The Home We Will Leave Behind

Kitchen Before and After

November, 2014

Beach Dance Party

Last year we began a tradition of dance parties during our week at the beach with friends.  This year we had a few.  Robert and Brooks love the silly song "What Does the Fox Say?" and know the dance moves.  While Robert Does Not like to dance, he will do anything for his kids.  Here is a little proof.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=w4Yy6YveG-s&feature=youtube_gdata_player

What a Difference a Week Makes

Our home is beginning to take shape.  Framing for a week changed our home from a foundation to a taste of what is to come.

June 16, 2014 GVP vs Sherwood

The kids always love their swim meets.  Being with friends, tattoos, cheering, what is not to love!?  Brooks did not have his best night in Backstroke.  Having his cast removed the day before lead tohesitancy  during flip turns and finishes.  He did a great job with the 50 Fly and 100 

IM.  These were both firsts and he put in a great fight.

Landry swam her first Butterfly and has made remarkable growth this year.

Landry's 25 Butterfly

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gSP68xM9OME&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Landry's 25 Backstroke

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtube_gdata_player&v=KLR9AferfiY

Brooks & Jacob

Gators!

June 10, 2014 GVP vs Friendly

Brooks' 50 Backstroke with cast.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qulHytdfjLE&feature=youtube_gdata_player

3rd Grade Flea Market

Every Grrensboro Academy student looks forward to the Flea Market and beginning in Kindergarten, they look forward to actually selling at the Market.  As a wrap up to their Economics Unit, 3rd Graders apply for positions, interview, are hired, earn a salary, pay business expenses, submit a business plan, advertise their goods, rent a table and set up for the big sale.  Jonathan and Brooks had two boxes for raffle.  $1 for 1 ticket and $3 for 5 tickets.  The boxes had items such as Elite socks, Mandisa cd, Gatorade, mechanical pencils, candy, Rainbow Loom bands and bracelets.  Huge success with $190 revenue.  Great job with an original idea guys!

Broken Arm

So Brooks broke his arm on May 23, 2014; the day the pool opened.  During a full-out PE game, he fell on the track with his arm under him.  He went crazy with pain on impact but then rarely complained about it after the break.  Mom was at a tennis clinic so Dad got there first and took him to the Urgent Care.  Karen Jackson lovingly prayed for Brooks at school and was waiting at the Urgent Care when we finished up.  Precious.  X- Rays confirmed a Green Stick Radial Fracture which is basically like a fresh branch that can be bent all the way but snaps back into position.  A great break if there is such a thing.  A temporary cast was formed and we were back to school for Landry's Readers Theatre.  There were many tears shed all around as we processed the loss of many weeks in the pool playing, all the hard work in the pool preparing for a swim season that was over before it started, an End of Year 3rd grade party that would be missed, a pool birthday party for Brooks that would be canceled and a week at Ocean Isle that would be miserable out of the water.

Jacob was so very upset when he learned the news.  He kindly took Brooks out for yogurt with money he earned at piano and shed many tears.  What a sweet friend.  He even chose to not swim opening night at GVP to be with Brooks before they headed with Daddy to the ACC baseball game.

Landry was a mess as soon as she saw Brooks at school and knew he was hurt.

Over the next few days the pain was minimal and only at night.

We got wind of a cast that could go in the water and began praying this would be an option.  After some persistence, the Orthopedist agreed to this treatment and we were back in business; not missing a beat.  Brooks even competed in the first swim meet of the season that we had full intentions of signing out of until the Saturday night before when Brooks wanted to know his events.

This morning we received great news at the follow-up appointment.  The cast was coming off!  His arm has healed well with a 5-10% bend in the bone from the cast's counter-pressure which will correct as he grows.  Only a brace is needed for a few weeks.  He can swim without anything.  There have been some stabbing pains as ligaments and joints are used for the first time in 3 1/2 weeks and we pray he gains his confidence back to use his arm fully.

Praise the Lord for His healing in such a short time and for hearing our prayers.

Strawberry

Strawberry as big as Brooks and Landry's hands.  L is on right and B is on left!

June 10, 2014 GVP vs Friendly

Brooks and Landry swam so well against the Friendly Frogs.  GVP pulled out our first victory over Friendly in 10 years!  Brooks was not going to swim since he has a broken left arm but at the last minute he announced he had full intentions of competing.  Not knowing what that performance would look like and trying to push back the most taxing events, he competed in the 50 Backstroke with a 3rd Place finish, 50 Freestyle with a 2nd Place finish and the 100 Freestyle (1st time ever swam ) with a 3rd Place finish.  Amazing.  Cannot wait to see how things look after the cast comes off.

Landry looked like a different girl out there.  Swimming 6 and under, she has another year to work out the kinks.  She was so smooth and fast.  She finished strong with 10th in the 8U 25 Breaststroke, 4th in 25 Freestyle and 3rd in 25 Backstroke!  Her Free Relay took 2nd!  So fun!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtube_gdata_player&v=YdUO4rK1ZOk