Cargo Nets

It has been a YEAR since I have written my last blog entry.  HOW SAD.   Today I was sitting on the beach (we are on vacation) and I realized how I am not leaving behind our STORY for our children.  I use to be so good about blogging.  If my kid got a hair cut, lost a tooth, finger painted, said something funny... I blogged about it... w pictures to go along.  Now, I do not bring a camera ANY WHERE (unless I am getting paid for it) and Instagram has become my scrapbook (@anceletphoto) and a poor one, at that.
WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO ME?
I am too busy.
Busy w a family... 4 children... all of which have different personalities and different interest, all of which when I am not working I want to spend time with... and most of that time is just being with them. Not creating a blog or writing or thinking of a something that would be cool or fun to share.  Just being.    I spend a lot of time working.  I spend a lot of the time at the pool (all 4 kids are on the swim team and we swim daily).  AND I do like to sleep at night.  So the blog... it's suffered.

But this morning I had this burden on my heart to share stories so that my children will know them.  So they can taste and see the Lord's goodness.  So that they will learn from the many mistakes we have made.  So they will know what I know about those who have gone before me.... So that when they are curious later in life, it will be written down (unless the WORLD WIDE WEB crashes).

I had many thoughts about the first story I would share with them... stories about childhood memories, stories about my parents,  stories of heart ache, stories of triumph.  How I met their father, stories from our 17 years of marriage... where do I begin?

I think I will start with my fear of heights.  When I was little I went to Tyrrell Elementary.  I loved school.  I usually had a goal to be the teacher's favorite.  Honestly, I don't know that I ever was.   I think I shared the title in 3rd grade w my friend, Melanie Moore, in Ms. Wright's class.  When I was in 1st or 2nd grade (can't remember which one) when I faced my first REAL TRIAL in life... and it happened during PE.  We would head outside to climb the dreaded CARGO NET.  I put that in all caps because it seemed LARGER THAN LIFE to me as a kid.  I seriously thought for sure I would die if I climbed to the top of that thing.   It didn't matter that all the other kids in my class would climb to the top and eventually climb over it.  It made me want to PUKE.  I felt like an ant and it seemed like a SKY SCRAPPER.  And Mr. Robinson (I may have just made up his name), the gym teacher wanted me to climb to the top of it.. and eventually wanted me to climb over it.  WHAT WAS HE THINKING?  Surely I would be the first to die on this very cargo net.  Was this torture?

I guess that I really freaked out because I am not sure what happened but before I knew it,  my teacher, Ms. Jackson (or Ms. Johnson if I was in 2nd grade... the teacher w all the bangle brackets) said to me "Tracie, today when all the kids, you will be going to special ed. PE".    "ok", I responded.  I had no idea what that meant, but I knew one thing - NO CARGO NET.
So I walked the streets w the children w special needs and we picked up leaves.  That was PE.  Picking up leaves.
Not sure how long I stayed in special ed PE.  I don't remember having any thoughts OR feelings about it.
In fact, I wish there was some GRAND ending to the story but there isn't.  Eventually I returned to PE with my class.  Eventually I climbed the cargo net.  I remember driving by the school sometime in the last 15 years and seeing that cargo net and laughing at how small it was.

I have had many "cargo nets" in my life.  Riding the Texas Cyclone at Astroworld was one of them.  That thing (roller coaster) made so much noise, had so many dips and was SO HIGH.  I remember I hated it and loved it all at the same time once I rode it.  Now, when we go to Dollywood, I ride every ride.  I don't love heights and I am NOT a thrill seeker... but I have learned it's much more fun riding the rides then sitting and waiting for those you are with to go and ride the rides.
Speaking at a women's retreat for college girls last year was another cargo net.  All those precious faces looking at me.... wanting to learn and leave w some golden nugget.  I was SO NERVOUS.  I lived through it.  I even enjoyed it.
Riding in airplanes.  I love it now.  I hated it for YEARS.  I remember one time going to Colorado w friends and having such bad gas on the plane because my nerves were so bad.  We got to colorado and got snowed into a one bedroom apartment.  There were 6 of us and the friend that we were visiting made 9 bean soup.  (Gas + 9 bean soup + small apartment = NOT GOOD).
Living through the death of both my mom and dad were huge cargo nets.  They were ones I saw coming and climbed for YEARS.   Those are ones I will never get over (the experience of) and I think I will always remember the sadness I felt during the climb.

Cargo nets ahead of me right now...
Avery's teenage years
Addie's dyselxia
Abel's adoption affects in the future (attachment and feelings of abandonment)
Aidan's career choice (ok... so I'm not really fearful about this currently but I have wondered what he will do when he grows up).

Trails look so much different when you look back on them.   The Cargo Net at Tyrrell Elementary didn't shrink.  It sure seemed like it when I drove by the school years later.  Growth is such a part of life.... and sometimes it's those very cargo nets that remind us that we have grown.  I want to spend more time "driving by old cargo nets" in life so I can remember the growing pains and the journey the Lord has had me on.

Thankful for those Cargo Nets...
Tracie  

BAPTISMS ON THE BEACH

Addie and Aidan had given their hearts to Jesus prior to our trip to the beach but have been asking to be baptized.  We decided that this trip would be the time to baptize them.  We told them it would happen while we were at the beach and then we had such sweet conversations with them about their decision to follow Jesus while on the trip.

What a sweet memory for our family.  We were so thankful that our friends shared in this memory with us!  THANK YOU Burks, Leadbetters, Blackstons and Linds :-)

 We sang Amazing Grace... so very sweet.

 Miss Ribka :-)

 What a sunset.  ahhhh....

 Ethiopian boys hanging out together!

