Mom's keep me up-to-date with the Grands!

I love getting notes from my daughters and daughter-in-law about what the children are doing, better still, I love to share the news! -mimi

"Issy made straight A's all year and Joe made all A's and only 1 B the whole year...

Joe is away at Athens Y camp in Tallulah Falls this week, Issy at Marist Cheer Camp...Joe is playing tournament baseball and Atlanta Junior Golf

Issy is still talking...doing a gymnastics camp next week and finishing up swim team this week

I just manage their schedules and drive them around."... :) mary

Lazy Days of Summer, From Kim:

At play and Bible School... Movies...

Camping...and...Swimming

and a lot of just hanging out at home. So far it's been a good summer!

..."Can you tell which one doesn't belong?" hee hee

Morgan Qualifies!

*Morgan qualifies for the National Indoor Rock Climbing Championship -- July 10-12 -- in Salt Lake City!Morgan competed in the divisional rock climbing championship the weekend before last in Melbourne, FL. During divisionals, she qualified for Nationals!!

There are 5 regions and she came in 3rd place in her region (8 states) for her age group. She beat a couple of girls who have beaten her all season. (She has been swimming a lot and her upper body strength has improved.) Morgan also looked very intimidating. The competition started Saturday morning, The night before, Morgan fell out of bed! Saturday morning she had dried blood all over her nose and a rug burn on her forehead! Her neck also hurt a lot. Her coach (Emily) spent a lot of time with her getting ice, aspirin and doing a lot of stretches. Fortunately Morgan felt good enough to compete and did well. Then on Sunday for Day 2 her nose had a bunch of scraps on it. She really did look tough. Morgan stayed with Barbara and Jon and has been training with a team in Orlando. Rock climbing will be an Olympic sport in 6 years. You may be watching Morgan on TV one day saying "I remember when . . ."

NOTE: Sadly, Morgan won't be able to join her cousins and me at Northcroft after July 4th through the 8th, she will be doing some heavy training, but our thoughts will be with her, cheering her on to success!

*Thanks to our guest writer, Molly Croft for sending me this delightful post!

Keegan finishes as a champion!

Keegan had a terrific season for his baseball league.As a pitcher, his record was 12-2. His team, the Phillies, won in the semi-finals. Keegan had 6 RBIs and struck out several batters in his allotment of less than 20 pitches. The coaches kept his pitch count down so he, and one other friend - Liam - could pitch the final game. They won that championship game, too. Keegan was the starting pitcher and held the other team scoreless, while his Phillies scored 4 runs. Keegan was selected for the All-Star team and is practicing for a week of all-star competition.

(Mom, Kristin, says, “Keegan had a game earlier in the season where he struck out 9 batters with 28 pitches! He's really fun to watch. Impressive concentration and just enough drama to make everyone feel that every pitch matters.”)

I have a feeling there will be a lot of pitching practice going on at Grayton Beach this year!

Happy Father's Day 2009

To the Father to my Children,

To the Fathers and soon to be Step-Father of my Grandchildren,

To my own wonderful Father who had to leave me when I became old…

Thank you.

You have guided this family with such strength and unselfishness.
You have made us feel safe and loved.
I honor you today with so much appreciation that it can only be adequately told with the heart.

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!

Kate, Mom's Birthday, and The Bard Show

The weekend of June 13, 2009

Kate came home to help make dinner for Nana's birthday as well as to see and celebrate her father's eighth Bard Show!

The gift of time was mine. We made Mom's birthday cake together, shopped at the Green Market in Piedmont Park for a fresh, local vegetables and pasta.

Mike, Kim, Tom and family were here and Judy, Louis and Nana joined us from Tennessee for a wonder evening that included dinner and theater. (Honorable mention goes to Kim and the children for taking over kitchen clean-up!)

Terr performed a great song and dance number (even though he had a really bad cold) and we were once again blessed with joy and laughter. Enjoy the visual of my weekend...

It's My Bithday!

We have a lot of family birthdays in the summer months. Tomorrow belongs to my sweet Mother. But, though my heart is filled with good wishes and gratefulness for the day she was born, her birthday isn't the reason for this post. I guess you could say the reason is my own birthday, which took place on the 9th of this month. It's just that after 62 years of birthdays, I finally got it. I got the perfect birthday. I might have had it many times before, but this year I was finally wise enough to really, really realize it.

