A Martin Minute

 Well, this was quite a year . . . a year of first (and hopefully some lasts).  A year that took us by surprise and made us ALL re-think about EVERYTHING.  A year that drove us all HOME and sitting around the table with the ones we love. My sweet babies blossomed this year.  They all learned hard things and kept on going.  They all learned the value of a game of Rummikub.  They all learned that momma was not meant to teach math - history is my jam!  They learned the value of a big family. They learned that biscuits are AWESOME! They all handled 2020 like champs!  Yes, there were hard decisions, but they were understanding. Nobody is perfect, but they got pretty close this year, of all years I am appreciative. What did we do? We got a rescue puppy - Charli Mae.  (Yes, I said no more puppies, but the vote was 5 - 1) We went to the beach on a "work trip."  Then we took off for the mountains!  Both of these amidst soccer try-outs - he m...

Well, not sure where to even begin . . . I was not planning on being at home for 6+ weeks straight.  No carpool, soccer, choir concerts.   No school, church or outside responsibilities.   No grocery stores, or any stores for that matter. No extra people in our house. No grandparent hugs or cousin time. No knowing what day it is???? How did this all happen? How did we get here? What did we do????   Well, one day my grandkids will ask me questions for a school project & ask about these crazy times, so here we go . . . . We did NOTHING!   Okay, so everyone had to do school at home, but 99.99999% of that was on the computer & the older kiddos were managing a lot of that on their own.  Lee-Lee & I were usually done with his work by 10 AM.  They participate in Google Meets/Hangouts. ZOOM calls are a new thing.  . . . . continued . . . ."ZOOM Fatigue" is a real thing . . . .  We were home for 3 months ...

Well, a lot of my writing has been in book notes  & Bible study notes.  More on social media & texting the teens - A LOT of texting the teens. This will become a way to chronicle for my children my view on their adventures. Y'all my family is amazing & exhausting all at the same time . . . BAY is 16!! Baylor turned 16 this Summer, although with a hurt knee & fear of cars she still does not have her license. (I think I am the only Mom who is waiting for her 16 year old to drive)  She is rockin' high school & LOVES keeping that GPA above a 4.  She is involved in 4 different choirs, PLUS voice lessons, CFAP, small groups & a couple of clubs.  In other words - she makes a lot of plans for someone who does not like to drive - just sayin'. I love having a girl in our mix! WFM5 is a teenage boy who loves to play jokes on his Momma & push a lot of buttons.  Soccer is ALL the time around here  . . . one day I will chronicle the h...

"But as for me, I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me." Micah 7:7 "And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together." Colossians 1:17 Sweet friends, It has been a while since I put personal thoughts out in the open.  Being vulnerable is helping me stay real & true.  I know people have quit reading blogs, but I have always said this was my way of doing baby books & if this helps the one person who reads it - then there you go. So here goes chronicling real life for my kids & my Christmas letter. My kiddos . . .  Baylor is GREAT!  Bay has found her "niche" in voice lessons & has knocked it out of the park.  She is keeping a 4.5 so far in high school & started honors & AP classes already.  She walked through those doors with her head held high & made friends & joined clubs & ROCKIN' it!  She is practicing driving!! I cannot wait to...

What is 2018 going to hold for our crew?  Well . . . we are about to find out! Some of our favorite things will continue . . . SPORTS! SCHOOL! (most days) NEIGHBORS! (running from house to house) AU Football! WAR EAGLE! BIBLE STUDY! And we will have some big changes . . .  HIGH SCHOOL! KINDERGARTEN! A NEW DRIVER! (well, learner's permit) TRY OUTS! (for school teams, bigger teams) But, whatever this year holds the Martins will do it all together, as a family, as a team. We pray your family has a year of first & favorites.   A year that you will look back on & know you did right & true. "Finally, brothers,  whatever   is  true,  whatever   is  honorable,  whatever   is  just,  whatever   is   pure ,  whatever   is  lovely,  whatever   is  commendable,  if there  is  any excellence, if there  is  an...

"looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith,  who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross,  despising  the shame, and  is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2 Merry Christmas!  We pray this little letter finds you with family celebrating the gift of Jesus. Our little family is looking forward to tonight, tomorrow, & all next week celebrating with our BIG  family.  We are looking forward to Christmas services, presents, meals & COUSIN-TIME!  We are looking forward to time together.  This year has been CRAZY! CRAZY FUN! We have 2 in middle school, 1 in elementary & 1 in pre-school!  We cannot believe that next year one starts high school & another starts kindergarten!! (Although he says he may skip straight onto middle school & I am about to agree to that idea.)  We of course have played A LOT of soccer & done A LOT of twirling & have ...

March  . . . .It has become a joke, but we have a perfect little bubble for our little family.  Someone said one time, "you live in an old-fashioned neighborhood."  I truly do - kids play all over the place, we yell out the door at dinner time to come inside, there is always a pick-up game going on. We sit on front stoops & tell the truths of our life.  We cheer each other on. We do life - real life - together. This is such a blessing to my children. I have started praying that they have the same thing in their lives when they are parenting. October . . . .I could not remembered the last time that I blogged. I could not remember the last time I sat down & wrote my heart & their story.  I know blogging is going out-of-style, but for me this is the baby books that I could not handle.  They need to know the moments that meant something to me & our stories are a big part of their adventures. We have gotten our hair cut for the crazi...