Griffith is walking to raise money for the American Diabetes Association. Two years ago, his school lost an 8 year old student to undiagnosed juvenile diabetes. This year, Faith Academy will hold its 3 rd annual Zoie Willeford Memorial School Walk for Diabetes. Please consider making a donation at Griff’s site: here (then click “sponsor me here). Thanks!
twin brothers…
One thing I’ve always adored about Griffith’s personality is his unbridled enthusiasm. He has always been this way….not just about sports, about life! Whether he is learning something new or sees something he thinks is cool or receives a gift or is encouraging a friend…he is always animated and excited. Lord, may he never lose that passionate excitement. May he not “grow out of it” or be robbed of it by the reality of the world. May he always find that in YOU. And may You give each of us grown-ups a dose of that child-like enthusiasm today!
It’s not Friday; I’m a little late….but, this is just for my faithful friend and reader Adela! 
This mom and her 2 sons had had a very rough year in their family life. They were precious subjects, and this was one of those sessions where I really sensed God’s presence, helping me to capture sweet memories for them.
It is very scary at my school…think Dangerous Minds….I mean I am in the trenches every day… there is violence, people! Take, for instance, the altercation on the playground yesterday. Darius was snacking on his Ramen noodles, when Tyler asked if he could have some. After taking a few more bites, Darius handed Tyler the package of noodles, which Tyler proceeded to throw at Darius’s head. Furious that he had been “dissed,” Darius started yelling at Tyler and pushed him into a pole. Later that day, in after-school car pick-up line, I was mauled when two 3rd graders decided to go to war with their rolling backpacks. Pray for me.
These were taken for an art student at LSU. She needed some portraits for her website promoting her art and art lessons.
It’s pure. It’s not jaded. It’s honest. “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.” John 4:23 I learn from them as much as they learn from me.
From school chapel this week:
Gabe:
you have got to watch this PRECIOUS little girl!!
Anyone ever tried that Airborne stuff that was invented by a teacher to boost your immune system to prevent colds, etc.?? After being back in a classroom full of “germy” kiddos for only 2 weeks, I have the same cold/sore throat that I remember so well being plagued with every other month or so when I taught last time. I heard of this stuff, but haven’t tried it.
We are clipping right along in the classroom, but it’s those moments outside of the academic pursuits that touch my heart…just like I knew it would be. Early in the week, my partner teacher and I had a conference with parents of one of our students who is really struggling with reading. We went into it thinking it was going to be all about his reading problems, only to find out that the mom had just been diagnosed with cancer the previous day and was awaiting a prognosis report the next day. We were able to switch gears and pray with them and put our heads together to figure out what we could do to minister to him and them.
Later in the week, one of my students was sitting across from me at lunch and casually shared that her dad is in rehab out of state for a “drug addiction problem.” I encouraged her and told her I would pray for him. The same student almost cried when we had a fire drill because she thought it was a real fire, and she said, “This is the best school I’ve been to, and I didn’t want it to burn down.” How cool to know that after being at our school for only 2 weeks, she can feel the love of Christ here. She is safe and loved and important.
Another thing I love….high school seniors never used to bring me drawings and crayon-notes of love and appreciation! I love 9-year-olds!
On a different note, please pray for us…We have a family goal of getting completely out of debt this year. Chad is busting his butt working his business, and we are praying for God to bless our efforts and our obedience. That’s all for today. Peace & love!
the first week of school! Griffy loves “real school,” praise God. He loves his teachers and classes, and even homework! Not sure how long that will last!?! Things went well for me too. I love my students already; I have all my routines in place at home & school to make things run as smoothly as possible. Now that I’m not the “housewife” any more, Chad has his share of new jobs and routines around the house too. I had some big revelations this week about 4th graders…Since I previously taught jr. high and high school, I am totally new to this whole “lining up” thing. I have a good grip on classroom discipline and motivating students to learn, but I have much room for improvement in “line leading.” I know this seems like a “no-brainer,” but, I’m telling you it blew my mind! First you have to get them all in line in the classroom ready to go. Then as soon as you go out of the door, you have to keep them in line, because apparently, the natural tendency of a 9 year old is to clump-up with other 9 year olds. I saw other teachers with lines that looked like one long caterpillar. My line looked more like a cat chasing its tail! The other challenge for me has been the random stories that kids this age want to interject every single time you pause or take a breath. They can somehow relate their Sponge Bob lego set to a lesson on place value. Or they can find a way to connect run-on sentences to their sister’s pet hamster who died in a Barbie car accident. Pray for me. Seriously, I’m having a blast with them!