I received so many precious gifts - I'm afraid to list them, for fear of leaving something out! But each gift showed the giver's thoughtful and sincere desire to bring me joy (wow! that is big), which means more to me than any material thing. Molly delivered a balloon to the front door before I woke. Terr brought early morning flowers and music; Kim and Tom acknowledged my need to preserve memories. Mike's family let me know that they understood my love for Christ. Angelic voices sung to me over the phone along with sweet conversations during busy days. E-mail and e-cards brightened my day; my mailbox even smiled at me when it was opened - my mother and my sister sent the sort of praise we long to hear from people we love. Crayon cards came my way with a hand-sewn bag and pound cake, a button proclaiming "It's my Birthday!", leis filled with the little givers' favorite candy and, of course, hugs galore. A burst of generosity from an unexpected giver, and facebook blurbs from those who friended me. My heart sang all day, just knowing that people took the time to say, "I care about you." The icing on the cake: my two older children gave up their family time, after a busy day at work, to take me out to dinner. (Terr was rehearsing for the Bard Show.) What a treat to have them beside me again.

I savored every moment of this day, every precious touch I received from a loved one, from a personal call to an elaborate gift. It just means the world to have each of you in my life. I get it! Love is the greatest gift of all...1 Cor.13:13 and from this moment on, that's all I'll ever want for. Thank you, thank you, all of you for a very Happy Birthday.

Mimi

P.S. Kate is coming home tonight to make a birthday dinner for me and for all who will join us tomorrow night to see her father's performance. I haven't seen her since Christmas. It will be a joyous reunion!

My Mother says, "As your family blows out the candles that set the cake ablaze, laugh with them about your gray hair and your golden age." I will have the opportunity to do that with her tomorrow, when my sister Judy and her husband Louis bring her here on her birthday. I wish her love on her 82nd birthday, and I hope she finds an over abundance of it here. Happy Birthday Mama!

News from the Home Team

Ford got all A’s and one B for his final grades, a 4.13 gpa. He took all Honors classes but English. His English teacher suggested he take Honors English next year, but enough is enough! Still, it’s nice to be asked. Ford keeps up with all this in the midst of a very busy and successful athletic schedule.

Andrew received the "fruit of the spirit" award from his Bible Teacher at the Wesleyan Awards Day Ceremony . I can testify to that spirit!

Andrew is also a Jr. counselor at Bible School next week.

Joe received the PE award for the 4th grade at the Honors assembly. It is awarded to one student grades 4-8 who demonstrates exceptional athletic ability and sportsmanship.

Morgan placed 3rd out of 13 in her soap box derby race last Saturday! She missed the finals by .009 of a second. This was a great event for Grandad because it brought back memories of his Derby Days!

Morgan will compete in the divisional competition for her rock climbing team, next weekend in Melbourne, Florida. And if she does well there, she goes to Salt Lake City in July to compete for the national championship!

Whatever you may be doing this summer, sports camps, spend the night camps, camp camps, special trips, or just helping a neighbor and around the house, let Mimi know and I will surely post it on Chatterbox. For instance, Emily here was a beautiful Rainbow Fish in her recent recital where she had a solo part in a song and danced in front of hundreds of people!

AND

"Keegan's team finished 12-2, and the playoffs start this week. He's had a great season pitching and his hitting has improved. Aidan's in his last year of "coach pitch," where scores and records aren't "officially" kept - but Aidan will tell you his team is undefeated. He has gotten much better, as well."

Now for a final note of achievement. On Friday, William completed a Musical Theater Camp.

I NOW PRESENT TO YOU THE RESULTS OF WILLIAM'S EFFORTS....

Annie, starring (at least in our eyes) William from Croft on Vimeo.

P.S. Issy just told me in an email that she won 1st place in IM for her swim team! (I know of many ribbons won by several grandchildren on swim teams.) I had better hurry up and publish before I get more good reports! What a family :)

Recent Art from Mimi's Studio

GO AHEAD, BE AMAZED at the talent of my students!






BY:
<---AIDAN--->
(Blue Jay in a Tree)

BY: KEEGAN---->
(His interpretation of Monet's Water Lilies.)









BY:
ISSY--->

( A portrait of her Daddy.)












BY: EMILY

Emily did her painting to submit to a scholarship competition she is trying to win.

The Assignment:
Creatively express your ideas and dreams about faith, hope and love, what they mean to you personally.

Em's description:
I pray my faith will remain strong as I face the challenges of becoming a young women. I hope to make wise choices as I gain more freedom. I hope love follows me in new friendships and my love for others.





