Blessed are the Flexible

I do not like change, never have...but that doesn't fly when you wear all the hats that I wear. As a mom, I have learned flexibility is the key. As a teacher you have to adjust too. So, like it or not I adapt to most situations.

If you know me, you know I'm not a morning person. The only morning I cook breakfast food is Sunday, and feeds college students at church. I do cook on Christmas morning too! My kids know that mom will get up when it's time to get them to school. Randy makes sure they are up and going. They get their own breakfast (cereal, granola) and make their lunch. We do the usual prep the night before to minimize what has to be done in the morning. But, my goal is to stay in bed as long as possible!! With two in college, a high schooler and a middle schooler I don't have much to attend to now, but it has always been that way.

Kate has changed my morning routine. Two mornings a week I now get up at 5:25, and we leave at 5:35 to get to 5:45 swim practice! Kate swims til 7, then we come home grab her stuff and she heads to school by 7:30! WHY??? It's high school swim season, so they are swimming during her regular club time which is 4 - 6 pm. So her coach has morning practice Monday - Thursday. Kate has chosen to attend on Tuesday & Thursday. She also swims Friday afternoon, and sometimes Saturday morning.

This has been an adjustment, especially since it is SO dark! What do I do at 5:45 a.m.??? I go to Berry and walk. Occasionally I go to my office to take care of some paperwork or prep for Kindermusik. Kate swims a couple of miles, I walk a couple miles and we go to bed earlier!

Mountain Day...memories

Mountain Day is a phenomena that happens at Berry College every October. It celebrates the birthday of Martha Berry who founded the Berry Schools in 1902. It is one of my favorite days of the year. Randy & I graduated from Berry, we participated nominally in Mountain Day: the Olympics, the Grand March...there was no Marthapoolza, just a wild field party that we didn't attend.

Honestly we don't see a lot of our fellow graduates at Mtn. Day, and if we do they always look so old! Well, not all of them...but we don't look as old as they do. We go to Mtn. Day to see our kids. Alyssa is a currently at student, and Carrie plans to attend Berry in a few years, but we go to see the grads that spent hours in our home. The ones who mentored our kids, who babysat and loved our kids. The ones who worshipped with us and ate with us. The ones that made our days brighter because of their contagious laughter and love of life. Most of these are just pictures and captions, but this first one is unique.

Christy & TJ Dixon (she was Swafford) graduated in 2000. I've blogged about them previously (see Surprises in July 2010). Christy was my student worker in Kindermusik for several years. She was the best one I've ever had. She could handle anything. She babysat for the Nobles kids...but more than babysat she loved them, played with them, encouraged them, disciplined them, fed them, she sets the standard! Christy was there to hug me when I found out I was pregnant with Kate, and I was grateful for all her help during those years with four young children. TJ was part of the package because he dated Christy. TJ was a baseball player...he spent lots of time playing with Aaron and the girls. TJ was a history education major. TJ student taught with Randy. My older girls sang at their wedding.

When we took this picture at Mountain Day, we noticed all the similarities between our families and Christy pointed them out to Trey (their oldest).

• Both families have four children, a boy and three younger girls
• Both dads are history/social study teachers in public school in the state of Georgia.
• Both dads are/were coaches
• Both moms are Kindermusik teachers
• Both families are involved in their church and love God and their family.

When we visit with Christy & TJ we can just pick up where we left off the last time. We would love for TJ to take Randy's position when he retires....that would bring them back to Rome! The Dixon's haven't counted that out, but for now they live in the Atlanta suburbs.

Another fun story here....John Carter & his wife Jessica were students in my piano class many years ago. They also graduated in 2000. John was one of my favorite people, but one of the worst students I had. He failed my class at least once. He was smart, funny, talented...but immature. He was a Winshaper minus the Winshape values! I'm surprised he didn't get kicked out of Berry & Winshape. Jessica & John flirted a lot in class, but they both married other people. Both marriages ended in divorce and I played for THEIR wedding a few years ago. John has matured and is a great middle school band director. Jessica teaches elementary music in Cherokee County and does some Kindermusik on the side. I love it when they grow up!

Mountain Day it's about the tradition of the march. It's not something you can explain to your friends who didn't go to Berry. It's a homecoming, but the Grand March is the main event...even if you aren't participating or watching!

It's about friends...Friendship girls, who eventually would become Pilgrim girls. Strange things happened because of the large freshman class this fall....they switched genders at the Winshape dorms.

The Bragg family...Chris & Heather. They now have three in their sweet family. Chris & Heather were in my piano class, but separate classes as Chris is a few years older. I learned a lot from Chris & Heather. They were genuine in their faith and lived it. Chris was one of those students who was serious in his pursuit of God, and truly believed in His sovereignty. My first memory of Chris was his college audition, which I played for. He was in a suit, said yes m'am, and was so handsome with those dimples. I remember going home and telling Randy that I wanted Aaron to grow up as polite as this young man (still working on that!) Who knew he would become a regular at the Sunday lunch table. When Chris comes make sure you have plenty of sweet tea!

