Welcome to MY World!

"Do you wanna help me make bread today?"
"MEEEEE??"
"Yep, it's your turn now."
"Sure, I guess so."
That was how the conversation started this morning between me and my 9-year-old son. He's the oldest one left at home, now that the other 3 are in school. Apparently, he wasn't thrilled about the thought of making bread with mom, that is. . . until I introduced him to THE MIXER!! I do have a huge, commercial-sized mixer sitting in my kitchen floor that his sister loved to mix bread dough in all by herself. Well, today was Jay's day.
The plans quickly changed to mixing up a double batch of homemade pizza dough to be enjoyed for supper, so I began the instructions. By the time it came to adding flour, 1 cup at a time, Jay had everything quite under control, as you can see from the looks of his shirt. He might have even been playing in the flour? It's hard to say. :) So I worked on laundry, cleaned up lunch, put cookies in the oven that Jay had already laid out on a pan for me, and continued watching the progress of our dough.

As the dough neared completion, I take over and begin giving instructions on taking the cookies off the hot pan and laying them out on wax paper.
"The cookies are already done?"
"Yes. Be careful taking them off the sheet so that you don't burn yourself. Oh, and if you drop one on the floor--it's mine!"
"What?!"
"Just a motivator for you NOT to drop one." ha! ha!
"Mom, how are we doing two different things at one time?!? Pizza dough AND cookies!"
WELCOME TO MY WORLD, SON!
And now, for the best part about helping mom in the kitchen, taste testing!

Sipes/Pena Reunion--August 10, 2013

There is nothing more dear than a friend who will always be your friend, no matter what. You know, the friend who knows how you think and feel and "gets you," sometimes better than you understand yourself? And the clencher is. . .she still likes you after all that? Those kind of friends don't come along every year, so when you realize you have one or two, hang on to them! God gave me this kind of rare friendship in Cara Pena and although we don't see each other or even stay in touch nearly as well as we'd like, the friendship is there. It is safe. It is fun. It is deep. It is a blessing to me. And because I hope that some of our children may also have that same kind of lifelong friendship, I "saved" this past weekend to make a quick trip to Southaven. Several times during the previous week, I found myself almost apologizing for trying to go to Southaven because we were going to miss. . .such and such. But I wasn't disappointed.

Somehow, as soon as we get down there, it is just like no time has past and everyone is visiting, laughing, talking, and no one wants it to end. I am so glad Jason went along this trip because it was good for he and Tim to catch up, but Tim isn't doing very well. He has been battling Lyme Disease for 10 years now! It is debilitating and has done a number on Tim's physical body, but his spirit and faith are so strong! Cara is amazing--what a self-sacrificing woman she is to serve her husband and nine children, day and night.

Their whole family blessed me this weekend, watching them serve each other, play so well together, and especially take care of their dad. I think this illness they have grown up around has built within them a strength of character not often found in children and teenagers their ages. I love this family!

Baseball Man!

Today is the day--the Hickman Hornets will be holding try outs for 3 open spots on their traveling team (12 and under). Jay got to play this past spring/summer, even though he was young, because his dad was the coach! Always a plus! :) He loved it and is so excited about next season! He has to participate in the open try outs, the whole team does, although he is guaranteed a spot on the team as a returning player. They had a great season, especially considering it was everyone's first time at this level--player pitch. Cameron McNeill and Damyen Goodrich were great pitchers! It was a blast to see them work hard as a team, encourage each other, and win some games. Today's try outs get us excited about next spring! Can't wait to see who gets added to the Hickman Hornets today!

The First Day of School!

About a week ago, I was driving around town, thinking happy thoughts about my wonderful family of seven, when the words "the sipes seven" came to mind. "Hummm," that sounds vaguely familiar, I thought. A few more seconds of pondering and then it hit me--I HAVE A BLOG! Wow, I seriously had forgotten that I even used to write on a blog at some point during our crazy, busy lives! So it comes as no surprise that a school year ended, a whole summer has passed, and now a new school year has begun and I didn't blog about any of it. Maybe I will try to catch up gradually as I get going but for now, let me re-introduce the Sipes children and show how they have grown!

Taylor started high school yesterday at Fulton County High and is playing football for his third season in a row since starting school at FC. He is taking Biology, Geometry, English/Reading, World History, Spanish I (online), Intro to Computer Applications, and possibly something else that I am forgetting. The English teacher, Mrs. Beadles, started them off with a lot of homework on the first day--he wasn't impressed (but his dad was!). I am praying he figures out how to be successful in each one of his classes. I think he can handle it!

Lindy has started her last year of middle school--an 8th grader! She is definitely a leader in her class and has made her parents very proud of her high academic standards. She took home awards in every one of her subjects at the end of last school year for "highest average," but some of those she tied with her BFF Daisy. :) She even got the elementary/middle school library named after her at the awards ceremony for reading more books (and earning more AR points) than anyone else in the whole school!! She was very embarrassed, but her mama was sure proud! She says she isn't getting it again this year because it was too embarrassing. She loves to read, though, so I am not sure anyone will be able to compete with her. Her vice-principal just told me at the start of this school year that Lindy is one of the smartest students he has ever dealt with, and he said he's had some good ones. She is gifted!

