Pause and Give Thanks

I can't believe that we've been in Indiana for almost an entire year. I can't believe that Thanksgiving is here. Where has the year gone?

As I sit in anticipation of preparing my very first Thanksgiving meal, without my Virginia family, I can't help but think about all the things I am so very thankful for this year.

Last year this time, we were unemployed and unsure of where we would end up. We put our house on the market and put our faith in God. Lo and behold, we landed on our feet. It was a struggle to get here but through our faith and trusting in God's plan, we made it and have had a lot growth this year as a family.

First and for most, I am thankful for family. I am so blessed to have Chris as my partner in crime to just do life together. I look back over the ten years that we've been together and just smile. I'm lucky enough to be married to my best friend. I'm privelaged enough to be married to someone who has the same solid values in faith that I do. No matter what our future holds, our marriage is stronger than either of us thought it could ever be because we are a team. We are in this thing called life together. We are each other's support system, cheerleader, guidance counselor, and companion. How absolutely lucky am I?

Secondly, I am so very, very blessed to have been given a wonderful gift from God. Matthew is a true blessing in my life. He keeps me centered and reminds me that we are all innocent. I love watching Matthew grow. Not only is he getting older, but he's growing in his faith as well. I can't tell you the countless times that we have had biblical discussions in the car. It makes me proud that he puts God first in his life. That's not because of anything particularly special that I've done raising him, it's him seeing how important prayer, faith, and God are for himself. Matthew is turning into a very confident, smart, and good looking young man and I have God to thank for that. No matter what struggles Matthew has had to face, he's always come out on top.

I'm thankful for the health of my family. I'm thankful that this year, we are employed and able to enjoy the fruits of our labors. I'm thankful that our house, while it has been on the market for over a year, it is finally under contract and will hopefully be a done deal before Christmas. I'm thankful that I've been able to live closer to my grandparents this year. I'm thankful for a roof over my head, food in my belly, and clothes on my back. I'm thankful to have such wonderful friends that I know I can call and cry or celebrate with and they are there to listen.

Above all, I'm thankful for the journey that I've been on this past year. While the journey hasn't been easy, it's been a growing experience. I've grown in my faith. I've grown in my trust in God. I've grown as a mother. I've grown as a wife.

Wow, it's Thanksgiving already. I'm so excited that Matthew will be helping me prepare this years meal. We've never roasted a turkey in our house, in the past, my mom has always handled that responsibility. This year, I don't have her to fall back on so I'm on my own. Yeah, I'm a little sad. But hey, if my family isn't here and it's just Chris, Matthew, and I then....we don't have to share our pie huh?

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Take a moment this holiday to sit back, pause, and give thanks for there is an abudance in all our lives to be thankful for.

God Bless ~ Gobble Gobble Gobble

Spartans, UNITE!

Let me create the mood...it's a cold, windy, lazy Sunday afternoon. The fireplace is lit, the dogs are cuddled up in their beds, lasagna is cooking in the oven, and football is on. Awww, so peaceful and quiet, with the exception of the occassional yelling at the tv. Then, out of nowhere, we are abruptly interrupted by a SPARTAN! If you haven't seen the movie 300, you'll have no idea what I'm talking about.

300 is a gladiator type movie with lots of big buff guys fighting. Mind you, Matthew has only seen clips of this movie as he's walked in and out of the living room. He's also heard his Dad being funny yell, Spartans, Unite! It's not a bad movie but I can say, I wouldn't list it in the top of my que on Netflix.

You're probably wondering, what's the point of this post. Well, as I mentioned before, we were watching football, and a Spartan jumped out of the foyer and into the living room. Evidently, Matthew is enjoying a quiet and creative Sunday as well. He's taken the time to create the Spartan wardrobe and parade around the house. I have to give him credit, he used his imagination and you can't forbid a child to do that.

Here's my Spartan....

Front view of his Spartan attire, including his headgear.

Rear view of the Spartan cape. (I'm wondering how much tape and computer paper I have left...)

Ya know, I love Matthew taking the time to use his imagination and stimulate his creativity. Case in point below...

How heartwarming to watch your child just have fun on a lazy day in front of the fireplace. Agh, I love being a mom. It's the best career choice I could have ever made.

Playing catch up!

