Bay Beach

Today we went to Bay Beach with Miss Emily and crew.

It was great weather, not too warm, not too cool. 

Just enough sprinkling to keep the lines short.

You and Kaila went on A LOT of rides.

We had lunch in the park with everyone afterward.

Whether we are visiting their town or they are visiting ours,

it's always nice to spend time with these longtime friends.  

Summer School Plan

You and Kaila have a real love for video gaming. 

Specifically, Minecraft.

In previous years, I have given you about a week of playing 

as much as you wanted for the most part. 

This year, I knew that I would have to have a different plan, 

since Kaila wouldn't just be here 3 or 5 weeks, but the 

WHOLE SUMMER!

So, I decided to buy you each summer workbooks for LA, Math, and cursive,

as well as a Book Report template workbook. 

I told you that for every completed lesson you would earn a ticket. 

And for ever book report of a book you've read this summer,

you earn three tickets. 

One ticket equals 10 mins of video game time.

You are also able to earn time for unplanned outdoor play time at home.

This plan has been working beyond what I'd hoped. 

I have not yet asked you to do school work,

or go outside to play. 

Every single day you dive right into both 

with your own agenda and motivation.

I love it!

Freezer Meal Party/Play Date

Today was the long awaited Freezer Meal Party, 

planned with my girlfriends for the past month or so 

to kick off a summer of quick and healthy meals.

It was a huge success, and we were able to celebrate Miss Maria's Birthday too! 

We had Jimmy John's delivered for lunch,

then ice cream and cake to follow.

You and the kids had such a good time. 

We stopped all we were doing to listen close and enjoy 

the sounds of hysterical laughter coming from wherever you all were playing.

I'm so glad we are blessed with so many wonderful friends!

Aunt Pam's

We spent our first day at Aunt Pam's since school started last year.

It was LONG overdue, and as always, so much fun.

It feels so good to get back to spending time with our long time homeschool friends 

and in this case, family. 

It's amazing to see you with these big boys who held you as a baby, 

or were in diapers right alongside you.

We will be spending a lot more time with this crew this summer!

Kaila's Here!

We have her! 

We picked her up last night. 

We had an interesting ride home with an hour of crazy fog we could barely see through. 

I loved the adventure, and the two you of watched a movie on the car TV, so you were none the wiser. 

You are SO happy to be together. 

I always love being able to cook regular sized meals having two of you to feed.

These delicious gluten free pancake mini muffins from scratch were a hit!

I'm so glad Kaila is here and you have someone you love and 

get along with so well to play with this summer. 

Lyn's

Still on our own, Kaila isn't here quite yet.

So we took the day to hang out at one of our favorite places, 

Aunt Linsey's!!!

It was rainy and warm, and we loved every minute.

We all played outside, the kids rode horses in the arena,

and we can NOT wait to go back for more, more, MORE! 

Beach Day!!!

I couldn't have been more ready to revisit our favorite beach!

Just you and me, some great beach snacks and drinks, and the perfect weather. 

A great way to kick off our summer, back together again! :) 

School's Out For the Summer!

And somewhat forever, for us. Public school that is, anyway. 

We were so blessed in our obedience to God's direction for your schooling this year. It was amazing beyond anything we could have ever imagined or hoped for. We are so grateful for and proud of the experiences, growth, and changes you went through. 

I'm looking very forward to returning to Homeschooling, but I'm surprised how hard if feels to say goodbye to this amazing year, and most of all, the people who we've spent the year with...

Mrs. Bortz

(your 4th grade teacher)

Mr. Welnetz

(your Principal)

And the office administrator, Miss Kim. 

I expected this last day to be so exciting and joyful -

being done with public school for good,

no more early mornings,

wearing presentable clothes,

bulky backpacks,

bagged lunches,

leaving the house for 7 hours a day,

waiting, waiting, wasting…,

wanting to learn more,

sitting in that lunch room,

those mean monitors,

the stress of those few pushy kids,

LIVING WITHOUT YOUR MOMMY SO MUCH!!!! 

:) 

But when I picked you up there wasn't a dry eye in the crowded building!

The teachers, students and admin were all wide eyed and red faced, 

saying their good-byes, hugging, lingering…

I was glad I was bearing gifts.

We passed out flower baskets and thank you cards with letters.

We took photos. 

I left with one somber little man.

Ice cream surely helped (doesn't it always)

but I suspect there will be some more sadness,

some tough adjustments, and some long talks.

I'm so glad Kaila is coming in a few days!

LET THE SUMMER PARTYING BEGIN!!!

Carlos

We're so excited!!!

