Too Much To Say

We thought we would post a picture of what our newest little one looks like today. He/She must take after Amy, because I just can't see much resemblance there.

So what has been going on? Actually, a lot. I am working on putting a post together that describes it all. In the end, however, not much of it really matters in the grand scheme of things.

I went to the high school today to do some more work. I plan on being up there most of this week in the mornings. I've taken on the task of going through all my stuff to see what I can throw out.

Amy is starting to feel a little bit better now. She is taking medicine for the pregnancy sickness and it is helping.

I guess that's all for now. Thanks for reading.

Christmas in July

Today we celebrated our first ever, "Christmas in July." I'm sure you are asking,...um... WHY? And the answer to that is simply, "Why not?" The relative time line is a bit different for children than it is for adults. For example, one year for Cassidy is nearly 25% of her life! That would be like 8 years to me! So, instead of making the kids wait so long, we thought we would go ahead and give them a little boost to help get them by until the real Christmas. We told them to think of it as a "mini-Christmas" of sorts. We set up a little tree, some paper-bag stockings, wrapped a few presents for the kids. And as an added bonus, I went to the mail and, thanks to Nena and the good people at People's National Bank, we had Christmas cards in the mail!!!! I couldn't believe it! Alright, I know, you are all just thinking we are weird at this point. So, anyway, the link below are the pictures we took. We had a great time, and so did the children. MERRY CHRISTMAS..... IN JULY!!!!

PICTURES OF OUR FIRST EVER CHRISTMAS IN JULY

Saying Goodbye to the Taurus

Today we said goodbye to the Ford Taurus. It would be an understatement to simply say that it has been a good car. We bought the car back in 2001 and have been so many places in the car. We drove the car to Florida twice, to West Virginia once, countless trips to St. Louis, and all over creation playing music. We have hauled more than you would think you could haul in a car. It is the car that both Cassidy and Callie both came home from the hospital in. I have replaced several parts on the car at one time or another and it has just kept on going. Unfortunately, several months ago we hit a deer with it going rather quickly. The damage caused to the car has made it an eye sore and somewhat of an embarrassment to drive. Insurance didn’t cover it, and a body shop was going to charge an unreasonable amount of money to fix it. I couldn’t find a fender to match, and the cost of a new hood was more than I wanted to spend. Someone offered to paint the car for us, and had we kept it I’m sure we would have taken them up on the offer. But, things come and go, and for us the car has served its purpose.

So what else is going on with us? Well, you will think we are totally crazy at this, but we are about to celebrate what we are calling, “Christmas in July.” Basically, it is like a mini-Christmas for us. We set up a small tree and got the kids a few presents for them to unwrap. We plan on opening presents on Wednesday afternoon? Why then? I don’t know, why not I guess---just something to do during the dog days of summer. If it goes over well, I can see great ideas for this holiday (some of which would probably upset the neighbors). But for now, it is just our little tree and some presents.

The only other thing going on is that Amy is really experiencing the things that go on during the first trimester of pregnancy. One of her manifestations involves forgetting things, breaking things, and losing things. Today she called me from Walmart. She had lost her keys. The odd thing about it, was that she made it to the car, unlocked the car, and at one point actually started the car! Long story short, the keys got carried away by the guy taking the shopping carts back. What a deal!

Visiting the WWJD

Last night was a little rough for Amy. She is going through pregnancy sickness, and she threw up several times. I think I remember her having a bit of this with one of the other children, but she says she can’t. Believe me, it is no fun at all! Callie and Cassidy still need Amy a lot. Let’s hope this passes quickly for all of our sakes!

This morning Amy was feeling better, and she and the kids went to church at Orchardville. Amy is working in the nursery now, which means she needs to be there for both services. I don’t really want to be there twice, and I can’t justify driving two vehicles that far. So, today I visited the WWJD church. This is a church that ministers mostly to inner city kids. There were about 30 or 40 kids there, many of whom seemed to come from difficult circumstances. My guess is a lot of them are poor, and live in dysfunctional families. The pastor, Rodney Mellot, does a tremendous job with the kids. He drives a bus through town and picks them up. He truly has a heart for ministry, and I can’t think of a better place to make a difference.

