Coke

Last summer we had project POF.
I loved it.
Any time the kids would do something nice for someone,
I would say:
That was a great POF!
And they would get really embarrassed.
Especially the two older ones.

This summer I wanted to find a new verse to focus on.
We found a verse the end of May.
I read it to the kids and said:
This will be our POF verse for the summer.

Brookie and Jakie groaned and said:
Don't call it POF!
That's sounds like a little kid word.

Ryan said:
How about the word "refresh".
I thought it was perfect.
The kids did not.

Then Ryan said:
How about "Coke"?
Coke is refreshing.

"Coke" it is.
Or "Coke is it"!
(Remember that slogan?)
Then I forgot all about the verse and the word.
Until this morning.
Over a month later.

I have problems.

So, for the rest of the summer,
we are going to be refreshing.
And instead of saying:
Good POF.
I will say:
Good Coke.And my kids will smile.
And be happy.
And get along.
And be refreshing.
The whole rest of the summer.

I like to dream.

Here's the verse we're going with:
Philemon 7
Your love has given me great joy and encouragement,
because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.

Honestly, this verse is more for me than my kids.
How wonderful would it be.
To bring great joy and encouragement.
To my family.
To my friends.
To any one I come in contact with.

Sounds...well...refreshing, doesn't it?

Now, I'm going to go Coke someone.
Hmmm...that sounds odd.

Each week Beki at therustedchain hosts Fingerprint Friday and uses a song by Steven Curtis Chapman as a springboard. Join in. It's a great way to be reminded of God's presence.

A Little Get Together

The weekend before last was our class reunion.
Ryan and I graduated from a small Christian school.
With a class of 40.
20 years ago.
That doesn't seem right.
I'm sure I'm not that old.

I wanted a new dress for the occassion.
And had shopped a little.
But hadn't found what I wanted.
And ran out of time to shop anymore.
I was just going to wear something out of my closet.
Who needs something new, right?
It's silly to think you need a new outfit.
That's what I told myself anyway.

The day before the reunion.
My hubby texted me:
Got a little gift for you...
He came home with a super cute dress!
And it fit!
He's amazing.

I don't do it justice.
And the pic is fuzzy.
But here it is.Nearly half of our class made it.There's something pretty special about graduating from a small school.Apparenty I missed the memo to wear black shoes.
And I'm also the only one to not have my nails done.Don't ask.
It was late.
They are goofy girls.
There was no alcohol.
We graduated from a Christian school remember?Funny story:
About 10:00pm or so.
One of our classmates was talking to her mom on her phone.
Checking up on her son, I suppose.
I hear her say:
No mom, there is no alcohol here.
Felt like we were in high school again.

The next day we were at our house.
It was hot.
Our kids were all there.
And I think one of my classmates son's thought my daughter was cute.
And I think she might have thought he was cute too.
That's weird.

Rhonda, do you read this?
Do you agree?
Ryan was oblivious to it all.

And this is the only pic I took of the day.
Yeah me!Oh, and yes our carpet did get put in on time.
It looks so great downstairs.
Sadly, I can't show you.
I still can't find my camera.
(All the above pics were with my mom's camera.)
We have searched every where.
We know where it last was.
A certain daughter laid it on the floor.
On the floor?
In the family room.
It has not been seen since.
At least that's the story...

Another

Another birthday.Another year older.Another wii game.Another smile.Another child who now must improvise to show how old they are.

This boy who was a surprise to us.
This boy who is so intelligent.
This boy who plays so well with his little brothers.
This boy who loves to laugh.

This boy.
Whom I love.

Just Ramblings

Last week Ezra stepped on the toes of my left foot.
5 days in a row.
They finally were feeling normal again.
Then Monday Brookie and I were moving a dresser.
It slipped out of her hand.
And landed on top of my left foot.
That one still hurts.

I usually don't get mosquito bites.
And when I do they don't typically itch me.
They sure like me this summer.
I look polka dotty.
And I'm super itchy.
Guess I'm sweeter this year.

I wore a t-shirt half the day last week
with a dryer sheet stuck down the front of it.
Have you ever used dryer sheets to enhance your chest area?
Well, don't.
It doesn't really work.
And it's scratchy.
(Just to be clear,
this was unintentional.
Believe me if you want.)

We were up until 1:00 last night working in the basement.
And I worked most of the daylight hours outside.
Hauling rock for our driveway.
Wheelbarrow full, by wheelbarrow full.
Planting some more flowers.
Watering.
Pulling weeds.
Lots and lots of weeds.
This morning I feel like I met with Jillian Michaels.
Or what I imagine that must feel like anyway.
I should be meeting with Jillian everyday.
But I lack discipline.

