Broken in (by Jacob)

Hi ya'll! It's getting better every day. School is better now and were getting the jist of things.

This is our spider friend Charlotte. She is a yellow Banana Spider. Notice the "zipper" pattern in her web. This type of spider is very common here. Charlotte couldn't even fit on a half dollar!! So anyway school is good and im lernin lots uv nuw stuf. I'm in South Carolina history. It's interesting, but I don't know what I'm going to do with that information:). So, it's pretty much going good. We're going to the beach labor day weekend (yay) and are going to hang out there. We had a family meeting Sunday and listed all the things we are hoping to do this year (such as Washington D.C. and a backpacking trip on the Appalation Trail). We're looking forward to the rest of the year.

The Daily Grind

Life is carrying on in a fairly regular routine, which has been a relief to all of us. Wake up, eat, school, home, snack, eat, homework, play, bed...you get the idea. In the middle of all that, I am fitting in exercise, housework and exploring the city. Rob is doing his best to settle into a pattern of study. The weather continues to be beautiful if not somewhat humid, but I'll take that over the 50's of Wisconsin which I've been hearing about.

Yesterday Eli and Ben came up with their own version of a triathalon. They would run around the block, followed by scootering around the block, finishing with a bike around the block. It was hilarious. Grace was in charge of setting up and guarding the equipment and cheering as each contestant came to the transition area. The kids have had to be a bit more creative with their outdoor play, especially since they don't have the lake, woods, HoneyRock etc. We have a nice park just a block away which Eli and Grace enjoy playing at. I have been sitting in a lawn chair each evening on the front stoop trying to breathe in some fresh air. It has been fun watching all the people walk by with their dogs. Ben is thinking of starting a dog walking business in the neighborhood. He said he would do it for free just for a chance to be with some animals!

We are hoping to find something new and fun to do this weekend! Wish us luck!

Come to our table!

Hooray! We have found a dining room table and chairs. I located it on Craig's List and Rob and I drove about 30 minutes away to get it. It was quite a bargain and surprisingly, the chairs match our livingroom couch. You can imagine Rob was really excited about that:) We had our first meal around our new table last night, and what a joy it was. It is funny to think that something as simple as a table would mean so much in family unity, but I found myself feeling full of joy to see each of us sitting there together. Now we can start inviting people over to our home for dinner!

Eli is feeling much better today after getting on an antibiotic for step throat yesterday. He will hopefully be able to return to school tomorrow. I think Eli would prefer his current status of eating fudgsicles and juice pops at all hours and watching movies on the DVD player! Reality has a way of rearing her head though I am afraid!

Jacob came home from school yesterday saying "I had a great day". Those words are music to my ears. Tonight is the first Junior High Bible study which he and Ben will attend. They are really looking forward to it.

Rob had a good first day at his new "job". He was introduced to all the staff in his department and then given a tour of campus. He came home proudly bearing a USC facutly ID badge! It looks like he will be there two days a week for the time being with the other days devoted to research for the big, bad dissertation!

I am going to flit about today looking for a few more items to complete the decor of our home...a task I find fun and relaxing. Then I must gear up to receive the troops as they filter home from school.

Rob's here!

We are all breathing a little more easily having our whole family together again, even if it is only for two weeks. The kids and I drove the hour and a half to Charlotte, NC on Saturday to pick Rob up at the airport. We went early and found the Ikea, much to my joy and the boys dismay!!

Rob and Grace just left to walk to school. Eli is home sick, I think with streppe throat. I will need to find a clinic today to take him to...poor guy. Ben and Jacob are just rolling out of bed, lamenting on the beginning of another full week of school. Ben is hopeful that he might get to hold a snake in science class today....

As much as we miss worshipping with our church family in TL, we are really enjoying our church experience here. We are attending an Anglican church called "Church of the Apostles". It is pastored by our good friend Chip Edgar, whom Rob swam with on on the swim team during Wheaton undergrad days. As it is a newer church, they meet in a part of a really cool old factory which was converted into a museum. We are enjoying the liturgical components of the service as well as contemporary and traditional music. The youth program has been very impressive. Jacob and Ben are in a weekly sunday school class led by the youth pastor and a bi-monthly bible study. They will also participate in a community outreach activity each month (homeless shelter etc.). Rob went to a parents meeting yesterday and was really impressed with the youth director's mission, goals, organization and passion, as well as a dynamic youth staff.

I attended a women's ministry kick-off event yesterday. There are so many opportunities to get involved. I am looking forward to a weekly bible study beginning in Sept. and attending a ladies retreat in November. I am trying to restrain myself from volunteering for too many things, but there is just so much great stuff to do!!

