Moving Day...

We helped Cadi pack up and move into her apartment today.

The Honda was crammed full. The back of dad's truck was full... and there is still stuff waiting in my garage. Wow, it really doesn't take long to accumulate a ton of stuff!

Mom was unpacking the bedroom while they brought in box after box.
There is tons of cabinet space in this apartment!



She is very excited about this new venture. It seems like yesterday when this tiny girl was running around in a diaper.


We are PROUD of you, Cadi!

...now, we just have to get her to sleep there.

Compost...

I was thinking about compost today.

Strange? Maybe...

But...

Compost is old, used up, past its prime materials. These items are dead and you must leave them behind to move on to something else.

Life can be like compost.

Sometimes we hold on to things that we should have moved on from long ago. We are afraid of what the newness may bring. We fear change. At least with the old stuff we knew what to expect... even when it wasn't really good for us and didn't really make us happy.

The really cool thing about compost is it turns into a cool, nutrient rich product that enhances beautiful, new growth.

The process can take some time. It may not happen overnight. In the end, however, we are so much better off to have allowed the process to take place.

Under Control...

We live at the base of a very cool mountain.

Every spring, the runoff from the snow causes a beautiful waterfall to run for about a month. Right now, we are being treated to this amazing sight.

When I see things like this, I think about that song "Indescribable". Everything about Him is majestic and amazing. Thank you, God. He cares about us. He cares about our futures. He not only made this world for us to live in, but He made it a beautiful world.

In those moments... and we all have them... when we feel like we are alone and no one understands... God is with you. He understands. He has your future in His hands and even though you cannot see what He has in store for you, He knows and has it all under control.

endings and beginnings...

We helped Cadi move into her new apartment yesterday. Chey will start moving some things today... very slowly. We told her she will still be with us until the end of the month, but maybe I will let her stay weekends over there.

Cadi is slowly learning to breathe again. Life can sure hurt (be devastating, really) sometimes...

We received a little information that our niece and her husband could be having their baby any time now... Yippee!!! I am truly so excited for them. There is nothing better, scarier, more exhausting, angering... and absolutely worth it time and time again... than adding a little human being to your family!

We also received this photo...

This is my way too grown up nephew, Ben. Holy Moly! How is it even possible that he's not that chubby little baby or at least the long limbed preteen that it feels like he should still be??? Great job on the photo, Debbie! This picture just seems like it is so... Ben. Anywho, he is graduating from college in a couple of weeks. AWESOME!!

We are SOOOOOOOOOOO proud of you, Ben! You make us SMILE!

I know I sound like I am in a Kooky mood today... but it is time to start living life again. I mean, that is really what life is all about... endings and beginnings. I feel like we need to open up the windows and blow out all of the old bad stuff and breathe new life into our home again. So, that is the plan.

Breathe.

Renew.

Smile.

Start Over.

Be grateful for the opportunity of a new beginning.

LIVE!

PO'd...but moving on...

Do you know what sucks?

-Being the momma who has to watch her children grieve over something. When you have to watch them go through the same things you went through as a young person and there is nothing you can do but hug them and pray, pray, pray. When you saw the writing on the wall a long time ago, but you couldn't shield her from the pain. When she has to find out that not everyone is as good and trustworthy as she thought they were. When she finds out that people she trusted may not handle things in an appropriate manner... they just may truly be a little kid still.



It sucks to watch your child cry.



It makes me want to get in my car and beat the crap out of someone. And then, I remember that they aren't worth it. I remember that I saw this coming and have been praying for the resolution. I have been praying for God to bring people into her life that would be supportive and beneficial to her growth... not hold her back...which has been the case for so long.



I remember that I could go to jail if I did what I wanted to.



She may not be ready to see the big picture yet, but I will see it for her...



Her life is just beginning.



For the first time, she has the entire world open to her. Everything is a possibility. Everything is new and shiny and... well, grown up. She can put away childish things forever.

It is hard to go from kid to adult, but now... for the first time in years... she is able to choose positive, adult people to join her on this journey. She will grieve for a time, but there will be a new day... a bright sunny new day when she will look back and wonder why she made such a fuss over someone who would behave so badly. She will realize that while she had been moving forward, growing up and changing into a really amazing young WOMAN, others were holding on to their childhood for dear life.