Our carpet was supposed to be layed yesterday.
So it was delivered Tuesday.
Then the carpet dude called and said he couldn't come until Friday.
Maybe.
Maybe?
Not good.
We have a class reunion at our house Sunday.
And our rec room looks like a carpet store.
The plan was to have the food in there if there's a chance of rain.
I told him our predicament.
He said: why did they put it in the rec room and not the garage?
Ummm.
Because you said you would come Wednesday.
Silly us.

Here's my next problem.
I've been working so much outside.
(The plan is for the reunion to be in the yard.
I guess I alluded to that already.)
And in the basement.
That the rest of the house is a pit.
It's depressing when you get one area looking all nice.
Only to have the rest of your house looking like poo.

I did three loads of laundry yesterday.
Kinda.
One got folded and put away.
One is in the dryer.
The other is still in the washer.
Nice.

I can't find my camera.

I itch.

That's all.

Our Summer So Far

Summer should be relaxing right?
Ha!
I laugh at that statement.

Ezra told me Saturday:
Mommy, you said this summer would be fun.
Well, it isn't.

Bad Mommy.

It's true.
So far.
For the kids.
Not so much fun.
Well, Brookie is having fun.
She's been going to soccer camp.
Then another soccer camp.
Then another soccer camp.
And training.
Her love for soccer has exploded this summer.We are finally getting our basement done.
We ordered carpet.
Which meant I had to start painting.
Been putting that one off.
Ryan and I painted all day last Saturday.
And I've painted at least a little most days since then.
Now I just have one more wall to put a second coat on.
Then done.Brookelynn and Jake are excited to have carpet.
But are dragging their feet at cleaning up their rooms.
Everything has to be moved out for the carpeting.
And they are slobs.
I am BAD at making them keep their rooms clean.We've been doing landscaping outside also.
Saturday Ryan got four pick-up loads of mulch.
There's a free mulch pile in town.
It saved us so much money.
But it was hard work.
It's looking great around our fire pit though.We also are redoing other areas outside.
The bush on a stick behind Brookie is a favorite of mine.
We had one at our old house.
I was so excited when Ryan bought another one a few weeks ago.The bird bath had been in an odd place.
We put it in a spot when we moved here 3 years ago.
And that was where it stayed.
I finally got this area all cleaned up.
And Ryan moved it for me.
I love that I can now look out my window.
And see birds enjoying it.Just to prove that the summer hasn't been all bad.
I did take the kids to a great waterpark one day.
They loved it.
And we are planning our vacation.
Can't wait for that!

Horses and Kitties

A couple days before Lara left,
we took her to ride horse.
Ryan's brother Tim has two horses.
The Old Mare.
(Such a nice name.
Probably what he's going to call me someday.
Tim, not Ryan.
We're good buddies, Tim and I.)
And Fenway.

Lara rode the Old Mare first.
This horsey kinda' has a mind of it's own.Then she rode Fenway.
She enjoyed that much more.Jobie rode a little with Uncle Tim.
He was not too sure up there.Jake brought his buddy Eli.And our niece, my brother's girl, came too. Jakie.
Always smiling.Ezzie loved it.
And so did Brookie.
It had been a long time since she had last done this. Jobie mostly stood around.
With his cute little rubber boots on.
He loves to wear them.Oh, my.
Jake's hair looks like a mop.
It was at an awkward phase.
It looks much better now.While Ryan and Lara went riding around the farm,
the others did some exploring.
And found kitties.They named them all.
And wanted to bring them home.
Nope.
They like being on the farm.
Pretty sure that's what they meowed to me anyway.And Jobie did some more standing around.Look at Ryan looking all cool in the background. The motley crew.
A great day on the farm.

Good-Bye

It's been an emotional last couple of weeks.
Lara went back to Germany Saturday.

We had a going away party for her the Wednesday before she left.
I stressed myself out.
Worrying about food.
Worrying about weather.
On and on and on.
We decorated with red, white and blue.
One last American fling before she returned.
To black, red and yellow.

Over 100 people were invited.
We had about 70 come maybe.
And there was sooo much food leftover.
And I took zero pictures.
That's awful.

Saturday came fast.
I knew it would be hard.
I did not anticipate how hard.

Either crying or close to tears.
ALL day long.
Puffy eyes for church the next day.
Lovely.
And strict instructions from Brookie:
Don't cry at church, Mom!

Anyway, back to Saturday.
We took a few pics before heading to the airport.
The little boys insisted on wearing their capes.
To the airport.
No idea why.
But I didn't fight them.
Brookie, of course was embarrassed.
I just thought it was adorable.The two hardest parts.
One.
Seeing the little boys say goodbye.
Ezzie has handled it all by being naughty.
Not so much fun.
Jobie was so sad.
I never saw tears.
But I could hear him kinda making a sobbing sound.
Two.
Not being able to walk all the way to the gate with Lara.
Watching her walk up to security by herself was difficult.
The momma in me wanted to make sure she made it to her gate.We miss her.
It's weird at the house now.
I have to think twice before setting the table.
I don't hear her coming up the stairs.
Something is missing.

Lara is missing.