Frequent flyers at the Nobles home. The Van Sants, Fernandez family and Drew. This is from a few years ago...but we still love to see these favorite folks. In fact, Randy, Carrie & Kate were visiting relatives in NC and made the trip to visit Joe & Abby in Raleigh/Durham last week. They didn't make it to Mountain Day this year, so they caught up with them at their house. It was their turn to feed my crew!

Grace & Ryan Powell came for Mountain Day 2009 with Samuel. Randy enjoys catching up with Grace...she was another one of his student teachers. Berry puts out top notch grads!

Joe & Drew...friends from home, friends at Berry, friends of the Nobles!

Kelli & Kate. Kelli is one of those students who can always make you laugh. It's always fun to see Kelli and her co-horts from the class of 2007. That was a great freshman group...the 2nd East girls always filled the Nobles home with loud laughter!

Mountain Day is even for those we see a lot. Tracey & Robbie Batchelor are our neighbors and attend church with us. We really didn't know them until after the graduated. Michael, we see him a lot too! Blessed to have these folks serving alongside us at Calvary.

Mountain Day is for old friends....Michael, Josh & Golden. We miss these guys!

Carrie with one of her favorite Berry grads and middle school band director, Wade Williams. John Carter student taught with Wade...it's a small world.

Stacee & Jason are some we rarely see at Mountain Day anymore, but some friends we will always remember. (BTW, unlike other photos...this couple is not a couple, just a couple of friends with my girls when they were younger!)

This takes me back. What a great group of gals. Jessica, Hailey & Diana poured their lives into my girls when they were middle schoolers. Jessica tutored Aaron in biology. Hailey still influences my kids today and is a dear friend. Diana ....well, Kate still prays for her every night!

(Jessica's husband is on the left and Hailey's roomie, Nicole on the right)

Some of those girls from 2nd East...Helen, Rachel, Lauren and Courtney! Where is Katharine?

Mountain Day couldn't happen without the band providing the music for the March. Alyssa is not exactly happy about playing in the band, but realizes it helps provide some scholarship money for her, so she does it. She plans to march her senior year, which is NEXT year...yikes, where has the time gone?

Mountain Day is for really old friends. On the left is Roger, on the far right is Gary. These guys graduated from Berry in 1984, and ran cross country for my brother. They were often found at the Nobles home too...our ministry to college students goes WAY back.

Mountain Day is for seeing old friends and catching up on what is going on in their Berry afterlife!

We look forward to seeing you next year at Mountain Day.

Reading = enjoyment & education

I love to read! As a teenager I read...probably things that weren't appropriate. I read lots of magazines...yes, even Cosmopolitan. It was tamer back in the day, but still inappropriate! When my children were young I didn't have a lot of time for reading, except the books I was reading to them. We went to the library EVERY Tuesday for storytime. We checked out books, often the same book over & over. Aaron's favorite was Snail Saves the Day. It was about a snail who caught the winning touchdown in a football game.

The television is on a LOT at my house, but I don't watch it. I hear it, but I never sit and watch a show. E.R. was my show - but alas, it is no longer in produced. So, I read and cook! Those are my hobbies. You might say cooking is a necessity, but I would argue so is reading. I learn so much from reading. I learn about other places, other cultures, and other ideas. I enjoy fiction and read a variety of authors, though I admit to having my favorites. But today is about non-fiction books. Here is a brief list of my favorite non-fiction books from the past year or so. Check them out from your local library, it's my favorite place to shop!

Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson

there is also a young reader version that Kate read.

Stones into Schools by Greg Mortenson

Gifted Hands by Ben Carson

another with a young reader version

Hiding in the Spotlight by Greg Dawson

Between Two Worlds by Roxana Saberi

Another Day in the Frontal Lobe by Katrina Firlik

Outcast United by Warren St. John

Saving Henry - a Mother's Journey by Laurie Strongin

An Ordinary Man - Paul Rusesabagina

This is a short list, but I encourage you to check them out. They will challenge your mind and enlarge your world. Happy Reading!

A Different Site

Many of you know I teach piano & Kindermusik. Check out this personal saga on my Kindermusik blog, http://tinyurl.com/3ygqga6

So Blessed

The Nobles household is not without it's issues, problems and struggles, but everyday I realize how incredibly blessed I am. Here are some highlights of my blessings.

I have a great job! My schedule is crazy & hectic, but also very flexible. I get to work with families, college students & adults everyday. Music is the vehicle that I use, but I hope that the impact is much greater.

My family is amazing. Randy teaches all day, drives buses for sports teams to make extra money, and still has time for us and for the Lord. I am grateful for his discernment and wisdom. My kids' are all unique, and God is teaching me so much through them. Watching them grow into responsible adults (some are further along than others!), and waiting for God to show His glory in their lives is incredible. Patience, that is one of the things I'm learning. Trust is another!

Before I had children, and when they were young I spent many hours "planning" how things would be. I like schedules. I like to have a plan. God laughs at our plans. God is sovereign. I have learned to take one day at a time, but I still like to look at the long range plan. I love that God knows the plan. He just doesn't always clue me in. A verse I claimed when I was pregnant with Aaron was Psalm 138:8, "The Lord will accomplish what concerns me." I still hold onto that truth today.

