Volleyball

Abby is half way through her volleyball season.

This has been both a wonderful and incredibly difficult year for her with volleyball.  

I'll start with the good:  She has really loved this team of girls.  Unlike last year, these girls all get along, they are all nice to each other, and they support each other with encouragement and positivity.  It has been so refreshing compared to the negativity and clicking she experienced in her team last year!  The team dynamics has only made this girl love the sport even more.

She has also really developed more as a player.  Her confidence on the court has grown.  She's not afraid to try and potentially make a mistake like she used to be.  Her serves are consistent and strong. Her timing with hitting and blocking the ball has gotten much better.  She feels like she provides value to the team.  

It has also been incredibly incredibly hard.  We believe in keeping the Sabbath Day holy.  To us that means that we do not participate in athletics on Sunday, go shopping or do other similar activities.  Sunday is a day of worship and rest.  It is a day to draw closer to God and to each other as a family.  Living up to our standards and beliefs in Northern Virginia with our kids being active in sports has been SO difficult, truly a battle.  There have been tears shed by both parents and children.  The majority of sporting games have been missed, and many championship games missed.  Many birthday parties not attended and countless of opportunities for our kids to explain what the Sabbath Day means to them.  

Even with the knowledge and faith that they are making the right decisions, it sure doesn't make it any easier.  This year it has been harder for Abby then it ever has been for McKenna.  And that's surprising.  We have been very blessed with McKenna to have found a coach who supports her in her beliefs.  Does he wish she would play on Sundays, yes!  But he never questions or puts pressure on her to make a different choice, even though every single game in on a Sunday!  In fact he bends over backwards to provide opportunities for her to play and develop as a player.  Do the girls on her team wish she could play on Sundays, yes!  But they never ask her to make an exception or tease her about not being there.  They do not shun her or make her feel guilty for not putting the team first.  They don't question her beliefs or ask her why.  What a blessing McKenna's team has been!  Even with these great people she has around her it's still been incredibly hard because of her sheer love of the game.  Her heart aches to be on the soccer field in games and she has shown great faith and a great love for her Heavenly Father by putting Him and His day first.  

And while Abby's team this year is such a better group of girls then last year and while her coach has said she respects our decision regarding Sundays, it has been anything but easy.   A big part of that is because unlike last year, most of her tournaments this year have been on Sundays.  Even ones that started out on Saturdays got rescheduled and became Sunday tournaments.  She has felt the coach's frustration with her taken out at practice as she's not been able to practice her natural position of middle.  She's had several very nice girls make comments that if they had a tournament on a Sunday they would support the team they took a spot on and play rather then "just go to church."  She loves the sport of volleyball, but I've heard her say multiple times, "only three more months and then I don't have to deal with this anymore."   In fact she has even said that if we were not moving this summer she would give up volleyball next year because it's just too hard to play club volleyball and keep the Sabbath Day holy at the same time.  

This has been a very hard thing for our girls.

Without a doubt it has made our children strong!  They have learned to continue to be obedient even when it would be so much easier not to be. They have learned to give up something they love for something of a greater eternal importance.  It has strengthened their relationships with Jesus Christ.  They could each tell you of personal blessings that have come to them because of their obedience in keeping the Sabbath Day holy.  It is hard experiences like this that shape their very character and I have been strengthened and blessed by seeing them live their faith.  

Now...on to some volleyball pictures of our amazing 6 foot daughter who plays middle!  

She's had a few mulit-day tournaments where she has stayed in hotels with the team...what fun!  But again, she leaves Saturday night while the team stays and plays again for medals on Sundays.  

I'm so grateful she has developed a love for volleyball.  I'm grateful she has gained confidence not only in the sport itself but more importantly in herself!  I'm grateful she has found something that she feels like is hers.  I'm grateful it's teaching her how to work hard at something to improve.  I'm grateful she is kind and an influence for good amongst her teammates.  I'm grateful that she has made the choice on her own to keep the Sabbath Day holy and that she doesn't regret that choice.  I'm also grateful that we are moving somewhere where the reasons why this year volleyball has been so hard hopefully will not be an issue anymore.  What a relief that would be!

THREE

Last month that baby of mine turned THREE!!!!

To say Grayson has been challenging doesn't quite cover it.

To say I have learned SO much and grown so much while mothering Grayson doesn't seem adequate.