Ok, Ok, so it's been a few weeks since my last post. I've been busy, and that my friends, is a good thing. The Evoy's are slowly making friends. Yes, it may have taken us 9 months to do it, but it's happening! Over the last few weeks since my last post, we've had a cook out at our house, been to a cook out at a friends house, started BSF (Bible Study Fellowship), attended the Johnny Appleseed Festival, gone on girlee lunches, joined the 5th grade choir at school, was selected to participate in the afterschool Art Program at school through The University of Saint Francis, sold a fundraiser, decided we didn't want to play ice hockey so have decided to sign up for indoor soccer instead, gotten the brakes on the truck replaced, volunteered at MOPS (Mothers of Preschooler's) at church, whew...I'm exhausted just reading how busy we've been. So, you can see why I haven't had a second to post anything. While we have had a lot to post about, it's been hard to find the time to sit down and just type it out.

Let's take one thing at a time, shall we?

We are indeed making friends, both Chris and I. Matthew doesn't count, he's already established friendships. Chris has made some connections with a nice family from work. I stress the word nice family. We had them over for burgers and dogs not too long ago. They have 3 kids (all in elementary school) and mom is a semi- stay at home mom. Can you believe that all 3 of their kids cleaned up before they left our house? I was amazed. We played cornhole in the backyard and just kicked back. It was the first time we entertained since moving and those of you who know the Evoy's well, know that we like to entertain and eat! It was so much fun, they invited us to their house for a fish fry last weekend. Ok, Ok, I know that many of you are wondering how on earth I survived that, well, I ate ribs. Ha ha. Chris, being the wonderful, loving, and thoughtful husband that he is, he made ribs for us to take. Yummilicious!

I myself have made a few new friends as well. I have Angela across the street. She's my walking buddy in the evenings (her dog Carsen and our dog, Red are sweethearts and like to walk together), a friend when I need to escape the house and have some girl chit chat time, a taste testor for foods that I make, and just a sweetheart of a girl! I'm blessed to have such a great person across the street. Not to mention, her brother reminds me of my brother, Greg. A bottomless pit. Regardless of the condition of the leftovers, he takes them with a smile and devours them! I love visiting with Angela and love being able to cut up and be myself for I'm accepted as is.

I also have made a new friend with the wonderful girl who cuts my hair, Kim. Since I left my favorite redhead in Virginia, I had to find a redhead to meet my needs in Indiana. Kim fits the bill! Curly red hair...sorry Kate, you know I still love you too!!! Kim not only cuts my hair and makes me look fab, but she also invited me to BSF, Bible Study Fellowship. It's an 8 month bible study for women. It meets every Wednesday and so far, I'm loving it! Plus, as an added bonus, I get to go to lunch with Kim and her mom after each session. I love love love the girl time. I had no idea how much I missed it until I had the opportunity to have girl lunch dates again. Also, since Kim and I have so much in common, we attended the Johnny Appleseed Festival together. Kim, her mom, Chris, Matthew, and I all treked out to the festival. What fun! Abe Lincoln even made an appearance. It was a blast walking around the festival together and just kicking back. Chris and Laura, Kim's mom, were a couple of chatterboxes according to Matthew. That's good though. It just goes to show that we are meeting new people and getting along with everyone. Again, I'm blessed that God has put Kim and Laura in my life. They are hard working people. Laura is hysterical. She is a voice for breeds of dogs that often times get misrepresented. She'll tell you her platform as soon as she meets you and it always ends with, "I also want world peace". Reminds me of the movie Miss Congeniality. It's a hoot!

Ok, what else has happened? Oh, lest we not forget Matthew. Matthew has been just as busy. He just finished with a school fundraiser and for anyone that contributed funds, well, he sold 21 items and won the limo ride. He is totally stoked! Thanks to everyone who made a purchase!! His total funds added up to over $190. WOW! I think it's safe to say he sold his little butt off!

