crazy that 2020 has mercy on us and we have NO hurricanes or disasters the rest of this historic year!! We’ve had enough excitement to last. Happy Summer Everyone!!