Category: Totally Tatum

And what better way to commemorate this concept than with a T-shirt!

A few weeks ago, we had a HAY HAPPENS meeting and discussed that we wanted to be a family who CONTRIBUTES, ENCOURAGES, and INFLUENCES. As a teacher, I believe in keeping things visual and out front. This way, we are reminded constantly of what we want to learn. (and be!)

The T-shirt idea was born. In addition to our HAY HAPPENS T, now we have this one.

I took the fam to the park and presented them with the garb.

You like Tot?

Now, you two, let’s play some soccer as a TEAM.

I love you two so much. May we be the TEAM God smiles about and upon. (and may our soccer skills not be representative of our character traits). GO HAYS!

My mom has been writing to President Trump. She is so passionate about him staying President as is our whole family.

Here is one of her letters:

Dear Mr. President,

 From before you went down the escalator, I have supported you from my 

heart. I immediately recognized that God has equipped you with talents that 

are needed to sustain our nation. More than those talents is your steadfast 

character and heart for people who need it, not as a handout, but to lift them

up and enable them. You are REAL, not a façade.

You fight for our nation and its people by making and keeping promises

 never needing a writer or teleprompter, never deviating from your goals.  

This behavior exemplifies your steadfastness or “steel in your spine” (SOTU 

speech of yours).  You never change mid-course.  You are reliable.  These are 

Christian qualities. God inspired. It doesn’t just happen. But oh does it take

focus and constancy to purpose!

During your achievement years, you used your talents to deliver state of the 

art quality and the best innovations possible for the client.  Your business 

never would have escalated to worldwide status without respect and honor 

for each worker’s input, and your recognition of it. Who would work so hard 

for a curmudgeon? Word would get out and sabotage your magnificent 

projects.  But everyone took pride in his part instead. People skills. Do unto

 others.

 Thus, your assessment skills and teamwork were honed in your building 

career. Workmanship, performed in an incredible time frame, produced an 

architectural landmark! It takes many gears working together to make a 

watch run. So it is with architectural wonders. (At least I think so.) 

Management talent is key. You value your people and it shows. Kindness! 

(My father developed his business from the ground up and he respected 

every worker. He went into the Hall of Fame at his University for his 

bacteriological research. Then he set out to do every facet of his business

 himself and taught others and eventually became the national President; so I 

do have some perspective.)

You speak about winning…not for yourself, for you have already massively 

achieved; but winning by giving back… for the little guy who needs 

knowhow, jobs, and lifting up. He doesn’t want a handout that robs his 

dignity and gives no future growth.

Your ethics have been to help people more effectively than the phlegmatic 

efforts of government as exemplified in the skating rink fiasco which you 

delivered with unimaginable speed and expertise. You feel government 

wastes our taxes and can’t do what business can. You oppose big government

limiting our freedom. Patriotic value vs the Swamp.

          You grow our GDP with more jobs than there are people.  You cut through     

          regulation red tape, and overcome impediments of policies, which hoodwink 

          our progress. The economy soars. 

         Now, who else has this resume? There are others who are smooth in manner, but 

         they would fold when met with the onslaught of evil confrontation of lies, fake news, 

         threats, and manufactured legal charges. Answer: No one.

         Your habits of no drinking, no smoking, of dressing properly to respect

         others and the office have been an example for your family, and for leadership 

         which elevates you to function effectively. 

         Our nation looks up to you…those who stay away from liberal lies of the media, 

         largely financed externally.

         You have protected our nation against ISIS, terrorists, foreign threats 

          such as North Korea, started a Space Force in our Defense Dept. with a planned

         Mars trip, and recently you have met the challenge of the Corona virus by   

        getting a vaccine “faster than possible.”  The vaccine, I understand, is in its third 

         stage of testing: a double- blind type, within about six months of its occurrence

         In the handling of the virus, you allowed each state to control its own strategy   

        by its Governor.  By allowing the states to control themselves, you enabled 50 

        approaches that displayed a marked difference in Democratic and Republican 

       strategies and helped us see which results worked.  

      We have seen how the defunding the police has resulted in widespread looting and

       killing of the innocent, fires, and very scared people asking for help, which never

       comes.   You have offered federal help, if only it is requested.  Outsiders coming to 

       our country have everything to gain, (“parasites who feed off those who produce… 

       Thomas Sowell). Meanwhile the American people have only you and our heavenly 

       Father to save us. 