Matthew has also been selected for 2 extra programs at school. He tried out and was selected for the 5th grade choir. They have several performances throughout the year and I just can't wait to see my baby up there singin' his little heart out. He's also been selected to participate in the USF (University of Saint Francis) art program. Only 60 children were selected and Matthew was one of them. He really seems to like the program and comes home excited every Thursday afternoon. Ummm...what else. Oh, anyone who knows Matthew knows he has a passion for ice hockey. Well, our young hockey star has retired for now. As sad as it has been for Chris and I to pack away the hockey gear, we're happy he wants to do indoor soccer. At least we won't have to be at the rink at 6am, in the snow, and then freeze our toushies off in the rink, right? Indoor soccer should be great. I'm curious to see if this is a permanant change or a temporary. However, I'll also point out that this spring, Matthew wants to try out for baseball with the local organization. Maybe he really has retired from hockey?? Either way, I love watching him regardless of what sport he chooses.

I think that gets everyone caught up on what the Evoy's have been up to over the last several weeks. School is going good, Chris is still employed (insert a sigh here), and we are all healthy and happy.

We are blessed to be as lucky as we are. There are often days when Chris and I will look at each other and just breathe a sigh of relief. Last year this time, we were unemployed and unsure of what the future held. While we are still unsure of what the future holds, we can look back and see how much we've gone through. We can see how strong we really are, not only our marriage, but our family, and most importantly, our faith. What God has planned for us in the future, only he knows. But for now, for us, we are doing great in Fort Wayne. Can I get an Amen!?

5th Grade...or BUST!

Today is the Day....the first day of 5th grade. I have to give the mancub credit, he got up, ate breakfast (after I debated on whether or not the eggs were included in the recall), got dressed and was ready to go 45 minutes before it was time to walk out the door. That evidently was the easy part of the morning.

As we pulled up to the school you couldn't help but notice the modge podge of cars everywhere. What is it with the first day of school and everyone feeling they need to escort their children inside? Are they fearful the won't make it through the doors. Is it that they are afraid that their child(ren) will get lost in the school. Let me take a moment to reassure each of you, there are teachers and administrators EVERYWHERE. No one will get lost and everyone will make it inside. Ok, Ok, so I can see you walking in your kindergartener for the first time. I get that, I did it too. Seriously though, it isn't necessary to walk your child in if they have attended school before.

What started as a lovely morning turned into a very ugly scene as I pulled up into the drop off lane. As Matthew and I watched the new principal open the doors for the children to enter, it was like a series of alarms went off. All the parents in the pick up line exited their cars and all hit their lock buttons at the same time. This is when it hit me that I was stuck BEHIND all these cars. When I say stuck, I do mean S-T-U-C-K. I couldn't move forward and I couldn't back up. Nor was it the correct spot for me to send Matthew out the door. What in the world!?!?!? The only option I had was to get out of my car and ask the person behind me to back up a little so that I could get around the line of cars in front of me. To which their reply (while backing up) was the one fingered salute. Why, thank you and Happy Monday morning to you too. I just smiled, backed up, and started to pull around the line of cars ahead of me. Unbelievable. I was trying to get Matthew dropped off and get my hiney outta the way and that's the thanks I get? How rude! As it was, Matthew had to be dropped off an entire car length from the curb and the entire time he was crossing the street, I was praying that the line up of cars wouldn't move just yet. What is it with people? If you feel you need to escort your child, use the, oh, I dunno, the PARKING LOT! Isn't THAT what it's made for????

OK, back to Matthew. So off he walked into school, heading to room 125, Miss. Clements class. I have to say, he was very excited. And of course, we did the talk all the way to school to remind him to not be chitty chatty, to stay in his seat, to pay attention, but most importantly, have a great day!

He will have a great day. He has homemade fried chicken in his lunch box for lunch and a little reminder that I love him on a bright yellow post it. I can't wait to hear all about it. As he reminded me while he was getting outta the van, he is the KING of the school this year...ha ha ha...cuz ya know, he IS a 5th grader!!

Eating breakfast...after I checked with both my mom, my husband, and the internet to ensure that the eggs he was about to ingest were not contaminated!

Gee...he's not in a good mood and ready to go is he?

We are on the countdown...

Well, it's official! All our summer guests have come and gone. We've taken all the trips we are going to take. We are officially on the 2 week countdown to 5th grade! Yikes huh? I can't believe the summer has gone by so fast. We've been busy but it's been great being home with Matthew all summer. I'm getting used to this stay at home mom thing. Chris keeps telling me to enjoy this time, just relax and enjoy it. It's taken some time but I think I'm finally getting the hang of it. Of course, we do have our days where I want to stick him in the closet and pretend he's not there but for the most part, I love having him around.

