Watch That Speed!

Oh the joy of a living, breathing Driver's Education student riding in the car with you. Since our daughter's completion of 30 hours of the classroom portion of Driver's Education, Eric and I are being reminded daily now of the laws that we are unknowingly breaking along with their respective fines. Did you know that it is illegal to pass more than one car in a passing zone. That was Eric's mistake today. I don't have the need to be in front that he has. But don't get me started on watching my speed. I've always taken a tad more liberty in the speed zone department but now I have my own personal cruise control sitting right beside me! I detest cruise control. While this is annoying, I want to make sure that I set a good example before she gets on the road. At least for awhile. It's not just my driving, but drivers around us who are also not adhering to safe driving standards. She has plenty to say about their driving too.

I can already tell that she is going to be a better driver than me. Of course I had a wreck in my Driver's Education class so the bar is fairly low. It wasn't my fault, but was humiliating all the same driving into my high school parking lot with the car bumper hanging off. Perhaps it was a mistake taking the class with my best friend in the back seat. It's going to be a long but hopefully safer summer for all of us.

Happy

Last week was filled with my daughter's 8th grade graduation. It was hit or miss that I was going to be able to experience all the 8th grade graduation festivities because of Laura delivering grandchild number three any day. Baby Bridget however was extremely considerate and arrived a week early. Yay!

It's been a few years since Laura and Kristen were in 8th grade and I honestly don't remember this much pomp at the conclusion of 8th grade. All the festivities combined rivaled Laura's graduation from UGA! The School reminisced to the extreme at every opportunity, complete with a banquet, professional pictures and even dancing,  a ceremony the next morning with a video montage from the year and charges from every teacher as they go forth into high school. They don't realize it, but they seriously need to pace themselves!

I was trying my best to keep Mr. Jakstadt in a good humor since it was getting to be past his bedtime, especially during the dancing. However, sitting there when I wasn't making small talk with parents that I had just met and would never see again, I admit I had a chance to reflect on the past seven years that we have had with daughter. Even though it was awkward at times during the video because we did not have any adorable infant and toddler pictures like most of her classmates, I was proud of how she/we handled it and proud of how far we had all come as a family. I could see God's hand on our daughter's life these past seven years. I could see his faithfulness to give us wisdom to enroll her in this Christian school where we have seen her blossom into a godly young woman. I could see confidence and joy in her beautiful smile as she danced to, "Happy". I could see that it's time for us to get used to staying up later again.

Jack Who?

This week Laura, our first born gave birth to a beautiful baby girl aka as "Angel Baby, Bridget". That's two for her and I would say she is on a roll for producing precious baby girls. Just like with her first born, Lucy, I raced to Augusta early Monday morning to make it just in time to see Bridget draw her first breath. Amazing doesn't even come close to describing what it's like to witness this miracle from God.

But, if you know me, you know being able to be with Laura and Jason on this miraculous day is complicated given our family's dismissal of the empty nest or at least postponement. We have living at our house three school aged children. Someone needed to hold down the fort while I was away helping Laura and not just any fort, think Alamo. Jack Bauer is otherwise occupied living another day so who will rescue me? Mr. Jakstadt, that's who. Armed with the Renweb homework website and the map of 50 states packet for our youngest to memorize, a band and recorder concert, he had his work cut out for him this week. Feeding them would be the least of his worries as evidenced by the ramen noodles and beans and hot dogs they ate. No wonder they were happy to see me today! I was greeted in the garage with the report that my son had washed his kindle fire in the washing machine. They are not washable.

Nevertheless, I am reminded once again how wonderful a husband and person Mr. Jakstadt is. He loves  us all hugely and puts his love into action which is the only love language that counts in my book. He sprung into action this week with the 50 states and then some. That was one good decision I made at the age of twenty one to marry Mr. Jakstadt. Who cares if I have to spell it every time I give my name. That's, J A K S T A D T, Jakstadt. Jack Bauer's got nothing on you.

Thanks Mom

Thanks mom for being there. That means a lot, more than I knew at the time. It gave me security to live my life. Thanks mom for loving me unconditionally and being proud of me. That gave me the courage to try things, hard things. Thanks for teaching me manners like saying please and thank you and writing thank you notes and to wear lipstick. Thank you for taking me to the library and teaching me the value of an education. Thanks for sending me money when I was in college when you really didn't have any to spare and not yelling at me when I still overdrew my bank account. Thanks for sharing my joys like no one else, especially the joys of my children. I still love sharing news about them with you. Thanks mostly for teaching me about Jesus and taking me to church. I am grateful everyday for that one. So glad to call you my mom.