Fish in a Glass

by

<---William--->
(and Mimi too)

I must go back to art class. My students are learning everything that I know!

They are all such a pleasure to teach.

Mimi

(Check back soon for the next blog to read about the awards and accomplishments given to Andrew, Joe, Ford and Morgan.)

Joe Ends the Season on a High Note!

JoeS final game of the 2009 Season from Merry Croft on Vimeo.

Joe's final game of the 2009 Baseball Season!

I did the video but had to hire the professional to write this technical blog.

From the Sports Desk of

Terrence aka "Grandad"...

On Friday night, Joe Regas' Phillies, finished second in the league playoffs. Joe was a key player for his team all season long. In the early games, his pitching kept the Phillies undefeated, and his big bat helped pile up the runs. Then, about a month ago, he fractured his left wrist sliding into third and missed about 3 weeks of competition. The Phillies struggled without Joe in the lineup, and they lost about as many games as they won. He tried to keep his pitching arm in condition by throwing to his dad, as often as he could. Then, when the doctor said his cast could come off, which the league required before Joe could resume play, Joe returned to the mound and the Phillies won enough to get into the championship game. Joe started as pitcher, and did well against a very good opposing team, but his fielders gave erratic support and several unearned runs were scored on the Phillies, who lost by a score of 10-3. Late in the game, when the Phillies were dragging, Joe came to the plate with a look of fierce determination and one of his team mates on first base. Joe hit a monster inside the park home run. He rounded the diamond so swiftly that he almost caught up with the player in front of him. Joe will play on Saturday in the All-Star game. We are so proud of Joe and the way he fought to overcome his injury and his strong performance in the championship game.
Terrence Lee Croft

William's first day of Summer Vacation 2009

My Grandson and I shared some precious moments today, walking several miles, taking pictures, talking, and just being together. We made it all the way to The Westminster Schools where we were going to take pictures of their recently planted organic garden, a gift for Kate, when we just ran out of steam and had to turn back. We will go back with the car and finish our mission in the near future! We know where the garden is, after talking to the security Guard there, and will finish our mission asap!

We learned a lot today, and it was all good.

The youngest Graduate...

William graduated pre-school from Landmark Christian, this past Tuesday. He is headed, well equipped, to kindergarten next year at River Eves Elementary in Roswell, GA. We are very proud of our very bright, youngest family member! He can actually read that diploma he is holding!

Way to go WILL-I-AM !

Mountain time

I am enjoying some beautiful, reflective, quiet time in the mountains. It is perfect...except I miss T.

BETHANN PASSES THE BAR!

Today Bethann got the news that she passed the California Bar Exam!

Years had passed and the California Bar is one of the most difficult bar exams to pass, this is no small feat! We are all so proud of you and I'm sure your father is beaming with three of his children now following in his footsteps...(not to discredit your mother, in anyway!)

Beth received her JD from Emory University’s School of Law in 2001. Before that, she received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Northwestern University in 1994. Deciding late to use her degree and become a lawyer, Beth left her position as Regional Vice President with Princeton Review, worked part time for Daiogo & Pedersen, LLP (Kristin's Law firm) and study for the Bar.

Beth will be sworn in to practice law in California in the near future.

Congratulation Beth!

Kristin and Alan's Weekend Celebration

The slide show is a bit long, for those outside the family, but I so seldom get any of my California family in Atlanta that I got carried away with taking pictures. Hopefully, with Alan's family here, they will have even more reason to come and visit in the future!

It was a glorious event, topped off with Alan's mother and father's 50th wedding anniversary and Alan's Dad having his 80th birthday!

In September, we are looking forward to Krisin and Alan's wedding that will take place in California.

Thoughts of children

My Grandchildren stop by for a visit on Mother’s Day.
They tell me stories of the day gone by, and the evening to come.
On the piano they serenade me with what they have learned.
We eat ice cream and cake and anything else I can find to entice them to come back again.
I love days like this when I get to see or hear from all my grand ones.
They remind me of the children I once had and cherished...
The ones who shared those grandchildren with me today, as their best gift of love on Mother’s Day.
May the circle be unbroken. -M

