First Day of 6th and 3rd Grade

Before we knew it, the new school year was upon us. We were navigating new territory this year with juggling both Connor's new junior high schedule as well as Kaitlynn's elementary schedule.

I made sure to take photos of the kids before school to capture their first day of school in 6th and 3rd grade.

First up was Connor's departure for junior high. His school started an hour before Kaitlynn's, and this year he would be riding his bike to the campus down the street. It was a little nerve-wracking for me to send him off to school down a busy residential street, but I was thankful that he was able to ride along with his neighbor buddy, Felipe. Both boys were all smiles and excited about starting their new adventure in junior high.

Kaitlynn was excited to bike to school this year, too. Since Connor was no longer around to accompany her to school, I made sure to pump up the tires on my own bike to ride along. She was so happy to be returning to her school and to see all of her friends again.

We ran into one of her best buddies, Evan, on the way to school and I couldn't resist taking a photo. Then it was inside to Kaitlynn's classroom to begin her 3rd grade year. Kaitlynn was already in love with her teacher and ready for the fun day ahead.

By the end of the day, I was SO ready to hear about how the first day had gone. I was on pins and needles waiting for Connor and Felipe to return home safely. When they finally arrived, they were so happy and excitedly told me about their day. Connor was beyond thrilled with his newfound independence in junior high and loved everything about the entire day. He was right in his element with his friends and new schedule.

Becoming a Timberwolf

The new school year was upon us and it was going to be a big change for Connor as he was starting middle school! I wasn't quite sure how this happened but I was excited for his new chapter as he began junior high as a WoodCreek Timberwolf!

The first step for Connor in becoming a Timberwolf was attending an event as his new campus where he picked up his school schedule and supplies and then "walked" his daily schedule to familiarize himself with the building and his classes. He was so excited throughout the whole process, and it was just the cutest thing watching Connor and his buddies compare schedules to see if they shared any classes and which lunch period they each had.

Kaitlynn tagged along to the event and was happy she did, because she ran into one of her sweet friends. The little sisters enjoyed exploring the school as much as their big brothers.

Later that night, Connor's very first junior high dance was hosted at the school for all of the students. I dropped him off and captured a quick photo as he walked confidently into the building to hang out with his buddies. He had the BEST time that night and was all smiles, ready for his new adventure in junior high.

Meet the Teacher - 3rd Grade

As hard as it was to say goodbye to Jeff as he began his new job in Dubai, it was beginning to get busy for us back in Katy. The new school year was upon us, and it was a nice and much needed distraction for the kids and I to take our minds off of missing Daddy.

Kaitlynn was so excited to learn that she would begin 3rd grade with a new set of amazing teachers, Ms. Templeton and Ms. Warren. We heard wonderful things about them and couldn't wait to attend Meet the Teacher night.

Meet the Teacher night is a great time to hug great friends we have all missed during the summer. Such a fun evening all around.

Connor and his buddy Mason were also excited to attend Meet the Teacher night at the elementary school. They were the big 6th graders now and loved parading around their former campus, feeling proud that they'd moved on to Junior High.

I admit, this night was bittersweet for me. I was greeting these incredible teachers and sweet fellow students of Kaitlynn's, gearing up for a wonderful school year and yet knowing we would only be around for a few months. We kept wearing our smiles but definitely feeling the uncertainty inside!

Saying Goodbye to Sweet Daddy

The summer of 2017 changed our lives forever, all because of a seemingly innocent call from a recruiter while we were visiting Jeff's Dad in Florida. Jeff gets these recruiter calls all the time, so it wasn't unusual. When the recruiter mentioned that he had a job opportunity in Dubai, Jeff asked me what I thought. Apparently my eyes got big and I said, "Cool!" and Jeff agreed to talk further about the position. Neither one of us thought it would go anywhere.

The first interview turned into a second, and the phone interviews turned into video calls. With every step, Jeff moved further along in the interview process and our eyes got a little wider. We just kept thinking it would fizzle out and never materialize. In the beginning of the process, we explained to the kids that the probability of everything falling into place was low. But after Jeff was asked for a 3rd and 4th interview, we had to have serious discussions with the kids about the possibility of moving to Dubai.

