Back to School!

So, apparently I am not at all keeping up with our family blog like I had planned on!  Maybe now with the kids back in school I can do that.  The Summer flew by and it is hard to believe this is the start of the boys' third week of school already.  Where does the time go?  The first half of our Summer was spent by and large on SWIM TEAM!  This was the first year any of our boys have participated on a swim team.  They were on Smokey Row Swim Club's team and they did fantastic.  I was especially proud of Sam's efforts, as it was much harder for him to start something new at age 11!  He worked very hard and, I think, enjoyed it.  Will was in the 7-8 age group and he did well, too.  His best strokes were freestyle and backstroke.  He truly looked like a "California Boy" with that bleach blonde hair and tan body.  He definitely looked like he belonged on a swim team.  Tim and I were blown away by Tommy.  Swimming has proven to be his thing!  He was in the 6 and under age bracket and he was such a strong swimmer.  He loved every minute of it, even practices, so now we are looking into him joining the Carmel Swim Club which is basically year-round swimming.  In the Invitaitonal Swim Meet this Summer, Tommy placed 7th overall for his age group amongst all the teams in the conference.  Go Tommy!

The remainder of our Summer was spent on a vacation to Cedar Point, pool time, bike riding, hanging out with friends and typical Summer stuff.  August 9th came way too early and none of the boys were ready to go back to school.  We will be attending a family camp at Spring Hill Camp in Seymour over Labor Day weekend with Chris, Ginny and the boys.  So many fun things--we are very blessed!

These past couple of weeks have been huge for Sam, as he officially is now a middle-schooler.  He started 6th grade at Carmel Middle School and hasn't looked back at all!  He said he does not miss Mohawk Trails and that middle school is WAY cooler than elementary.  He has done well so far with managing his locker, an earlier bus time, 6 different classes, playing the clarinet, etc.  He never ceases to amaze us.

Will is in 3rd grade at Mohawk Trails and it is hard to believe that he will turn 9 next month!  He continues to be a sweet, caring boy with a good heart...but he also continues to struggle MAJORLY with anxiety and mood issues.  We continue to work on that with doctors, therapists, etc., and just keep him in our prayers constantly.  No matter what he is going through, though, we know his heart is in the right place and that God holds him close.  We know God has wonderful plans for him!

As usual, Tommy is just going with the flow with a smile on his face.  He is in first grade at Mohawk Trails and loves school.  Having Autism, he has his share of struggles, but so far so good with the new school year.  We pray specifically that God would bring him a special friend this year.

Tim continues working hard at Lilly, running, being an involved, awesome dad, and just being an overall wonderul husband, father and family man.  He is a blessing to us all!

I am enjoying my "alone" time with the boys in school, but am keeping busy.  It always seems there is something to clean, an errand to run, an appointment to go to, keeping up with my running, etc.  Plus, we got a new puppy a couple of weeks ago and he is, of course, requiring a lot of time.  He is worth it, though.

Here are some photos from our summer:

Sam and Mom on Sam's 11th Birthday

The boys at CarmelFest's 4th of July Parade

 The boys at Cedar Point

 

 Tommy winning his medal at the Swimming Invitational

 Our new puppy, Indy

 

 Sam's first day of middle school

 Will and Tommy on the first day of school

Ahhhhh.....Spring!

Well, we are not quite there, but the Noblitt house is so very ready for Spring.  Like most people I know, Spring fever has set in big time here!  We had a rough Winter, since my initial post back in January.  Tim had the flu and was sicker than I have ever seen him.  He missed a week of work, and I truly felt like a single mother.  In the midst of all that, all 3 boys were sick at one time or another.  By God's grace, I have remained healthy.  Thank you!  Tim's sickness occurred right in the midst of the ice storm and all the snow days.  Let's see...I got the van stuck on our street, the van stuck on our driveway a different time, had a dead battery in the van at the YMCA, had to lead Will's Cub Scout meeting, had to help Sam with a science project (which is SO Tim's job!), took the boys sledding several times, and the list goes on.  Needless to say, I know I am whining, but I so appreciate my wonderful husband.  He truly helps me more than words can say and I definitely noticed the difference when it was all on me.  Unfortunately, Tim was also sick over his birthday.  The boys and I went to LePeep to celebrate in his honor.  While we were all enjoying pancakes, I texted this picture to him so he would know we were thinking about him on his birthday:

Thankfully, he is back to normal now and life goes on.

I have been nursing a hip injury since October and had to take 5 months off of running.  That was so hard!  But, with some patience, doctor's visits, a cortisone shot, LOTS of physical therapy and some much needed rest, my hip is improving.  I have been running again over the past couple of weeks and it is so awesome.  I do still feel some hip pain, but it is manageable.  Tim and I are both signed up for the mini marathon in May, so let's hope that actually happens!

