Sunday, May 27, 2012

Pictures of the Week 5/20-5/26

Hanging in there with Project365. Some days I "almost" forget. No stellar pics but more representative of our fun and frivolity this week.
Dress Up
141 / 365
She escorted our visiting missionaries to the front of the church on Mission Sunday. 
We believe in global outreach, until they all hear...
Big Day
142 / 365
Her first car.
Artwork
143 / 365
Copying a famous artist, we created pictures from fruit at the Children's Museum.
A Very Important Date
144 / 365
Our guide was fabulous. 
We acted out the event and learned what really happened.
Budding Entomologist
145 / 365
The girls found some very cool moths.
Fingerprints
146 / 365
I'm pretty sure someone was watching me take a picture....
Her
147 / 365
Love is a beautiful soulful noun.

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Monday Monday

A snapshot of last Monday.

I don't imagine there IS such a thing as a typical day around here.

Got up and made granola.
 Drank my first ever kale smoothie. Went down easy.
Helped my daughter with her first independent act - we/she bought a car.

Taught Preschool through 8th grade math - yes, everything in between.

Counseled a crying single mom on the phone.

Made butternut squash apple soup/tahini green beans/oatmeal muffins for lunch.

According to my disgusted son, I've gone crunchy.

Cleaned my bathroom for the second time in a month. Woohoo!

Did loads of laundry (don't bother counting anymore).

Checked my e-mail, too many times. Oh, most likely FB too. However my scrabble buddy was out of town....

Texted a friend.

Took little boys to their last swim lesson.

Left after dinner and went grocery shopping at 7:30. My husband and daughter dropped me off and went to get her stuff out of her college abode and picked me up on the way home.

9:30pm - Put groceries away. 

Read my book for Book Club.
Darn, I didn't get my nap in today. 

I think I took a shower because I don't usually go out of the house without one.

In between were hugs and stories and probably tears in there somewhere. 

Maybe theirs, maybe mine.

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Finishing Well - Graduation

Bear with me on the million pictures. Unfortunately, I will never be a scrapbooker. Therefore, I must document these amazing events where I am able. Thank you twenty-first century and all the gadgets that go with it.

We have our first college graduate. Our oldest, Lindsey, graduated from our state university last Saturday. We were all on hand to witness this important milestone for our beloved sister, daughter, granddaughter, niece, and friend.
A plethora of black hats. 
Thank goodness for texting so she could tell me where she was. 
I didn't think we had a chance of spotting her.
There she is. I'm thinking those braces were a good investment.
She decorated her hat appropriately, I'd say. 
It's all about the cows, you know.
There was a mass of humanity with about 2500 graduates.
My wonderful advance team came at 7:15 in order to procure 15 seats for our family. Which meant leaving the house at 6:00. That is A.M. See why they are so wonderful?
We sat down and migrated into a girl row and a boy row. 
Why do we do that?
I was a little unnerved when we spotted the snipers on all the roof tops. 
Didn't really put two and two together for awhile.
The speaker was Ron Noble, Secretary General of Interpol. 
I guess he has a sniper-worthy job.
Near the end of the ceremony, we were surprised by an entourage of secret service walking right by our section. Apparently Ron Noble knew someone and wanted to say hi.
At first I thought they were coming after me for pointing my big black camera at the sniper guys. Just like on TV, ear pieces, guns (which the guy in the brown suit was happy to show off), and not a drop of sweat in the 80 degree weather. They all had suit coats and ties and looked cool as cucumbers. We were wilting after two hours in the sun.
A treat to be up close and personal. 
I was pleased that an African American was the speaker.
After the graduation, we restaurant-ed in celebration of our girl. The wait was a bit long but worth it for excellent seafood so we resorted to calling the other end of the table on cell phones. Whatever works, right?
The boys were dreaming big in the front seat of the limo.
We took the grandparents to see "Lindsey's" cows one last time. 
We found a few curious looking specimens in the heifer barn.
I think she's giving him the stink eye, don't you?
This is a test. Does my brother read my blog?
Father and son. Really nice that they came to support Lindsey.
Cows don't bite. They make the perfect petting animals for little boys.
We all graduated from the same school.
The rest of us, a few decades ago.
 The grandparents have supported Lindsey through her life. 
We are grateful for all of them.
Those beautiful cheekbones spell Peterson. 
Thank you, Farmor, for being part of our special day.
All present and accounted for. 
Missing one big one who had a track meet.
Aunties and Uncles.
Thanks for coming.
Proud parents. Aren't we cute in our black and white? 
I never realized until I saw the pictures.
The day was long in coming. Lindsey worked extremely hard and finished well.She's accomplished much in her 22 years, has a sustaining faith, trusting that God will always steer her in His direction.

