Teatime Discipleship

It's not new on this blog of mine that I love mentoring and reaching the hearts of my girls. 

Here is a post from 2020

This one on mothering and sharing hearts

Three Things With Abigail - mentoring 

Mentoring 

Throughout the school year I kept adding to a notebook, things I wanted to teach my daughters - things that were on my heart - lessons I'd learned. 

I wanted to wrap my arms around them and reach their hearts. 

So I was thrilled when a new book from Sally Clarkson came out called Teatime Discipleship for Mothers & Daughters. 

I've decided that throughout the summer and a few times Anna is home from college we will work through one of these chapters. 

Teatime One: Purpose and Confidence

We began by learning about the story of Rahab from the Bible and how her faith changed history. 

She placed her hope in God and after reading her story we discussed how the same God can deliver us. He's great enough to dry up the "seas" to make our way safe. 

I long for my girls to know that they are a treasure in His eyes, and that they are the art of His creative hand with a purpose to live out. 

We talked, prayed, and feasted on lemon-blueberry drizzle loaf. 

Orchestra Placement Day

Right at the end of the school year - right in the middle of studying for finals - right when Anna was turning 21 - right after Anna came home from over 5 months in Beijing China - right when Scott and I were trying to wrap up our school years - right in the middle of all of that was Abigail's placement day. 

Sometimes this family has a season (this spring!) when we are so busy busy and tired to our toenails that we just go through the motions without much thought because, well, we just have to. 

This audition fell right in the middle of a lot and she just picked up her viola, signed in, and walked in that little room to audition. 

And then we find ourselves in the next season, summer. And it is glorious because I can look back and see what we did. I just don't want to forget. 

So proud of you Abigail! 
 

Anna is Twenty One!

On the Monday of the last week of school Anna had a birthday -- twenty one! How in the world she is 21 is beyond me! The last week of school is truly a whirlwind of emotions and exhaustion and just so much but we were over the moon to have Anna home and so excited for her birthday. 

I set up her presents on the kitchen table before I left for school at 7 that morning just to have it a bit festive. I knew it would make it something to look forward to. 

I raced out of school and home to start our evening. Abigail was in the middle of a final that day and gave us all a scare. Her chemistry final started at 11:15 and she wasn't home at 4:30. We drove her route she walks home. We looked around the school. Her phone was off. It was the seniors graduation that evening at 5:00 and we thought perhaps she got sidetracked and went to watch the graduation. But Scott drove to the school, braved the graduation parking, and walked right up to her chemistry room. She was in there, and just handing in her exam at 5:00. No break... she just worked from 11:15-5:00! 

It made for a worried and crazy start but it all ended up ok and once we were together it was perfection! 

We headed to our town center and a favorite restaurant for very special occasions. 

Abigail ordered a basil fresh lemonade. Anna and both had a grapefruit mocktail. So yummy! 

I love this girl with my whole heart! 

I love how Anna loves appetizers and instead of an entrée, she ordered 3 aps! 

There was gelato and a candle -- loved celebrating her! 

We headed home for cake and presents. We had so much fun together! 

 Happy Birthday Anna! We all love you so much! 

Other posts you might like: 

It's great to be 8!

Almost 9!

She's 10

On June 10th She Became 10!

The Big 10 Birthday Post 

The Big Artist Birthday

Anna is 12

Party for Anna 

Anna's Welcome Home and Presentation

On December 27, 2023 Anna left to study abroad in Beijing China for over 5 months! (that post is back here) When she left there were Christmas trees still up, Christmas wrapping paper on the floor, presents in piles here and there, stockings emptied but not put away. 

When she left it was dark by 4:00 PM  and oh so cold! 

And 5 months went by: 

winter

spring

Easter

birthdays

It was long but then as it seems to be every year... all of a sudden it was sunshine later, and warmer, and then like a burst of sunshine herself, Anna was home. 

That was on June first (post back herepost back here) 

And boy oh boy we soaked her up when she got home... all 4 of us... every moment that we could.

We were oh so proud of her for what she did and what she accomplished too.

• She went from knowing Mandarin (studied in high school and college) to speaking fluently
• She learned how to adapt and live in a new culture
• She opened a bank account, dealt with no wifi, and more technology pieces that I could even type about
• She learned to make wonderful friends from people that were strangers -- from all around the country
• She ate all new food that was unfamiliar for 5 months
• She excelled in her studies
• She traveled to her birth country and faced so much that was on her heart

Most of all are so proud of her for walking out God's plan for her life - for listening to His leading about a year ago when all of this began to stir in her heart. And she did it! She just plain did it! 

So when she got home we decided that she just had to do a presentation to share with family.

She wore a traditional Chinese dress that she brought home.  

She prepared a slide show and we would gather in our family room after dinner. 

First a few pictures of our daughter in the sunlight, finally home. 

 

We had Chinese food of course. 

And then her presentation began. I was so proud of her and hung onto every detail. 

Loved watching her sister from across the room smiling 

There were lots of great questions and Anna explained things in such a beautiful way. 

My heart swelled up with love for my girl and all she put together. Oh so proud of her! 

I captured some of her speaking in Mandarin which was so lovely. 

Way to go Anna! I can't wait to see what you do next! 

The Start of Summer ~ The End of Another School Year

Oh my goodness... so much has happened since this last post and Anna coming home from China on June 1st. 

We soaked it in - our girl home - we sure did! 

But it was also a crazy full two weeks. 

Since then we have: 

• I have ended my teaching (back to the classroom 7th year) (16 total years in the classroom teaching) 
• Finishing teaching for the year is oh so much! Because you just want to 'do it right'. You've fallen in love with those kids in your class and you want to make those last 2 weeks count
• Closing up a classroom - it goes from really full to really empty and put away all in one night  
• Doing the last day of school - that is a doozy - wonderful, emotional, hard, glorious all wrapped into one. I am still not over saying goodbye and thinking about the sweetness of the last day of school 
• Unpacked with Anna almost 6 months of living in China - lots of piles - lots of laundry - lots of wonderful stories
• Scott (middle school principal) closed up his year - a wild ride for him for sure
• Abigail finished up her junior year of high school
• Anna turned 21 and we celebrated her
• And so much more in-between there 

So that's what has been going on. I am slowly going to catch up on this blog of mine. 

We are right now basking in the 'doneness' of school and the first day of summer. 

We are tired. 

And we have a to do list a mile long that we just kept adding to throughout the spring. But we will get it done eventually. We have the whole summer ahead of us! 

First of all... the amount of flowers I brought home on the last day of school was amazing! Wonderful notes, letters, gift cards galore but these flowers! Oh my goodness! 

These are all of the plants from my classroom that are home for the summer! 

What other profession in the world are you loved this much!? 

I love this photo of us -- the last day of school after finishing up a wonderful dinner and just talking talking talking on the porch. My favorite place to be with my favorite people on the planet. 

Today is the first day of summer break and we started our reading on the couch as we always do all every summer since Anna was 3. 

Yes, we are off to a wonderful start -- summer is the best!