Last Day of School for 2018-2019!

Despite all the CRAZY that was this year for the Wright family – complete with ER jaunts, hospital stays, doctor appointments, prayers, biopsies, surgeries, more doctor appointments, glasses of wine, time with family, playdates with friends, sporting events, piano recitals, trips, prayers, and SO MUCH MORE.

We made it.  The Dayspring Academy 2018-2019 school year is in the books.  And I’m pretty sure we learned and grew a bit.

From the first day

To the last!

Wrapping up this year feels especially momentous because it’s also the END OF AN ERA.  I get weepy just thinking about it, but this marked my LAST baby’s LAST day of preschool!  (sob!)

The Little Sir had such a blast at Chapel Hill Bible Preschool over the past two years.

(He’s in a swimsuit in *ecstatic* anticipation of “Water Day”)

We’ve been so immensely thankful for all of the love and encouragement the Little Sir has received.  What a Godsend preschool teachers are!

(The Little Sir with Miss Jenny and Miss Holly, Superheros of patience and creativity…and super-cool Chinese lessons and science projects!)

The Little Mister and Little Miss also had great teachers this year (besides their very own Awesome-And-Fabulous-MAMA-Teacher).

They loved every minute of Science Class at Deerstream with Mrs. Kendall and Mrs. Brown.

(Even hot and sweaty after Field Day!)

And they adored their Tutors (and my dear buddies) in our Classical Conversations co-op!  Mrs. Sanchez and Mrs. Syfrett, and ALL of the CC Tutors, are the best!

Phew.

It’s been a year.  Quite a year.

A year that I think we learned a whole lot more about GOD and FAITH and COMMUNITY than we did about reading, writing and math.

But learn we did.  (And don’t worry, Grandmas and Grandpas, the Littles all still aced their EOG assessments.)

Hallelujah.

And HELLO SUMMER!

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Beach Vacay ~ 2018

Beach days
Beach days
Sunny, sandy
Sweet days

Holden Beach

June 2018

Looking back on these photos I’m struck by the facts that:

A) It’s mid-November, and I’m cold.

B) These beach weeks are just the sweetest times for our crew.  Most weeks we live the cliched over-busy, over-scheduled family lifestyle.  But for this one week each summer, we kick back, relax, soak in some sun, and soak up so much fun together.  These weeks are priceless.

C) This week at Holden Beach (a first for us, and what a great place it is!), was the first time that Mike noticed trouble with his vision.  Three months later he would go to a follow-up ophthalmologist appointment…which would lead to an exhausting all-night trip to the ER…which would lead to a MRI…which would end in a brain tumor diagnosis.

Crazy town.

I think I’d rather just go back to the beach.

And be warm.

Beach days
Beach days
Simple, happy
Free days

Beach days
Beach days
Rowdy ridin’
Sea days

Beach days
Beach days
Tasty, melty
Treat days

Beach days
Beach days
Fun-filled
Family spree days

Beach days
Beach days
God’s lovely creation
Peace days

WE’LL BE BACK.

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ARRRRR You Ready For Cousin Camp?!?!

Take a house on the shores of the Chesapeake,

1 (highly) energetic Grandma,

7 (especially) crazy Little People,

2 summer (and cocktail) lovin’ Mamas,

and what do you get?!?

COUSIN CAMP!

Version 2018!

But I’m jumping ahead of myself.

Let me start at the beginning

with The-Cousins-Aren’t-Here-Yet-And-We-Have-Wiggles-To-Woggle

Activity.

Otherwise knows as, a…

PIRATE VOYAGE!

Thanks to Captain Nena!

ARRRRR, Maties!

Some of us were more ferocious looking than others…

We Buccaneers boarded our mighty Man-O-War and were off on a grand adventure!

We even found some LOOT!

Seadogs and Scallywags alike, we all had a swashbucklin’ good time.

Once we became Land Lubbers again,

it was time to shout “AHOY!” to our Cousins!

And head back out to the Big Blue.

For there were battles to wage,

castles to storm,

and doubloons to pilfer!

The waters were often treacherous,

with scurvy dogs who wanted to scuttle our ship

and turn our crew into shark bait.

The sandy shore offered some respite for our Little Pirates.

A time to gather at the scuttled butt, rest our weary bones, and plan for the next attack.

Or just take a nap.

Especially when you’re just a Wee Laddie Pirate.

Or a (tired) Pirate Mama Lass.

Mermaids graced our shores as well.

Mermaids, that is, with a special fondness for all things chocolate and volleyball.

Needing to rest our sea-weary bones a bit, we battened down the hatches and enjoyed some grog with the locals.

(Yay for a visit from Seafarers Uncle Jeff and Aunt Betty!!)

And then raised the union jack again and, led by the Fearless Captain Nena, set sail for another adventure!

Ever see a Pirate hike?

Well, at least some of them did.

Land-bound we may have been, but we were sure there was still enemy forts to storm and booty to be found!

And mosquitoes.  Lots and lots of mosquitoes.

They must have been drawn to our delightful (sweaty) Pirate aroma.

Even wobblin’ along on our sea legs, the hike was worth the effort!

That’s right, me hearties.

It’s a grand thing to get to be a PIRATE at Cousin Camp.

Especially when you have such a MERRY CREW to sail with!

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