We've really enjoyed everyone visiting. My folks, my niece, Chris' folks. It's been a whirlwind of guests but we wouldn't have traded the visits for the world. I think all in all, everyone who visited had a nice time and was pleasantly surprised at how much Fort Wayne has to offer.

So back to school we head. I think Matthew is ready. Geez, he was already asking when school started the first week of summer vacation. I think he really misses his friends and the teachers. He met his teacher last week, Miss Clements. She seems really nice which could be really good or really bad. If she's too nice, that could be a bad thing. Ha Ha. I'm sure Matthew will do great. He likes Miss Clements and is looking forward to having her for his final year in elementary school.

I can't believe this is our last year in elementary school. The boy is growing up too fast. WOW.

Well, for those of you who weren't able to make the trip to Indiana this summer, hopefully we'll see you all soon. And to everyone who was able to make a trip, THANK YOU. We really enjoyed your company and look forward to your next visit.

Much love and blessings....

3 Rivers Festival Fun in the Fort

Ok, so you're probably asking, What the flip is a 3 River's Festival. Well, HELLO!!! There are 3 rivers in Fort Wayne and every year, there is a week long festival...DUH!? Ok, Ok, I know, I know, you don't live in Fort Wayne so how would you know. Evidently, this festival is a big deal. A few weeks before the festival, we received a book on the daily events. Yes, I said a book. Not a pamphlet, not a mailing, not a newspaper article, but indeed, a B-O-O-K.

Well, this is our first chance to experience the festival, so I went through "the book" and highlighted everything I wanted to try to see. Here's some pictures of what we've experienced so far....

On Saturday, July 10, the festival kicked off with a parade. Mind you, we thought it would be like 30 minutes long. Umm, NO. Try over 2 hours long. It was fun though. Crowded, yes. If we are still living here next year, we'll need to spend the night downtown on the sidewalk just to get a good spot. All in all, it was fun. Chris took these pictures with his blackberry so hopefully they came out good.

Blow up Icy the mascot for the Fort Wayne Komet's Ice Hockey team.

What parade is complete without Johnny TinCap from the Fort Wayne baseball team.





Anyone who knows Matthew knows that THIS was his favorite part of the parade!!!

Ok, these are actually Colts players. At this time, we do not know who they are but as you can see, NONE of them are Peyton Manning. I have to say, I was slightly disheartened that Peyton couldn't make the trip. I mean seriously, didn't he know I was going to be there????? Honestly....


This was pretty neat. It's one of those Chinese Dragons...different....


Yeah, I don't think my legs would be long enough to pedal this bike.

NO- it's not an elephant...it's a Mastadon!!!!!

After the parade, we headed over to Freimann Square for some Arts in the Park and a Crafters' Market...as you can see, Matthew was a bit overwhelmed with the amount of tents and knowing that his parents probably wanted to walk past each one! Sorry Dude, parents RULE and sometimes Kids DROOL! Water Fountain at Freimann's Square.

Crafter's Market at Freimann Square


Art in the Park. Seriously, people were just painting, drawing, whatever right there in the road. It was really cool.

Another view of Art in the Park and all the artists working.

We ended Saturday by going to the Firefighter's Museum for a Hog Roast. I'll be honest, we expected more from the Hog Roast but since we were left to fend for ourselves for seating, we ate, and headed into the Allen County Public Library. We were hot and had to pee! But while we were there, we went ahead and signed up for our libray cards AND Matthew checked out his first book in the Children's Area.

Cozy spot in the children's area for kids to sit and read. I think at this point, Matthew was just happy to "sit".

Sunday, we decided to head back downtown to Headwater's Park to check out the carnival fun. Yep, just as we thought, lots of carnies and rusted rides. Matthew did a few games and won a few animals but the most fun he had was on this big trampoline thing with a harness. He figured out how to do backflips...hence, the booty shots!

We attempted to see the Bed Races on Wednesday evening but it was a bust. They started the races early, we got there late...it was crowded...been there, saw it, won't bother next year!