Marlena started "real" school yesterday at Fulton County Middle School in the 6th grade. She has been looking forward to this ever since she tried out and made the cheer squad back in the spring. She was a little nervous but did great! This will be the only year that she and Lindy spend in middle school together, so I was eager for her to start now. She is ready for teachers other than mom who will challenge her to give her best. She tested very well on her reading entrance test so was placed in the accelerated reading class with a few other 6th graders, but mostly 7th and 8th graders. Mrs. McWhirt is teaching it so I know she will be challenged. She took the math entrance test twice and was able to test into the advanced math class. I believe she is up to the challenges of this year, as long as her mom helps her stay focused and on track. Lindy will probably help with this, too. ha! ha! She looked so grown up yesterday, leaving for school. I miss her at home already! I enjoyed our last two years together. She became my right hand, for sure.

Jay is still being homeschooled and is starting the 4th grade. He has begun asking when he will go to public school with his friends, but I am not in a hurry to rush things. I am looking forward to quality time with him this year (and probably the next) with the oldest 3 in school all day. Jay is a wonderful student who learns quickly and easily. He is very self-motivated, so my job this year will be to keep him challenged. Jay is excited about playing soccer again this fall in Union City with his buddy Chade! And he is already practicing for his traveling baseball team that he enjoyed participating on this past spring. He is eager to improve his skills, which means lots of practice time with dad. (Since dad is the coach, this is definitely a good thing!)

Schaeffer is 4 years old and is very eager to learn. He begged to "do school" for most of last year so I had planned to get a real preschool curriculum for him this year. So far, it hasn't happened but I have lots of ideas for "doing school" with him this school year. He has surprised me with his intelligence so I am excited about watching him learn. He is learning to spell his very difficult name, which I never guessed would happen at 4 years old. :) He brings a lot of spark and energy to our home and warms his mommy's heart every time he impulsively gives a hug or a kiss.

Very, very thankful to God for these five healthy and beautiful children!

A Place All His Own

After spending 6 weeks "camping out" in our living room with books, Bibles, and a laptop for his office, Jason now has a place to call his own. The church people have worked tirelessly to get an office ready for him, and so many others have donated books, Bibles, commentaries, a CD player, coffee pot, a desk, money to purchase a laptop and lots more books, etc... THANK YOU to everyone who has been a part of rebuilding Jason's library! For you, I have taken a picture of his new shelves so you can see the beautiful books he has collected already.
Wednesday night after the business meeting, the decorating team of ladies presented him with a rug, which he had laughingly asked for to keep his "little toes warm." ha! ha! Here is the poem that was read as they presented the rug:
"An Ode for the Preacher" (by Karen Langford)
There once was a pastor in our little town
Who stood in his PJ's as his church burned down.
When the smoke and the water invaded his place
He knew that his books he'd need to replace.

Friends and family stepped up to the task with great speed
And they worked together to meet the pastor's need.
Books arrived by truck, by mail and by car
Supplies and more books came from near and from far.

Soon there were books on the mantle, on the couch, by the door.
There were books in big stacks and in boxes on the floor.
The pastor would study in the living room chair
It was crowded with six other people living there.

Some of his flock said, "This will not do!
We must find a new space for you!"
A building arrived and folks went to work
To get the pastor some space before his family went berserk.

As to color and furnishings they asked, "What do you think?"
Pastor replied, "I don't care. It can be purple and pink."
One request he did have and asked that we meet
For a warm, fuzzy rug where he could put his sock feet.

His shoes he removes as he prepares sermons for the fold
And he just can't think straight when is toes get cold.
So preacher remember this--while at your desk you sit.
Be careful what you ask for because that might be what you get.

The problem now with the office is that it is so nice and comfortable that I am beginning to wonder if he might never want to come home!! He has a great sofa, his own coffee pot, a full candy jar, his music, and the quiet when he wants it--what more could a pastor need?? Thank you, Church family! You are so good to us and we know we are blessed.