The Knight of Apostlelot Speaks

This past Sunday, I had the privilege of writing the finale for Apostlelot, the children's drama ministry at our church. It was my first attempt at writing a script for the show and it happened to be quite a special one. It included a recognition of all the rising 5th graders. As of next year, they will leave Apostlelot to enter the middle school Student to Student ministry (STS). In the words of the Sage, who reads stories to the other characters every week, "STS is the next chapter in the storybook of their lives. In STS, they will continue to grow in the Lord through wonderful teaching and fellowship with their fellow students."It was a bittersweet time, as we call one of those rising 5th graders our own. We are so proud of Emily and who she is becoming as she moves closer and closer to becoming the young woman God has planned for her to be. We wish her the best on that journey, with God's grace, as well as Mommy and Daddy leading her along.And so, with a heart balancing equal measures of joy and sadness, the Knight bids farewell to the young lady, Miss Emily. He will continue on in Apostlelot next year. But he has lost a very special audience member.

Tom - (Daddy to Emily)

Tom, as the Knight, inducted Andrew, sometime later, as the Page; then a year or so ago, Kimberly, as nurse Missy, joined the cast and has served the kingdom of Apostlelot faithfully. (Emily makes guest appearances from time to time.) Using their gift of drama to teach the children God's principles and His word, memorizing lines and showing up early for Sunday School to run scenes, has been a huge contribution from this entire family. I commend you all. Congratulations, Emily

-Mimi

Chatterbox Temporarily Commandeered - Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

“Green sap of Spring in the young wood-a-stir
Will celebrate the Mountain Mother,
And every song-bird shout awhile for her!”

- from "The White Goddess" by Robert Graves

Beautiful Mountain Mother,
Who makes the ferns of my heart unfurl,
Though we set aside this one spring day
To pay tribute to you,
The whole vernal season sings your honor –
Each flowering seed nourished by the warm earth
Opens tender palms in gratitude.

Today everything reminds me of you –
The smell of my kitchen,
The shape of my hips.

In a poem I read as a student and disdained
Anne Sexton said “a woman is her mother
And that is the main thing.”
A poem I read this morning and devoured
Said, “We lived together
In a single skin” and
“It was only a form of you
My poems were seeking.”

My life is a poem.
But what form?
The slender nymph
Perched impossibly in a doorframe?
The silver-haired daughter hovering
At her mother’s shoulder?
A sunbrowned face
And proud grandmother smile?

All these,
And none of them:
Mountain Mother,
Etched in whimsy and light,
Collector of creek stones
And snail shells.

No words,
No salt from my hands,
Could capture your wild heart.

I love you,

Kate

Mother's Day

My heart sings the praises today of the devoted mothers in our family. Of course my mother and my grandchildren's mothers are all worthy of the title. In my experience, there is no greater gift than that of a good mother. It can make a lifetime of difference.

Happy, Happy Mother's Day to you and all the good *Mothers in my extented family!

(*That's the women who love their children with all their being and give them their very best. You know who you are. :)

P.S. I love you, Mama, thank you for a life time of all things big and small.

Remembering Daddy's Birthday

Papa

I remember when you walked
in autumn
across the mountains,
alongside the streams that seep
out of the rocks where one hill cleaves
to another,
your silver hair tangled in the clouds you
were bigger than mountains.

Even then, muffled by our shuffles through
the painted autumn ruffles on the ground
the sound of your blood was
a hammer
welding wings
on the anvil of your soul
I do not mean that you were old
or you were dying then
but that your sprit knew of
flying then
long before your feet ever
left the ground.

I hope I paid enough respect
to the trains in the basement.
I think I was properly awed by the careful details of
your creation
but perhaps I should have
paid more attention
to the ways you made
electricity
because your spark is still keeping the lamps lit
in our hearts.

Once you drove me to the farm in your truck,
and even though it was just the two of us
you let me sit in those funny little-girl-sized seats in the back
but eventually I had to crawl forward to investigate
the emergency candy in the glove compartment.
I ate it
with grave seriousness.
Then we sang along to radio songs
(though neither of us knew the words so we both made up
baselines:
bum-bum, bum-bum, bum-bum...)

I'll miss you throned under the gilded tree
with your queen
surrounded by mountains
of gifts like
Father Christmas
But now like
Father Christmas
omniscient you're ever-present and benevolent
And I believe in you.

Thank you for your presents.

Kate Croft

My daughter, Kate, recreated it all in this poem that she wrote when her Grandfather died. (It is fitting that her picture is prominent in the blog below.) Her heart was mine and our hearts were his. She remembered Dad much like I did. It was worth revisiting on the occasion of his birthday. mc