In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was such a blessing to be able to start school IN PERSON. Many years from now, we will still be talking about the year that we started face to face while the Cobb County schools started virtually. As of today (Friday, October 16), we are still a few weeks away from Cobb County high schoolers returning to their campuses. These are crazy days! So grateful that we started in person. Eli started 2nd grade with our dear friend Mrs. Romine as his teacher. Emma started 6th grade with several familiar teachers and a couple of new ones. It felt great to lay out school uniforms and backpacks…and we even got excited about making school lunches!
Clint and Emma continued their tradition of doing something special together all day on Eli’s first day of school since Emma still had one last day of summer before she started. At NCCS, K3-2nd grade starts one day and 3rd-12th grade starts the following day to give the little guys a chance to have the campus all to themselves before the big kids join them. Clint and Emma went to Starbucks, Tacqueria Tsunami on the square, and shopping together. She was in heaven!
Eli has been learning a little about helping Clint with tools. Over the past few months Clint has built our family a beautiful stand for our Eno and some beautiful Adirondack chairs. He let Eli help him with some measuring and making some of the cuts. Some days Eli is really into it…and some days he is really into taking a lot of breaks!
Emma and I were both so excited that our middle and upper school retreats took place this year. There were obviously some changes with wearing masks, social distancing, taking temps often etc….but we still had a blast! Emma and the rest of the 5th/6th graders went to the YMCA Camp and I went with the high schoolers to camp at the Georgia Baptist Conference Center in Toccoa.
Eli enjoyed riding bikes with friends…especially his buddy William. We met him and his mom to head up to the park one Saturday morning for the NCCS Lower School Popsicles in the Park activity with friends. Eli just LOVES his friends and could play for hours on end! His best friend continues to be Ella and we can’t wait for them to get married one day!
Emma played Middle School softball again this year and had a great season. Emma mostly plays 3rd base, but she got some great opportunities to come in to pitch for us, and did a great job hitting. This was her second year on the team and my second year as the assistant coach. We both had a blast!
My mom came in town for a quick visit and we went down to the Battery to eat at El Felix and enjoy the beautiful weather. Clint and I went to the NCCS Auction and had a great time catching up with lots of friends while we all contributed to the continued awesome experience that our school offers.
August seemed to be a sign that things were started to head back to some sense of “normalcy”. Fortunately it wasn’t the all out crazy that August can be. It was a nice pace!
August 6 | Special day at @NCCSEagles Meet the Teacher with my favorite second grader! We love his teacher and can’t wait to see what God has in store for this year! #GoEagles#WeAreNCCS#NCCSFamily#7000days
August 7 | Today was an awesome day @NCCSEagles as our Upper School Faculty and Staff toured the new Upper School building. This building will be incredible for our Upper School family for years to come for all kinds of reasons. Mostly because it is such a tangible expression of God’s faithfulness. Grateful for the opportunity to continue being a part of stewarding the mission God has given us at NCCS. TOGETHER…Cultivating Hearts. Challenging Minds. Impacting Culture.
#GoEagles#WeAreNCCS#NCCSFamily
August 9 | Tonight was a special night @NCCSEagles as our senior parents chalked their child’s parking space and then we had a time of prayer together with the senior families. After that we joined with parents of kids of all ages for a time of prayer on the football field over our students, faculty, staff, our campus, our community, and the world. So grateful for a school family that keeps the main thing the main thing! Please join us in praying over this school year. #OnlyJesus#GoEagles#WeAreNCCS#NCCSFamily
August 10 | John 14
As we launch the first day of school @NCCSEagles this morning (K3-2nd grade today and 3rd-12th grade tomorrow), this entire chapter is the “why behind the what”. This is the heart of Christian Education…to point to Jesus in all things. He alone is the way, the truth, and the life. May the Lord find us faithful to point to Him.
I also love the reminder of the verse that caused @ravizacharias to put his hope in Jesus…John 14:9, “Because I love, you also will live.” Another powerful reminder of God’s faithfulness and His sovereignty over every inch of our lives and His entire Creation. God is faithful. He is working.
#WoodlandsCampReadingPlan@woodlandscamp
August 11 | John 15
Today is the first day of school @NCCSEagles for my “big kids”…my own precious daughter starts 6th grade and my favorite high schoolers launch into God’s story for this school year. I can’t wait to see what God has in store for this year. There will be ups and downs, there will be mountaintops and valleys, and there will be days that make more sense than others. Above it all, Lord draw us near to you. Don’t less us miss what You have in store for this year. Keep us close to the vine…May we abide in Him above all else this year.
God is faithful. He is working.
#WoodlandsCampReadingPlan@woodlandscamp#GoEagles#WeAreNCCS#NCCSFamily
August 15 | Two year ago we celebrated that our little guy finally lost ONE tooth. Today we see that he only has ONE tooth on the top. I’m happy to report it hasn’t slowed him down a bit. He ate two breakfasts this morning. As we were eating dinner, he asked if he could eat another dinner later ?? Love our precious boy! That smile just keeps getting better and better! #7000days
August 18 | At the ballpark tonight cheering on our favorite #32. #HomerunHitter#RedTeam
August 19 | Today was Day 7 of in person school for our Upper School @NCCSEagles. We don’t want to miss a moment of celebrating the gifts of grace the Lord is sharing with us in this season. We kicked off our faculty meeting time by sharing 7 Gifts of Grace that our team has received over this first week of school. Because our God always goes above whatever we could think to ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20), we actually came up with more than 7 things to share and to celebrate. Did you need that encouragement today? I did and I’m so grateful to work with the best team of men and women who love Jesus and love investing in students. What an absolute gift our team is to me! God is faithful and He is working! #GoEagles#WeAreNCCS#NCCSFamily
August 23 | 8.23.03 17 years ago, we said “I Do” to God’s best for our lives together. I never could have imagined the depth of God’s grace and mercy over me in the person and leadership of @clintstrange32. Clint is a godly man, a man of integrity, who is so well-respected by all who know him. I’m so proud to be his wife and so grateful for the way he prayerfully and thoughtfully leads, provides, and protects our family while making sure we are having a blast and loving each other well. These first 17 years have flown by…can’t wait to see what God has in store for the future. With this man by my side, I’m up for the adventure! #WeWereYoungBeforeWeHadKids#TheyMakeThingsEvenMoreFun
August 27 | Jesus Jesus,You make the darkness tremble.Jesus Jesus,You silence fear.
Grateful to gather together for worship @NCCSEagles this morning in the gym and via livestream to lift high the name of Jesus.