Greensboro Science Center on Tuesday...

MawMaw, Iris, Tim and I went to the Greensboro Science Center on Tuesday and had a great time exploring it.  The outside portion with the animals was our favorite part.  Scot, Tim and I are going to have to make plans for a Zoo trip sometime soon because it's been since he was 8 or younger that we have been.  Here are a few pictures from our visit:

Steadily Getting Ready....

Tim is steadily getting ready for USA Youth Weightlifting Nationals.  He is hyper focused towards his goals.  He wants to win gold so bad that he can taste it.  His coach has been amazingly supportive which has been a huge change from the other sport that he was doing.  Having such an amazing coach who is super supportive has been huge for Tim.  In his other sport he had constant yelling be done at him and to him and that is no way to motivate a kid to do anything.  This coach he has now in weightlifting is a godsend.  He is the total opposite of what Tim has dealt with all of his life and he's so incredibly happy for that change.

As of right now Tim has reached a 91kg PR in Clean & Jerk which is 200#'s.  And he's on the cusp of getting a 95kg C&J lift.  He just barely missed it on Tuesday which means he's super close to getting it.  He is so proud of reaching the 91kg milestone with his weightlifting.  He wants to be able to get to 110/115kg by the time Nationals rolls around mid June.  He has done a 71kg PR in his Snatch and he really wants to get that to 75/80kg by the time Youth Nationals rolls around.  We are super proud of all he's doing in this sport so far.  He really loves what he's doing and that, as most of you know, is half the battle to winning in any sport.

He recently decided to take his hair back to a really short haircut again.  He's loving it.  It's been a while since it's been this short but I love it.  It's one of my faves.  He's talking about going even shorter.  We always tell him that it's just hair and it will grow back.  He has had so many different haircuts that he knows what he wants and what looks good.  

Keep Tim in your prayers in the days, weeks and months ahead leading up to Nationals week June 15th-23rd.  He will be lifting at some point during that week but we don't know when as of yet because a schedule won't be put out until closer to the date of the Meet.     

This verse is a verse that we keep as a constant for Tim and for us as a family:

Another Day & More Shared Thoughts....

In Colossians we are encouraged that whatever we do to do it with all of our heart as working for the Lord not as working for others.  We are told that we already have knowledge that will receive an inheritance from the Lord as our reward.  We are His workmanship.  His children.  So it stands to reason that when we work for the Lord as his children that there is in an inheritance from the Lord.  But we need to work at whatever we do with all of our heart as for the Lord.  When we do that in also stands to reason that everything in our life will be in unity with Him.  Being in unity with the Lord brings wholeness and happiness that goes deeper than our finite human understanding.  It reaches to such depths that it fills our hearts to overflowing.  No matter what happens in this world if we keep this scripture before us and do as it says everything will be alright and, as Mr. T would say, "I pity the fool" that messes with God's people!  Life may get crazy at times but I will work at whatever I do with all my heart for the Lord always because living a life devoted to Him is all that matters at the end of the day!

God's Handiwork...

 

This is one of my favorite verses that I read while I was scrolling on social media recently.  It's a good reminder that we are not our own but that we were bought with a price and that we were created in Christ Jesus to do good works that God prepared in advance for us to do.  We aren't here to just float through life doing whatever we want or going where the wind takes us.  I, myself, was put on this earth to nurture and guide my son to live a life of purpose on purpose and not to be a follower of the crowd.  My husband and I know that we are to support and guide him in every way that we can so that he grows up to be a strong God fearing man!  Tim is our why and our purpose, for now anyhow.  We don't know what our why and purpose will be once he's grown but we know that God will guide us just where He wants us to be doing what He wants us doing.  Until then though, we keep doing what we have been doing and that is being the best we can be for each other and our son so that he grows up knowing his why and purpose as he's grows into a man leading his own life.  We do know that his why and purpose will include doing good works that God prepared in advance for him to do.  Scot and I know what that is about because we have served in a church, we've been elders in a church and I personally, have been a camp counselor and helped and guided every young person that I could by pointing them to Jesus.  In this crazy world we live in we just need to be a light.  A light in the darkness to help and lead where we can as much as can.  Doing good works for God as we endeavor to be a light for Him!  It's something that I desire for our son and for us to remember and keep before us at all times.  Life isn't worth living if God's not in it!!!

Just Because you fit in...

 

We as a family had to learn this lesson the hard way.  Tim fit in in the TKD world quite well and had such ambitions and dreams but we found out in the end that just because he fit in in that world didn't mean that he was in the right place.  We were sure it was but it was great preparation for where he is now.  Weightlifting is such a perfect fit for Tim.  More so than TKD ever was.  Who would've known???  Definitely not us.  We were just helping and supporting our son to accomplish his goals and dreams.  His goals and dreams haven't changed but the route he's taking to get to them has though and that's just fine with us.  We ultimately want what is best for Tim.  We love seeing him so incredibly happy and fulfilled in his life right now.   At times I feel like my heart will burst because it makes me so happy to see him so happy.  My cup is overflowing with happiness and thankfulness to God.  He's been there in the good and the bad and we couldn't do this life if he weren't a part of ours.  God is our constant and we are ever so grateful!  

Dream Home....

I have all kinds of ideas for a dream home but this is probably my favorite style of home:

I want it with this coloring though:

We are hoping to some day either build our dream home where we are now or find another property to build it on that it is more away from all the hubbub of the city areas.  The city is encroaching on where we live and the traffic is just getting worse and worse.  Although we love the property we are on if another property that was as good, if not better than ours, came available we might have to actually consider moving.  Bottom line is that we want what God wants for us and it never hurts to dream.  To all my dreamers out there, Keep On Dreaming!!! 

