What Makes You Alive

I thought I would share our morning song with you.  We listen to it most mornings, and it has become our go-to question when we feel ourselves get a little greedy or selfish or pouty.  All I have to do now is ask, "What makes you alive?"  and my boys will answer, "It's not what you get, it's all that you give."  Then the sharing commences... I hope this works forever.  If not, I better find another potent-messaged song to use as my teachable tool.

School for my boys has been great.  Both of them adore their teachers, and I love-love-love running into them in the halls.  Those surprise hugs and smooches just make my day.  At the end of the day, they both come into my classroom, immediately open their bags and show me what they accomplished.  Brody is my little filer.  As soon as Gideon takes out his math or art, they get scattered in a mosaic of Kindergarden fun on the floor, Brody promptly starts stacking and putting them away in Gideon's folder.  He even puts the math related things together, then the art, and so on... I am sticking him in my closet to organize my shoes pretty soon.  The boy has skills!

 First DAY of SCHOOL!

I have been very busy with Mattawan Kicks Out Cancer Kickball Tournament.  As you know, we raised over $10,000 last year, and that is pretty intimidating since we are having a slower start this year.  I have faith, though!  My worries are nothing compared to those of some of my friends... I just talked to a cancer mom today who was told she has to hold off on giving her daughter anymore chemo because her little body can't take the poison anymore.  So, what's the only other option?  Wait for the cancer to come back with a vengeance so that chemo MUST be used again.  She was told they could only get her little sweet girl "stable," but not "cancer-free."  Okay.  Why are we holding this kickball event?  For girls like THIS ONE.  The work is worth it if ONE drug is made to her benefit.

If you are willing to donate to this event with ALL proceeds going to CureSearch for Children's Cancer, please visit Brody's fundraising page or Gideon's fundraising page and make a donation online.  If you have something we could auction in our silent auction, please contact me: aschrips@gmail.com.  If you want to hang something pretty on your window, please buy a Gideon's CureCatcher, as pictured below. I make these with Gideon's help, and we pray on which bead for a cure to childhood cancer.  I am selling them depending on size, but the average price is $50 and all proceeds go to CureSearch.  The problem is, I don't think I can ship them.  SooOOooOooo...if you live around here and want one, I would be more than happy to get it to you!

Click here to see more about Mattawan Kicking Out Childhood Cancer!