Visual Update

I'm overwhelmed with thankfulness this week, I know, a week early, but I can't help it. My Dad arrived on Tuesday night. I hadn't seen him since May and my mom hadn't seen him for the month she's been here. So, we're all very happy to be together again. Yesterday we had a surprise visit from my aunt and cousin from New Jersey! They were passing through and stopped in for a bit, and had some tea. Such a lovely surprise! I wish I got their picture while they were here!
I'm also thankful for my homeschool kiddos I get to be with every Thursday. We attend a co-op of about 100 homeschoolers who congregate weekly to do gym, drama, science and other fun subjects that supplement their regular curriculum. When my college and careers class fell through this school year, I was recruited to coach gym class to seven 7th and 8th graders. I also sub for other gym classes off and on. I so enjoy these kids! Six of them are boys and boy oh boy are they active! They put up with my structure: warm-up, push-ups, sit-ups, running around the gym before our activity and we always pray at the end, but they won't touch hands -- ewww, gross!

We have done boxing, an obstacle course, and of course, tons of fun games, most of which they have taught me. Their favorite is Poison, which is a cross between tag and dodgeball. My favorite that they taught me is "Missionary Tag", which is like Red Rover only everybody runs from one wall to the other and the "missionary" in the middle tries to tag whomever he/she can as they run across. Anyone who gets tagged joins the "missionary" in trying to tag people. Too funny! Not sure the game is the best way to teach the kids how to be a missionary, but it's just a game. Here's a pic from yesterday of the kids playing Poison Ball, which is totally different from "Poison", it's just plain dodgeball, I'm pretty sure. I look forward to seeing these kids every week. And yes, I usually do all the exercises and play all the games with them. Why wouldn't I? Here's a pic of our lovely hair dresser whom we've had for ten years. She is so patient with our wiggly boy, of course the candy helps. Last week, she talked me into getting bangs for the first time since I was ten, I'll be sure to share a picture soon. I'm having fun with my new look and I'm thankful that my son looks respectable again.

Here's what's going on right now as I write this:

And here's a sneak peek of part of the banner I'm making for church.
I have a LONG way to go and will show you pictures once it's done.