Sometimes, God answers our prayers in ways we didn't fully foresee. Painful? It can be.


...but how do you ever find the truly amazing people if you hold on to what was in the end...


only mediocre...

lovely...

I woke up to the most beautiful sound...


Rain...


Pounding on my window...


Lovely.

May Day...

Today is May Day.

Today would have been my grandma's 85th birthday.

She was a wonderful woman. She taught me a lot. I learned how to cook and bake and be... well... a little crazy from Grandma. --very important lessons, I assure you.

I miss you Grandma.

***This photo was from 15 years ago when she was holding baby Miranda.

news...

CT scan showed nothing except some benign cysts in his liver.

They said that maybe the stone is too small to detect, but it is moving. The pain in is the front lower stomach now.

Keep him in your prayers.

We took the kids out to a homeschool pizza event tonight. It was a lot of fun. Unfortunately, Brysen peed his pants and we had to run to the DI and get him another pair. Thank goodness for lots of drivers and helpers. It made it easier... for sure. Now we are home, Mark is in bed, the kids are finishing their baths and we are heading down to watch a movie.

Oh... and Cadi found a great apartment. Hopefully, Chey will be moving in there too. We are just waiting on the background checks to come back. They are ready, for sure. Cadi has been living in the dorms for the past year. Chey just wants to move out and try it on her own... but with her sister living in the bedroom next door. I think that is a great plan.

Okay... I am exhausted........ good night.

more kidney info...

They did a cat scan and ran some blood work. They are supposed to call us today or tomorrow with the results. I just want this to be over. I don't like to see my honey feeling down like this. It is not normal for him to lay on the couch all day and do nothing.

The CT scan lady wouldn't tell him anything. I despise it when they do that. You know they know something but they won't tell you the one paying for all of this. Right?

I will update again when the doctor calls... hopefully today.

I'm sorry I haven't been posting more. I have been really busy keeping things running while my honey has been down. Plus... we just haven't been doing much besides doctors, dentists and sitting in the back yard while the little kids play.

Kidney stones...

We just got home from the doctor and they are pretty sure that Mark has kidney stones.

He goes back in tomorrow for x-rays and bloodwork to verify and make sure that his kidney's are working properly. They also want to make sure that the stones aren't too big to pass.

Keep us in your prayers.

Also, the two oldest are looking for a small apartment to share. Keep them in your prayers. They are trying to find something close to the university so they could possibly walk to classes.

Made to Worship...

Old Photos...

My Uncle Dennis was such a sweetie and sent me some old photos of my grandmother and of all of "the boys" when they were younger.

I was so excited to receive these pictures!

I have never seen pictures of my grandmother from her younger years. I only remember visiting her a few times and she was much older then. I was amazed by how pretty she is in this picture. I don't really know why I am amazed... I mean, all of my uncles and my dad are good lookin'... I am not ugly... and my daughter that everyone says looks just like me (a lot of pounds ago) is absolutely gorgeous... so....

Why am I so amazed?!

I am not sure how old she was here. I need to find out. I think she looks like she is late teens or early 20's. Maybe it is a highschool picture...

This is a recent picture of me. Okay, so I know I am about 20 years older than she is in her photo but I think we look alike.

Here is another...

I am the dark headed oldie... but goodie.

And then...

You have my second in line daughter, Cheyenne.

In the photo below, I think she totally resembles her great grandmother.

That is four generations... right? (grandma, my dad, me, her...)

I just think that is so cool!

Okay, I also received pictures of the brothers.

My grandmother had 6 sons. My mother used to tell me that my grandmother had told her... are you still with me... that she had wanted to try for a girl, but by the time my Uncle Donny came along (boy # 6) she just knew it wasn't in the cards for her. (Now I know how I ended up with 7 girls and only 1 boy.)

Above: (top row) Uncle Jim, my dad, Uncle Dennis

Grandma in the middle

(bottom row) Uncle Michael, Uncle Donny, Uncle Danny

Now... I know I am totally boring you, but I love old photos and I love anything to do with my family history. I just don't know enough about all of them and their history.

Okay, this is a picture of (left to right) My dad, Uncle Dennis, Uncle Jim

Uncle Dennis reminded me that Uncle Jim's real name... I think is Julius. I had forgotten all about that, but I know I had heard that before somewhere.

