I Love Summer

School has been keeping me so busy!

My classes aren't too difficult, but they have been extremely time consuming!

We have one more week until summer school is done, and Nick and I will finally get a few weeks off to relax before the reality of Fall semester starts again.

I have managed to continue to overshare photos of my kids and my life on Instagram and Facebook.

Contemplating deleting that thing until election season is over.

Who would have thought that so many of my friends were so hateful to one another!

Anyway, regardless of how much time school has been taking up, our family has really taken advantage of the summer, and we have been soaking up all the hot Texas rays.

Lots of time playing outside with the kids on the street....

Mattis getting school on nerf guns....

Nick won yard of the month.

Seriously, this has been his lifelong dream.

Mommy/daughter dates to the salon and lunch!

back to school "do"

This is our neighbor's fish Vi, and Dannika.

We released Vi into our neighborhood's pond a few nights ago.

Dannika was the only person who really loved Vi, so instead of flushing her down the toilet, we let her go into the murky waters of the pond. 

We've spent some time...lots of time swimming at our neighborhood pool...

We have also kept up with our reading!

And sno cones at our local Bahama Buck's!

I can't believe it's the end of July already!

This summer just flew by, and I am sad that it is almost over!

Hope everyone's been having a great summer so far!

The Big Bang Theory (not the show)

I am taking this geography class right now in summer school called "Planet Earth".

So far, it's been such a rad class to take.

Science is amazing, and even better, my professor is a woman!

Women in science is always super awesome, and I admire women who are breaking barriers and going into STEM type reasearch and jobs.

As most people know, Texas A&M is on the conservative side as far as most public institutions go.

We are a big HUGE agriculture school which attracts many students that come from conservative backgrounds, ranches, farms, etc. etc. etc.

However, it is still academia, and I have sat through some classes that directly contradict my faith as a Christian.

It makes this whole experience very interesting.

Does it challenge my beliefs?

Sure...all the time.

Does it change my beliefs?

No...never.

My faith is strong, and I have no reason NOT to believe that we have a Heavenly Father, a creator who created the universe in 6 days, and a Son who died on the cross and rose from the dead for me.

For a nonbeliever, that all sounds a little cooky.

Most of my "nonbeliever" friends don't believe because it sounds cooky, and they need everything in proof to them scientifically.

"Now faith is confidence in what we hope for, and assurance for what we do not see."

-Hebrews 11:1

For my planet earth class, I have to do a short documentary on something that pertains to the earth.

It is my final.

I thought about all sorts of things I could do, but God kept tugging at my heart in a totally opposite (and could be very controversial) direction.

In this class, we had a whole lecture on the "Big Bang Theory".

As a Christian, I don't believe in the Big Bang Theory, and no amount of "scientific" (word used loosely) evidence can change my mind.

So I have chosen to do my final on "debunking" the Big Bang Theory, while using biblical truths.

I truly believe that there is evidence that reveals a universe consistent with the account of creation in the Bible. 

I have reached out to a few friends of mine (both scientists and seminary students/pastors), and I feel confident with this.

I just pray that my Professor can be open minded (like I have for her class), and take the time to carefully listen to my argument....and not let it affect my grade because it goes against her beliefs.

Who knows...

Maybe my little documentary will change her life...

Please send some prayers my way as I tackle this!

Oh and here's a daily dose of my kids....

He claimed he was not tired 5 minutes prior to this photo...

Church this sunday...

4th of July outfits!

Sadness

More lives lost.

I am so sad that this is the world that my innocent and precious children are growing up in right now.

I am sad for all the valuable lives lost...EVERY life. 

The two black men who were killed at the hands of police officers, and all the police officers who have been killed in the line of duty protecting and serving their communities.

I had to have a real and honest look at the way I view the world.

I can't even lie and say that I didn't think of the two black men who were killed and judge them by their "rap sheet". 

The thought crossed my mind, and I am ashamed that I even thought that.

My church did a powerful sermon today on love, hate and racism.

It wasn't through the eyes of a white man, the eyes of a black man, or the eyes of any man.

It was through the eyes of Jesus.

It really just comes down to this...

We are ALL His children....every broken person....we are His.

The only thing that can cure this hatred is His love, and the only way His love can be spread is through us...His children.

My Facebook is divided between two groups of people.

Two groups of people that I love, and two groups of people that I consider my friends and family.

 I find myself reading people's hateful comments and posts and memes and videos and whatever....

I don't even know what to say. 

The truth is, my police officer friends walk the streets of the communities that they serve and protect feeling like they have a giant target on their back.

The truth is, my black friends have to sit down and have real, painful, and unfair conversations with their sons about how to behave in the presence of police officers...a conversation I wouldn't even think about having with my own son.

Both scenarios are tough, and we need to see life through the eyes of each other and try and be more understanding.

Just some thoughts and ramblings.

I figured I haven't blogged much lately, so I figured I'd put some thoughts down here.

