Mid-Summer 2012 Thoughts

Can it really be almost 7 months since my last post?  Much has happened in the past several months...

Right after Michael successfully defended his dissertation

 The biggest news of the year is that Michael has officially completed his PhD and will receive his doctorate on August 4, 2012!  He worked so hard for the past decade, to complete both his Masters and Doctoral degrees while maintaining a full-time (plus several other part-time work and ministry related endeavors) job. We are all eager to have his schooling fully behind us!

Lauren completed her freshman year at the University of Akron with a strong finish.  She received all A's in the Honors College there this year.  She did that while maintaining a heavier course load than was recommended, too!  She immersed herself in the UA culture, and as a result, will begin her sophomore year in the fall as an "Akron Ambassador," as well as serve on the Student Senate.  She thrived in her involvement with The Chapel in Akron's Campus Focus ministry and even went with them on her first international missions trip to Mexico during her Spring Break.

Through Campus Focus, she served the Akron community every Monday evening with a program focused on coming alongside of some underprivileged children in the Akron area.  She also formed a new campus organization with one of her friends that travels to hospitals and nursing homes to sing to the residents/patients.

 It has been so great to have her home for most of the summer.  She has been busy working at Stimmels Bakery, attending and teaching some dance classes and traveling to see her friends from Akron.  She is also working on some publicity initiatives for our foster care agency, which is looking to represent foster homes in all 88 Ohio counties.  

Additionally, she is helping out with Global Connections, a local ministry to internationals.  She has been going out the the migrant camps a couple of times a week to do some Spanish translating, as well as helping out/translating for a Vacation Bible School Program there.

We are so proud, not only of her many skills, but her ever growing heart for people!  Lauren has handled her first extended time home after living "on her own" in college with tremendous grace and we love our relationship with her through this season in her life!

Justin also had another strong finish to his junior year of high school.  He continued to take challenging classes, yet still maintained a 4.3 GPA. 

Singing with The Madrigals

 He remained active in the Drama Club and even received several awards for his contributions last year.  

Justin played, Grandpa Joe, in the BGHS musical, "Willy Wonka"

As the Junior Class President, he lead monthly officer's meetings and helped plan the junior/senior prom.  He even got to attend two proms this year, as his girlfriend, Jenna, goes to high school in Perrysburg. 

Jenna and Justin

Justin in Honduras

Justin also immersed himself in, "Vertical," a large youth ministry affiliated with Cedar Creek Church in Perrysburg.  Apart from his activities with them throughout the school year, he also joined 9 other students on a missions trip to Honduras just a few weeks ago.  The trip further inspired his interest in working in the medical field, and having opportunities to participate in medical missions.  Justin's present plans include pursuing a nursing degree as an undergrad, and then going on to Medical School.

The Brown Brothers

He has continued to pursue various acting jobs and has auditioned for several things, although he has not yet received his "big break" in this area yet!  But he has continued to lead  "The Brown Brothers" with Logan and Ethan, and they have created some amazing videos.  I am eager to see the finished product on a couple of upcoming ones, including a debut duet with Lauren!

Along with his travels to Honduras, Justin also just got back from a week long trip to New York City.  My mother desires to take our children on a trip of their choice before they graduate from high school.  Lauren chose Italy and Paris, but Justin chose to stay stateside and tour the "Big Apple," as well as take in some Broadway shows.  He had a great time with his grandparents and loved this special gift they provided for him!

Along with these trips, Justin is also taking two online summer classes, working on his summer homework for AP English, practicing several worship songs as he prepares to help out with worship for Vertical beginning in the fall, and working at Kroger.  He seems to be working diligently on one of these commitments almost every hour of every day, but thrives on being busy, is super disciplined and organized, and somehow has been able to keep up with his friendships throughout the summer, as well!

 Logan is relieved to have his junior high years behind him and looks forward to entering high school in a little over a month.  He also finished the school year strong and received several recognitions not only for his academics, but for his strong character qualities, as well.

Logan joined the Track team in the Spring and really enjoyed participating in a team sport with his friends.  He has also enjoyed doing some video producing and editing with a new video camera and software.  He has created most of The Brown Brother's videos and several other projects, as well.  We are amazed at his self-taught technical abilities!

 

As in summers past, Logan has immersed himself in the BG community the past few months by volunteering at nature camps and at two Vacation Bible Schools.  By the end of this week, he will have acquired over 53 hours of community service so far this summer!

Ethan also completed another school year with academic success.  He loves being challenged academically and has even missed doing research and homework over the summer.  He only has one more year of elementary school left before he goes the the middle school - and he couldn't be happier!

Ethan participated in a week-long Nature Camp earlier this summer, but otherwise has enjoyed some "relaxing summer days" at home.  He has tackled several very large puzzles and has begun to teach himself how to play the guitar (with some lessons from Justin).  His singing abilities have really blossomed this year, and he loves learning the harmonies to many of the songs/videos that The Brown Brothers have created this year.

Ethan and Logan have also done some golfing together this summer through BGSU's golf program.  They will participate in the "Andy Open" in a few weeks, as well.  They are also hopeful that they can get a round of golf in with Michael's parents when they come to BG for Michael's graduation.

And rounding up the update on our family is Jameson.  He continues to grow and mature and provides our family with both the funniest and the most frustrating moments of each day!  He has become somewhat famous on Facebook, as his one-liners are frequently quoted as Michael's status updates.  Michael and I hope to co-author a book about our hilarious son sometime this fall.

Jameson thrives on routine and order (well at least his order), so the ever changing summer schedule has caused the return of some meltdowns in recent weeks.  Thankfully, he is mostly over any separation anxiety and has been able to participate in several morning camps and Vacation Bible School, as well.  These provide a great social outlet for him and a reprieve from his constant supervision for me and our other children, as well!

Jameson also participated in his first organized sports team.  As a member of the Astros, he had a great time swinging the bat like a golf club (wrong sport), playing in the dirt, and his after-game slushie!

Jameson took his first swim lessons a couple of weeks ago and proved to really like the water.  He even passed the Red Cross Level 1 swimming class on the first try, unlike any of our other children did in previous years!  It's a little too early to tell if he will be able to keep up with the advanced academics of our other children, but he sure has grown in so many other areas in recent months!

This past school year, we fostered a 17-year-old young man, until he almost turned 18 and "aged out" of the foster care system.  This was our first experience with an older teen, and challenged us with new "parenting" skills to learn and try to employ.  It was actually quite heart-breaking for us in the end, and we can only hope he has taken with him some new experiences and some different and positive family interactions.  For the time being, we do not have any foster children, although we remain open to that in the future.

So, that's a rather lengthy update on our family.  I hope to write shorter entries, but more frequently during the upcoming school year!  For now, we are trying to get the most we can out of our summer together.  We have all created a "bucket list" of 4 or 5 things we hope to do/accomplish this summer and we are steadily making our way through the list!

We will go on a mini-vacation to Hocking Hills at the end of the month, and we are all looking forward to the concentrated time together.  It is amazing how our family has changed throughout the years and we are really enjoying this stage where so many of our children are older and more independent now.  We feel truly blessed by their many talents and how as they age, they are pursuing their faith in the Lord with such passion!