The Johnsonville Update

The Number One Son began driving and worked all summer/fall at a local nursery--Petals from the Past. He has spent countless hours preparing for basketball season and it is upon us. He's a junior and preparing for college already. He hopes to join Elise at U of Mobile in 2020 when he graduates. Right now, nursing appears to be the end game today. Tomorrow it might be starship captain. We shall see.

The Little Flower began speaking. She's been in speech therapy for months now, and has begun to share her opinions loudly with great enthusiasm. (It's freaking everyone out.) For example, she gave a diatribe about gun control and social/racial structure in her history class. Like complete with arm flinging and raised voice. 

The Husband is doing great in his new job. He's been selling cars for a year and has broken every goal he set for himself. We miss full-time ministry, but at the same time we don't miss full time ministry. It's an adjustment but a relief in the same breath. Ministry is hard on a family, but glory to God. 

Nana is still plugging along. She's crocheting, gardening, eating, cooking, churching, and being Nana. 

Elise has been able to come home once or twice a month since going to Mobile. She's had a busy schedule, attended several Smile-a-Mile events, and got an amazing ministry/job opportunity for summer with Camp Winshape. She's excited and nervous but mostly excited. She'll be gone from mid May until mid August the entire summer working and saving money. 

Elaina is learning a new volleyball tracking system to keep stats for the volleyball home games. She tried basketball for awhile and decided it just wasn't for her. It was too much with classes and work study and traditions. She felt like she wasn't committed enough to be an asset to the team and I was proud that she moved from the basketball program into the volleyball program. Her classes are gong well and she loves Judson.

Random Nothingness

Random:

1.) So, with the play, the graduation, the senior trip, school accreditation visit, and various other things like final exams, basketball camp, wisdom teeth extraction, ear surgery, moving two kids into two different colleges, financing said college, starting a new school year, etc., our family has been in a blender for a couple of months. I'm so glad all of those things happened, but now I'm happy they are maybe under control now or over. Basketball is right around the corner. Glad I got some things off of my plate before then. #basketballParent

2.) I don't care what happens in my life from this point on. I am strong enough because God goes with me and before me.

3.) If you mess with my kids, I won't need to intervene anymore. They can take you on all by themselves. And they have not only my permission but my blessing. #BetterBackItUpTerry #PutItInReverse

4.)  Lillian was actually deaf in one ear and partially deaf in the other before she had an ear surgery. Now she thinks we are all insane and loud and wishes she couldn't hear again. #poplillydesigns 

5.) Carter is a terrible patient. I'm already praying for his future wife. #wisdomTeethExtraction

6.) Elaina is a saint. She's also mean as a snake. Depends. I'd back up a couple of feet and make sure before proceeding. #naynuhOnPoint

7.) Elise was the kid at the beginning of her senior year voted most likely in Johnsonville to flee and never look back. Now after a year home with me she's most likely to be homesick. Like 'can I please leave summer camp' homesick. #goingtoworkforCampWinshapeAllSummerTenWeeksAwayFromHome

8.) I don't hate anyone, but there are some people on my "seriously dislike" list. I'm praying for you. Mostly so I won't harm you, but it still counts. #PrayForYourEnemies

9.) Steve is a spectacular salesman. Seriously. Like he's the bomb. #GrinninWithMcKinnon (there's your shameless plug, Darling.)

10.) I hate country music. It's my children's favorite form of rebellion. (If that's all the rebellion I have to deal with, kudos to me for the parenting win.) #ALittleRebellionIsGoodForTheSoul

11.) My girls are adulting the heck out of college. I haven't had to make a single phone call or intervene on anything, including the business office. #Winning

S'mores Vs Math: It's not even a contest

Friday night face masks with the boys. 

An open letter to my children: 

When the Fun Bus Rolls, 
GET ON IT IMMEDIATELY! 

Dressing up makes everything more fun. 

I told the Wonder Twins to post photos of their fun experiences on social media so that we can keep up with what they are doing, and it will make a nice memory bank later when they want to recall all of the fun things they did.

But here is the weirdest trend ever--when the girls post something fun, the news feed blows up with people telling them to study harder or more or to quit having so much fun. I know most people are having fun and being cute and joking, but it still begs the question...

What is wrong with you people? 

Did you not see our entire high school experience broadcast via social media? 

Do you know us at all? 

Dorm s'mores, because s'mores. Duh.

This is The Mother Bear's Official Response to my Children concerning People Who Tell You to Study More and Play Less:  

It would be a total parenting fail if I didn't remind everyone in the room that making s'mores in a late-night dorm party is EVERY BIT AS IMPORTANT AS MATH.

No one has ever asked me what I made in college Algebra I (a high D by the by, and yet surprisingly, my life has gone on and quite successfully, might I add), but I can recall every single fun thing I did in high school and college.

Touring campus move in weekend.

Now, if the kids were sucking at school I might have a little different take on the situation, but my girls are smart as all get out and are killing the entire schooling processes and Adulting like Total Bosses, so, I say press on towards the goal of having ALL the FUN along the way.

Goodwill Gala, Ram Rush. Classes haven't started yet. 

(Side note: There's no need to brag about how much you are studying and how awesome your grades are, Ladies. The President's List/Dean's List will speak for itself. I have never one time in my entire parenting experience been embarrassed by my children's grades. I have every confidence that this year will be no different.)

And let's reflect on the fact that you haven't been complete losers while making all of those A's. You were varsity athletes, elected officials on the Student Leadership Council, workers at every single event, BETA club members, homecoming princesses, homecoming queen, had part time jobs, and were Fun Bus all the way in high school, (all of which will be more helpful to you in the long run than actual grades on tests).

Trust me. I'm old. I know things.

Hat shopping before beaching on a Saturday. When
there are no classes, because it's Saturday.

And as if this part needed repeating, Elise spent an entire YEAR sitting in the house sick, fighting cancer. She missed her senior year. I don't care if she runs completely amok like a wild animal her freshman year away at college, because she's ALIVE! And LIVING! And Living WELL! And her sister spent an entire YEAR being a pseudo mom, so she can run wild too as far as I'm concerned.

Now you put that text book down immediately and go find some trouble. ASAP. Like yesterday. And that's an order, Young Ladies!

Love,
The Mother Bear

Dressed up for a Judson event. No boys in sight.
 Still gangster. 

#IfYouAreNotHavingFunYouAreNotDoingItRight
#SmoresForTheWin
#PlayAsHardAsYouWork
#FunBusRules
#BigEGoestoCollege
#ItsAJudsonThing

Monday night student-led, all girls campus Bible study. Wild, I tell you. Wild. 

Halloween festivities on campus at Judson, all all-girls college. No boys.
There are no boys. None. Not a one. Wear whatever you want. Seriously.
Can it be too short? No. There are no boys. 

Wednesday night Ram Refill Student-led Campus Bible Study. That's right.
We study the Bible two nights a week.
We're crazy like that. 

College night at the fair. Because nothing says rebellion like the fair.