The end of the year brings summer.

The end of this year was full of fun times, watching our kids graduate not only from their current grades but in life.  Both graduating kids becoming more mature and more capable.  The end of the year also came with lots of tears as we see our babies grow before our eyes and of course as we watch Kyle graduate himself, from a loved job of 10 years.  It's hard to capture all the emotions, I suppose some really great song could be born out of it.  We should probably capture those creative juices and make something great, but for now I will just share a little tribute to each of the Kivetts that graduate on to something new.

Sarah Ann Kivett

This year when she started school I left her many days in tears, scared to go and really missing me.  The bus was always a struggle, causing her GREAT panic and me GREAT embarrassment. In fact you can scroll back to my old blogs, look in the September/October area to find a whole blog on our worst bus day ever.  Now she is happy, a monkey bar queen, always wants to go to school, LOVES to run ahead of her brother to the bus, leaving me on the porch waving them off.  She has made tons of friends, and even a special best friend.  She won the heart of her teachers one telling me she wasn't at all the same little shy girl that started school all those months ago.  She can read, do math and makes amazing pictures and crafts.  She is about to start the adventure of piano lessons but does not want to be known as a first grader until September.  She has made that very clear.  I think over all, a hugely successful year.  And the extra special bonus is that she talks freely about Christ and what he has done for her, she LOVES her Bible and I hear her singing songs from church all the time.  Love that girl!

Here are some pictures from her end of the year program.
Here is Becca her "best" school bud.
Mrs. Croser and Sarah, this was Sarah's teacher this year.

Alexander Allen Kivett

A boy that's been described as someone with "big feelings" by his first grade teacher.  The kid that told his teacher we were "going through a divorce and he had two houses", that was awesome considering we are about as far away from that as possible, he wanted the attention.  The kid that went to the principles office more than once for spanking Will, oh boy.  But he is also the boy that loves whole heartedly, that sympathizes with our trials, that has a new semi passion BASEBALL, and that is usually willing to lend a helping hand.  He managed by the end of the year to get the principles award for good behavior choices, not allowing his "big feelings" to control his every move.  He is reading like a champ, getting really good at math and is concerned about such things as "germs" and "what to do in case of a fire".  He wants to be a police officer, or a guy that fights in a war.  He also is about to start a new adventure, guitar lessons with daddy.  He always wants to have his Bible at church and likes to even reads it on his own.  Love that boy!

Here he is celebrating his summer  birthday the last week of school.
Alex and his teach, she was so awesome with him.
Alex and his best "bud" Will.
Rm.  22 - what a great experience he had there.

Kyle Alexander Kivett

Graduating is a bit more difficult for this man that I love so much.  We have both struggled with saying goodbye to Gladstone.  Most of you know why, but in short we love the people there and the opportunities this job provided for our family.  We have cried lots of tears over this and I have grown to respect my husband even more.  Seeing the outpouring of love and support - they are throwing a benefit concert in the hopes to raise enough money to cover his salary - has made me realize that he is truly living out Christ's love, even though he can't officially talk about it.  It's clear that the kids and parents in Gladstone know what is most important to Kyle, and that they feel loved for, cared for, worried about and educated by this amazing man I get to call husband.  I love that man!

Rehearsing for his last graduation at Gladstone.  So serious!
The whole band on the stage right before graduation.
Crying his eyes out as his kids throw a fair-well concert on his last official day at work.
Conducting those kids one last time.
The standing ovation, which was followed by gifts and several hours of signing year books and giving hugs.
Just a couple of the students that have added to the difficulty of saying so long to that job.
Some of the die hards that lasted the 4 hours.  Some actually waited that whole time just to get him to sign their books.
Kyle and Mandy, my new friend, a.k.a. the choir teacher.
We had to go back one day this week to clean out all his junk, and here are the kids playing like monkeys in the storage units of his brand new band room, that he only got to teach in for a few months.  Boo.
I love all my graduates, and our life is taking a new turn in a lot of ways.  We are trusting God, finding peace in His promises and trying to still enjoy the summer, even if it has meant the beginning of unemployment for our family.  Thank you God for the love we share and how awesome my family is.