Carlos has been in our plans for almost as long as Frank was. However, we did NOT plan to have him until the sad day, many many years from now, when our home would expectedly go from three dogs down to two. 

I will admit, I long and hard fought bringing a fourth dog into the family (much the way I fought for years against getting a third). But after the kitty came and surprised us all - since he's made his way into even Yuki's heart and dog beds, fitting in so perfectly, making all of the love and goodness that is what we call our "Zoo" swell to yet greater depths, it has been hard not to notice the absence of Carlos, the chihuahua that Greg has wanted since the day he watched Beverly Hills Chihuahua for the first time. 

Although, I'm a firm believer in directing my focus and energy on the loves I have if and when I get that puppy feeling some women get about babies, I won't say that we haven't looked for him now and then. This isn't "my" dog so much as it is Greg's, and there has been an empty little Carlos shaped hole in his heart for a long time. As firm as my opinion stood, it's not easy to watch the man I love long (and sometimes beg and plead) for his dream dog. 

Any light seeking we've ever done has ended in closed doors and not right timing, surrounded in whispers from God asking us to hold off on our addition. There have been a couple of anxious times when we've really had to trust Him beyond our own feelings and let go. 

We were ALL surprised that this wasn't the case this time. I'd been feeling more like my guys about how ready our home and hearts are, and then one thing led to the next and before I knew it doors were flying open and we were wide eyed staring at each other with smiles, checking every footing before we stepped through. Our final prayer to God before we were certain was that He would make a way where there wasn't one - and if the way wasn't made and we lost this puppy, then he truly wasn't ours… and then we waited. 

When we got the message from our contractor saying that he would not be able to begin his work on our house as scheduled this week, and we needed to push things off a few days, we knew in our hearts this was it.  

And when I double checked with God, just to be sure I wasn't crazy, and I felt Him bless me and shine, I stopped caring about the one thing that has really held me back about this Carlos thing… 
what will everyone think of us!?

God hasn't given us children, but one thing is for sure, what goes on in our home with our pets comes from Him. Having the kind of order, submission, temperaments, relationships, bonds, obedience, sweetness, behavior, health, and love that we have among three dogs, our cat, and a mouse on the kitchen counter, is a pretty incredible miracle. 

We have been very blessed.  
And we are grateful that we will be so blessed again, with another sweet little boy, tomorrow!!! 

Someday (a repost from July 10, 2010)

Someday you won't ask me to come watch you zoom your green plastic rummage sale boat through the bubbles in your bath.

Your height, chest, waist, ankles, and wrists will be done growing under my close observation.

Someday you will not want to cuddle up for prayers and stories.

You will not insist on laying directly on top of me when you come into my room for love before sunrise.

Someday you will not automatically reach for my hand in the parking lot.

I will not crouch quietly in the stairwell to make sure the big kids aren't talking about anything I do not want to have to explain to you later. 

Someday you won't be my every-moment-of-every-waking-hour sidekick. 

We won't write in the same gratefulness journal.

I won't be allowed to scrub the dirt from under your fingernails and toenails. 

Someday you won't run in the room during a commercial break to tell me all about the latest infomercial fad in great detail 
with all your adorable passion and zest.

Someday I won't get to explain things to you. 

Someday I won't need to tie or brush or bandage or buckle. 

I will watch you set off on your own; 
for a drive, 
to hang out with friends, 
on a date,
for a sport, 
for work... 
for college, 
your apartment, 
for your wife, 
your home, 
with your babies in tow...

Someday we will be apart and I will be learning how to live a life where you and I just visit. 

And as much as I fear that is going to turn to mush the best things I've ever known in and of me, I'm much MUCH more afraid of missing one single beat of today than to consider pulling back before my time. 

So, 

today I will come when you call. 

I will listen when you talk.

I will follow the butterfly with you all afternoon.

Today I will play board games.

I will race hot wheels.

I will walk, skip, and jog behind you on your bike.

I will notice every new centimeter of your size, every sweet curl in your hair,
every single beautiful expression you offer.

Today I will share everything I have. 

I will guide, counsel, teach and protect. 

Today we will be together. All day.  

We will explore and find, build and climb, hike and scale, swing and jump, roll and giggle. 

We will wait and write, sing and dance, hold and squeeze.

Today I will make sure that I never ever forget this time. 

And my solace will remain in the Truth: that when the photos are washed away, 
when the journals and blogs are gone, when the baby quilt and safe-kept first shoes are ashes 
we will be together forever. 

One day you, your Daddy and I will be united together with the One who created us. 

And there my heart won't slide over tears, and I'll never have to get over letting you go, piece by piece.

And that is the day this time can't slip away.