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Monday, July 22, 2013

Just living life...

Well since I last checked in Brendan has been to Florida and back, Kamdyn and I have been to cheer camp in Birmingham and back, Koby has been to Super Summer at Mississippi College outside of Jackson and back and Brian and the dogs have enjoyed some peace and quiet at home!

We were finally all back under one roof Friday night after a little over a week of travels but only to get the laundry done so that Kamdyn could leave today for soccer camp. I think Brian is ready for school to start so we can get back to our normal way of life!!

I thought it best to share some pictures with y'all as a way to catch everyone up on what has been going on for us...





This was what Brendan packed to take on the trip to Florida when he went to see Ellie! I think it is safe to say he takes after his father!! Candy is always an essential on any Bailey trip, even when you are by yourself. And since Ellie's family tends to have healthier eating habits than we may use here, Brendan wanted to be prepared! It was very difficult to let him go on this trip, not because I think he is irresponsible or unable to take care of himself but because it is one more sign that he is growing up. While I realize this is the way life unfolds, I still want to push the brake on life sometimes. Maybe you can relate.



Brendan and Ellie never let me down! They always send me some kind of funny or silly picture and this is really more to her credit than his. If you know Brendan you know it is a bit out of his comfort zone to be silly and it is one reason I am so thankful for Ellie in his life. She keeps things light and fun!


So let's move on to cheer camp! And really that is about all I can say. We had such a great four days with these girls and after all the hard work was done they performed so well! While I don't necessarily enjoy the cheer part of cheer camp I do enjoy spending that time with the girls and just having fun and laughing and loving them. I wouldn't want to go back to the their age group for a moment, with all of its awkwardness and drama and now on top of that technology. I pray for them and love them and was glad to see the week come and go. I'll just be honest and say I am not as young as I used to be and frankly I now require much more than 4 or 5 hours of sleep each night!

 


This is Kamdyn with two of her best friends on the first day of cheer camp...


...and with me on "Fun Day". I am pretty sure she was super excited that I was at camp with her, and this was confirmed when I heard her say to another cheerleader, "don't you love when your parents are at everything?" And just to be clear, it was not said in exciting tone! However, I do my best to give her space and typically she is good with having me around or close by. I have been so proud to just watch her grow into a young lady that is determined and tough and persistent in what she does. 

At this point I would love to share some pictures with all of you from Koby's week at Super Summer, a Southern Baptist state wide camp for those who meet certain requirements in their journey of faith. Koby was one of four who went from our church and one of about 1500 at the camp and if you think for one minute he had time to send me a picture then you are wrong. I was not expecting daily updates or pictures but I finally text him late Wednesday night "are you alive?" which is my code for "PLEASE TELL ME HOW THINGS ARE GOING!" because I am a details kind of person. True to everything that is Koby he text me back, "Busy but fun" and that was pretty much all I had to go on. I would get occasional messages from him and he finally put a picture on Instagram on Thursday which I was thrilled to see! I picked him up Friday afternoon and he immediately launched into more details than I could have hoped for as he told me about people he had met from all over this state and then he told about the messages he heard and how great the band was and it made my heart full to know the fullness of God continues to grow in him.

And now we are winding down our summer, just living life day by day. Brendan is getting ready for his college final and we hope Ellie is coming to visit before school starts. Koby is waiting to see if the therapy he is having for his shoulder can keep him from surgery. Kamdyn finishes soccer camp at the end of the week and then she and I are heading to a youth girls Sunday School retreat this weekend. Brian is looking into teaching some online classes and continues to hold us all together as we come and go. I hope summer is good wherever you are and that as you are living life you are enjoying each moment.

I am heading off to see what all the men tell on the Bachelorette tonight!! Who is your favorite?

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Our Life in Snapshots

Well  I have not fallen out of the cyberspace world! I have however enjoyed a break from some things to enjoy the last little bit of my summer break from the school office. While I have not made anything from my Pintrest boards or scrubbed the grout in the kitchen tile or even cleaned out that overcrowded hall closet, I have read a book by a favorite author and found some new recipes to cook and enjoyed time with my family. Thank you Lord for summer break!

So much has gone on since I last wrote from Texas and I thought the best thing to do might be to just tell what we have been up to through pictures. (You know I love them!)
 
 
 


While we were home in Texas we enjoyed an afternoon on the lake with Kasey and her family. Also making the trip was my oldest and dearest best friend (and some other classmates from way back in 1995). It was so much fun to spend some time with them and let the kids play and relax!

 

 
 
We made it back home in time for July 4. Kamdyn fixed Rocky and Johnny up in some patriotic attire and the family was able to enjoy our neighborhood fireworks show! It was fun to be with family in Texas but it was really good to get back home to Brian and the dogs. We enjoyed our holiday weekend along with local flooding because when I tell you it rained I mean it RAINED! I have recently been reminded of the feeling of the rainy season in Guam, which was sun, humidity, afternoon rain and more sun and humidity. It was as awesome as you are imagining!
 
 



Apparently this is the summer of goodbyes! This weekend Koby and the rest of our family said good bye to a family that we are great friends with. Koby and Haley have been friends since kindergarten, growing up in Sunday School, youth group events and countless days of school. Haley always added excitement to whatever Koby and the others were doing and there is no doubt we will miss her and her sweet family as they begin a new journey down on the coast.

I am back at work part time this week and in the middle of cheerleading practice for camp next week. Brendan is literally counting the hours until he arrives in Florida to visit Ellie. I am excited for him to see her and we are still adjusting to not having around here. Koby leaves for a church camp next week and that will be his final trip of the summer. Kamdyn is staying busy with soccer practice and cheer practice and as I type this she is taking an afternoon nap between the two events.

So that is what is going on around here! I hope things are going well wherever you are and I will be back to a more regular blogging routine starting today.