The service began with welcome where a bible game was played and then a cartoon type story was shown on a big screen. Then there was worship music, complete with electric guitars, bass, keyboard and drums. Finally, Rodney preached a sermon about making the right choices in order to go to Heaven. Although the story may have been geared towards children, it really spoke to me. “Jesus is always watching”—how easy it is to forget that.

Afterwards I had a chance to talk again to my good friend Craig. Back during the band days he used to speak a lot about wearing masks. Not the Halloween kind, but the kind you put on when someone comes up to you and says, “Hey, how are things going,” and you replay, “Oh, just fine…things are good, etc.” all the while you are thinking, “Man, things just really suck right now, but I know these people don’t want to hear about how bad my life is.” Those types of masks. So, anyway, I have a difficult time not being real around Craig. I let him know that I am feeling low about something, and he gave me some encouragement. I really needed it.

The Rummage Sale

Yesterday was a pretty full day. We spent most of the day getting ready for the rummage sale. We had to go through the many boxes that have been sitting in our garage since we moved in. The difficulty in sorting through stuff comes with trying to decide what should be kept and what should be passed along to someone else. Most of it is just junk in my opinion, but there were a few items I hated to part with. Above is a picture of the many patrons at the sale.

I also had the opportunity to attend a Bible study last night. Craig and Monte Jo had invited me to visit the one they attend. It was really nice to be part of a group again. We have not been able to connect with a good small group at our church, and just one time of being around believers was so uplifting. I greatly enjoyed it.

Finally, late last night our neighbors, Ryan and Becky, came over for cards again (sorry the house was such a mess guys). We really enjoy their company each time we are together. It is neat to have neighbors like them. All of our neighbors are great in this subdivision. We would like to plan some kind of neighborhood party, but we just aren’t quite sure how to set it up. I do have an idea of putting together some sort of a website for residents of our neighborhood. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

So that is what is going on with us for the moment. Thanks for reading!!!!

Rigor, Relevance, Relationships

Okay, okay, so Amy didn’t really get a tattoo. I drew them myself—I told you I was bored. But, not half bad, if I do say so myself! That being said, as Becky hinted at, Amy DOES have a wild streak, just not enough to get a big “R” tattooed on her foot. However, you might see something to do with henna in the near future.

Not much has gone on today. Tonight I have a board meeting where we will present what we learned from our trip in Chicago. The following was taken from the slide show put together by some of those who attended. These are just some of the things that successful high schools are doing around the country. A major emphasis is placed on Rigor, Relevance, and Relationships with the students. Many of them are also going to the Freshmen Academy concept.

2007 Model Schools Conference

Rigor

Stretch Learning

Grading Systems

Mandatory Tutoring

Increased AP course offerings

Co-Teaching

Credit Recovery

Teacher Training

Relevance

Literacy Initiatives

Curriculum Mapping

Integration of CTE

Rigor/Relevance Framework

Teacher Training

Relationships

Teacher/Student Relationships

Feeder Schools

Culture of Celebration

Staff Collaboration

Teacher Mentoring Program

Passionate Administrators

Teacher Training

9^th Grade Academy

Every student belongs to a smaller learning community

Early interventions

Common/closed lunch period

Smaller class size

Common planning for teacher teams

Report Card Night

Freshman administrative and guidance team

Home visits

Tattoos?

Its seems like when I was a little boy, tattoo was equivalent to taboo. It was often looked at as being rebellious, unless, of course, you were in the Navy. As I've gotten older, it seems like more and more people are getting tattoos. They can be seen in every color, on every type of person, and people are getting them on every part of their body (yikes). Apart from being so permanent, I must admit there is something intriguing about them. I snapped this picture of Amy's new design earlier today. Eventually she will get an "A" on the other foot.

So what else is going on? Just waiting for the pool to warm up a little bit. Cassidy and I got in today, but it is still a bit cold. It's too hot outside to paint, so I'm back to walking the floors. And, if you can't tell, I'm a bit bored.

UPDATE
I know most of you figured it out, but Amy DID NOT get a tattoo. I was just good with a washable marker that day.