Her children arise and call her blessed; Proverbs 31:28 

Roller Coaster Ride

I've recently learned something the hard way. Children break your heart. It's not their fault mind you that you love them so much. But from the moment you give birth to them, it's like your own heart beating and walking around in their body. This is inconvenient to say the least. Every, and I mean every experience that happens to them, happens to you, only more intensely. I was unprepared for this exhilarating, terrifying, nausea producing roller coaster ride of parenthood. But, apparently, I like roller coasters because I came back for more!

I experienced the euphoria of every successful horse jump my daughter ever took and also watched helplessly when she was thrown off.  I agonized with her over every boyfriend breakup, the bad ones and the really terrible ones. Then one day I watched her transform into an amazing young woman with a huge heart who would love and help me transition her three new younger siblings into our family.

Children are oblivious to the effect they have on their parents as they should be, until they have kids of their own and experience it themselves. I know this was the case when we moved to the west coast away from my family. Oh I was homesick alright, but I had no idea I was taking my mother's heart with me to Seattle! I was too busy starting my new adventure. Yet, when I asked my mom how she handled our moving away, she answered, " I knew it was the best decision for your family." She was right. It was. But I didn't know until just now that it's easier to be the one leaving than the one left. It's easier to be the child. Now that my baby girl is moving across the country, it's my turn to be gracious and understanding. I shouldn't be surprised she is leaving, I set the example!

Still, I'm happy and excited for my girl. She is brave and wants to support her husband. How could I not be proud? I know that God has a wonderful plan for her in California and I'm excited to hear all about it. There have been tears and I know there will be more, and I'm not a crier! I love that this is so hard.

Inspired

Love, Love, Loved the MOVE conference this year. It is always inspiring to hear from missionaries from around the world who don't consider themselves special and do not want a pat on the back. They are merely answering the call that God has on their life. The missionary from Africa we heard from last night at our dessert social told us that they have struggles just like we all have struggles, that they just look different. He then proceeded to tell us that they have electricity most of the time, enough to keep a refrigerator running and they are four hours from their p.o. box where they can receive mail. They have found themselves discouraged at times, sometimes very discouraged in their work to share the gospel. They will only get to know their grandchild through Skype if the one flaky Internet connection in town happens to be working. I'm sorry, but my struggles are not worthy to be compared with their struggles.

As he was talking and showing his slide show of his truck stuck in the mud on the road and the grass huts, I'm trying to picture myself there and honestly could not. They are there, a church of two, no Bible studies, no worship services. They are church planters and go where there are no churches. I don't have the best imagination but just the homeschooling part would be enough to do me in. Not to mention, there was no Target in sight! I realized again how ridiculously comfortable I am here in East Cobb. I also realized how blessed I am to have a church where I can freely worship with fellow believers and to remember to pray for those who do not.

Our special guest thanked us for our support and for bringing them to the conference, but he blessed us with his testimony of obedience like I have never seen. He closed with the most amazing statement that he couldn't wait to get back!

Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. 1 Cor. 9:24

Lucky

Brothers are good I realized anew last weekend. I didn't always feel this way. Growing up I always wanted a sister to shop with, share clothes with, etc. I finally got a sweet one but not until I was twenty years old, and we do shop when we see each other!

Growing up though, I was the responsible older sister often left in charge of two younger brothers who never seemed to appreciate my great wisdom and didn't mind telling me so or worse totally ignoring me. They spent their younger years wrestling and fighting which I honestly found hard to tell apart. They matured into teenagers with very different interests. John was more interested in music and sports while Mark was more into hunting and fishing and rebuilding transmissions, a skill which came in very handy during my early destitute years as an adult. Thanks again, Mark! I was involved in the church youth group and the drum and bugle corp at school along with one or another boyfriend at the time which I considered to be much more mature ways to spend one's time, except maybe the boyfriend.

Flash forward 30 years or so. Last weekend, I found myself going back to my home town to see my ailing step dad and mom. While I was in town, my brothers and I and their spouses (love them!) planned a work weekend at my childhood home

Mark, John and and I met at The Old Spaghetti Warehouse the night I arrived and had a fun time just the three of us catching up before making a plan for the weekend. Now they are ready to listen to me! Not really. We listened to each other as we discussed the various issues we are now facing with our aging parents. The next day as we tackled different tasks, I was amazed at how incredibly capable and generous Mark and John are as adults. Not that I didn't already know this, but working together in our childhood home brought back memories when we were all once young, self centered and less than generous. Together they completely cleaned out and organized the garage, put up lights, made several runs to the Good Will and the dump. The next day John looked at their finances and set up on-line accounts to help them with bill paying, etc. Am I glad I have brothers now! Not only did they lift an old dishwasher among other things into Mark's pick up truck to haul off, but their presence and effort that weekend showed incredible love and honor to my parents.

By the way, this gives me hope for my son who is going through a series of difficult, but normal I'm told, phases. If both my brothers who also went through a couple difficult phases as I recall, turned out to be a successful and loving husbands, fathers and sons, then there's a chance my son can do the same, right? I should be so lucky.