Early 2018 camera phone purge

As the after-Christmas rush came to an end and we were just learning to adapt to a new year, our small town was affected unlike anything we have ever had or anything we could ever dream of. On January 23rd just before 8am, I got a text from a co-worker (I was off work that day for a big, lengthy ultrasound) that there had been a shooting at our town's high school. This isn't something that happens in our small, Bible-belt town. It just doesn't. We grieve and pray for those towns in which this does happen. But it doesn't happen here. So my first thought was some redneck kid had brought his shotgun to school and it went off in the school parking lot. Not that that isn't a big deal, but like I said, "school shootings" don't happen in Benton, Kentucky. It wasn't long before we started hearing helicopters and my phone started blowing up with texts and then social media exploded with accounts of what was going on. A school shooting, Our town collectively hit their knees and prayed. And we texted everyone we knew to make sure that our teacher friends and our friends' children were safe. In total, 16 children were shot and 2 of those babies lost their lives that day. A 15 year old child was the lone shooter. Multiple other children were injured trying to help others or while trying to escape. As the news spread, us parents of kids in the school system began contacting our kids teachers. I contacted Keagan's teacher, Mrs. Stephanie, and didn't get an immediate response back which was not a big deal and nor was it uncommon. After all, she is taking care of our babies! About 45 minutes later I got a response from her to please pray, her oldest son Griffen was one of the kids shot and she was racing down to Nashville to be with him. And I later learned that her younger son received a concussion. Griffen was flown to Vanderbilt for surgery and was put in a medically-induced coma. He had a second surgery the next day. This family goes to our church and we learned more information, and basically it was a miracle that Griffen survived as he was among one of the most injured who had survived. Currently, Griff is still not back in school and just had another short hospitalization due to complications. He has been to church a couple of times and Keagan was able to hug Mrs. Stephanie and shake the hands of the boys that he has been praying for. Despite this incredibly scary and tragic event, our town came together in the best way and prayed. And we became Marshall Strong, supporting our community through blue and orange t-shirts and prayer groups and committing ourselves to love and pray without ceasing.

Mrs. Stephanie with her boys Carson and Griffen.

Marshall Strong family!!  And silly faces from Maclyn. 

Keagan sporting his Team Griff bracelet!!

More Marshall Strong...it was a Kentucky-wide day of Orange-and-Blue and it just so happened it was my birthday! Maclyn is not happy about something!

Last night we took Keagan and Finn to their first concert, it was at the high school and it was Zach WIlliams who is a Christian singer that we hear all the time on the radio. The concert was put on as a "night of healing" for our community after the school shooting. It was a wonderful concert and while our town has begun healing, this was even more refreshing and very uplifting. Such a great message! And the boys enjoyed themselves (until Finley fell asleep and we left early, causing Keagan to be mad at us...Life.)

While still not perfect, our community has really come out and shown what a big God we serve: loving one another and praying for each other. As our children's minister put it last night, an atheist caused this movement. It took me a minute to understand what she meant, but then I realized how profound that statement was. The young man that shot and injured multiple peers and classmates, and killing two, said himself that he didn't believe in God. And if you are a part of this community you have seen God show up in huge ways despite the devil trying to win. Ironically, an atheist literally caused a huge Christian uprising. God always wins.

The young men lined up on the stage are some of the shot and/or injured high schoolers. They led the prayer that kicked off the concert. Griffen Ives is the boy holding the microphone, his brother Carson is next to him in the white. It was powerful to see these young heroes up on stage, leading the prayer in front of their community in the high school where the tragedy unfolded.

Since Maclyn started walking she has become a totally difficult baby. Into absolutely everything. From toothpaste and toothbrushes to the bottom shelves of the pantry to scissors/markers/glue/pencils from the art table. Everything. I got tired of it and decided to purchase a couple baby gates to pen her in. She was not happy AT ALL!

Silly girl entertaining her brothers with a cracker during morning drop-offs!

Busy girl...from a pork rind bucket and a plastic fork to some chemistry goggles! All in a day's work.

After nearly 14 years, we finally bought a new couch! Children-approved!

On a random day in February we got some super nice temperatures. Short-sleeve temps! It was wonderful and Maclyn got a taste of what outside play is like...and she loved it!

My all-things-girlie little girl loves tea parties and necklaces and baby dolls and riding her pony, and I thoroughly enjoy playing with her! She also loves a good set of eye protection!

And my all-things-girlie baby girl is obsessed with her daddy. And she has him wrapped around her baby finger!!

The next two pictures shows what happens when curiosity gets the better of you...I turned my back for a mere 10 seconds and I turned back around to "uh-ohs" and I couldn't initially figure out what had happened because there was just a black pool of water right around Maclyn. Within a few seconds though it became very clear as the black pool of water spread out around Maclyn and then as she rapidly moved away from the color: she had gotten ahold of and dumped a full jar of color tablets into the bath! And then she freaked out and, for the first time in her life, demanded that she be gotten out of the tub!

Another nearly-Spring day and playtime outside!! Maclyn got a ride from her big brother and took it upon herself to mess with the radio!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!! Starting the day with green and clover-shaped pancakes!

A couple weeks ago we met Ryan and Tera and their boys in Murray for some bowling. The boys had the best time and Finn beat everyone (including the adults!) in the second game. Maclyn even got into the game and bowled a few times, with extra help of course. Before we actually began bowling, Maclyn proceeded to dive off one of the couches at the alley and hit her cheek on the coffee table. The result was her first black eye (and actually, the first of any of my kids). 

We finally got a new rug! And our kids immediately threw their little bodies on it and began rolling around. I think they approve. 

Right before Spring Break, Keagan performed in his school's talent show with a bunch of other kids from church. They sang Old Church Choir by Zach Williams and did so awesome. Keagan cracked me up because he was totally feeling the music and the moment. :)

1st Grade Basketball

Keagan participated in 1st grade basketball over the winter for his elementary school. He had a good time despite it being inconsistent with refereeing and rules (and it may have only been the adults that noticed or cared...)  In the pictures, look for #13...that's Keagan!

First game of the season...Keagan is in Blue.

Keagan's last game of the season...they showed up in white, as did the other team. So the boys played "shirts versus skins" and our boys were skins! So funny! (Keagan has black shorts with a green basketball on it and blue shoes)