Grown Up Boy

Ryan continues to do certain things lately that remind me of how grown up he's really getting. The big milestone is that we are signing him up for pre-school this week (starts Sept 11). I'm really excited for him to have something special that gives him all sorts of new experiences, kids to play with and the 5 hours a week that I'll have to get a bit more done. I never really understood why people send 3-year-olds to pre-school until I had one of my own.

Our house is officially under construction. Today the bulldozer came in to clear a path to the building site and the driveway is going to start being laid this week. To Ryan's delight the excavator is coming next week to dig the hole. We met a new neighbor while we were out there today and laughed that he knew the word excavator. He has a 3-year-old girl and evidently that word isn't on the top of her vocab list.

My happy news for the day is that we went through our appliance hit list and found a way and the money to get the wall oven and cooktop rather than a range. That's what we had at our prior house and didn't realize how use to that I had gotten until we moved into the rental. My husband actually almost insisted on it. I was trying to save a few dollars, but he knew how much I really wanted it. I'm really getting excited.

Color Confusion

I have a matter of weeks to make most of the major decisions about the house we are building. I've got a relatively good idea about everything, but color continues to be my major stumbling point. There are so many colors that I like, or want to try - but the best way to implement is where I'm stuck.

Exterior I was planning on a clay colored siding with red and tan stone work. Well, the the stonework got cut in the budget process and I'm trying to figure out how to keep the red in the picture or if I just let it go.

Andy is taking a 1/2 day off on friday and we are going shopping for all the plumbing & lighting fixtures - mostly just to get a good idea of style and pricing. I've found good stuff online in our price range, but Andy has a hard time visualizing unless he can see and touch. Hopefully this excursion will help. We have access to an interior designer, but she's connected to the higher priced carpet store that we may no end up using in the long run. All the fun.

I know it will turn out well in the end. I really liked what we did with the last house, but I got to make those decisions over time. This all at once thing is what is unnerving to me. Any advice from those who've been there and done that or those who just have an opinion?

A Hole

I got to chat with my dear friend Alicia tonight and encourage her as she goes through the difficult end of her mom's fight with cancer. My heart breaks for her and the pain that they are going through. Cancer is an ugly disease. What I wasn't prepared for was the rush of emotional memories that it brought back of losing my dad 5 years ago after his long struggle with diabetes, heart disease & strokes. The feelings and memories had been dormant long enough that you assume that they no longer exist. They are still there - just below the surface.

My cousin explained the pain of death this way to me (her dad died of brain cancer). Someone you love is always a part of you. When they are gone it leaves a hole. At first the hole is very obvious, you are very aware of it and the edges are raw and rough. As time and healing goes on you get good at walking around that hole - you know it is there still, but you become much more adept at avoiding it. But every now and again you experience something that triggers a memory a thought and you fall back in.

Tonight I fell back in that hole. I'm once again aware of what is missing. I look forward to seeing him again - whole and well - in heaven.

Long Roads

All four of us have officially survived the stomach flu. My sanitizing efforts earlier in the week didn't keep Ryan and I from coming down with it and now I have to clean everything again. We're keeping the laundry detergent people in business along with the people at Clorox.

The good news is that since we've all had it, hopefully we're done now. On the brighter side, I actually got time to myself this weekend as I recupperated which helped me plan out a Christmas Ladies Night Out for our church. (if any of you have a favorite cmas recipe, tradition, or homemade gift send them my way).

On a sad note, I heard from my college friend Alicia that her mom is entering the final stages of cancer. Donna's a wonderful, giving woman who lovers her family, community, and God. Please prayer for her continued testimony during this struggle and strength for the family. It's been a long battle. I'm hoping that we stay well enough this week to try to get over to see her.

Happy Birthday

So - lots have been going on in the last week.

#1 - TYLER's 1st BIRTHDAY PARTY
We had a construction birthday party up at the in-laws cottage. The kids (and adults) got to go fishing and swimming. We ate lots and Ty got some great presents. Several family members couldn't be there so it was quite as crazy as expected. Here are a couple of snapshots.

Another great cake from the "Cake Lady" Hazel.

