Best Buddies Archives - Lauren Sparks

Spring has sprung and here in Texas that means it’s getting hot and muggy already. School activities are ramping up into high gear as the days on the instructional calendar tick away.

Another month has gone by. It happens all the time, but these days I am very aware that the months turn into years.

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One more school year with my Allie at home and then she will step out into new adventures without us. It’s hard to believe.

Physical therapy appointments and exercises filled the first part of my month. Unfortunately it only exacerbated my sciatic pain. I received a second sedated epidural injection on the 19th and wait impatiently to see if it offers me any additional relief. In between I worked a little, banquet dress shopped for Allie (she has 4 to attend), and got to hear her choirs perform their UIL show twice! We also watched a digital premiere for Baylor University with Allie (her current first choice for college) and started planning some in-person visits!

Easter Treats

Our church held a special Maundy Thursday service during Holy Week and we attended Easter service Saturday night with Chuck’s parents so we could drive out to spend Easter day with my parents, my PawPaw and my sisters’ families. There was food (of course), confetti eggs, an egg hunt and cooking with Aunt Kristen (a holiday favorite for the kids). And on Good Friday Shelby had an egg hunt with Best Buddies.

Allie Rose and a whole slew of her smart friends were inducted into the National Honor Society in a ceremony that left much to be desired. But an honor for her none the less. Then the next night she starred as Giselle in a one act play of Enchanted. I am more than a little biased, but I think she’s the perfect princess! Watch a short clip https://www.facebook.com/1363398330/videos/298641175786727/

Updates on the Hubs

Chuck still had a few doctor’s appointments sprinkled in there. He is trying to eat a little more by mouth so he can eventually evict the feeding tube, but swallowing still hurts a lot. He also has some lymphatic swelling getting in the way of his throat. So we have applied for insurance coverage on a new device to help with this. We are having fun with how good it looks. My sisters deemed it his luchador outfit (think Nacho Libre). The wrestler names they have suggested: El Detallista – The Retailer (he works for WalMart) or El Sobreviviente – The Survivor. I think I like the later!

April Entertainment

I did not mention any books in my round up last month. That’s because I’ve been struggling to get through one for the last 6 weeks. I’m not sure why except that I’m still taking medication for my sciatica that makes me sleepy. And most of my reading time is in bed at night. First Women: The Grace and Power of America’s Modern First Ladies by Kate Andersen Brower seemed like a perfect book for Women’s History Month, but now that month has come and gone. I loved Brower’s The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House (highly recommend), and this one is full of interesting stories and details. But it jumps around so much from one administration to another and back again that I get whip lash. I’m still going to finish it; hopefully before another month has gone by. I have trouble quitting on books – whip lash and all.

We talked my sister Kristen into going to see Uncharted with us. A surprisingly clean movie – which is hard to find these days. And it was fun. A very Indiana Jones-like escape. And we tried a couple of new shows on broadcast TV. Good Sam might be a new favorite, although not without issues. We haven’t watched a medical drama since ER but this one has an interesting twist. And The Thing About Pam was good if you like true crime. We tried Only Murders in the Building after hearing good things but the language was a little much for us.

One particularly sedentary day hubby and I watched two movies. I didn’t like either one, for very different reasons. Free State of Jones, although a good historic story, was so gory. We followed it up with The Fighting Temptations for something lighter. It was lighter, but not compelling at all! We then landed on a documentary on Hulu. Captive Audience: A Real American Horror Story shows promise. At least the first episode grabbed us.

Before May Becomes Another Month that Has Gone By

On the day this post goes live, Allie’s show choir puts on their annual Jazz Show. It’s always a highlight. Her solo and her general outlook is Accentuate the Positive! I hope you can as well today. I’d love to hear from you in the comments. Let me know what captured your attention. And as always, I thank you, I love you and I hope May treats you well!

And now for this week’s featured post from the link up!

Grace and Truth’s own Tammy Kennington put so many of my feelings into words. I don’t live in a state of dispair, but have definitely felt it these last few years. She expressed it – and prayed for it – better than I could. Read Two Prayers to Help Overcome Bitterness When You Struggle With Sorrow.