       You do all this for free! Your service to this country is saving our patriotic 

       heritage born in the documents of our Christian founding fathers. You have the 

       heart-felt love of America’s people! Thank you for your service and for that of your 

       family and of Mike Pence.

       I hope you will nominate 3 more Justices to the Supreme Court so we can 

      establish a new birth of freedom in America.

      My prayers and those in my Bible Studies go out to you and your administration     

      and your family daily. Please read Ps 21:6 and Ps 37:7-9. 

      Most Respectfully,

      Charon Lee Scharf

      August 20, 2020 

Well, Halloween 2020, she got a response.

And a pic. He truly signed it!

She is over the moon. So grateful for her heart and passion. (and action!)

November 3, 2020. We pray for you, President, to continue your work in our country!

Doug was driving on the 101 when I received his phone call.
Honey, you have to see all of these cars with Trump flags. There are miles of them!

He was with Tatum for their Daddy/Daughter ice cream date when he then saw a truck fixing their flags.

Later on that night, we found out there was roughly 80 miles of cars caravanning for Trumpl

You won’t see that for Joe Biden. Never. not. in. a. million. years.

We only pray for November 3rd. GO TRUMP!

He stands for our country. He stands for LIFE. He stands for religious liberty. He stands for the people. ALL people.

I love this explanation of the differences between Republican and then the LEFT (the rest). How can you NOT be for freedom and for empowering the human being?

This truck says it all. We have our rights from GOD. Not from the government.

AMEN.

We’ve been visiting the Scottsdale Police since 2016.

They have always welcomed us with open arms, especially the Chief of Police (Alan Rodbell). We wanted to visit them in the summer, but we were locked down due to the quarantine from C-virus.

When we arrived, this sign was in the front.

Well, we decided to head over there on her day of this October since we heard Chief Rodbell was retiring in December. We couldn’t bring him cookies, but we did make him a card.

We did not let that stop us. We knocked on the door, and they let us in. About seven of them came out to greet Tatum and me. We told him thank you for all he has done for Scottsdale and for the police. We will miss him.

He then gave me his private email and phone for when he is retired. Wow. He wants us to come visit us on his horse farm.

Later on in Facebook, I see this from the Scottsdale Police:

We are so grateful for the men in blue. They matter and so do you, Chief.

Report cards came home this week.

• 

Now, of course we are proud of her grades, but we zeroed in on her character and the E’s for obedience and respect. We know she is doing a great job in class. Lucky it was conference week, so we met with Mrs. Phillips for her conference on Thursday.

Mrs. Phillips does adore Tatum, but now we see why.

Everything she wrote about Tatum’s heart and personality, I have known all along. I see all of these leadership qualities, but also the beauty of her heart. She has a deep wisdom that Mrs. P sees as well. Wow. I’m so grateful for her. She also is apparently grateful for us as her parents.

Tatum, I’m so grateful for you!

We spent the next day, Friday, her day off, going to Target and another surprise. She wanted to spend her allowance, so Target here we come!

Then I picked up Mama, and we headed to Sugar Bowl.

We sat down and then waited.

(had to wear our masks walking in).

Then, guess who showed up?

Oh, this made it even better.

Hot fudge is a close second.

What fun we had. We are so proud of your efforts, but we especially are proud of your heart and your heart for the Lord. Thank you, Mrs. Phillips for all you do for her.

I’m a big believer in having things visible; especially things we want to not only remember but stress.

For example, every day, I put out our white board with a plan for the day. It’s a visual reminder for what we will do that day, and honestly, a way for me to make sure Tatum accomplishes her tasks without nagging. All I say is, “Tatum did you check the board? or Tatum, what did I miss?”

Tatum added her own drawing. I love her artwork!

We also do teaching on the white board on Sundays. This last week, we taught how we want our family culture to include:
Cooperation

Contribution

Influence

Encouragement

We will live this way in all areas of our life!

We also discussed how we can be an essential oil and be diffused in a room; we can be a sweet smelling element that invades to whole space!

(oh, the joy of my teaching years come in handy).

May we fill a room as a flower creates such joy.

Tatum, I know that you already do this, and God has such big plans for you.

Oh, sweet girl. To watch you grow in ALL areas of your life is so rewarding. Now, sometimes, bribery is effective. I told her if she got 100% on her handwriting, I’d give her a little goodie.

Well, she outdid herself. 100’s across the board!

Frig worthy!