Cubbies is Starting!

We start Cubbies in Awanas this Wednesday and I have come up with our first project.....  Cubbie Puppets

Here are some pictures of what I did.....

I cut out my bear figure and glued them together.  I used felt, but you could use fun foam.  I used felt glue with mine.

Then I cut out the accessories and will let the kids glue them on to the puppet when they come in...

Add some google eyes and you have Cubbie....

Hopefully they will enjoy playing with him..

Quick catch up.... Timothy is finishing up his first senior semester and will graduate in December.  He is doing great and is filling out his application for seminary.  Matthew has just finished up his Junior year in high school with over a 4.0 average.  He is playing for a brand new football team this year and we are looking forward to having a great year.  Jacob just finished his freshmen year of high school with a 4.0 and is in basketball training all spring and summer.

Stephen is still at Travelers.  Traveling a lot, but still has time to coach football.  Wearing blue and white this year instead of red and black.  A little weird, but we are getting used to it.

I am still homeschooling these boys.  My job at homeschooling is slowly coming to an end.  Not sure what I will do afterwards.  We will just have to wait and see where God takes me.

Girls Weekend

I must admit that I was very much looking forward to getting away with two of my dearest friends.  These girls and I have been friends for a very long time and have walked through a lot together.  We try and get away for at least one night twice a year - that doesn't always work, but we try. 

We left this past Friday at lunch and headed north to Chattanooga.  We stopped south of Dalton at our favorite restaurant of all time ........CRACKER BARREL.  We enjoyed our time and decided we wanted to find a mall and shop the afternoon away.  Well..... God had different plans. 

Before I can say what happened I have to explain that I am not the most spontaneous person on a trip.  I like to plan and know what we are going to do - I am not over the top, but not very spontaneous either.  But when I am with these gals, I try to leave that comfort zone and do it. 

Well, we saw a very small sign for a Civil War Railroad Tunnel museum and we thought, hey lets see what it is.  Now, we love our history and have dragged kids and husbands all over the east coast to a bunch of history places.  But there was no dragging here - we wanted to see what it was about.  We got there and it was small and not much to it - but we went in and bought a ticket.  We saw the small museum inside and then the fun began.  Hub - our tour guide - picked us up in the golf cart and took us down to the tunnel.  Hub was very knowledgable and VERY funny.  We laughed and learned so much about the tunnel, but also about the area and how the Civil War affected it.  I can not recommend this too much.  We really enjoyed it and learned alot..  Now, across the road was a house built pre-Civil War and was Sherman's headquarters when he went through and also served as a hospital for both sides at different times.  We enjoyed walking over there and also walking through the open pastures and just acting like teenage girls.  We were the only ones there and so enjoyed laughing and goofing off. 

We did more stuff that weekend - but this will always be the hi-light for me.  It was just fun to let go of responsibility and decorum and be silly and enjoy girlfriends.  We didn't need to drink, party or go to a wild place to let go - Maybe that is why I love these girls so much.

I thank God everyday for the friends He has given me.  I have some very special gals in my life!!

Ok, so once again I have went a very long time between posts.  My excuse will be that we have been extremely busy, which is true, but not a very good excuse.  And today I was pushed in the right direction by a dear old friend.  So....... I will try my hardest to catch you up on the Howard madness.
Stephen's job is more secure now BUT he is traveling ALOT!!  He travels about half or more than half the month.  Now, his wife will say this really stinks but then I am reminded that he has a job and we should be thankful.  I just simply am not used to having a traveling husband.  So this is definatly an adjustment time for us.  He did get to coach the football team this fall and they made it to the semifinals- which is really good for a young team. 
Timothy is still at Birmingham Southern.  We are hoping all works out for him to have the starting position this season.  He was 3rd string on the Varsity team this year behind two seniors.  He did get in one varsity game and threw a touchdown pass.  (Proud mama moment).  He started on the JV team (which is where everyone that doesn't play in the Varsity game - plays on Sunday).  So we are keeping our fingers crossed.  He interned in Owensboro, Ky this summer and loved it so much.  It is amazing what doors God can open while you are dealing with the slamming of another in your face.  I am not sure where he is headed this summer yet.  He has had some opportunities, but seems to be praying over them right now.  He is home right now but will be heading back this weekend.  He will be missed - especially by his brothers.
Matthew spent his summer serving.  He went to Haiti and Oklahoma on mission trips and then taught a drum class at our church's fine arts camp.  He learned how to roof, sheetrock, and work with little kids.  He did a great job! He played football in the fall and is now playing basketball.  He is doing great in school and now has a girlfriend.  The joys of teenagers.?  She is a very sweet girl from a good family so we are very lucky. 
Jacob went to Oklahoma this summer also and help build a playground.  What a gift for these kids that have everything - it is nice for them to learn to give back and to see that not everyone is as lucky as them.  He also served at the camp at church and help teach kids about survival skills.  He played football and is playing basketball right now.  Both boys play for North Atlanta Christian Flight basketball team.  Matthew plays JV and Jacob plays Middle school and JV.  This is a wonderful program and we have so enjoyed being a part of it. 
We are very blessed and I am very thankful for all that we have.  I am constantly amazed at God's provision.   I will try to keep this more up to date.

