Monday, Quite a Day!

Today started out pretty well. I got my ducks in a row, laid out instructions, gathered my errands together, and finally left myself 10 minutes to take a shower, get dressed and darn if I didn't have to sew a button on those black pants.

Bob came home from work and picked me up to go watch our oldest son, Jerrod, accept a Scholar Athlete Award with hundreds of other kids from around the state. Before the ceremony,  each school had their picture taken with the Governor.  While lining up, he gave them a pep talk and plugged his Alma mater.

One thing I like about a small state is the access we have to the governor. I have personally shaken hands with him three times and my various kids another three times.

Camera woes. I only had the little Canon today because my big camera was acting up. All of my action shots were a dollar short and a dime late. We chose to sit in the first row of the balcony. That turned out to be an adventure. Let's say the crew sitting behind us was smelling like they were still in the party mode from yesterday.

We are proud that our son (who I made stand facing the sun) lettered in two sports and maintained good grades.

Since we happened to be in the state capitol, I realized it would be a great time to get Joshua's final piece of paperwork related to his adoption. Good thing we went because both of us had to sign a notarized paper in order to complete the application.

 To celebrate we lunched at my favorite fast food gourmet restaurant.

 After dropping Jerrod off at school, we went to the post office to mail:
1) An American girl doll who lost her hair.
2) A photo book for the Guardian Ad Litem (only a year late)
3) A box of candy, destination: Hangzhou, China.

  Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the babysitter was all tied up.

 Just kidding, we were fooling around with the packing tape earlier in the day.

Missed my babies.

Enjoyed a day out with my husband. 

We talked goals, money, and kids. 

A few red threads appeared.

Then the old van broke.

Like in pieces.

And it's dead.

But that's a story for another day.

Pictures of the Week 1/29-2/4

Pictures were plentiful this week. I am getting into the groove of taking my camera everywhere. I took some neat shots and in addition to learning my camera, I am working on photo editing a bit.

 Big Sis!

29 / 365

Lovin' up on her littlest brothers.

I hope they will always be this close.

 Shot in the Arm

30 / 365

We are doing allergy shots once a week. 
Erik and Erika are so brave to endure the process
that will hopefully make them well.

  Brainstorming

31 / 365

A list of all the things we want to do with Grandma and Grandpa
when they come for the whole summer.

  Fleeting Childhood

32 / 365

The girls won't be little much longer. 
Today they were off to their co-op class 
to study about Samantha, an American Girl.

  Hanging Ice

33 / 365

Snow and ice are curling off the roof right in front of the windows.
We watched all day as ice sculptures were formed and reformed.

  The Better to See You

34 / 365

Creative kids get ready for school.

Library

35 / 365

Engrossed in her book.

Definitely my favorite week of pictures so far. 
Well, maybe tied with the first week!
Week 1 1/1-7 
Week 2 1/8-14
Week 3 1/15-21 
Week 4 1/22-28 

School is Fun

  Lots of learning and lots of fun going on around here.

 Creativity is abundant.

I love that being home allows my kids room 

for self expression without peer critique.

 Today, the little boys needed to branch out from computer games.

 Kinesthetic learning at its best.

 Mushy and messy.

  the way little boys like it!

 "The better to see my math with."

  Big sister help with colors.

 We've been doing activities based on "The Mitten" by Jan Brett.

 Awfully quiet in the other room. 

Ahoy Matey!

Pirates emerged.

 In various self addressed forms.

I'm not one to stunt creativity, you know!

The next thing I know, Mr. J is vacuuming. 

And doing a darn good job.

What kids do for fun....

In and around the clamor, serious learning did indeed occur.

 Again the quiet. 

 Followed by mischief.

Little man will be getting quite the haircut later.

I can't say it enough.

I LOVE my life!

I'm Trying

 Really, I am.

Getting up earlier and starting the day like I should.

 This day I managed.

 Across the room was my idea of an idyllic scene.

 Cuddling up over a good book.

Sharing, teaching, learning.

 

But then, my goal of getting started early is duly interrupted. 

I don't have the heart to spoil the fun.

Nothing to Complain About

 I.Got.Nothin',

absolutely nothing,

to complain about, that is.

I am grateful to the moon and back for everything I have. 

 Embarrassed even by how much.

All the cars in the driveway.

The food on the table.

A roof over my head.

  Clean water.

 Our own soft beds.

Photo from internet

The list goes on....

I'm not sure when it happened. 

This desire to have less and help more.

Long before I read "Radical",

or went to China, 

 or sent my daughter and husband to Africa.

Maybe it happened when we opened our door,

for the first time,

to a Fresh Air Child from NYC;

Visited shut-ins with our little kids;

fostered, 

adopted.

All I know is that we are called to serve,

the One and only,

Whose word is a light unto our path.

****************************************************

Wow, that was more then I set out to say.

I loaded the pictures and then my fingers 

did the walking and the talking.

What I really wanted to talk about was

 how I don't sweat the small stuff anymore.

Because I am so grateful for what I do have.

One day, Bob came home and sat in his chair. He looked up and saw this. "Who did that?" I had a pretty good idea. A little guy had scissors and the need to cut, something handy and close by.  I remember saying at the time, "What's done is done. Does it really matter who did it?"

This past weekend our refrigerator door, well-loved refrigerator door, washed every day refrigerator door, needs a lock or a counter to see how many times it is opened refrigerator door had a handle that was "accidentally" removed.

 Yup, that's a handle.

No house with small children would be 

complete without writing on the wall.

I've completely given up on the chairs. 

Live and learn. 

Spindles are not kid friendly.

And how about that silverware?

Where do all the glasses go?

Who knew that glasses, silverware, toothbrushes,

and socks would be regular budgetary items?

House beautiful? 

Not what makes a home.

I'm going for the lived in loved look.

Because that's where we'll thrive.

 We don't have as much as some.

But we have a lot more than most.

  Grateful,
humbled,
 blessed.

The pictures in this post are from Mali, Africa on several mission trips with
 Medical Missions International
Taken by my daughter Lindsey and her friend, C.J. 
The orphanage bed picture is an internet photo. I will not and
cannot post pictures from Joshua's orphanage.