Below is a picture that I saw when I visited my dad last year. He told me that it was taken a few years ago when Uncle Dennis had come out to Missouri for a bit.

Left to right: Uncle Dennis, My Dad, Uncle Jim

Grandma is in the front.

I don't have the opportunity to ask grandma about her own story. I wish I did. I learned after losing my grandmother and my own mother in 2007 that you need to ask those questions and preserve those memories.

Okay, I'm done boring you with what amazes me.

Do me a favor, though. Check into your own history. Ask those questions that you won't be able to ask after your loved ones are gone.

... and THANK YOU Uncle Dennis...

...it means the world to me.

It has begun...

The season of the LAWN.

Now, let me just say that in almost 21 years of blissful marriage to my man, I have done the majority of the lawn mowing. Not because he is lazy... far from it... because I enjoy it (except for the last couple of weeks of July when it is just so stinking hot even in the early morning).

But...

a couple of years ago, I discovered this wonderful thing called...

CHILDREN!

Now... I love to pick one of the upper crust of the group I have to choose from and send them out to mow the lawn.

I wish I had known about this sooner!

Hmmm...

Now I must go in search of other things for these CHILDREN to do around here...

"hang with our posse"...

During our wonderful sunday in the front yard, my wonderful son decided he needed to go inside for something. This mongrel took that opportunity to run outside and head for the hills.

Now before you think this is a tramatic event, let me assure you that he gets out front at least twice a week. He runs around the neighborhood visiting his homies and then in about an hour (he has a lot of homies) he comes home and "knocks" on the front door.

I do not freak out when he gets out. I do not run after him. I figure we all need a chance to "hang" with our "posse" sometimes, right?

My husband, however, completely looses it when the mongrel escapes. He runs and chases and leashes and drives and follows and uses the gps and calls all of the known "posse's" parents...

Thank goodness this event didn't come to all of that. He managed to chase the mongrel down in a few minutes... but, trust me... that was only because the mongrel wanted to be caught.

I threw this picture in because I love him. Oh, and I need to document the ugly pile of rocks that my neighbor insists is a waterfall.

Spring...

Spring finally has taken a hold (for the most part) in this area.

On Sunday, we all wandered out and took in as much of the warm stuff as possible.

The kids began dragging out any toys that they could find in our garage.

They used chalk, hoola hoops, scooters, bikes, badmitten, basketball, skates, you name it... they did it.

Even the big kids got in on the action. The only one that we didn't have at home was Cheyenne. She, unfortunately, was working.

This little girl is growing up right before our eyes.

Sydnee... take your time... for your mothers sake.

Shoes came off and bare feet were running around everywhere.

... and then Brysen decided he needed shoes... but not just any shoes

He needed his cowboy boots... without any socks!

By the time we made it inside, he had rubbed a couple of pretty nasty looking sores on his feet. Maybe he won't make that mistake again...


She's blowing you a kiss...

Even daddy came out and enjoyed the sun and warmth.

Ari tried to ride the deer like a horse.

What a fun day. The kids slept in the next morning... until 7:30.

Trust me... that is AWESOME!!

Summer Project...

Our new project...

Mark and I decided that we would take a really old table that we had and break it up to make some raised beds for gardening. Then we couldn't decide on only a few plants so we brought in some planters as well.
We figured this would make a nice summer project for the kids. Now, we just have to keep the dog out of it... and the little ones. Miranda is totally excited about this and checks it out every day to see what changes are occurring.

I just think everyone should know a little bit about what goes into growing the food that you put on your table... and it tastes so much better than what you can buy at the store.

By Popular Demand...

Dave and Laura, in case you have ever wondered...

If Galen has not shown up at home... he is Not here.

The last I saw of him, he was on his way to the airport... Cadi may be hiding him in her trunk... I will check later...

For those of you that don't know, Galen is my oldest daughters boyfriend. They have been dating for 5 years... wow. We have known Galen since he was just a wee boy.

The couple has a really good time this week. They got to visit the Weber State campus several times. Galen even had the chance to hang out with the coaches from the universities football team. We would love to see him come here for school, but we know that God has your future in His hand, Galen.

Cadi was a bit sad after she dropped him at the airport yesterday. (and by a bit, I mean really sad)

Thanks for spending time with us, Galen.

...and...

Dave and Laura, in case have ever wondered...

Your son...

is a pleasure to have around!