Will finished his first year of Cub Scouts this year and LOVED it.  He is looking forward to the day camp, Camp Belzer, this Summer.  Below is a picture of Will and his buddy Will Kok, from his Blue and Gold Banquet in January:

It is hard to believe, but Sam is already gearing up for middle school next year.  We have had one meeting already at the school, and he will be scheduling his classes this week!  Yikes!  Frankly, I am very excited for him to start 6th grade; he is interested in playing an instrument and I think he will thrive next year.  It's really myself that I'm most worried about!

Tommy is continuing to do great in kindergarten.  He has coined a term that his teacher used once to describe a good day he was having and now he likes to use it all the time.  He often says, "Mom....I was ON FIRE today!"  It is so cute.  He has grown by leaps and bounds and I am praising God for how well Tommy is doing.  He has a lot of great people helping him, namely his kindergarten teacher and speech therapist, as well as the support of two proud older brothers.  He is such a big boy; it is hard to believe that my baby is actually facing first grade in the near future!

We are off to Washington, D.C., for spring break and we can't wait.  We hope the weather is nice and that we can all handle all the walking!

I hope and pray that you and your family are all well!

Happy 2011!

I finally feel like I've joined the 21st Century!  I'm starting to figure out this blog thing!  I hope you enjoy keeping up with our family through this blog.  I really enjoy writing and sharing, so I know I will enjoy updating it as well.  Just as a quick update on our family status:

Sam is 10 1/2 and is in 5th grade at Mohawk Trails...

It is hard to believe he is on the verge of middle school.  Where does the time go?  He is so grown up and independent!  Tim and I can really count on him for so many things.  He is very responsible, helpful and an all-around good kid.  He loves Legos, roller coasters, the Wii, Roblox, reading and music.  He was thrilled to get my old Ipod Shuffle, and has a fondness for 80s music--yikes!  THAT makes me feel old!  He is a very good example for Will and Tommy, and he and Will have especially enjoyed bonding lately.  That has certainly not always been the case!  Sam has not proven to be the "typical" boy, in that he is not into playing sports at all.  Coming from a very competitive mother, that is very hard!  I try daily to not make Sam (or the other boys) fit into MY mold, but to let them grow to be the boys and men God created them to be.  Sam absolutely LOVES our two cats--Oskar and Hoosier; he and Oskar, especially, have a very special relationship.  Each morning when Sam is showering for school, Oskar stands patiently at the door waiting for Sam to let him in.  Too cute!

Will is 8 and is in 2nd grade at Mohawk Trails...

Will is our little "Drama King".  He is very emotional and you always know how he feels--good or bad!  He wears his heart on his sleeve, but the great part is that he has such a sweet, sweet heart.  He has such a sensitive spirit for such a young age.  His specialty is helping kids who may struggle a bit or have special needs.  Will himself had a rough start to his life, so he knows what it is to need.  A couple of years ago he outgrew an immune deificiency that wreaked havoc on him the first 4 plus years of his life.  We praise God that he is now much healthier.  He does have some anxiety and social issues as a result of his struggles, but he is improving with the help of great teachers, therapists and other people in our lives!  Will's main love right now is Garfield comic books.  Go figure!  He loves playing Wii and being an active boy outside--Summer or Winter.  He's the one this time of year that you can't make come inside, even though he is frozen solid!  We are hoping he enjoys his first try at baseball this Spring.  Will loves God and learning about Jesus, and he is very anxious to get baptized!!

Tommy is 6 and is in full day/full time kindergarten at Mohawk Trails...

We are so proud of Tommy!  He has come so far; most of you know he is on the Autism Spectrum which has, of course, produced some specific challenges in his 6 years of life.  We are happy to say that he is in a regular kindergarten class and is doing well!  He is definitely fine academically; his struggles consist mainly in the communication and social areas of his life.  Tommy's main strength, though, is his unbelievably joyful personality.  He is known for his smile, and it continues to shine.  He has always been a "bigger" boy.  All our boys are tall, but Tommy is off the charts.  He is taller than many middle-to upper-elementary aged kids.  He has thinned out quite a bit, but we're not sure when he'll stop getting taller!  Tommy loves the Wii like his brothers, and loves sharing a room with Will.  Because of his issues, it is hard to get Tommy to expand his interests, but we have seen a growing interest in drawing, writing, and reading some books.  Tommy is so special, and he knows it!  He tells everyone that he is "Mom's Love."  Tommy loves his brothers and thrives around them; my continued prayer is that he be able to interact well with peers and develop normal relationships outside the family.  Regardless of any struggles, though, Tommy brings joy to this family every day!

Tim continues to work at Eli Lilly, and we are very blessed that he has a job with such a good company.  Thankfully, Lilly's cutbacks over the past several years have not affected Tim.  We pray that continues to be the case!  Tim is a wonderful father and a great example for the boys.  Their favorite thing to do together, of course, is wrestle on the family room floor.  Sometimes I think the boys give Tim a run for his money!

I continue to be a "stay-at-home" mom who loves her job.  I would not trade it for ANYTHING in the world.  I keep very busy volunteering at the boys' school, exercising, keeping up with the house, and of course, some socializing!  I am blessed.  I hope you are all well, and I look forward to sharing more about the Noblitts in the future!