Size matters

In case you haven't noticed, Eric has gotten quite tall.  We are constantly amazed at how big he is.  He looks big, that is, until you take him to swim.  The elite swimmers on the team he is on are so tall.  They all tower over him with the exception of a couple.

I snapped a couple of pictures in dry land yesterday.  It isn't quite as obvious in the water, because the kids are all standing on the bottom, and Eric is treading water, so you can't really tell.  However, when they are on land, it is pretty clear that they are significantly taller.

I pointed this picture out to Eric, because he can get disheartened at times.  He works just as hard as everyone else, but can't quite keep up.  I showed him that if he and the fella next to him are equal swimmers, the fella would be 10-12 inches ahead on every single stroke.  And the guy next to him is super good, so he has no chance of keeping up.  Eric is a great swimmer, but it is hard to be put in with such tall swimmers who are equally good or better.  He will get there.  He will grow and get stronger and faster.  His best buddy in the group is his size, and they swim about the same.  They have a lot of fun together.  

I'm so proud of him for working so hard and doing his best.  I have no goals for him with swim other than that he try his best and be the best Eric he can be.  

He is my favorite.  

2017

Well it's a new year.  Happy New Year to Ellen (and anyone else who happens to check it).

We got up early for swim of course.  Then we had a very late lunch at the Melting Pot.  We had never been there, and it was a fun experience!  They had a special for New Years Eve and an additional special for $15 off each person if you came from 2-5.  So we went for lunch at 2.  We were there for 2 hours and 20 minutes, but it did not feel that long.  Our meal consisted of 4 courses - cheese fondue, salad, meat course, and chocolate fondue.  It was all yummy and all fun to prepare.      

We came home and played the new game Eric got me for Christmas - Forbidden Island.  Very fun, cooperative game.  We lose occasionally, but not often. 

Here's our crew ringing in the new year.  We were playing an app called Psych. 

Blessed

I felt so blessed today.  Blessed that I am able to homeschool my kiddo.  And blessed that homeschooling has changed so much.  When I was growing up, it was pretty weird.  Very few people homeschooled, and they had little to no curriculum choices or social support.  Today I had my kiddo in a beginning science class - outdoors, playing games.  This class only costs me $5 a week, and is taught by a lady who is fluent in Spanish.  I have talked to her at Timothy for the last year and a half, and she is great!  She speaks to them only in Spanish.  While he was in class, I walked around the track 6 times for a total of 2 miles.  I thought the whole time how very blessed I am.  How thankful I am.  How lucky I am.

Soccer spectators

A couple of weeks ago, Robert brought Gizmo out to watch Eric play soccer.  This is a field that allows pets, and Gizmo was thrilled to be there.  He is not a barker, so he just happily watched the kids play.

This picture makes me giggle.  He is such a cutie pie.  It was a very hot day, but we sat in the shade and brought him a bowl of water.  

Tuesdays

Tuesdays are long days for us.  I get up between 3 and 4 to get ready for my class.  E is usually up by 6.  We load up the car, and there is a lot of stuff to load.  E has 7 classes there, and I teach 5.

Sometimes I load everything up while he is in his last class.  Sometimes I have things to do, so I wait til he gets out to load.  This week was one of those weeks.

Here's my super (tired) helper after school.  I had pulled up close to the building to help with loading, so we took turns waiting by the car while the other went in.  I came out one time to find him like this sitting in the back.  

The back of my car loaded.  I need to get a morning picture sometime.  It is quite insane the amount of stuff we have to take each week.  

The backseat.  

Not pictured is the front seat which has our lunch cooler and his decorated cake.  It is a long process loading up each week.  Between his classes and mine, we take a completely full car.  But, he enjoys it.  And I am having fun teaching, although it is exhausting.  I keep thinking it will get easier each week, but it hasn't yet.  

Tyler

There's a boy.  A precious boy that we met shortly after moving to Arkansas.  His name is Tyler Binford.  He was around 9 years old and the son of some people we were becoming good friends with.  My first memory of him was he stood to get my chair for me when I approached the table.  What kid does that?  I could tell he was different.  I could tell he was special.  And I liked it.

We grew to love their family.  They were our very closest friends.  They were the first people we told when we found out we were going to have a baby.  Matt was like a big brother to Robert, and Ellen... I have no words for what Ellen means to me.  I love her dearly!   We watched their precious boys grow.  Caleb has a heart that is bigger than anyone I have ever known.  He loves deeply and unconditionally.  Tyler was easy to talk to.  Funny, mature, thoughtful.

I have never told anyone this, but Tyler is who I model the way I raise my son after.  I saw a boy who had a deep, mature understanding of the word.  A boy who wasn't afraid to lead at church and lead big!  A boy who was observant and cared about what was happening around him.  A boy who could have a conversation with adults and run off and play with kids.  Tyler was different.  Tyler was special.  Tyler loved the Lord.

Because of Tyler I knew that Eric could have a deep knowledge of God's word, and he does.  Because of Tyler, I knew that a young child could preach a meaningful sermon, and Eric has.  Because of Tyler I knew that a child could achieve much, love richly, and care for others.  Eric would not be the kid he is today without Tyler Binford.

Satan knew that Tyler was capable of great things for the Lord.  He attacked Tyler mercilessly.  He will always go after the ones who could do the most good.

 However, he failed to recognize how much Tyler had already done.

You see, I am just one person who knew Tyler, and Tyler had a profound influence on my life.  I can only imagine how many people he touched in his short lifetime.  God always knew the number of Tyler's days.  His passing was no surprise to our Lord.  And though his days were fewer than we would hope, he filled those days.  He used those days.  He lived those days.

He changed me.

People have always noticed that Eric is different.  People have always been impressed with his willingness to lead, his willingness to help, his thoughtfulness.  Now you know why.  It was because his parents were blessed enough to know Tyler Binford.  To watch him grow.  To love him.

We miss you, Tyler.  We hurt desperately for your family.  We were so glad to know you and love you.

Thank you for helping me be a better mom to my son.  Thank you for helping me prepare him for service in the kingdom.

I love you!

Summer Swim Over

Summer swim ended, and Eric had another great season.

Once again this year, he got the MVP for his age group.  This means he earned the most points in his age group at the meets.  So very excited!

The team gave the swimmers medals for participating this year, as well as a small personalized cooler, and a tumbler.  

Eric's swim buddy got the most improved award in their age group.  Eric was so excited for him.  He has stayed after practice a few times to help his friend work on flip turns.  

Last night's swim meet was the hardest one yet.  The other team was very, very talented.  E swam his heart out, though!  

He got third place in the 100 Free, but he swam it in his best ever time.  This is why the place really shouldn't be looked at much.  If you care about the place, you would be disappointed in that race, as it was his first third place of the season.  However, he swam it 3 seconds faster than he ever has.  Wow!  So proud of him!  Can't complain at all about that.  He swam it in 1:15.16.  

He rocked his part of the relays, but the other team just had faster swimmers than we did.  I was crazy impressed with how he caught up a major lead the other team had, but then the next member of the relay lost it again.  Oh well.  

Eric also enjoyed helping the tall fella in this picture.  He is a runner who wants to do an Ironman, so he needed to learn to swim.  I was very impressed with his positive attitude, determination, and willingness to learn.  Eric enjoyed helping him with his turns, starts, dives, etc.  

He has had a great season, and I am so proud of him.  

I think he has a few trophies.....