To say that we all ADORE this little man is just the tip of the iceberg.

(he really isn't little at all...40 1/2 inches tall putting him in the 95% and 39 pounds, again 95%!)

I am so grateful for him in our lives.  I'm grateful for what I have learned from him and qualities that he is helping me develop.  I'm grateful for the way I see my children love and serve him, the ways in which they help him learn and grow.  I love the way his eyes light up when his brothers walk in the door from school.  I love his incredible enthusiasm and his little motor that goes and goes.   

We celebrated his birthday the day before his actually birthday because we knew it was the only time we would all be together.

Opening presents with his lovely fresh from a nap hair.  

Zachary was excited to build Grayson a pretty intricate train track as a present.  It was so cute because Zach had it covered up with a big blanket and then pulled it to the side to reveal the masterpiece underneath.  

Grayson loved his scooter!

Happy Birthday Gray Gray!!!

I know there are amazing things in store for this guy.  His strong sense of will and determination is going to do incredible things for him.  I'm so blessed that I get to take a part in helping him along the way!  

Sunday Help

I love to cook for my family.  It's something I find fulfillment and joy in.  It's a creative outlet for me.

I especially enjoy cooking nice big Sunday meals.

But I don't like spending all day Sunday alone in my kitchen.  

So this year I instituted a Sunday helper.  It was genius!

Each week one child is responsible for helping me with Sunday dinner from start to finish.  What this means is that not only am I getting help preparing the meal but I am getting valuable one on one time with each of my kids.  That's what I love most.  We talk, laugh and share with each other as we cook.  I'm also able to teach them different skills and how to follow recipes.  With my girls I'm able to hand them a recipe and say, "here, make this for me."  With Zach and Gavin it's a little more hands on as we work together.  

Here is Zach making Chicken Parmesan.  

Yep, Sunday Helper's...it's pretty awesome.

Basketball, Basketball, Basketball

The Saturdays during the months of December, January and February mean Saturdays full of basketball for our family.  One Saturday we realized that between Bret, Zach, Gavin and Mckenna we had SIX basketball games that day.  (This didn't even factor in Abby who was in a volleyball tournament in Richmond that day and played 4 volleyball games herself!!!)

While a little painful at times, I do love watching kids play who are just figuring out the game.  Not only does it provide a good laugh occasionally but it's awesome to see the growth from the beginning of the season to the end.  Gavin started out the season by playing defense the entire time his first game.  I'm talking he was playing defense when his team had the ball on offense and was guarding the kid who was trying to guard him!  It was hilarious.  He had his arms wrapped around that kid like a bubble when his own teammates were trying to score.  I'm happy to say that by game two he had learned when to play defense and when NOT to play defense.  

I just loved watching him run his little heart out up and down that court.   Even though we played up to a second grade level he was still always the tallest one out there.

 

Zach had a great season playing on what was easily his best team yet.  I think it was because they had the best assistant coach around!  (that tall handsome guy in the gray!)

 Zach also had a great season of personal improvement.  He played tough defense, got lots of rebounds, and made a few baskets.  

See, there's that great coach of his!

This was a really great year for McKenna, her first year playing travel basketball.  The difference in the games and level of play was crazy.  I couldn't believe how fast paced they were and how intense and physical they were.  I shouldn't have been surprised given the difference between travel soccer and league play, but man I tell you, I was blown away by the level of talent of these girls.  It made for some very exciting games I tell you!

Mckenna was a great asset to her team.  She was rock solid on her defense.  She blocked multiple shots in every game, stole passes, and with her speed and quickness stopped fast breaks frequently.  She has an awareness of the court and would always easily find the open player to pass to.  Her confidence grew throughout the season and she started taking more shots herself.  We are still working with her to be a little bit more selfish and take even more!

She played with a great group of girls who really liked each other and got along so well.  They had multiple parties and get togethers throughout the season.  She has been blessed here to play with a great group of girls both in basketball and soccer.  I think it's one reason why she loves sports so much.

What is not captured in any photo is that Abby even played in her first ever basketball game with the young women!  Due to her volleyball schedule and games cancelled because of snow she's only had the one game.  We were so proud of her for trying something that was not only new, but I'm sure was a little scary with all the expectations due to her height.  And she did great.  She had natural instincts for the game, scored lots of points, and really worked hard.  Even she admits that while she doesn't want to play basketball as her sport, she did have a good time.