Busy and Frustrations

Saturday was a busy day! Amy and I got up really early and went to yard sells. After that, we took the kids out to breakfast at McDonalds and let them play in the play area. While they were playing, Amy and I discussed the pros and cons of buying another Easy-Set pool (the kind with the ring around the top). We decided that for $200 it was worth a month or two left of summer to let the kids have some fun. So, we then went to Wall-Mart and bought one. Amy then took Cassidy to an open house for a new dance studio that is coming to town. While she was away, I went to Lowes to buy sand, borrowed some of my neighbor’s tools, and began the hard work of setting up the pool. That afternoon, our friend Nena came over to make mints. After Nena left, we babysat for Heather’s kids. And finally, my friend Shanan and his girlfriend came over for late-night games of Rummy and Skategories. WOW!!! What a day!

So what else is going on? Besides trying to shake a rather frustrated feeling for not getting more done this summer, I guess that is about it (of course the baby on the way, but I will talk more about that as time approaches). Oh, speaking of frustrations, someone apparently opened their car door and put a very noticeable dent in the door of our new vehicle. What a deal!

Another Arrow On The Way

Amy and I started dating when she was 13 and I was 15. We both new we would get married and have children. Since that time we have often talked about how many children we wanted to have. We have always agreed that we wanted three. On Monday we found out that we are going to have another baby. Amy has not been to the doctor yet, but usually two tests don’t lie. So, if all goes well, sometime in March there will be another addition to the Robinson family.

More Than Meets The Eye

Yesterday was a great day. Amy and I got to go to the movies! With two children, this is something we don't get to do very often. We saw the Transformers! As a child, there were a couple of years when I watched the cartoon. The Transformers are robots that change into something else. I even had a few of the toys--a car, the space shuttle, etc. All turned into robots. The movie was really good, but I suspect it meant a lot more to those who grew up watching the cartoon.

Hmmmm, what else has been going on? Not a lot. Just trying to enjoy what is left of my vacation. I did go work at the high school today, and I probably will again another day this week. Getting ready for school is quite an ordeal. Thanks for reading!

A Major Purchase

It is not very often that we spend a lot of money. Recently, however, Amy and I have really had the bug for getting a new vehicle. I've been wanting something for Amy and the kids to drive that was a little more dependable and looked nicer (you might remember the deer accident that left the Taurus with a crushed hood and blue fender). After spending a good deal of time thinking about it, we decided on a Ford Freestyle. For me, spending money makes me feel sick. But for Amy, it seems to give her a renewed outlook on life. Since she will be the primary driver on this vehicle, she has good reason to celebrate. And for that matter, all of us do.

Trying to Find Our Place

You may have noticed that the title of our blog site is “Finding Our Place in Life.” For the past several years Amy and I have been doing just that—trying to find out what it is that we have been put on this Earth to accomplish. Yes, of course, we know that part of that plan is doing exactly what we are doing—raising two children, working, etc. But it has always seemed like there is something more out there for us; something with even more purpose. A big part of that feeling no doubt comes from the band days. Traveling around playing Christian music helped us to feel like we were part of God’s big plan for this world. It was exactly where we needed to be for that part of our life. After those days, we have never quite been able to get back to where it is that we feel is the center of God’s will.

Even right now, I’m listening to a song that says, “I’m a drifter out on a dead end road trying to find my way back home, to get to you…. Lord, I’ve been gone for far too long headed to places I don’t belong, and I’ve got to get back to you.”

Is God working in our lives? I sure hope so. All we know is that we want to be were it is that God wants us to be. Before my trip to Washington I got a call from Dr. Frye in Florida. He asked if we wanted to come take a look at a children’s home there and interview for a position as house parents. Those of you who read this blog often know that we went out to West Virginia last summer to interview for a similar position. So, long story short, Amy and I have been praying and praying trying to decide if this might be the direction that God is leading us. I wish I could say that God said, “Yes” or “No,” but I can’t. I know God is there, but we just never felt like we were hearing his voice. I called Dry Frye a couple of hours ago and told him we would not be coming down to Florida. Did we make the right decision? How does one know? Yes, there would have been no harm in making the trip (other than the stress of traveling with the kids), but I just don’t think we can handle another disappointment. We were so excited about it last year, and then we were just so disappointed. It wasn’t right for us, and we both knew that the moment we arrived.