Rob is going to his first meeting with the institute for freshman transitions in which he will be a "visiting researcher". Check it out at http://www.sc.edu/fye/.

Wanted...dining room table!

As you can see in this picture, we are still without a diningroom table and chairs! We left ours at home in order to save room in the moving truck, but have yet to find a reasonably priced one to buy. I have scoured the paper, thrift stores, garage sales and the like. For now, we eat off camp chairs and the floor...kinda like camping in the northwoods!

I am happy to say there is little news to report today! I believe we are getting our feet back on the ground. We are picking Rob up at the airport in Charlotte, NC tomorrow, so we will see how transitioning him into our "new" world goes. Everyone misses him terribly!!!!!! I am guessing it will be a few more days until I update this blog again...so check us out soon. We still miss all you northwoods friends a lot!

A thumbs up day!

I am happy to report that all four kids had at least a manageable day at school yesterday! You can't imagine the angst I feel as I wait for them to come through the door, wondering if it will be tears or smiles!

Jacob had a much better experience in math and feels like he "may" be able to get through the year! He also hung out with a kid named Kenny during the lunch recess. Feeling connected to someone makes a big difference. This Sunday is the first youth group function at church, which I am hoping will bring with it some more aquaintences for him.

Eli is getting used to how things run at his new school, which has relieved a bit of his tension. He has been hanging out with a boy named Jacory, whom Eli said is really funny. He is African American along with a large percentage of kids from this elementary school. I am so greatful for the opportunity to experience cultural diversity, which is so limited in Three Lakes. Eli seems to be most effected by Rob's absence. I am hoping this too will be relieved with Rob's two week return on Saturday.

Grace got her first friend "note" from a girl named Maggie. She hung it on her bulletin board and immediately began working on a reply. Today she had to put in her blue earrings in order to fulfill a promise of "matching" another friend today! Friendships of seven year old girls seem so easy and sweet. Too bad us girls turn catty before long!

Ben is so Ben. He just seems to go with the flow. He is so sweet to Jacob, and as always is his most faithful friend. He is enjoying all of his classes, except for his english teacher who dramatically read to the class from Dr. Suess yesterday. I of course thought it sounded fantastic, but to a twelve year old boy it was "dumb".

Today I attended my first workout class at Bodyfit. A HUGE blessing as I am able to attend during the year for free! The owner offers a free membership to those in full-time ministry. I did a one hour cardio/toning class and just about died! I think I will call it Body "sit", because that's all I can do now that I'm back home. I look forward to getting in better shape this year.

Yesterday the bug man came to spray around the house. This is apparently a routine event in the south. The name of the company is "Bug Depot". That just cracks me up. It sounds more like they deliver bugs then rid your house of them. The guy was super nice and enjoyed answering all the bug questions the boys had. Who knew a cockroach's nervous system is on his belly?

Two more days until Rob comes! I can't wait. I am weary of single parenting, but aware that God has fully sustained me during this time. 93 degrees today with a heat index of 100! We're not in Kansas anymore!

Roller coaster ride

Today I feel like I am on a roller coaster....

Yesterday, Eli came home from school happy and excited about his day, especially pleased with his new art teacher...today, I could hardly push him out the door to go! Jacob had a good day yesterday until last period. His pre-algebra teacher taught really fast and didn't explain things, sending Jacob into a tail spin as someone who needs to know the rules and how to do things right! Still no friends, but he did say that a few kids talked to him which I call a BIG improvement. In the midst of that, I am so proud of him! He puts his chin up everyday and walks into a difficult situation. This is not a typical response for Jacob, so I am greatful to see him growing. This morning he said "God must have some long range plans for me because nothing is happening fast!"

Ben seems to love his classes, especially science. His teacher reminds us all of our good friend Ryan McCaffrey! Ben said he talked with him at lunch about the activities at HoneyRock, which apparently impressed Mr. Byrd who is an avid outdoorsman!

Grace is just going with the flow. Her biggest adjustment is learning to share a bedroom with Eli. She seems to think night time is a continual party!!

I spent the afternoon going to thrift stores with my friend Beth. I didn't find anything, but it was really fun! I know Cindy, Cheryl, and Lindsay would have loved it! They even have a Good Will Clearance store here! Imagine a store that is for the things that don't sell at the Good Will! You push around a bin and whatever you put in it is weighed and then charged $1.50 per pound!

As I look back upon the last week and a half, here are some of my southern ponderings:

1. Taking a shower is pointless

2. Northerners could take a lesson in southern friendliness

3. "Palmetto" bugs are still disgusting cockroaches no matter how cute you make the name!

4. The above mentioned bug makes a lound crunching sound when stepped on!

5. Most people are thin, I assume because of all the pounds they sweat off!

6. An extra metal bar is placed across the bottom of shopping carts, I am assuming, to slow down us long strided, fast walking northerners. This has left me with a continual large bruise on my shin!

