TeenPact- JT loves politics?

 The entire 10th grade class went to Teen Pact in Little Rock, AR this year. TeenPact  is a dynamic, hands-on leadership school for Christian students.  

Our mission is to train youth to understand the political process, value their liberty, defend their Christian faith and engage the culture at a time in their lives when, typically, they do not care about such things. http://teenpact.com/

Well, JT was defiantly one of the teens who wasn't sure if he really cared about such things, as politics, right now. All he knew is that he looked really good in  his suit and his friends were going. He ended up really loving it. He got to tour the capitol, meet senators and lobbyist, witness the Heart Beat Bill pass, run for mock senate and win, plus have really fun friend hangout time.

Who knows, we may have a future politician on our hands!!

PCCA Prom 2013

JT got the privilege of escorting, his friend, Rachel Shoppy to their 10th grade Masquerade Prom.
We borrowed Ken's Mercedes for the evening.

 

I made their boutonniere and corsage  out of paper flowers and antique jewelry.

 

Here JT is posing with his "Bond Girls" his best friends Lexi and Sarah.

 It was a fun, first Prom for everyone!

He drives...from booster seat to drivers seat.

When both the kids were just little and older women would come up to me and say, "Time really goes fast, in a blink of your eye they are all grown up." I don't think I had any idea that they were right. It really does seem like yesterday when we removed JT's booster seat from the car and let him be a "Big Boy", and just use the seat belt. 

 

JT, this picture was taken on Mother's Day. We are on our way to Grandma and Poppa Jerry's to celebrate. I had to capture you chauffeuring me around.

It's official!!! You have your licenses, you can now leave the house, on your own without a parent!
Crazy, but very exciting!!!! 

 I haven't been one of those "cry baby" Moms, but today my heart did race and my eyes filled with tears at the idea of you and Claira taking your first mini-road trip to see the McCollum's.  I think your Dad was taking it harder than me. Thanks for calling when you arrived
and for being safe. 

Kids remember- When you have your own children, you will hear me say,
"Time really goes fast, in a blink of your eye they are all grown up." 

You'll have to just trust that I know what I'm talking about!!

The Tallest Snoopy in the World

The Spring Musical for 2013 was You're a Good Man Charlie Brown and JT was selected to play snoopy. He did an incredible job! It was a great production, as always. He had lots of family and friends show up to see the performance.  Once again, I am so thankful for the opportunity JT has had to attend such a great school!

PCCA Homecoming of 2013

Rachel, Hannah, Ms. Mullen, JT, & Mason.

Nonna & Poppa

Lexi Beaver & JT Gresham Sophomore Attendants 

Poppa Jerry & Grandma

Mom, JT, & Claira Poor Dad was at work :(

Frog dissection conqueror!

JT:

I am incredibly proud of you! On your Frog Lab, you received 143 out of 144
points! I'm brimming with joy for you! HOORAY!!!!!!!

Feel free to break your arm patting yourself on the back! WAY TO GO!

Mrs. Johnson

We received this text from JT:

Mom & Dad,

I have the second highest score in the class and best dissection.

We are so proud of you JT!!! Science was difficult at the beginning of the year but you have overcome! The great news is that you and Rachel can continue to be lab partners for the rat dissection.

He Shaves??!!

How did we go from, "Momma, hold you." 

To..."Mommy, let's play Thomas the Train."

To..., "Hey, Mom, come take a picture of me shaving."

Older, wiser women would tell me when JT was just a toddler, "Soak this time up it goes so fast."

My days felt soooo long back then but now I am the one reminding my friends with little ones to soak the time up because it really does go so fast. 


I have loved being mother to this son God has given me. I have learned so much about myself and how little I really knew, in the beginning, about boys. Thank goodness Jay has helped me raise JT to be a man's man and not a "girly boy". When they would wrestle I would stand by and and say, "Jay, that is too rough." Jay would always say, "For a girl maybe, but he is a boy, Babe." I would think, "We'll see about that!" Time and time again, it never failed, they would be playing rough, JT would get hurt and come to me to make him feel better and then head back to Jay for more. This puzzled me and reminded me that I really didn't understand the way of a man.

I am so thankful for books like Wild at Heart , Bringing Up Boys and long talks with Jay as he is so patient to explain how guys think and what they need. I try to be teachable and understanding of men and how God made them so different from women. What a loving God we have to  make a protector, provider & leader to care for me, a women.

We are still on the journey of raising this God-given son to be a strong follower of Christ with unwavering character. As I pray for JT's present and future life I am learning to trust Jay more and more in the understanding of young men and trust God that JT was made by him and made for him and that he has given my son to me for a time to teach, nurture, love and then very soon...not long from now to let go of.

Thank you, JT for all of times you tell me that you love me or come up to me and put your arm around me and say, "Come here, Mom, give me a hug!" I need that and I love you for it.

Spontaneous Helicopter Ride!

Step 1 move the helicopter out of the hanger.

 Jay met a friend in LPN school who is a
helicopter pilot. Jay, JT and I got to take a ride in the helicopter for FREE. It was so awesome! It was the first time any of us had been in a helicopter and I have to say that I am a fan...a big fan! I could just picture us in Africa flying over a herd of elephants running on the plains...what a sight that would be. I was begging JT to become a pilot one day so that we could take adventures from the sky all over the world!

Step 2 take a picture before the ride.

Step 3 beg your son to become a pilot!!

Our shadow is on  top of the building.

Worship begins...

JT you have been blessed with the ablity to play music!

Recently he has been playing in the worship band at his youth group. He wrote a speech on worship that he gave to his speech class this month. I am very proud of his attitude toward worship and the material he put together for his speech.

What do you think of whan you hear the word Musician? Do you think of a rock star rocking out on a stage: maybe you think of a guy just playing guitar. When I hear the word musician I think of a servant. I was told once that in medieval times musicians were not like rock stars they were just known as jesters. There job was to dance an dplay music as a servant to the king.

Playing music and listening to music are great abilities that God has given us. We use music in all most everything. Music is everywhere! Even if you tried to get away from music you would probably find it really hard. I think if we did not have music it waould be very depressing. So, what I am trying to say is music is a big deal in life. Every cluture has some type of music, but even if you don't like to play music the key is to like what you do and do what you like!

When I was 11 years old I really wanted to start playing guitar, but I had no one to each me so I started to pray, a lot! A year later I went to this church event called Winter Chill and at Winter Chill there was this guy named David Murray. (He was really good at all intruments) After being scared to death of asking him I finally got up the courage to walk up to him and ask him if he would teach me guitar. He said, "Yeah Man!" After a long converstaion he was not only going to teach me guitar but teach me for free!! I was schocked! It was a big blessing from God. it was the best feeling in the world to know that I was giong to get FREE guitar lessons. I thought I was just going to learn guitar but David used guitar to teach me how to worship and what worship really is.

God made music and it can fill the empty space in our lives. 2Samuel 22:50 says,"Therefore, I will give thanks to you Oh Lord, among the Gentiles, and sing praises to your name." Also, in 1 Chronicles 23L5 it says, "Four thousand praised the Lord with musical intruments, which I have made for giving praise." When I play on stage at my church it's really hard because I have the temptation to stage dive or do some cool solo. Whenever I am faced with that temptation I just remember that I am a jester to the King of Kings!