Nothing a little cuddle....

....and a lot of prayer can't help you through.  I am going to try and keep this post short, because I know after the week I will have a huge post full of pictures to share.  But, as I'm sure you all know, Kyle was let go from his teaching job last week.  This has been so sad for us, not to mention scary and confusing.  At the head of our emotions is the loss of that place, those kids, and what that job has grown to mean for Kyle.  We had all three of our kids while he was there, we grew up as a married couple, we suffered through losing Kyle's mom, and as a result so did his students.  He has counseled countless students who were hurting and been able to lay a foundation of trust that we have learned is so important when teaching, especially in today's world where trust is not always easy to build.  Then you add in the teaching, which he has gotten better at each year.  He has grown mountains in his time there.  It amazes me every year what he gets out of these oddly formed groups, as they frequently don't have the "normal" band instrumentation and he has to arrange and rearrange the music to work for them.  He also taught his kids a huge appreciation for quality music, not always easy when you consider what they listen to on their own time.  Not to mention all the things he learned to do for other teachers, other programs, and the school in general that had nothing to do with his job description.  And he did all these things with a happy heart, knowing that by doing them he was serving others.  

The outpouring of support has been amazing.  From our family, church family, and the community in Galdstone.  They are sad, and as shocked as we are over this decision.  We have been praying a lot, and know others are too.  We both feel strongly that God will take care of us, that this is His plan and that something better is in the wings.  But it's hard not to get nervous, especially when there are basically no jobs out there right now.  I am holding out for a huge contract from Disney for Kyle to do all their arranging.  A girl can dream right? :)

Yesterday our daughter tuned-in to the extra love her daddy needed.  She was his shadow, demanding long cuddles and never leaving his side.  If he walked to the computer, she did, if he sat down, she did, if he was outside, she was too.  It was sweet and I know made him feel extra special.  He'll never get cut due to budget from our family.  It's amazing how that security and love really goes a long way towards healing the heart.  But it will be a sad week, and there will be lots more tears for sure.  Pray for us and especially for me.  I want to hold him up, be his helper mate and we both want to be a living example of Christ's love for us.  We know his students are watching us closely right now, we want to encourage them and see a few seek Christ because of this.  Let this be a victory for Him not a tragedy for us.

I need a nack

Otherwise known as Snack!  This I hear rather often, well actually non stop.  Adam is the only one that actually says nack, has a hard time with those s's.  I never realized how hungary you get just being a kid, it's a hard job you know.  The unfortunate side effect of this constant need for food is that I really can not keep enough in the house.  I am always turning around and realizing that the kid snacks are gone, plus it costs a lot of money to keep these tummy's happy. There are two things that drive me especially crazy about this apparent starvation they are always feeling. 

1.  It never fails that twenty minutes after they eat dinn

er, or really any meal, they are STARVING!  So hungary are they that they can not even function, clutching their stomachs, doubled over in what they believe is a sincere near death experience.

2.  How can you be starving and think that a fruit roll, or a few chocolate chips, or really anything with no substance is going to do the trick.  Why is it the snacks I so cheerfully offer are always met with disgust and that, "I wouldn't eat that if it was the last morsel of food on the earth" attitude?

I know I'm not alone in these frustrations, just chalk it up to the long list of things people don't tell you before having children.  One of those little nuggets that grandparents hold back for the pure enjoyment of watching you battle it out.  And of course they ALWAYS have the good snacks, making true satisfaction at home just a little harder.  I guess I will just have to rejoice in the fact that they are growing, and that I occasionally get some fruit, or truly healthy snack in those little bodies.  I have to realize that a kid that can eat chicken nuggets, a hotdog, cheese and crackers and a banana for lunch (todays meal) probably does need a few extra snacks during the day.

Here is one of my s'nacker, eating a lemon -  He loved it, weird.