Early this morning I watched Joel Osteen. He often says that “God will take you places that you’ve never even dreamed of.” I know God can do that. I believe, I REALLY believe. He also talked about the story when so many of the spies said, “We are like grasshoppers to them.” Joel Osteen said that all grasshoppers have wings, but not all of them can fly. That is how Amy and I feel. God has given us wings, but for whatever reason we just haven’t figured out how to use them yet.

At the top is a picture of what I think is the Heart of Florida Youth Ranch.

My Trip to Washington

Back in high school, I had the opportunity to be part of a wonderful organization called Youth and Government. Each year, the students involved in this organization would come up with ideas they felt should become law. Then, we would all travel to Springfield where we would argue those bills as senators and representatives. One person would be elected as Governor, and if your bill was passed and signed by the governor, then it would become “law.” Some of the bills actually did become laws when they were picked up by real senators and representatives. As a result of this experience, the students gained a tremendous amount of knowledge about how our democratic system works. It also instilled within me a lifelong interest in the political system.. As a result, I frequently watch the news, pay attention to what is going on in the political arena, and most importantly, I vote. With this in mind, I hope you can appreciate the desire I have always had to visit Washington, DC and see everything I could. This past weekend, I had that chance!

The trip began on Thursday when I was picked up at about 4:30am to shuttle us to the airport. After checking in at the airport, we flew on a small jet aircraft to Baltimore. We then shuttled into Washington. Shortly after checking into the hotel, we all headed down to what is referred to as the “Washington Mall.” This is an area which contains the Capitol, the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, and all the buildings of the Smithsonian. Below are some pictures of that walk.

The next few days I spent doing the real work I had traveled to Washington DC for. I was there with several teachers and administrators to learn everything we could about good schools at what was called the Model School’s Conference. I plan to write about this more in the near future, so for now I will talk mostly about the trip.

After attending workshops on the second day, I went back to that area by myself and visited the museums. My first stop was the National Air and Space Museum. It was wonderful experience. Some of the highlights were the lunar lander, the Apollo space capsules, and the planes invented by the Wright Brothers. Below is a picture of the lunar lander.

Next, I walked over to the National Gallery of Art and the National Museum of Natural History. Below is a picture of one of the dinosaurs. It was amazing! Unfortunately, you can imagine how crowded it was with several thousand teachers there!

Since it was about to get dark, I decided I better head back. This was the first time I had ridden a subway by myself, and I really didn’t want to be alone on the subway at night. While walking back, I ran into Pennsylvania Avenue. I remembered that the White House was on this street, so I figured if I kept walking on it I would eventually get there. I did, but it was a killer walk. When I got there, they had the closest street blocked off, so I really couldn’t get very close. Thankfully my camera has a descent zoom. Here is a picture I was able to get.

On the way back towards the hotel, I thought I heard music. As I followed the music, I began to notice it was Christian music. To my delight, there was a youth group ministering to the homeless in a park. Their band was really good. I spent about half an hour or more listening to the Woodridge Nazarene Youth Group play music for the homeless. Then, the pastor gave a short message. I spoke with a nice lady who shared with me some of her experiences on her Christian walk. I told her of how my wife and I were often seeking God’s guidance, and yet so often feeling like we just don’t know what it is that God wants us to do. She told me of how God and worked in her life, and how she had once been through a similar experience. She promised to pray for us. It was one of the moments when you feel like you were really supposed to be right there. I knew at that moment that it was not an accident that I had stumbled upon that group. In a word, it was just neat. Here is a picture of that Woodridge Nazarene Youth Group.

Some of the other highlights of the trip (besides the conference) were visiting Arlington National Cemetery, The Lincoln Memorial, and the many fine dining establishments. I also had a GREAT time getting to know my coworkers. I cannot say enough about what a fine group of people they are. Everyone seemed to look out for each other, and I really felt included. Traveling with a large group is usually challenging, but this time everyone worked together very nicely. It was the best school trip I have ever been on!

To view all of the pictures I took, click HERE. Go to View Pictures, and Slideshow. Enjoy!

Ryan's Trip to Washington, D.C.

COMING SOON!