And then she turned 7

It sort of feels like we've been celebrating Dannika's birthday for an entire month now!

We started her birthday festivities back in June right when school got out so that she could celebrate with her classmates before they all left for camps, vacays, etc.  

Then we had a neighborhood BBQ with close friends and neighbors on our street!

She truly is loved, and we are so grateful that she is surrounded by such amazing friends that we can call family.

She picked this cake all by herself from HEB.

Let me just add that this dark chocolate cake from HEB was the BEES KNEES (if bees had knees).

I don't even like cake, but this cake was SO good. 

We decided to splurge on a new hunting rifle for Dannika this year.

After last hunting season, Nick and I decided that it was time for her to have her own rifle. 

She literally wakes up at 0330-4000 in the morning to go sit in a freezing cold blind with Nick for HOURS at a time.

She always comes home with the biggest smile on her face, and can't wait to go again!

We had a few nay-sayers when they saw what we got her.

To them, I say this...

"Gun safety and weapons handling knowledge should be taught young. I want my kids to not be afraid of guns, but I also want my kids to understand how powerful a gun can be. I want them to understand that irresponsibility with such a powerful weapon can have grave consequences. I also want my kids to be able to enjoy guns, and learn to hunt animals for food. I strongly believe that the unfortunate circumstances happen when children are not properly taught weapons safety. I also am going to add that ALL of our family's guns are kept in a gun safe that our children can not open."

Monday night, she went to a friend's birthday party/slumber party.

They went to see "The Secret Life of Pets", and swam the night away at her friend's house!

How cool are these mermaid tails?!

These four went to camp together, and were in the same 1st grade class together!

And how sweet that at her friend's birthday party, they sang Happy Birthday to her, and let her blow out a candle!

We ended Dannika's birthday with our family tradition.....

Going out to dinner at a restaurant of her choice!

She chose sushi!

She wanted miso soup and a California roll.

This pretty much sums up their relationship...

Then off the gymnastics she went where she climbed the rope FOUR times!

We are so proud of the girl you are growing up to be, Dannika Jane!

You are kind, compassionate, and you always have a smile.

You are sensitive, yet strong.

You are unapologetic about your love for Jesus, and are not afraid to talk to people about Him.

There are times I know that we are being too hard on you, and we are working on that!

Patience is not our family's strong suit!

But just know that you bring us so much joy every day, and watching you accomplish goals and chase your dreams is my favorite thing about parenthood!

We love you so much!

LUCKY NUMBER 7!

Carolina Creek Christian Camp!

I almost forgot I had a blog!

If you read my last post (back on June 12), you would understand that my summer session 1 class (logic) has pretty much been consuming my life. 

I can happily say that I am officially done with that class, AND I passed! (whew!)

Summer has been busy busy for us in the Romer casa.

I'm playing catch up here, so I decided to back track, and blog about Dannika's first camp experience.

Dannika went to Carolina Creek Christian Camp earlier in June for 4 days and 3 nights!

She had such a blast, and I can't believe I was nervous about sending her away by herself for that long!

I had the rational fears about sending her away for the first time like...

"WHO IS GONNA MAKE SURE ALL THE SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER ARE OUT OF YOUR HAIR?!?!"

I laugh now, but that was seriously my very first concern about sending her away to camp...lol.

We made sure we did lots of "practicing" showering on our own before camp, so she was ready.

My fears were also appeased knowing that 3 of her best friends from her 1st grade class were going to go to camp with her, and be bunk mates with her. 

I know the girls really well, and I know their parents, so it made me feel better that "my precious baby" would with good AH-MAZING company.

She actually didn't want to come home with us when we went to go pick her up on her last day!

I can't recommend this camp enough, so if you live in Texas, it is SO worth it!

This was at drop off the first day. 

Dannika and two of the three besties that went to camp with her in the camp "chow hall" (since most of my readers are military people).

Dannika sitting on her bunk!

She was upset she didn't get a top bunk, but me (being an old lady with senior citizen type knees) would have been jumping (very carefully because my knees hurt) for joy if I got a bottom bunk.

This was their cabin!!!

SO COOL, RIGHT?!?!

Each cabin is a different animal, and whatever cabin you're in is your "team" for your stay at camp.

Team Giraffe!

They even have their own "chant"!

 

 

One of the days was "Jersey day" where you wear your favorite team's jersey.

Can you tell who the College Station girls are?!

hashtag GIGEM!

Reppin' Aggieland loud and proud!

Fightin' Texas Aggie class of 2031!

hashtag WHOOP!

My snaggle tooth and her friend Addy.

She even ziplined!

NEON NIGHT!

Sweet Ally's mom had all these shirts made for our girls!

One of my favorite images from camp.

Prayer circle with her friends.

One her her camp counselors, Miss Tabi.

Another camp counselor, Miss Kellie.

Overall, camp was such an amazing experience for Dannika, and I am SO glad I sent her.

She fostered so many relationships with different people and grew in her relationship with the Lord.

We can't wait to send her again next year!