Griffith also started football this week. Faith has a 3rd-4th grade team. This is all new to us too… we’ve never done football. They got their pads and helmets and all that jazz yesterday. He felt like such a big man! This morning when we got up for church, I told him to get dressed. As I’m doing my hair, he comes in the bathroom all dressed in his church clothes with the shoulder pads on top of his clothes! Too funny! 
a couple of days late…. but still.
BROTHERS:
here’s Olinde Island… hope the kids love it!
I just wanted to announce out that I am a Celebrating Adoption representative in Louisiana. Celebrating Adoption is a national organization of photographers wanting to donate their time to celebrate love…life…adoption. If you are an adoptive family and have adopted your child within the last year, you qualify for a Celebrating Adoption session.
You will receive a complimentary portrait session (session fee is waived) and a set of proofs. Please visit the CA site, and pass it on to other adopting families! Contact me if you are “expecting,” and let me know where you are in your adoption journey.
After being out of the classroom for 7 years, I forgot how overwhelming and exhausting getting ready for a new school year is. I’ve been up and down the ladder about 18,256 times stapling bulletin board paper and turning my 4th grade classroom into “Olinde Island…where the Son is always shining!” It’s a regular tropical paradise. I’m going to post pictures of it tomorrow. When I taught Jr. High and High School, we never decorated our rooms… I mean a few posters, a chart with the 8 parts of speech, and that was it. Now that I have crossed over to the ranks of elementary teacher, the room has to have a “theme.” On my hall there is a jungle theme, complete with vines and monkeys hanging from the ceiling; I’ve seen rooms with camping themes with a tents and fake campfires. Kids get to go on vacation to faraway places when they come to school! I have started praying for my students by name. I am expecting God to do AMAZING things in their hearts and lives this year!! Will you pray for Tyler B. & Bailey B. today? What an important year in their lives. Do you remember when you were 9? What was life like for you?
A few favorites from a “brothers” session:
We are a baseball family! Chad and I started dating on the diamond!! He was a junior and I was a sophomore in high school. He was on the baseball team and I played softball. Between innings, I’d peek through our dug-out fence to see how the boys’ team was doing, but really to see if I could catch a glimpse of him. After graduation, we went to college together where I sat in the bleachers and watched him play for the Indians, who are now called the Warhawks, thanks to the PC movement! The day we got back from our honeymoon, we packed everything we could fit into our Chevy Beretta, and headed off to Pennsylvania where Chad was assigned to the single A club for the Chicago Cubs. After pro ball, it was 7 years of coaching high school baseball, and now, where I think we are having the most fun ever…. coaching all of Griffy’s teams!
You know what I love most about baseball?! It’s the moments that take place outside of the white lines. We spent this weekend at a tournament in Reserve, LA, with a team of 7 and 8 year olds. Of course the games were a blast. The kids were runners-up in their bracket. But, I have to tell ya, what I enjoy the most, is sitting back and taking in the whole atmosphere, the people, the smells of the ballpark. A few observations from the weekend:
~Down in Cajun Country, the men who cook hamburgers at little league baseball begin drinking beer at 9 am.
~It is perfectly acceptable to change a baby’s diaper on the bleachers when your team is playing, especially when it’s a close game!
~As a coach, when your right fielder misses an easy fly-ball, the appropriate reaction is the throw yourself face-down onto the ground and remain prostrate for about 37 seconds.
~Real baseball moms wear shirts that match the team’s uniforms. Usually the shirts are sleeveless and one or two sizes too small.
Seriously, our team played with great sportsmanship and our parents were totally positive. Here are a few glimpses of the sweet moments I love…
Gotta love being 8 years old at the ballpark!
Can you tell we won?!
Griffy & Granny
a sweet father-son moment (Bob & Parker McBride)
the best dad, coach, and man I know
He may not be perfect, but I CHOOSE to wear my rose-colored glasses! (see carole’s awesome post) At the end of the day, I love going home with these two guys!!