This weekend is the final events. My folks are coming in a day early just to see the Shriner's Parade down Main Street and then Saturday, we'll take the kids to the Children's Festival at the local college, a DeBrand Chocolate tour possibly, and we'll end Saturday night with Fireworks downtown. For a small town, there sure is a lot crammed into one week! All in all, I'm glad we were here to check it out.

4th of July Weekend in the Midwest

Last summer for the 4th of July, we headed up to the shore, also known as Cape May, NJ. This year, well, that would have been quite a trek so we opted to head west to Clinton, Iowa (my hometown).

It was so much fun to spend the weekend with my Grandparents. As many of you know, my Grandpa gave us quite a scare earlier this year and I'm happy to announce, he's bounced back. What a delight to walk into the kitchen when we arrived to a big, happy smile. Yep, Grandpa is back. He may short circuit at times but for the most part, he's the same. He's been blessed by God and is a true treasure to our family.

Friday morning the men hit the river for some fishing. One problem, they didn't get any bites. Bummer but it didn't ruin their good time. Friday afternoon brought a fun trip to the Niabi Zoo in Illinois. We were joined by both my Aunt and Uncle, and my cousin's daughter, Addison. What a cutie!!! Matthew likes being the "big brother" to the little people. I don't know who was more fun to watch, Addison or Grandpa. They were both especially fun to watch when we were feeding the japanese carp and ducks.

Walking through the zoo was fun. It's a little bit smaller than our zoo here in Fort Wayne, but overall, it was a great afternoon. Matthew and I had visited this zoo last summer on our trip to Iowa but it was still just as fun to see all the animals this time around.

At one point, Matthew went inside one of the bird cages to feed the birds. Evidently, one of the birds wasn't happy that he wasn't getting a sweet treat, so he decided to leave Matthew with a little present on his arm. YUCK!

And of course, no trip to the zoo is complete without Matthew feeding the goats. He loves it. Chris and I swear, if we wanted to run some errands, we could drop Matthew off at the goat area of the zoo, come back in a few hours, he'd still be there, feeding them.

The weekend ended with a old fashioned family picnic at Grandma's on Sunday, the 4th. It was great to have so much of the family there. Cousins, their children, their spouses. Just fun fun fun, and hot hot hot. It was so humid outside, the "ladies" were hanging out inside the house until we were alerted that the a/c had not been working properly. HOT HOT HOT is an understatement but we managed to survive! Matthew played several games of cornhole and beat Joel and John just about each game he played them. He also talked a lot of smack, so it was really good that he won!!!!

Sunday ended with a trip down towards the river for some fireworks. Again, it was so fun to watch Matthew and Grandpa OOOOooooo and AAAAAHHhhhhhhh over each explosion.

I'm glad we were able to take some family time and make the trip to Iowa. I think Chris, Matthew, and I all needed a little break together. None of us can wait to go back. Maybe this fall??? Only time will tell. Until then, we'll just continue to "monkey around" the Fort....ha ha ha

He won his first game, score was 8-5!!!

Have you ever had that feeling that you wish you could jump into your kids head to remind them what they need to do, what they need to remember, where they should throw the ball, when they should swing? Do you have any idea how hard it is to be a MOM in the stands watching your son in his very first baseball game ever when he hasn't ever played the game? I have one word...nail biting!!!!!

Once again, Matthew has gone above and beyond to show how truly remarkable he is. What a blessing he is in my life. I remember his very first hockey game, and I know, I was much more nervous than he was. That was when he was 5. Flash forward, he's now 10 and is putting hockey aside for the summer to give baseball a go. The child can do anything he puts his mind to (he gets that from me!!!, ha ha). It's true though, he has a determination that makes me admire him.

He took the field this morning and was sent to left field. A respectable position for his first game. He even had one ball hit his way which he fielded like he'd been playing for years. He ran up into the ball, stopped it, and got the ball back into the pitcher right away to keep the runner from advancing. Halfway through the game he was moved to right field. I thought for sure Matthew would ask to play infield positions but he said he likes the outfield. His choice.

So with his first at bat- I held my breath. I think I might have even turned blue. The coach reminded him to keep his back foot planted. Swing....Strike 1...Swing...stri...ding....WHAT- my son hit the ball? Stop the presses, my son hit the ball on his first at bat!!!!!! Way to go Matthew!!!! And he even remembered to run to first. Whew, S-A-F-E!