Happy St. Patrick's Day (3/17/2024)...

Our family heritage has some Irish in it so we wanted to make sure that we didn't let the holiday get by without wishing our friends and family a very Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Member of the Month...

Tim is member of the month where he trains with weightlifting at Athletic Lab.  We couldn't be more proud of him.  Ever since he switched to weightlifting in August of 2023 he has been 100% all in with it.  He absolutely loves what he is doing now and his coach is amazing.  They have connected in a way that Tim never has with any other coach that he has had throughout the years.  His coach really listens to him and is really helping him accomplish his goals with weightlifting.  Tim is the happiest that we have ever seen him and he keeps making huge gains in his training and in the Meets that he's done since switching to this sport.  His PR's at the gym are currently 70kg Snatch & 90kg Clean and Jerk = 160kg Total.  Here's what the gym posted online that we wanted to share with you here.

Bowling Fun with Lighthouse Homeschool Group...(3/23/2024)

Tim had a great time at the bowling outing with Lighthouse.  I've been trying to get him more involved this year with doing stuff with our homeschool group.  He's been enjoying hanging out with other homeschooled teens.  Here are some pics that I got from bowling.

National Son's Day Monday....(3/4/2024)

To say we are proud of Tim is an understatement.  He's had so much to deal with in his young life.  Twice the devil tried to kill him but God!  He's a 3rd Dan Black Belt in Taekwondo.  He's an A/B student.  Mostly A's though.  He's gotten back into playing the guitar again.  He does Olympic Weightlifting.  He helps out his dad whenever he can with our family business.  Plus he loves his family with all his heart.  He's such a great young man with such a great heart.  We couldn't have asked for better son.  So Happy National Son's Day Tim.  Keep going hard after your dreams keeping God first and foremost in your life!  Your dad and I love you so so much!

Kentucky Trip Last Weekend...

We went up to Kentucky last weekend to see Pop and Nan, especially Pop though.  He has had medical challenges recently and we just wanted to spend time with him.  Some days are good and others aren't.  It's understandable at his age though.  His body can't do what it used to and I'm sure its extremely frustrating for him.  It would be for anyone in his shoes.  We all love him so much.  He and Nan are the center of the Neal family.  

Tim drove 2 1/2 hours of the trip in the rain.  He did so good driving in the rain.  I was glad that he had the chance to drive in adverse weather conditions before he goes for his level 2 license in May. 

While up in Kentucky Tim's cousins, my niece, and her family got a new puppy that they have named Deano.  He is the cutest little thing but he won't stay little for long.  He's a golden retriever.  

We've been trying our best to make it to Kentucky at least once a month and sometimes twice a month if we can.  It's been a lot of traveling for us but we don't want to have any regrets about not having spent time with Scot's parents when their time comes to go be with Jesus.  Here are some pictures that I took on our trip this time:

Tim driving in the rain.

Pilot Mountain in the rain.

Tim with Deano.

Scot, Elaine & Jeff

Scot, Jeff, Pop & Elaine

Nan, Scot, Jeff, Pop & Elaine

Tim saying bye to Pop.

Scot saying bye to Pop.

The sunset as we were driving home.

Playing His Guitar...

Tim has been playing his guitar again recently.  I love that he has picked it back up.  He said now that he has the time to be able to play that he wants to play more and get better at playing his guitar.  It's been so long since I've heard him play and I'm so glad that he's been able to pick up right where he left off.  Tucker and I have been enjoying listening to him play and I got a picture of him playing the other day.

He told his dad and I recently that he wants an electric guitar.  His birthday is coming up in May and we are hoping that we will be able to afford an electric guitar and amp for him for his birthday.  That would so totally rock his world.  I love that he is finding the joy in playing again.  Tim's such an amazing young man.  I love how great his attitude and demeanor is these days.  His happiness means the world to his father and I.  It has warmed our hearts so very much to see him so incredibly happy and really enjoying all that he is doing in his life currently.  Life really is good!!!  

Tim's Lifts from last nights Training...

Here are the videos of Tim's lifts last night.  The first one is a Snatch + Hang Snatch Above Knee with 60kg/132#.  The second one is a 110kg/242# Back Squat.  Enjoy!

Muscles Oh My....

Tim has gained so much muscle since August 2023 when he started doing weightlifting.  He's looking more and more like a man instead of my boy.  It's amazing how much he's grown since August.  He's matured a lot more since then too.  He is completely addicted to this sport though.  He loves how it makes him feel and he really enjoys doing it.  He charts his gains so that he can see how far he's come since he started with weightlifting.  He's so much more into this sport than he ever was with TaeKwonDo Sparring.  His dad and I thought he loved sparring but boy were we wrong.  Seeing Tim now doing weightlifting has shown us a completely different side of our boy.  Seeing him with such an immense passion for what he is doing has really WOWed us more than words could ever express.  Each month he has more muscle gain too.  It's freaky how fast and how much he's gained in a short time doing this sport.  

Jeremiah 29:11.....

 

We look at and watch a ton of weightlifting stuff on our social media accounts.  There was a young man, from the USA Olympic Team, with this tatoo on the inside of his upper arm as he was lifting weights in either a snatch or clean & jerk lift.  Whether you are a fan of tattoos or not this testifies to all the onlookers watching him lift who is most important in his life.  When he lifts he makes no bones about the fact that he is God's and that God has a plan for his life and that he's going to live it!