In making all those plans so many years ago, I DID NOT plan for 4 children. But, they are such a blessing. I remember thinking " how we would ever afford to send them to college." I still wonder when the tuition bills come due! God provides every time! Even when we have two in college at the same time. When Alyssa got ready to go to Berry (no, I do not get a break because I'm an adjunct there), I prayed this verse: "Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or imagine, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen." Ephesians 3:20. For Alyssa to attend Berry, and live on campus is a God thing. He put her at Berry and Winshape to give us 4 more years with her, knowing that she will ultimately live in Mexico, teach and share Christ with the culture she loves.

Our household has 6 people, 5 who drive. Five cars & car insurance and God provides. None of the cars are new, they need repairs. They have cosmetic issues, but they get us from point A to point B. When Carrie turned 16, she had to be patient because we couldn't get her a vehicle. Over the summer God provided a 5 speed truck for Aaron to drive and Carrie is happy driving the his old Passport. She calls it "Perry". I am grateful that she doesn't mind "hand-me-downs."

If you know our family, you know we love the National Parks. What a blessing to be able to travel and see God's creation. We don't go on vacation often, but when we do ... we do it big. Kate is 11 and has been to 30 states. I love that we have this tradition and we can do it without going into debt!

The last blessing I will name (and there are so many!) is the opportunity to serve the body of Christ. I love having folks in my home, getting to know them, laugh with them, cry with them and of course FEED them! I'm eternally blessed by the many who have shared a meal in our humble home. The fellowship and friendship you provided for our family is so sweet.

God is good and His riches are abundant!

Stress Relief

Fall semester begins at Berry, and with it will be the challenge of keeping it all together without losing my mind. Juggling classes, practicing, rehearsals, planning for meals and keeping up with my family's schedule can take it's toll. Here are some ways I manage my sanity:

1. PLAN. "If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail." I have long range plans, but it's the weekly plans that make it work. I talk to my family and find out who will be home for dinner on what night, as I always want to have good food ready. What has to be accomplished on Monday? Who am I meeting with? What do I need to have ready for my classes & rehearsals?

2. PRAY AND READ THE WORD. Pray without ceasing is good, but set aside a time to pray and read the Word. I won't lie, I get busy and this gets pushed aside. But, I handle life better when I'm talking to my heavenly Father and hearing Him through His Word.

3. TAKE A WALK OR A DRIVE. I walk Kate to school every morning, it's part of our routine. For me it's about 1.5 miles. We talk on the way to school, then on my way home I talk to God. Exercise is so important to our mental & physical health. Whenever possible I take a hike at Berry. An hour on the trail, sitting on a rock to reflect & pray refreshes me like a mini-vacation. You might enjoy a drive in the country with the windows down and music blaring. Just a change of scenery can change your attitude & focus.

4. COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS. Are you complaining about all you have to do? About your situation? It's cliche, but thank God for all you have. Living in the USA, I have much to be thankful for. I have a roof over my head & air conditioning! I have water that is clean and comes out of the faucet. I have a job. I can walk in my neighborhood without fear. My family is currently healthy, including my parents that are in their late 80's. I have great kids, even though they can drive me crazy. I have a Godly husband the loves his family & works hard to provide for us. My car is not new, but it runs. I have food in my cabinets. I have a dishwasher. The list goes on and on. Thank God for everything!

5. SAY NO. This is hard, but I can't be responsible for and do everything. That is what God says in Romans 12 about their being many gifts: "For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. And since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let each exercise them accordingly."

6. ASK FOR HELP. I struggle with this too. I'm self-sufficient, and I don't want to bother people. It's taken a long time for me to see the advantage of asking for help. Having 4 children, especially in their teen and young adult years has made me realize that I can do it alone. I need to ask for wisdom from God, and from those who have walked the road before me.

7. BLESSED ARE THE FLEXIBLE. I'm not sure this was an original "Stovall-ism", but that is where I first heard it, from Hailey. Her mom said it was one of the Beatitude's. I think it's great advice for those stressful days.

Here's to a great fall semester!

What I'll Miss

If you check your calendar, summer doesn't end until September when the autumnal equinox occurs. For half of my family, summer is over.  School started today.  

Randy begins year 31 in the 8th grade...teaching middle schoolers for that long must qualify him for sainthood.  Carrie drove to school in her newly acquired 1998 Honda Passport, a hand-me down from her brother.  She is delighted to have some wheels as a junior in high school!  Kate is now in 6th grade, but that is still elementary school in the city system. Aaron, Alyssa & I have a few more weeks before the colleges begin, and that is a story for another day!

What will I miss about summer?

Flexible schedule

Sleeping past 7 

Swimming on a hot afternoon

Reading LOTS of books

Having time to cook, and not having to plan days in advance

Afternoon thunderstorms

Visiting National Parks 

Playing board games with the kids

What I WON'T miss...

Having to decide where to park with 5 vehicles home

Feeding 6 people on a regular basis ... no leftovers

Disney Channel with continual episodes of Hannah Montana, Suite Life, etc...

Kids that continually raid the refrigerator

Random schedules - who is where, when are they coming home & why

Here's to the start of the school year and the end of summer!