Spell "Perfectionism"

"P-e-r-f-e-c-t-i-o-n-i-s-m," spelled Lindy on February 5, 2013 to win the District Spelling Bee! Her daddy and I are very proud of her. Pictured with her are the 2nd and 3rd place winners (from Fulton City). In order to compete in the district bee, Lindy had to place in the top 3 in the Fulton County Middle School Spelling Bee. She did that, no problem. Actually, she placed 1st in the middle school bee. (Coming in 2nd for the middle school was another 7th grader and friend of Lindy's, Samantha McClure. Then 3rd place was taken by Connor Jackson, an 8th grader and friend of Taylor's.) Not only that, but she also placed first in her grade (7th) to even compete in the school bee. Wow! And if that is not amazing enough, she also won the Spelling Bee last school year for the whole middle school while she was only in 6th grade. When she then went to compete at the district level, she placed 2nd. She was disappointed, so this year she made sure to place first. Now what? Well, tomorrow she will compete in Memphis at the Mid-South Spelling Bee sponsored by the Commerical Appeal. She is a gifted speller, but I don't think she is too consumed with tomorrow's bee. We have heard that the people coming have spent hours and hours of practicing. . .a level she has no desire to get to. :) But today we will drive to Southaven, stay with friends, and tomorrow morning at 9:00 am let Lindy participate in an amazing opportunity for a middle schooler. I am proud of you, Lindy!

A New Beginning

Today was the third Sunday that we have been displaced.

It seems like a lifetime ago that we watched our church building burn, but in reality it was a short 2 1/2 weeks ago, January 23, 2013. It started off like any other school morning--the oldest two children were getting ready for school. Jason and I were up and quietly beginning our day, until I hear Jason shout, "Oh, my goodness!" "What?" I ask as I look out the kitchen window. I am looking for a crazy person or animal roaming around outside but I see nothing. By this time Jason is running into the kitchen, looking for shoes as he says, "The church is on fire!" Finally I see it--smoke coming up from the south end of our church. "Who do I call?" I frantically ask. "911!" as he runs out the door. In the few short minutes that it took for that dialog, for me to run get the phone and call, and for the operator to answer the phone, flames had begun leaping out of the sanctuary windows of the church. I yell into the phone, "The church is burning!!!"

Over the next few hours, we watched as years of hard work and lots of memories go up in smoke. The sanctuary went down fast. I have never seen anything so powerfully out-of-control. . .but no one could stop it. I kept repeating, "It's gone! It's all gone! Oh my gosh! The church is gone!" We cried as we watched the stained glass windows shatter and flames consume our beautiful sanctuary. Then the fire reached the front doors and I cried as I watched them melt down from the heat. In the end, 3 different towns sent fire trucks, manpower, and equipment to fight the fire that would leave our beloved building in ruins. Eleven hours after it started, the last fireman left. . .but they were called back in a short time and hot pockets kept flaring up throughout the night and even the next day. The annex is the only thing left standing but it has so much smoke and water damage that it is a total loss, too.

The morning after, reality began to sink in as Jason and I stared at the burned remains of our first pastorate, the church 4 of our children were baptized in, the building where so much of our service to the Lord and this community has taken place. Then Jason remembered--all of his journals were in his office. His office was on the top floor at the opposite end from where the fire originated, but it was where the fire lingered so long. The day after, a fire truck came back and continued to unload countless gallons of water into his office window. "Please stop putting more water in there and let us see if we can recover anything!" was the cry on my heart the day after. Anyone who would listen to me, I would say, "Jason lost everything! His Bible, all of his library, his kindle, and years of journals." By that afternoon, the fire marshall went in Jason's office and handed out the window everything he could find that looked salvagable. A couple of journals, several calendars with lots of personal notes, church records, and Russian books from Moldova. That brought some relief to my heart but to Jason, it was reminder of all that he lost. I worked to save what I could by placing papertowels between the sheets of his journals and calendars. Other papers we laid out flat to dry. They may always look and smell burnt, but we still have some of his thoughts from years past.

Over the next several days, other items were pulled out as Jason went in looking for more church records and his Bible. Most everything was burned or waterlogged, but every now and then--a little treasure. Just a few days ago it was the small photo album of Taylor between the ages of 5 and 8 from his many fishing & hunting trips. It wasn't very hard to unstick the pages and I hope to get it reprinted sometime. Precious! The investigation is still not over and we hope that next Wednesday, the 3-week marker, will bring some closure for us. A big meeting is planned here at the site with insurance investigators, insurance high-ups, lawyers, and such to wrap up this investigation. This is necessary before we can move on at all. The state fire marshall has been ready to wrap up her investigation within 2 days--she could tell where the fire originated and doesn't believe there was any evidence of foul play. The insurance investigator wanted to be more thorough (although we haven't seen him in 2 weeks!) because there is a fairly hefty insurance settlement at play here.

So, we have grieved the loss of a friend and are now ready to figure out how to continue the ministry God has called us to here in the community of Hickman. We are in need of a more "permanent" temporary meeting place and finding one large enough for us is a challenge. We run about 120 in morning worship and have need of 10 separate S.S. classrooms. For the time being, we are meeting in the middle school gym for Sunday morning service and use their classrooms for S.S. Each evening service (Sundays and Wednesdays), we continue to use the Methodist Church facilities, since they don't have evening services. We would like to find something more suitable in the next few weeks, but we are very grateful for everyone's hospitality during this difficult time of transition. We are eager to see what God has in store for His people as we come to together in love and unity to make His name famous in Hickman, KY!!