For me, I got a little choked up wondering if I could possibly do this 9 more times....

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Pictures of the Week 5/13-5/19

What a week. There is so much going on here that it is almost too much to talk about. We had performances, an unplanned appliance swap, and a graduation. Lots of changes but it's all good, praise the Lord!
  My Sailor
134 / 365
Our son was in a Shakespeare play and played a sailor. 
He's a good actor and enjoys the theater onstage and offstage.
  Triple Trouble
135 / 365
Now that the land of diapers and such is a memory, 
seatbelts and carseats can be manipulated. 
I had this awesome cheering section hanging 
out the window while I pumped gas.
  Front Loader
136 / 365
A worthy event when a family of 11 goes 7 days without a washer.
My very first front loader arrived today. 
I am one happy momma!
  Swinging
137 / 365
Even big girls like to have fun!
  The Simple Joys
138 / 365
Childhood should always be like this!
  There She Is!
139 / 365
We were grateful that we caught sight of our daughter 
in the sea of graduates at the Honors Convocation.
Graduation Day
140 / 365
She did it! Our first born graduated with a 
Bachelor of Science from our state university. 

Friday, May 18, 2012

I Don't Think I Can Do This

This life.

Watching him.
 Lose his quality of life?


Watching her.
 Leave for good.
To start a new life.

 Wondering about her.
 Not knowing where she is.

But I will persevere because
this is what the Lord has asked of us.
Obedience.
Faithfulness.
Trust.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding; 
 in all your ways acknowledge him,
    and he will make your paths straight.
Proverb 3:5-6

Monday, May 14, 2012

Mother's Day is Wonderful and Carefully Complicated

What a treasure. Getting to spend Mother's Day with my mother. Here she is with two of her three kids. We missed you, big sister.
My parents graciously hosted a picnic at their place, about 5 miles from our house. We are so excited to have them in the neighborhood. Yes, neighborhoods are pretty big here in small town America.
 Celebrating my Mom with most of the grandkids. 
This was the wonderful part.
Here I am with eight of nine. Erik was at a cast party for his Shakespeare play, a year long class culminating in a week of performances.

The complicated part?

The four people who are part of our lives.
The other mothers.
The first mothers.
The birth moms.
The four women who did not get to celebrate in the same way that I did, feeling the love pour out of these amazing children who took a day to appreciate me. Yet, I appreciate them, those four women, so much more, because they chose life for these six precious souls who have enriched my life and made me a better person for having known them.
As I was watching the kids play in the yard and feeling sadness for those first mothers, an awesome sight appeared. The kids noticed it first. A random rainbow at the edge of a cloud. What a gift to remember that God has made a covenant with his people. He remembers us always. He cares for us and I am grateful that each one of us is part of his plan. These children? Those other mothers? He has them all in the palm of his hand.

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Pictures of the Week 5/6-5/12

  Crazy Driver
127 / 365
This wild woman will be a force to be reckoned with. 
In fact, she already is! :)
  Jammies and Kiwi
128 / 365
Way to end the day, boys. Sharing a plateful of kiwi fruit.
  The Beast
129 / 365
The limo has arrived. Our town is a better place for it!
  Pretty in Pink
130 / 365
Future fashion designer.
  Proud Parents
131 / 365
A photographer's nightmare. 
A perfect shot and all I had was my iPod.
  T-Ball Fun
132 / 365
Third base is hard work, don't you know.
Spinning the Ball
133 / 365
What a dad!!!