Most people we talked to were surprised but also incredibly supportive. Why would we consider uprooting our family and moving to Dubai for a job? A move overseas was something we discussed and wanted to explore earlier in our careers, but the timing was never right since we had Collin and Kevin to consider. When they were grown and out of the house, Jeff and I no longer had the possibility of an overseas assignment because I wasn't working full-time and he wasn't working for an international company. When this Dubai opportunity came along, we were still in agreement about the many ways we thought it could benefit our family: broadening our horizons, international travel and experience, exposure to other cultures and ways of life, and of course, the possibility of financial gains. With all of those things in mind, we decided to take this big leap of faith and see what God had in store for our family.

My favorite photo from a farewell lunch with Kevin before Jeff left for Dubai.

In accepting the new job in Dubai, Jeff would begin working right away while the kids and I stayed back in Katy. The plan was for him to start out with a 3-month probationary period to make sure the job and the new city would be a fit. In the matter of a few weeks, Jeff went from having a stay-at-home-Dad role to starting a new job across the world. We weren't going to see him for weeks and at the time it felt so uncertain and scary. We prepared the kids as best as we could, and we made sure to soak in the time together in Jeff's final days at home before leaving for Dubai. Looking back at the pictures, our eyes are all puffy and red-rimmed. It was an emotional departure for all of us.

It broke my heart seeing Jeff and the kids say goodbye. We are a tightknit family and it was hard to imagine what our daily lives would be like without Sweet Daddy being there, especially after he had been home all summer.

One of the ways that Jeff tried to help the kids was by leaving them surprise notes tucked away throughout the house. They began finding some notes even before Jeff left, so they knew there were more messages to look forward to while he was away. Sometimes these brought smiles and other times they brought tears.

Probably the uncertainty of the situation was the hardest for all of us. How soon would we see Jeff again? Were we going to confirm the decision and move across the world? How would our lives change with friends, home, school, and of course, our beloved family? We leaned heavily on prayer and our faith to get us through the uncertainty. God was in control!

K1 Racing with Kevin

Years ago, Kevin took a part-time job at a nearby go-racing place called K1 Speed. He has been working there for years but we had never seen the place. During the summer, Jeff promised the kids that he would take them. The kids loved it and we enjoyed seeing Kevin in his element at work. Those carts can go FAST!

Summer Camp

After our 3-week summer road trip, it wasn't long before the kids were back to some usual summer activities. Their favorite has always been summer camp. Connor was signed up for a few nights at Carolina Creek, his all-time favorite Christian overnight camp. He and his buddy, Brady, enjoyed the extra time together and a nice getaway.

Kaitlynn attended a day camp called Winshape at our church, Current, and was so happy to see her sweet friend and neighbor, Lauren. They loved all of the activities and outdoor fun, especially the electives they get to choose like cooking, science, and gymnastics. And to end the week, Kaitlynn and Lauren had a fun summer sleepover.

Funny story...one night after camp, we were driving near Katy Mills Mall and noticed a group of girls walking on the sidewalk. Kaitlynn yells out, "Hey! That's my camp counselor!" And sure enough, it was a group of counselors from Winshape Camp walking to the nearby Walmart for some snacks. We let them hitch a ride to shorten their walk a little. Kaitlynn loved it!

Envision STEM Leadership 2017

The last week of our Summer 2017 road trip was spent in Dallas. We were there in support of Connor, who would be joining a few classmates for a special academic camp/conference: Envision Youth Leadership. Connor and his classmates were nominated by their 4th grade teacher, Ms. Vivier, to attend this conference which explores careers in STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. It was an honor to be nominated, and the kids spent some time together prior to the camp to focus on their fundraising efforts.

Connor requested donations from friends and family to raise money towards his week at the Envision conference. When it was finally time for the event, he was excited to spend time with his friends and see what he would be learning for the week. The conference was hosted on the UT Dallas campus in the Richardson area.

The students had to wear a "uniform" to class each day. They spent 5 days learning about STEM careers and opportunities, with a focus on medicine, forensics and crime scene investigation, and robotics programming. They conducted experiments and participated in numerous group projects. It was great fun, especially having the experience of attending class at a college campus. Below are some of the group photos posted by the conference leaders.

That's our boy, always front and center in whatever he's doing! (*eyeroll*) We are so thankful that Connor enjoyed an enriching and educational experience with the Envision youth leadership program. It was a great opportunity to get him thinking about his career possibilities down the road.