Quotes of the week

JP- "Mommy, can you get me a pencil and paper I have a great idea I need to write down. I might be a genius."

All the kids at breakfast one morning started saying things they loved about one another (this morning they were fighting but we'll focus on early this week...) "Isn't baby Hope so cute?" "Isn't Buster so nice?" etc.
Dora says, "Isn't our Mommy so comfy?"

Things important to a 6 year old

John Patrick got his very own camera from Noni for his birthday. I'm not sure who uses it more, John Patrick or Dora. These are a few of the many many important pictures they took that could not be erased.

Birthday balloon.

Aunt Tate and the Squishy (meaning cousin Mia, not Aunt Tates midsection. she's very trim these days.)


His bunk bed.

Silly family.

Wonderful Woody

look at her adoration! she loves him.

His new bike. The day he got it he opened the sliding door and said, "mom, I'm making some major damage." :-/ Not sure that's really what we were going for.

Birthday card

Hopey eating

I love that he got this face. They are such silly friends.

One more story because I'm proud and want to remember... Saturday we went to the library to sign up for the summer reading program. When we got home I said, "Everyone please play outside while I get lunch ready." To which John Patrick replied, "No thanks mom, I want to read." ha! Go for it buddy.

And he has been. It's a good thing we checked out lots of readers.

Big kids

My eldest two babies left for Iowa last week to spend 6 days with Noni and Papa. To say they were excited would be an understatement. The night before they left John Patrick was a little concerned about leaving daddy behind, but he got over it quickly in the morning. They left Thursday and come home tomorrow. I was so afraid they would get out there and panic and want to come home.... haha. hahahaha. ha.

Not the case.

Every time I call I can hardly get two words out of them and they say, "Bye mom." And then they're gone. As if they don't need me at all. The one who brought them into this world. The one who keeps them healthy and happy and... oh well, it's no use. They're not stupid. They know when they're getting hours of attention from cool grandparents, uncle and aunt. They've probably had more privileges in the last 6 days than I've given them in the last 6 months!

When Noni told them they were going home tomorrow what did they say? Dora (my favorite child ;-) said, "yeah!" the other one said, "oh man..." As in, "bummer, now I'm going to have to clean out the dishwasher again."

Lest you think I'm just sitting around here wallowing in self pity that I'm no longer loved, here is proof that good times were had by all. Even those left behind.

If your mommy asked you, "would you like to take a nap in the hammock or in your bed?" which one would you choose? I'm with Nella.

And for those mothers of small children out there I would just like to say... we aren't nuts and we really can still put together a complete thought given the opportunity. :-)

I'm greeting my precious children tomorrow and even if they are a little sad to leave Noni, I'm going to kiss their squishy cheeks one hundred times. I missed them.

Amberly

A few months ago we started visiting Grace and Peace Presbyterian Church. The first week we were there we met a young couple who were newly married and had just found out that she, Amberly, has breast cancer. Since then we have been kept up to date on her illness and this is part of a post by her new husband on the website where she updates her family and friends. It is beautiful and I highly recommend you read the whole thing here. But, just in case, here is a piece...

"For those of you who don't know me personally I am a deeply selfish person and many of my life choices have been made out of an unrelenting desire to have things my own way. My approach to marriage was no different,The question wasn't "Do I love this woman?", the question was "Is this woman worth my life?", and the answer is yes.
The idea that service is not simply an expression of love but part of it's definition is probably not news to many people but me. Many of the men and women who serve our country probably know a great deal more about love than I do. Similarly the guy who quietly works his life away to ensure that his family never wants for food or basic care, and the woman whose prayers aren't eloquent but whose hands keep the church polished and spotlessly clean probably know more intuitively of love than I do. Many times I have questioned the value of myself and my life and have found myself wanting for some spectacular event or accomplishment. All of that fell away with my understanding of this one basic fact. The measure of the value of my life will be the sum of the love that I pay to my wife. Only one man ever did it better, and at the end of my days I will lay this crown at his feet and hope to hear him say "Well done."
It saddens me sometimes that so much definition must go into communicating the simple ideas that make us human because we have so twisted language to our own politic that the meaning is often lost. It was necessary to explain all of this just so you would understand me when I say...

I love my wife."