Hello everyone!

Summer is quickly passing away - isn't it! OMW - school is only 9 or 10 weeks away...........wow.....and I haven't really done anything with Jake except spend time at the pool - I have a whole list of things I want to do with him - I'd better get busy!!!

Jake is enjoying his time at Pastor's Mark's school (his mother's day out). It's really cool because one of the teachers he really liked left - but a lady from our church - Ms. Bobbie Bragg, who Jake knows, is now going to be in his classroom!! He is so excited. It's funny how kids get attached to someone and when they leave - it's like the whole world around them changed.........so, for Ms. Mandie to leave - he was like - Ok - guess I'm not going back to Pastor's Mark's school.......I'm like - UH - I think you are!!!! LOL When I told him that Mr. Ted's (who painted the mural in his room) wife was going to take her place - he was real excited......see, it's the small things in life! LOL

The week of the 13th - he will go to Vacation Bible School at the same place that he does Mother's Day Out - he is excited about that too! After that- I've got to get busy taking him to some fun places like the wave pool in Mt. Belvieu, the schlitterbaun in Galveston, Aquarium, Moody Gardens, Kemah....ok - just to name a few......

Mark and I met with the doctor this past Friday to get her recommendations for Jake in the upcoming school year............she is pushing for a lot more modifications in his day - much more speech therapy...in fact - we will probably target private therapy for speech and occupational therapy. His speech/language area is the hardest hit - so we will need to really focus on that.

This summer - I've taken a leave of absence from the choir and from the WayStreet Kids ministry. I've sang faithfully for 10 years - twice on Sunday and on Wednesday nights and I just need a break! I'm only doing it during the summer months. This allows me to attend church with my hubby and son vs. leaving early in the morning on Sunday's (8:00 AM) and staying for both services (we have 9:00 and 11:00)and getting home around 2:00 PM.....it can be very tiring (as many of you do every weekend)! Our music director for the past 10 years has left our church to do other things and we are now in transition.......this in and of itself can be trying - but God is in control. Pastor Jared is doing a great job and in a few months - we will know whether or not he will be the new director. Others will come in and try out for the position and then we, as a choir and a church, will select. I know that God has the right one for us - maybe Pastor Jared - we just need to be patient. Anyway - since Robert left - I decided now was a good time to take a break! I will be back in the choir probably in August - once school starts. We travel quite a bit in the summer - going on short trips on the weekends and it's easier for me to do now that I don't have to rush back. I'm enjoying just being a "saint" for a while (ok - I say that lightly because I know many of you are laughing at that thinking - Karen - a saint!!)....I'll give you that!!! LOL....Jake however, is struggling with this transition. Robert was his friend too and went up to the church once a week to play with him on the drums and stuff - in a little 6 year old's mind - he doesn't understand when something like this changes........he keeps asking when Robert is coming back and what is going on with me not singing........so many changes - he is a little confused....I just keep telling him that Robert is still his friend and we will still see him and hang out with him - we just have to wait a spell for him to figure out what he is doing. He was so use to going with me to both services and now that I'm not singing and only going to one service - he is not sure what to think! LOL

Where the children's area is concerned - I have been the Administrative Director for 2 years and a teacher for two years prior to that and I'm just taking a leave of everything. You know how you work so much that sometimes you forget that you still have to go to church??? I found myself being so involved in all my responsibilities that I was hardly ever in the actual sanctuary listening to the word - so, I'm just enjoying myself now with my hubby at the 9:00 service.......it's hard to not be involved in everything around me - but I'm determined to do it for a time....it may be a short time - but for a time at least!!! LOL

We are leaving on vacation with my parents soon! We are so excited.......can't wait to spend time with them - don't get to see them as often as I'd like - they are either traveling around or Dad is working too much - so this week will be great to spend some good quality time...Jake loves his Popsie and Grammy (ok - his popsie rules - but he loves Grammy too!).

I'll check back in around the 13th. Have a blessed 4th of July and great week. Love to all
K