Andy got a quick nap in the hammock until his little buddy joined him. There is nothing like a nap in a hammock with waves gently lapping up on the shore.



Ty had lots of help opening his presents.








It was especially impressive when Ty stuck lots of his cupcake in his ear. The fun was followed up with hours of late night fun with throwing up (to follow on and off for the next several days).


#2 - MINI VACATION
Let me start by saying that Andy has not gone to the beach in the 7 years we've been married. So when he suggested it for this weekend/Monday I took full advantage of it. Sunday night we headed out to Grand Haven and Monday to Millenium Park.














































We've had flu fun on and off the last couple of days and how Andy is on his way home not feeling well. I've washed every piece of laundry and linens in our house. I've cleaned all the stuffed animals and working my way through the toys right now. I'm sanitizing everything. It seems like someone has been sick since we moved into this place and I'm tired of it. Sooner or later maybe we can be healthy for more than a couple of days.

Thrify Thursday

Today's tip - the bread store. I'm in love with the discount bread stores. Last week I stopped in at a discount bread store that I hadn't been to. It was wacky wednesday. I managed to get two loaves of organic bread, bagels, english muffins, tortillas, and good hamburger buns for a total of $3. Lovin it.

Morning @ The Musuem

So last week I took the boys to the public museum downtown. Not that I particularly wanted to go or did they, but it got us out of the house and it was the last day that we could go free. All Ryan was really interested in was riding the carosel on the first floor. I saved that as an incentive for good behavior on all 3 floors. We made it to the third floor where all the taxidermy animals were - the first thing that the boys had any real interest in - when the fire alarms went off. From the far side of the building I see staff waving me on that this wasn't a test or accident.

I race to the other side where the stair are with the boys and our double stroller. I grabbed our bags and the boys thinking the two guys on staff standing there were going to grab the stroller. They didn't. They just looked at me. Ryan is afraid of the loud noise and tries to cover his ears while I'm dragging him down the stairs as fast as I can. A female security guard joins us somewhere around the second floor trying to tell Ryan that it was going to be okay. At which point we are now closer to the alarms and the volume is even louder and I'm practically dragging one child down the stairs while trying to keep a grip on the squirming toddler in the other hand.

We get to wait outside in the heat on the curb across the street with all the other fire alarm hostages. We can't leave - our stroller is still on the third floor. We have a snack. The fire trucks show up and at least that's a little entertainment. We finally get back in and I get in line to wait for the elevator to take us back up. At which we overheard from staff that the fire alarm system failed to automatically notify the fire department (reassuring) that they had to manually call the local fire station. When we made it to the third floor to claim our stroller I overheard a janitor telling his supervisor that he was dusting and taking care of cobwebs and his equipment wasn't long enough so he cleaned from above instead of below and the dust fell into the smoke detector. Can't believe we went through all of that cuz the janitor messed up.

We road the carousel and got out of dodge. Glad it was free.

Out of this World

This is a crazy week of VBS at church. We're doing a outerspace, secret agent theme (spy kids kinda thing). Every year of VBS it is the hottest, most humid week of the summer. And of course this year I'm helping with registration - outdoors of course. Then I get to head inside to lovely air conditioning and do game/activities to reinforce the verse/Bible story of the night. It's been a lot of fun so far.

Last night one of our neighbor boys came. Dewey is a great kid - polite, obedient, a pleasure to be around. I'm always surprised that a parent lets their child go anywhere with a complete stranger. I met his mom for a whole 2 minutes and he was off in my car to a church they didn't know. Dewey along with kids I usually pick up made for a full car. I might have to go pick up the church van tonight to accommodate the friends they want to bring. It makes for a crazy week with lots of logistics, lessons, and schedules to figure out - but definitely worth it. We almost doubled our numbers last night. Here is hoping for more of the same. Pray that kids will hear and respond to the Gospel.

On a side note, I've gotten to spy in on my 3-year-old in his pre-school class as they join in the song times. He comes home singing the songs (well parts of the songs) and obsessed about playing with his baby moses made out of a baby sock in his little basket. Love that he's learning and starting to grasp Bible stories and principles.