Next batter was up- ding, another hit....RUN RUN RUN to second! Safe again. Could he possibly score a run?

Nope, 3 outs and he was left standing on 2nd base. It's all good though, he was successful in his first at bat. That's more than his mother can probably say of her first at bat, and no, I'm not counting t-ball.

Ok, 2nd at bat. Now, I realize that this video that I've attached is sideways. It was the best angle to get the batter so you'll just have to turn your head sideways to watch. I already told you I was a nervous mom, just be glad I got some video!!

Did you see that? Another hit!!! Yes, Yes, almost a strike out but bottom line is- after he stopped playing golf with his bat, he got a hit and got to first base! Way to go. And did you see the runner come past the screen from 3rd? That's what they call an RBI in baseball. BOOYYAAA!!!! That's my boy!!!!

Bummer though, left standing on 2nd...again!

Ok, so we are up to his team's last at bat. There's 2 outs and Mighty Matthew steps up to the plate. He takes a look at the runners. He takes a hard look at the pitcher. What, what's this, a pitching change? The coach is going to pitch to Matthew instead of the player? Mmmmm, are they trying to razzle his thoughts so he won't get a hit? Matthew takes his stance...the pitch is off and...

HOLY COW!!!! A hit on the first pitch!!!!! And off he ran to 1st base where he was left standing when the game ended. It's ok though, his team won 8-5!!! Way to go!

Matthew got into the car after the game and was so excited. He told me he had had so much fun, he can't wait for his next game. He even said that he thought for sure he was going to strike out his 2nd at bat, but he didn't. He stayed in there.

Here's a few pictures of the all-star during the game. If you come to visit during the month of July, maybe you'll be lucky enough to catch a game or too...maybe even get an autograph (if the all- star has time to squeeze you in).

Playing Left Field

Preparing for 1st at bat

On 1st base

Playing Right Field

Grilled Octapus at the Greek Festival?

Yesterday we made a trip down to Headwater's Park for the 30th Annual Greek Festival. It was A LOT smaller than the greek festival in Richmond. Matthew got an opportunity to break a plate and yell OPA! It was a lot of fun and filled with lots of yummy food. I have to point out that Chris and I had the basics, spanikopita and some sort of sausage in a roll with peppers. Matthew on the other hand, he took the bull by the horns. He had, the sausage roll, spanikopita, seasoned greek fries, and (prepare yourself), GRILLED OCTAPUS!

Yes, he ate it. He wanted it, he asked for it, and he ate it!!!!! I couldn't believe it. Chris and I

waited for the eeewwww gross moment and it never came. Instead, we got a, "Yum, this is pretty good". Seriously, this kid can't possibly be mine. It must be his extreme personality shining through again. OPA!

Whew...time flies when you're on vacay...

We're baaaacccckkkk, in Indiana that is. Sad to leave the family, yes, but happy to be home, absolutely. I missed my hubby and all our livestock!


Matthew and I had a great two weeks in Virginia and next week, we are jetsetting off to Iowa for a looonnngggg weekend. 4th of July fireworks on the Mississippi....soooo looking forward to it!


We tried to cram in so much stuff on our visit that I'm exhausted. However, I have to point out that a part of me is super proud of my independence. I drove to Virginia and back all by myself. Just me and Matthew. That's 700 miles, one way....and I did it. (I must point out though that it will be awhile before I sign up for that fun again!!).


I had a great time with all my family, friends, and former co-workers. Lunches, dinners, shopping, pool time, yada yada, yada...fun, fun, fun.


Matthew and I were even lucky enough to squeeze in a trip to the Washington DC zoo. As much as I love looking at all the animals, I hate the hill that the zoo sits on. It really made me appreciate our zoo here in Fort Wayne. It's not on a hill, and it's not nearly as hot as DC. Ha Ha. I must say, when Matthew and I pulled out of Richmond, the van said it was 100 degrees...it was great to see the temp drop as we got closer to Fort Wayne. I pulled in Thursday evening to a very comfortable 79 degrees. YUMMY!

I'm glad we made the trip and I'm really looking forward to spending several days with my grandparents. That should be a jam packed weekend as well. Fishing, picnics, chit chatting, and of course fireworks!!!