We had a weekend of basketball (the norm) and I must admit, this was a tough one.  We played some of the best teams in the state - one of them is ranked nationally.  We got our rear ends handed to us, but if we were looking for competition - we found it.  BIG TIME! 

The best part is we love this team and the coaches.  So... if I am going to have to spend all weekend with people, these people are great!  Jacob really has learned a lot under these coaches and we are encouraged at how well he is doing along with his team.  I know it doesn't sound like it, but once we are down on the right level, we will do great. 

Wow - long time since I have been on here.

Can't believe that it has been so long since I have written. Life gets going and I just don't make time to write.

We are all doing great - ok, maybe great isn't the right word, but we are all learning to lean on God a little right now. Stephen's job is very dicey right now and we are not sure how long he will be employed. Stress is very high for him and I am doing my best to keep a calm and peaceful home with no additional stress on him. I am so praying daily for peace, rest and strength for this awesome man I have in my life. He has done nothing but provide a wonderful life for us and I know he feels like if he loses this job, he will be letting us down in some way. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

Timothy has been under attack pretty consistantly lately. My heart breaks every time his does. He has had some people in his life really let him down lately. Betrayal is a very hard thing to deal with and he has had to deal with so much of it lately. For some reason, he has been betrayed as the "bad guy" in a situation and we still are not sure why. He has been purposefully left out of a ministry that he has invested in. He has been lied to and shoved aside. The saddest part is the person doing this is suppose to be his mentor. Some one that he has looked up to and respected immensly for years. I on the other hand am very mad - but I guess that is the natural mother response. There are others involved and to say that this has been hard, is not even coming close to how it has felt. The really good part is that it has driven Timothy down to his knees and has made him take a good look at himself and what he wants to be and he has learned some things. Wonderful things and so God has taken ashes and turned them into gold for Timothy. Isn't it amazing how faithful God is and how he is always there for us who believe in Him. the other really neat part is that he has been able to encourage Stephen along this rocky road they are both on right now. Stephen and I have been in awe how our 19 year old has such wisdom and can encourage us - even though we feel like we should be encouraging him.

Matthew is forever amazing me. He is such a goof ball and is always there for a good laugh when all you want to do is cry. But then it moments that just creep up on you, he says something deep and insightful and I am so very proud of the man he is becoming. His faith is strong and is deeper than you would think, because most of the time he is goofing off making you laugh. He will be spending his summer working with a trainer for football, 8 days in Haiti on a mission trip, and a week in Oklahoma on a mission trip. He will be busy, but he wants to do all of this and is looking forward to the things that God will do through him during this summer.

Jacob - my spirited and serious boy. He is busy playing on his travel basketball team. He is becoming a great little basketball player and plays most day and night. He is really coming into his own person and it is fun to watch. I have such 3 different boys and yet all of them are fun and love spending time together. Whenever Timothy is home, they spend most of all that time together.

I think i will end it there - I will add more later - I promise not to wait a year.

Summer

Summer here has been so quiet. A reall change from our normal everyday life. On one hand I have so enjoyed it and on the other I struggle with the down time. I am so use to going, and going that down time is hard for me.


I did start going to the gym. I am taking the body sculture class and zumba.. I have lost no weight, but I do enjoy the classes and do feel good, so I will take that for now.


The boys have been real low key this summer. They had one football camp that was one night. That is all. Football starts in a couple of weeks. So all this down time will end and the craziness will start.


Matthew will be playing Varsity football and Jacob will be on the middle school team. Timothy will play on the JV team at Birmingham Southern. They are giving him a Varsity number (different that JV number because different position) So we will see how this year goes with him. He is looking forward to it. So our weekends will be all football. Jacob on thursday or sat, Matthew on Friday nights, and Timothy on possibly sats and suns. I am true fooball mama, so this will be fun!

Me and Stephen are going away this weekend. We need some along time before football sets in. With his job and coaching varsity football, we get no "couple" time during football. So this weekend is going to be about us. I am so looking forward to it. Time alone with my sweetie!

thats all for now,