1. Share 1 or 2 of your most recent CHRISTIAN LIVING posts. (No DIY, crafts, recipes, or inappropriate articles.) All links are randomly sorted.

2. Comment on 1 or 2 other links. Grace & Truth linkup encourages community.

3. Every host features one entry from the previous week. To be featured, include this button or link back here on your post (mandatory to be featured, but not to participate).

We encourage you to follow our hosts on their blogs or social media.

MAREE DEE – Embracing the Unexpected
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LAUREN SPARKS
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LISA BURGESS – Lisa notes
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TAMMY KENNINGTON – Restoring hope. Pursuing peace.
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Ok, so October is ALMOST over and done with. Halloween looms on the horizon, but we have done most of the October things.

When I left you at the end of September’s round up, Chuck and I were driving to New Orleans for my birthday weekend. We stayed in a gorgeous hotel, ate the best shrimp I’ve ever tasted in my life and laughed hysterically at Leanne Morgan’s Big Panty Tour. On the road, we listened to Heather Land’s A Perfe ct 10: The Truth About Things I’m Not and Never Will Be. Not nearly as funny as her first book. I recommend sticking with I Ain’t Doin’ It: Unfiltered Thoughts From a Sarcastic Southern Sweetheart.

Activities That Are Over and Done With

We started off the month with slightly cooler temps here in Texas so the hubs and I invited a couple of friends to an outdoor concert at the lake. A pleasant breeze and even more pleasant company made the evening a hoot. The cover bands and the food trucks – not as much. The next day we took Shelby to a Texas Ranger game on gifted tickets. She loves her Rangers.

I’m still pinching myself that I got to go to a second live Baylor football game this season. This time with the home field advantage and a bigger win. My sister invited me on – again – gifted tickets. Such a fun day of driving, cheering and shopping with my sis. We even made it on the jumbotron (if that’s what these ginormous screens are still called)!

On Indigenous People’s Day, the kids were off of school and I took Shelby to the botanical gardens for a Best Buddies Match Party. She had a ball and I sat under a shade tree with my computer while she enjoyed the festivities. This is such a great organization and the sweet kids who volunteer their time with mine are true treasures.

The next evening we took a short 30 minute drive to see my niece Bethany perform with her school band in UIL contest. I don’t think I’ve been to one of those since my own sisters were in band. That’s been a minute. I enjoyed the music and creativity of the shows. And speaking of music, the next evening we snuck into the youth worship service at our church to hear Allie lead 5 songs. As this becomes a habit for us, I grow more and more thankful that I get to be lead to the throne room of God by my daughter. Watching her use the immense talent that God gifted her for His service is one of the greatest joys of my life.

We filled the middle weekend of the month with football, football and more football. We took Shelby to her first high school game to see her sister sing the national anthem with her choir. Visiting with friends there made Friday night lights even more enjoyable. The next day we went to my parents’ house to watch Baylor win again. And Sunday Dallas had a huge win over New England. So fun.

After a busy weekend, Allie sang in her first concert of the new school year under a new director. As always she had the biggest cheering section of any kid with her aunt, grandparents, boyfriend and boyfriend’s parents accompanying Chuck, Shelby and me. And this week we got Sing Out – the annual solo showcase and contest.

As this goes to press, I am once again winging out of town. This time to Atlanta to hang with my best friend and see the Downton Abbey experience. So pumped!

Entertainment – Some Over, Some Ongoing

The hubs and I jumped on the new reboot of The Wonder Years. I find it almost as charming as the original. And we watched an older movie on TV – The Trouble with the Curve. Not sure how I hadn’t ever heard of this one with such big names in it.

I added 3 new podcasts to my queue. The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill (about Mark Driscoll and the trappings of power and celebrity). Southlake – the story of racial turmoil in a school district close to my home. And 9/12 – a documentary about the ways our world changed after 9/11.

As this goes to press, I am once again winging out of town. This time to Atlanta to hang with my best friend and see the Downton Abbey experience. So pumped! And as we turn our hearts toward the season of Thanksgiving, I want to say; I thank you, I love you and I pray November treats you well!