Future Men

Our church hosted an event called Future Men. It was a seminar for parents, leaders or whoever has a role working with boys. It was great! To hear the podcast click the following link: http://www.gracechurchsc.org/resources/teaching/
Calahan was in the promo video (seen below) for the event.



We were taught about 3 different stages for future men.
Stage 1: Authority, ages birth- 9. This stage is about giving direction. We need to teach our sons to obey authority all the way, right away and with a happy heart.
Stage 2: Responsibility, ages 10-13. Giving our sons responsibility like washing dishes or cutting the grass. Moms are supposed to stay out of the way and not help or fix it. They are to own it. Our sons need guidance and responsibility in this stage.
Stage 3: Partnership, ages 14 and up. Asking your son what he thinks about things. Giving him room to make choices and suffer the natural consequences. Partnering in his life while our sons are owning the mission.
There was so much more we learned. Let the above encourage you to listen to the entire seminar!

Lastly, our good friend Philly put together a hilarious video that was shown at the opening of the seminar (see below)! Props Philly!

Sarcasm and Sons from Joseph Osborn on Vimeo.

Hairstyles and school

On Calahan's football team there are several boys who have "mohogs", but Isaiah got a hair cut, he just got his "mohog" cut off. Harper's friend Malachi just got a "mohog" on his head.
Harper also told me today after school "Mom, Sinia E. got a HAAAAAIR DOOOO". You really needed to hear her say it. I lauged, hard.
I love to hear about their days at school and the friends they are playing with. I have spent some time the last couple of weeks in Harper's 5K class. I really don't understand how the teachers get anything done. I had forgotten how funny that age is. They really say whatever, whenever things pop in their heads. Harper's BFF since day 1 of school is Sarah. She is coming over for the first time Saturday to play. Her parents are TarHeel fans. I think she may be a keeper. Calahan is happy with all the boy's in his class. He talks about Isaiah the most, they have football and class together. Big news! They got to play tackle football at recess yesterday. He came home very dirty!

Modesty! Come on women!

The Lord has been opening my eyes to the lack of modesty in the Christian culture. He has shown me why modesty is crucial and what it does to our "brothers" in Christ when they have to be around women who are not clothed modestly.

I don't expect women who don't love Jesus to be in agreement or have the conviction to dress appropriately but I am stunned when women who claim to love Jesus dress immodestly!

I am working on my heart to make sure that I am not judgmental, bitter and mad at women who don't cover up. I am also working on my heart to determine why I dress the way I do.

I am married to a man and covet his attention to be focused on me and not all the other women at church who have lots of skin showing, dresses or shirts that are strapless, shirts which plunge way to low, skirts/shorts that cover barely bottoms and/or all the bras that show when you bend down or when you have on a shirt that doesn't cover the straps. I have a son who like all men is visual. I want to protect him from certain images and it is really sad that at church I am not able to do that.

So please women, look at the link below and take time to examine your heart and then make some changes in your wardrobe!
http://girltalk.blogs.com/girltalk/files/modesty_heart_check3.pdf

For great articles to further challenge you click the Girl Talk link in my blogroll and then click their Modesty link.

Thanks for your time and assistance.

Firsts

Calahan started 2nd grade on Wednesday, August 19th. His teacher is Mrs. Benham. There were several girls from his class last year but no boys. Thankfully one of his football teammates was also in the class. I cried leaving him. He has done great! Loves the class, reports that Mrs. Benham is very kind, gets to play football at recess, and is making new friends.




Harper started K-5 on Thursday, August 20th. Her teacher is Mrs. Winetroub and Mrs. Newell is the assistant. She was super excited and went right in doing as the teacher instructed her to put up her lunch box and take a seat on the rug. It was precious picking them up. They both skipped out to the van with big smiles on their faces. I didn't cry until the next day with her. She wanted to go in from the carpool line. She just looked so big.




Calahan also had his first football Jamboree. Jeremy was out of town so my dad (Papa Lumpy) came and went with me while Katy kept Harper at home. The Greenville Gladiators were the best uniformed team there! It was hot but the boys played 3 teams, 2 quarters each. The vote is still out to determine what I think of my 7 year old playing full contact football, but Calahan loved it. I could tell he was timid and not aggressive at all, which made me happy. We'll see as the season progresses.
Could he look any cuter though?

Keever Family Fun Day 2009

This is the day we take together right before the start of school. This year we decided to do Frankie's Fun Park. It was a blast! Jeremy and Calahan raced against Harper and I on our first ride. There was only one other car on the track. Harper had a
huge grin on her face the whole time and never once asked to slow down or acted nervous. Calahan on the other hand was super nervous. Jeremy reports him saying "We're not going to crash, are we Daddy?" and "Don't pass Mom and Harper, I don't want to hit them".


They did decide they wanted to do it on their own! Umm... who knew that 5 year olds could drive a race car on their own? Harper was fast and had NO fear! She just didn't pay attention to where she was going too well. :) Calahan was a little timid but eventually passed his sister. The guy running the race was super nice and let them go around for twice the allotted time!


(I can't get my pics in the right place)








Jeremy then gave the kids $5 Frankies Fun Cards to use in the arcade. Harper just wanted to win a lot of tickets so she could get a lot of junk. Calahan wanted to try out new games. When our fun morning was over at Frankie's we headed to Pizza Inn for lunch. I did it. I went to Pizza Inn and only ate 2 pieces of Chocolate Chip Pizzert, of course that was after the 5 or so pieces of the other kinds of pizza.

Really?

• Is summer vacation really over next week?
• Is my daughter really going to be gone all day long in K-5?
• Is my little boy really going to be in 2nd grade?
• Is that same little boy really going to play football for the next 4 months?
• Am I really going to have to figure out what to do with myself all day, every day?
• Am I really going to have my first 2 co-chair positions on PTA?
• Do we really still not have the brothers home from Peru?
• Do I really get to have Fridays 8-2:30 alone with my husband?!?!?!
• Does that precious husband really plan to play in 3 golf tourneys this month?
• Do our amazing friends really get to become first time parents to 3 children whom they have been trying to adopt from Peru for 3 years very soon?!?!?
• Do I really want to start going back to the gym after the wonderful vacay all summer?
• Do I really want to go to Lexington to see my bffs baby girl Sutton?
• Do I really want to plan a trip to NYC this fall with some girlfriends?

YEP.

The People I love doing the things we LOVE!

We had a fabulous annual trip to Fripp Island with my mom this year! It was a true vacation. Mom did most of the cooking and cleaning. (Thanks mom!) We played hard, ate well, read lots of books and just enjoyed being together. My little brother and his family joined us for the last few nights and it was great to have the cousins together.
Can't wait until next year!
(**Please note, my sister in law, Tish, would not agree to be photographed)

Kassady, our niece, playing

Harper, Hudson (nephew), & Calahan

We try to do this yearly

Jer, with Harper on shoulders, Chad and Hudson
(Calahan is the splash in the middle)

My Junior golfer
(Fripp has a Wee Tee program that is great!)

At the top of the Hunting Island light house
(Harper is not scared, she has a hard time with pics in the sun, says her eyes hurt a lot)

Kids with Lala