Shiloh 8th

Shiloh's last year of middle school did not go as expected. The first half and second half of the year could not have been more different. The beginning was filled with activity, especially cheering through both football and basketball season.

Once winter break arrived, though, her health began to decline. What initially seemed like another illness became something she couldn't fully recover from. She missed what felt like half the school year and continued to get worse until eventually she was unable to return at all, finishing the remainder of the year on homebound instruction.

While she was able to rally and attend the final days of school, I was incredibly thankful she was able to successfully complete 8th grade, and with good grades at that. I am especially proud of her perseverance through a season that was physically, emotionally, and academically challenging.

As we head into summer, our focus is on healing. We are hopeful that with time, rest, and God's continued faithfulness, she will be ready to start high school in just a few short months.

 

Another End of a School Year - One Big Exhale

These last days of school felt different this year, at least for me.

Thankfully, there was no last-minute cramming for finals with Zoe. We had already tackled the hardest of that the semester before, and I was so grateful that these final days were not filled with late-night math studying. She finished her exams with confidence and seemed to ease right through them.

For Shiloh, the end of the year felt nothing short of miraculous. By the Lord's grace, she was able to return for the final three days of school and complete everything she needed, including standardized testing and several finals. This was no small feat. She worked incredibly hard, and so many people extended grace along the way. There were moments when I truly did not know how it would all come together, but once again I found myself praising my Waymaker for making a way.

The school was a little more relaxed with the dress code on the last day, which the girls fully embraced with their comfy clothes. I forgot their signs, but Beach was gracious enough to snap a photo before taking them to school that morning.

First-day photo for comparison, complete with the strange lighting that comes with leaving the house before sunrise.

Zoe headed off with a friend after school, while I took Ezra and Shiloh out for frozen yogurt to celebrate.

Shiloh was pretty worn out and not feeling up for photos, but I did manage to get a smile from Ezra.

Making it through this school year felt like one big exhale. It was a year that held more challenges than we ever expected, especially for the girls, and yet here we are on the other side of it. Time continues to fly by, and I find myself wanting to hold on a little tighter to the days we have together.

Ezra 6th

Ezra was not nervous at all about entering middle school this year.
One assignment he especially worked hard on was the artwork for The Hangry Pickles Band.

His exploratory classes included a variety of electives this year, including art, which he really enjoyed.

Draft...

and final.

Not quite finished work...

Santa.

While I do not get many photos of Ezra at school himself, this one made it onto the school’s Facebook page. A pep rally moment where Ezra was playing Rock, Paper, Scissors.

He also tackled a larger science project…

One of my favorite things has been watching Ezra’s creativity grow this year. He puts so much personality and humor into the things he creates, and it has been fun to watch him settle into middle school so well. He also did great academically and seemed to handle this new season of life with a lot of confidence and ease. I’m so thankful for the young man he is becoming.

Zoe 10th

Halfway done with high school now that Zoe has completed 10th grade! Unfortunately, I never saw a yearbook photo of her to include here. Overall, Zoe had a great year filled with cross country, soccer, a school dance, and lots of time spent with friends. I was able to snag a couple of photos from the school, including one from a lab she participated in...

...and another from a fundraiser where students watched staff members throw a turkey.

All the other photos were mixed in throughout the year. It was a full and well-balanced year that ended with great grades, wonderful friendships, and lots of memories made along the way. I am so thankful for this season and for this sweet girl of ours. It has been a joy to watch her grow in confidence, maturity, and faith this year!

When Life Suddenly Stops | A Health Update on Shiloh

What is it like when life just stops? Or at least feels like it does.

When you are simply moving through life, cheering along, pushing through the busy rhythms of everyday life, and then suddenly you can’t get up. You can’t function.

It is not life-threatening, so there is that consolation, but in many ways it feels like life as you knew it has come to a halt, without any clear end in sight.

As a mom, I want to fix it. I want to support Shiloh well. At the same time, other areas of life can begin to feel like they are unraveling too. (Thankfully, we do have some moments of joy and movement thrown in there as well.)

Shiloh does not like attention around things like this, and I completely understand and want to respect her privacy. But how do you suddenly disappear from everyday life and not offer some explanation? The truth is, we do not fully understand it ourselves yet. There seem to be many layers involved, including Lyme disease, lingering effects from mold-related illness and a severe bout of pneumonia years ago, neurodiversity, digestive struggles, and likely other factors as well.

What we do know is that we desperately need prayer and for the Lord to intervene, physically and emotionally. For several months, we have tried everything the doctors have suggested, and then some, and we continue searching for more answers and support.

Ultimately, we need the Lord to make a way, just as He has done countless times for our family before.

Would you join us in praying for our teenage girl? That God would meet Shiloh in all of the quiet that now fills her days as the pace of her life has drastically changed. She has not been able to attend school for months and will most likely not return this school year.

In less than a month, we are supposed to be leaving for her first mission trip to Ecuador, and right now that feels like a very big ask. But I know the Lord is able. Time and time again, He has made a way in some of our darkest moments, and our prayer is that He will do it again, especially in meeting her in the deep hardness of this season.

April: Finding Grace in the Fullness

April is always a full month in our household. Zoe kicked it off with her birthday, followed by a Seder meal with family and Easter, all in the first week. A whirlwind to say the least.  We, also, got to celebrate Beach in several small ways for this birthday!
A bit of the other things this month...Shiloh is still struggling with her sickness and remains homebound.

 On the days she has a little more energy, she has found small ways to be creative, like making a fun drink one day or baking banana bread another.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ezra built and photographed a special Lego taxi.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My parent's large dog thinks he is a lap dog. Poor mom.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There were many more soccer nights cheering on Zoe...

along with a busy tournament weekend that ended at my high school stadium, playing against my alma mater, a team they had never faced before. 

I snagged a picture afterward of Zoe with her “cousin.”

Zoe's last game of the season was against Northside and her elementary BFF was her rival, which was fun. 

I snagged a picture of them together after the game.

Also, one of her best buddies came out to watch, which was very thoughtful.  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Zoe had, also, gotten to see her friend doing amazing at her lacrosse game.

Representing her!

I joked about taking a photo with Zoe while we waited, and she said no, so I snagged this unflattering one that makes me smile.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We also had some meaningful gatherings this month with work, including a sweet baby shower for one of our longtime employees 

and a dinner to celebrate our GM’s final week with us.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Market Day was another highlight, with lots of pizzas being made. We were especially thankful to have Robbie there one more time before he heads to the mission field.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We made one last visit to our chiropractor’s office before they move. No time for a posed photo, but I grabbed a quick one. Shiloh has been getting adjusted there since she was in the womb, so this place holds so many memories.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Beach helped plan the concert series with Music in the Park again, and the girls joined us one Friday night for a Fleetwood Mac tribute band, which they loved. 

A neighbor joined in as well, although they would only agree to one pose, so I finally just joined them.

My loves...

We even had a few unexpected slug visitors along the way.  So glad that Shiloh was able to join us this evening.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We were able to participate in the Water Mission Walk for Water again this year, one of our 1% for the Planet partners. Ezra was the only one of our kids available to join us, and we warmed up with some yard games. 

The walk was lined with signs sharing the mission and the importance of access to clean water.

It was such a beautiful morning.

 At the end, they had a portable filtration system set up to purify the water we carried.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And of course, there were plenty of selfies throughout the month, including some of me, whether I liked it or not.

April was full, stretching, and filled with both challenges and gifts. Shiloh is still struggling with her health, but we have seen small signs of improvement along the way. I’m so thankful for the ways the Lord continues to meet us in it all.