My Favorite Topic, Part 4

Since my husband and I determined to have "either two or four kids", when I got pregnant with Carolyn I knew there would be another one coming along soon after.  I loved having my first two close together, so that's what we planned for our third and fourth as well.  Shaefer was obediently born one and a half years after Carolyn, on his due date.  And he's been "on time" ever since!

Shaefer is very compliant, and alot like my oldest daughter.  (And my husband.)  A "farmer" personality, one who hoes the field, tends it, patiently awaits the harvest, and then (gasp) does the harvesting!  His outlook is quite positive.  This morning the woodstove fire went out early on, and I tried to get it going again before the kids were to get up for school.  In doing so, I realized too late that all the air in the chimney had cooled so much that it would just push the warm air (read: smoke) out of the box into the room.  Not long after, Shaefer's smoke alarm went off--piercing, as I'm sure you know.  I turned on the fan to dissipate the smoke, and it went off eventually.  Later after Shaefer got up, I apologized for the alarm going off, and he said, "That's okay, I had to get up sometime today anyway."  I *love* that kid!  :-]

Shaefer is the most athletic of my kids, and was involved in team sports early on.  This led to some disappointments, especially when you're trying to instill "teamwork" and nobody tended to show up...  So we switched him to TaeKwondo at about age 11.  He excelled, and now at 16, he has just earned his Third Degree Blackbelt, and is a second level trainer with ATA.  He is great with the kids!  His manners and politeness are impeccable--I get comments all the time--and he knows how and when to defend himself and others, which is priceless.  He is involved in theater (how could he not be and live in this family!) and is a conscientious and meticulous actor.  He understudied the lead in his high school's fall play this year, "Nightfall With Edgar Allan Poe", but probably prefers comedies.  His true love with the theater, though, is in technical theater--design, construction, props and stage management.

 Shaefer as Edgar Allan Poe in "Nightfall".

With his instructor, Master Valino, 6th Deg BB at their Halloween Party.

He will make his future wife a fine husband one day, and that pleases his mother very much.  :-]

My Favorite Topic--Part 3

You already had a sneak peek of my third child, Carolyn. She arrived 5 years after my first, 3 1/2 years after my second.

Carolyn is our actress/singer. She is quite talented, having been on the public stage since age 7. She landed her first lead role at 10, Sara Crewe in "A Little Princess". Since then she has played Annie (Annie), The Cat in the Hat (Seussical the Musical), Charlie Bucket (Willy Wonka), her favorite role The Dodger (Oliver), and many many more. She has recently become interested in modeling and film acting.  She was a background actress in Nicolas Sparks' "The Last Song" (cutting room floor), and the girl two rows back on the aisle in the school bus scene in "Letters To God". (Movin' on up! ;-] )

She is also directing school productions. She put up "Nightfall With Edgar Allen Poe" this fall, and is currently directing "Shout, The 60's Mod Musical" for the spring.

Carolyn is single-minded and determined to make it in this business. She sees it as a mission field full of those who need to hear about the Lord. What an understatement! I know that she has the talent and confidence to achieve her goal. Not to be a "star", but to make a living at her craft. God has gifted her, and it will be thrilling to see how He uses her.