 Jenn and Lee - such sweet friends.

 The Leadbetters

 All the guys from our trip!

 All the ladies :-)

 My dear dear friend, Deanna

 Cortney and Matthew - love em!

 The Blackston girls :)

 Aidan and Ryan

Family Beach Pics...

Deanna asked if I could snap a picture of their family on the beach.  We went out to dinner at Sharky's one night and decided, after showering and actually putting real clothes on... we should take pictures this night... SO WE DID!  I am so glad I had her take pics of our family too!  I am rarely on that side of the camera and I LOVE the way the pics turned out!  THANKS DEANNA!


The Ancelets

The Burks

 Our kids :-)  LOVE THEM.

 Married 16 1/2 years ... and still SO IN LOVE :-)

 This was a picture of all the girls on the trip :-)

 Eric and Deanna :-)  15 years of marriage.

 The Burks crew... oh so cute!

More Beach Pics!

 We were so excited to head to the beach one the rain stopped.  This was actually our first beach evening.  Ted was so nervous about my camera being on the beach.  I just was itching to take pics on the beach because we had been at the beach for a full 48 hours and had not seen much of the sun.  This was the VERY END of Tropical Storm Debby.  AHHHH... from here on out we were HOME FREE!  This was Monday evening...

 When we met the Burks, it was just the 4 of us.  AND THIS TIME... it was the 12 of us!  WOW what a change!

 Here is my beach bum!

 And my non-beach bum

BEACH!!!!

 We headed to Panama City Beach on Saturday, June 23rd for a week long vacation.  Our best friends, The Burks, met us there from Texas.  Also, a few family friends from Knoxville also joined us.  We had a great trip.

This is Deanna and Eric's youngest... Brooklyn.  This was the second time we have been around her in her little life.  She is a cutie!!!

 My friend, Cortney's daughter, Kate.  Her and Addie are going to be in the same grade at the same co-op next year.  Fingers crossed that they end up in the same class :-)

 Abel mastered swimming at the beach.  He came home and doesn't need a life jacket any more!  WAHOOOO!  I get so excited about going to the beach and seeing the ocean and my kids... well, they want to go to the pool the whole time!  WHAT?!?!?!
Abel enjoyed throwing football at the beach w Dad :-)

 Aidan didn't love the beach but when he did go down there, he enjoyed himself!  He had a great time playing w Deanna and Eric's oldest son, Ryan.  They enjoyed some video games, movies and pool time.  AND they did enjoy the beach too!!!! 

 I learned that my Addie would be happiest in life if she ended up marrying a fisherman and living at the beach.  OH. MY. WORD.  two words... BEACH BUM.  She wanted to be there the minute she woke up to the minutes she went to sleep.

Our friends, the Blackstons, adopted a little girl from Ethiopia and brought her home back in Feb.  It's been so fun to see her grow these past few months.  SHE ADORES HER FAMILY... and she is one adorable baby. 
That handsome boy is her big brother Daniel :-)  FULL OF ADVENTURE!

Kate (above) and Kate and Addie (below) LOVED their time on the beach.  The bigger the waves, the better (at least that is how Addie felt)

RIBKA IS SO STINKIN' CUTE (below)

My sweet Avery wasn't much for the beach.  She read A LOT while we were on this trip.  She also baby sat some for us (those who did not want to go to the beach).  She is such a trooper and had a great trip.  She got a special souvenir when we left... a beach towel w the state of Florida on it.  She was so excited about it!

We did have to battle Tropical Storm Debby while we were there.  The first 2 days were full of RAIN RAIN AND MORE RAIN... but we saw some breaks in the clouds, we swam at the pool in the rain and we went to the movies... so we made the best of it!  We saw the movie Brave.  We give it LOTS OF THUMBS UP!

IT'S CHRISTMAS!!!!

Here are the kids Christmas morning. What a sweet bunch of kiddos. They were so excited. We woke up at 5:30am. EARLY. Ted suggested we go back to bed til 7am but I said "NO... Let's get up now!" (I am a cool mom :-) haha. Christmas Eve this year we spent at the Hornes. This is our second year to go over there on Christmas Eve. What a sweet time. We went to church with them at West Park Baptist. Then we headed over to the Hornes, put on our PJs and hung out (and ate A LOT). It was a great night!

Here are the kids opening their gifts on Christmas morning....

All 4 kids got new gloves. They needed gloves they could use for snowy weather.

This picture is blurry but you get the point. HE WAS PUMPED about his PEZ that he got in his stocking.

I love my kid's expressions. They literally got excited about everything. EVEN UNDERWEAR.

Abel got a play dough Activity World . Each child took turns opening presents.

Here is Avery opening ... not sure ...

This was Abel's favorite present. A scooter. LOVE THIS BOY!

This was the year of the DS game for Aidan. He got a few of them.

Addie got a DS game as well :-)

Avery got a remote control helicopter. That was her favorite present.

She is so excited about these boots... which reminds me, I need to take them back. THEY ARE WAY TOO BIG. This girl loves rainboots.

Avery is our crafty kid. This girl can create the coolest things. This year, it's duct tape that she wants to do her creations with. I've seen purses and wallets, flowers, bows. She got a book of how to make things. This kept her busy for HOURS!

Abel got a remote control car ... that he drives Andi (our dog) crazy with.

3 of the 4 kids got new bikes. And the one that didn't got a camera :-)

It is really NOT about the presents... we all wait with anticipation for Christmas morning... Our prayer is that our children will ALWAYS understand the TRUE meaning of Christmas. It is our greatest joy to hear them tell us what the meaning of Christmas really is. That is the greatest gift Ted and I could ever receive.