On a side note, I was able to coordinate a special treat for Chris on my drive home. Thanks to my brother for the cooler and my folks for making extra space in the freezer, I was able to deliver 4 Pino's Pizza's to my sweetheart. He was so excited that his eyes twinkled!



We have yet to find a good pizza place here in Fort Wayne. So, that being said, IF you are traveling to see us and you are coming from Richmond, you'd better have a few Pino's Pizza's on your back seat. Consider it the cost of staying at the Evoy B&B. Also, you should be aware of the disclaimer that comes with the pizza's...just because you bring them, doesn't mean we'll share.

Much love....

I have an "extreme" boy...

As many of you know, Matthew and I left last week for our 2 week trip to Virginia. What a drive....Oui Vay. But we made it in one piece. AMEN!

We've got a busy 2 weeks planned and it all started with a fun trip to Busch Gardens Williamsburg with some special people. I never knew that my son was an "extreme" adventure seeker. Well, he is. I can't believe it but he rode every roller coaster that was running. Loch Ness Monster, Alpine Ghiest, Appollo's Chariot....you name it, he was on it. Me? Well, you'll be happy to know that I did ride the Loch Ness not once but twice for my son. I told him to make sure he marked this day down in history because it may not ever happen again. Ya know, I wasn't on the rides with him, he rode with his Aunt Charlotte (another thrill seeker) and yet, I held my breath the entire time he was riding. It was fun watching him exit each of the rides with a huge grin on his face. Well worth the price of admission to see him have so much fun. Enjoy the pictures...

Yep, I'm gonna take a moment to brag....

I know that I try to make this blog about what's going on in Fort Wayne with the Evoy's but today, today I have to brag about my little man.

Yesterday I went on my first 4th grade field trip. The thought shouldn't have overwhelmed me since I used to be the director of a day care with 168 children, but it did. Matthew came home excited on Tuesday evening to inform me on who was in our "group" for the big trip. Jordan, Wesley, and of course, Matthew. The conversation continued as Matthew told me a little about each child. Jordan, he's really cool mom. He's fun and we play all the time at recess. Wesley, he's a little different and he has green gunk under his fingernails. Oh, and sometimes he doesn't brush his teeth so you have to be careful because sometimes his breath stinks. (obviously this was important information) Whew- got it. So Wednesday morning, up we got and off we went to ride the bus to the History Center and the Allen County Courthouse. There I sat on the bus with my posse, Matthew, Jordan, and Wesley.

I have to say, both children appeared the way Matthew has described. It wasn't until all the chaperones broke up into groups to do the scavenger hunt throughout the History Center that I was floored.

Off we went to jump into the hunt and I realized, Wesley was "different". He was a little slower and needed a little more guidance. But as I watched Matthew and Jordan interact with him, I was impressed. Here's the part where your jaw is gonna hit the ground.

Mrs. Rahrer came through the room to check on us, specifically Wesley. Mrs. Rahrer pulled me aside and told me that Wesley was autistic and to let me know if I needed any help. How very nice of her. I will interject here and tell you that my first thought when I heard that I had been paired with the autistic child was not excitement. I've worked with autistic kids and it's hard work. God bless them, they try so hard. Mrs. Rahrer continued on to tell me why she had paired Matthew up with Wesley.

She paired Matthew up with Wesley because Matthew works so well with him and is so patient. In class, Matthew has a big heart and doesn't get irritated with Wesley like the other kids. Matthew doesn't pick on Wesley like the other kids. In fact, Mrs. Rahrer was amazed at how well Matthew works with Wesley and she went on to state that if Matthew had such a good heart and patience then she knew Wesley would be fine with me.

I'll give you a minute to pick up your jaw....WOW, huh?

I couldn't believe my ears. I didn't know what to say. My son, really? My son who often times opens his mouth in the middle of Walmart with inappropriate comments that horrify me? Could it be that Matthew has taken in a christian way of living to the point where there are no boundaries?

My neighbor posted on facebook that I should be so proud. In this day in age with children typically being ruthless to people who are different. She's right.

I can't take all the credit on how Matthew has accepted this child. It's not me instilling all those values in him. It's a higher power working on him.

It brings tears to my eyes everytime I think about it. Wow...this wonderful child is constantly amazing me with his choices in life. I'm so blessed.