7. The above mentioned shopping carts are actually called "buggies"

8. There is a whole section in the produce dept. for collard greens... whatever those are!

9. It actually takes less effort to say "ya'all" then "you guys".

10. I miss ya'all!

It's all heart!

I just sent the kids off to school for day #2 and it's all heart today to get the motivation to go!

The first day went well for Ben and Grace whose cups are always half full. Jacob and Eli had a harder time due to their cups usually being half empty! Jacob's classes went well, but he didn't have anyone really talk to him which resulted in eating lunch alone, being outside at lunch recess alone and being the only one sitting alone at a science class table! It is hard on a mothers heart, but I also know that God is developing an important piece of Jacob's character on this venture, so I must encourage and pray. He is going to work on smiling more today!

Eli had tears pooling in his eyes when I picked him up. He was bothered more by all the differences at his new school ("they call backpacks "bookbags", homeroom "homebase", and my teacher is nice buy annoying because she calls everyone "cutie"!") Eli also struggled with not having anyone befriend him. I was half expecting a big ordeal about going this morning, but he dug deep and went promising to say "hi" to at least one person!

Grace was saying goodbye to half a dozen girls on her way out of school yesterday! She loved every minute of her new school except that she played at recess alone because "it seemed like all the other girls had friends already".

Ben was extremely tired when he got home and dehydrated as he couldn't find a drinking fountain all day! (Don't worry grandmas, he took a water bottle today!). However, he made a friend named Eddie and also had another boy following him around. Adjusting to the middle school hourly class changes was new for him, which I think added to the stress/tiredness.

My day flew by, especially as Grace and Eli are finished at school at 2:30PM. I had a nice quiet morning, had lunch with my friend Beth and then loved on my kids all afternoon. We played at the park and then went out for icecream (nothing as good as Lick-A-Dee Splitz!). I also picked up our suburban with newly fixed AC. It was discouraging to pay $650, but after talking with Rob and our mechanic from Eagle River, it was what we had to do! Ugh!

Thank you to everyone who emailed that they checked the blog! It means so much to know we have a larger group of people who love us! Please pray that the kids would each have one happy thing happen at school today, and that they would each make a friend. Until then, they are having to rely on each others friendship so that in itself is a great thing!

First Day of School

Everyone was sucessfully launched to their new schools this morning. Grace, Eli and I walked the five blocks to Rosewood Elementary, met the crossing guard named "Frasier" (a woman) and proceeded to cross after we heard the required two blows of her whistle:) Apparently we didn't get the memo about all the kids meeting in the auditorium and the parents getting coffee and donuts outside, but nonetheless the kids found their classrooms and had a few unplanned minutes of one-on-one time with their new teachers!

Jacob and Ben got to sleep in an extra hour as their middle school does not begin until 8:45AM. They rode their bikes and I followed in the car (only because I had their heavy back packs and needed to put money in their school lunch accounts....really!!). They were ushered into the lunchroom and disappeared into a swarm of 6th - 8th graders, not to be seen again until 3:45PM.

I proceeded to wipe a small tear from my eye, and then drove our suburban to a car fix-it shop to have the air conditioning looked at ( ac not working in SC is BAD!). This may cause a gasp for those of you who knew we just sunk $1200 into fixing our AC before we left Wisconsin. I am hoping it is just a leak!!! I brought my bike and then rode it home, which was not a great idea as the car place is at the bottom of a very large hill. Needless to say the shower I took this morning before school was for naught!!!So, now I figure out how spend my day. Still have a bit of unpacking to do and then we'll see. Rob comes back on Saturday for a few weeks and then back to HR for a bit.

We've arrived!

We arrived in Columbia, South Carolina last Saturday! We were greeted by three men from Apostle's Church (where we are attending) to help us unload. It only took a half hour compared to the hour or so it took to load it all into the U-haul. We were so delighted to see that our kitchen was stocked with groceries...again from church! It made us feel expected and welcomed.

Rob had to head back to HoneyRock on Tuesday and the kids and I have been trying to find our way around the city. It's gotten better each day, although we are very greatful for the GPS! The Edgar's have been so gracious to have us over, help us out, and take us on fun outings. We also enjoyed dinner at the Kitchen's home last night.

Grace and Eli attended vacation bible school last week. They were able to make some new friends and keep busy. Jacob and Ben had to endure two mornings of testing at school to see whether or not they would qualify for advanced placement courses. We are proud to say they both did great and will have a full and busy class load this year (thank you Three Lakes school!).

Tomorrow is the first day of school! We'll let you know how it goes!