And to end the day on an even higher note, I got thank you letters from all three of the guys. Each of them took the time to write me a little letter saying thank you for spending the day with them. How sweet.

I love being home and able to go on these trips with Matthew. If I weren't given this opportunity, I would have never known what a big heart Matthew shows in school.

Blessed...truly, truly B-L-E-S-S-E-D!!!

Orange

Our teaching Pastor, Scott, just finished a 4 week series on the color ORANGE. I know what you're asking, what does Orange stand for.

Orange is two combined influences coming together to form one influence.

What makes the color orange? Red and Yellow, right? For purposes of this series, Red represents the home/family and yellow represents the church.

It's our journey to try to change a generation of young people to follow God. Did you know that 80% of kids, when they turn 18, turn AWAY from God. How sad is that? That's a horrible statistic. Is it just the parents responsiblity, NO. It's the entire church working with the parents. When a child is baptized, the entire congregation is asked, Will you support this family and this child and help them grow with God. And typically, the congregation answers yes. That holds the church, that holds YOU responsible to helping to change a generation.

Why am I writing about this today you ask? Well, yesterday was the final message and it hit home for Chris and I.

http://www.sonrisechurch.info/campus-messages/fort-wayne-campus/

Yesterday, we were told to imagine the end for our children. Imagine them graduating from high school and entering college. Imagine them sitting in their dorm room after you've said goodbye. What do you expect of them? How do you want them to act?

Create a rhythm. This is where Chris and I really need to work. We aren't perfect parents, we're not a perfect family. The concept doesn't exsist. If we don't take the time now for Matthew, he'll be a statistic.

Israel, remember this! The Lord and the Lord alone- is our God. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. Never forget these commands that I am giving you today. Teach them to your children. Repeat them when you are at home and when you are away, when you are resting and when you are working. Tie them on your arms and wear them on your foreheads as a reminder. Write them on the door posts of your houses and on your gates. Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Did you see what the scripture said about our children. OUR children. Teach them...Repeat them when you are at home and when you are away, when you are resting and when you are working. Impress upon them these commands. Create a rhythm with your child. Take the opportunities to talk to your child about the Lord.

Chris and I, we took for granted the fact that Matthew was in a christian school. We left the responsiblity up to the school to make sure Matthew was feed the scripture. It wasn't just their job to do this.

In order for Matthew to overcome the statistics and for that 80% to be lowered, parents have to create a rhythm with their children. They have to take the time to talk to their children.

Chris and I, we took this to heart. We've started the wheels in motion. Yesterday, we took the time over dinner to talk about God. We talked about morals and what God expects from us.

It felt good. It felt right. I felt like we were making good choices as parents. Yes, Matthew knows that you should Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul. and with all your strength. He knows this. He knows that prayer is important. We've made sure that he has gone to church and that he was baptized. I don't think Chris and I have done a bad job on making sure Matthew has been "feed" the scripture but we have fallen short. We've tried to lead by example but as parents tend to do, but we've not always made the best choices.

I feel blessed to have found a church in Fort Wayne that fulfills my needs not only as a christian but also as a parent. I feel blessed to know that I have a support system in my church to help make sure that Matthew stays on the right path. I feel blessed that I am a child of God and that no matter what obstacles in parenting I may endure, God will always be there to help me keep on the right path.

While this series was only 4 weeks, it will be remembered as a way to live our life.

Two combined influences, Red and Yellow, to create one influence, ORANGE. I can live Orange, my family can live Orange. We can live Orange for Matthew.

Geese, Geese Everywhere

Finally, I've found a place to get rid of all my outdated bread and rolls....the LAKE!!! Near the zoo is a park called Franke Park. At Franke Park, there is a lake that backs up to the zoo. And in the lake are ducks, geese, fish, yada yada yada.

Today was the first day in several days that has been dry, sunny, and warmer. What better thing to do then go feed the geese after school. So, we did.

It was so fun to watch all the geese. They kept getting closer and closer. We did find out though that they prefer bread that has been soaked in the lake rather than dropped on the ground. I'm not sure what that is about but Matthew had a wonderful time trying to throw bread out to the geese further away.

It's fun moments like this that Matthew will remember. I'm liking Fort Wayne....