There are no words. None.

Uh, I think they had fun, don't you?

FYI

Today is the opening day of the new Sex and the City movie. If that isn't blog worthy, I don't know what is.

Last Day

Wyatt, celebrating the last day of school. He is going back and forth between excitement and sadness over leaving his teacher behind.
This is the official first day of school spot, so we used it for the last day also. I sure hope it stops raining , so they can have their picnic and outside fun, but it doesn't look promising.
I mean, really, what can I say about it?

Awards in 1st grade

Tomorrow is Wyatt's last day of school. It is so hard for me to believe that he is almost out of 1st grade. It has been such a changing year, from barely reading, to chapter books, at a 3-4th grade level. I just love him so much, But with every new stage, I can't believe how big he has become. I think it is because he is my oldest, but it is so neat to see the very smart, funny, and unique person he is becoming.
Wyatt also earned a few awards this year. He earned a Perfect Attendance award, as well as a Kid of Character award. We are so proud of him. I think he may have had just about the best first great teacher ever. I was asking how long until she retires to see if maybe she will stick around for all of our kids. :)

Flat tires and meatballs

We spent yesterday with one car below E and one van sitting on a jack in the garage. When I went to take Wyatt to school, The van was sitting on its rim on the back tire. The odd thing was that i was going to drop Lonnie off someplace, and he is the one that saw it. This is good, because I never would have looked, and I would have done some serious damage. So Lonnie aired it up, and by the time I was ready to go get Wy, it was on the rim again, so the van got jacked up, and I called my Dad. My wonderful and faithful parents came into town to bring us a can of fix-a-flat.
Baseball was cancelled due to rain, and Lonnie stayed home from class. So, I invited the 'rents for dinner, we had some meatball sandwiches, and chocolate chip cookies. It turned out to be an ok evening, just being at home.
The kids are all wound up, with getting up earlier every day, and not being able to be outside. Also add in the super busy jam packed weekend we just had, and you get 2 really cranky and whiny kids. Wy and Dyllie are being ok, but Ry & Ty really know how to push each others buttons, and mine too.

rain

It is pouring down rain. Lonnie and about 7 other guys are on a roof in town. They sure picked a great day.

I think I will stay inside.


Maybe baseball will be cancelled.

Pictures from around the house

Wyatt reading to the others. It is such a neat feeling to watch my oldest child, who I still feel is so little, to be reading and having story time with the littler ones.
I think maybe we should have named him parrot. I think he sees the birds there and got a little confused over where he belongs. It will be interesting to see him try to sit there when he is full grown. ;)

Rylee

Rylee love to sit for hours and color. She can be content all day. She is also learning to know and write the alphabet. We find her all the time like this.
Deep concentration. I love it.

Sunday Snack Time

Rylee thought that I was simply a genius.

I let the kids make graham crackers with frosting for a snack.
Tyler was just wanting to eat the frosting by the handful. Wyatt wanted to make snacks to take with us to a BBQ tomorrow, so everyone could have some.
This is Tyler, after a bath, when I asked him if he had eaten any more from the table. he of course said no.

The weekend

Five graduation parties down. Church down.
Three graduation parties and one BBQ to go.



We are tired.



Good night

when they grow up

Wyatt wants to be an astronomer when he grows up. Last month it was a super hero (Bruce Wayne is his example, since he has no super powers)
Rylee wants to be a fire fighter, she has said that since she was about 2.

Tyler wants to be a lion. We will wait and see how it works out for him.

Not yet

Yesterday I walked to the school to pick Wyatt up. On the way home, there was a really large group of boys also walking home. They were playing around and we walked past them. It was really funny because they are all a little older than Wy, and I was thinking he would try to look "cool" for them. But instead, Once we got in front of them, he grabbed my hand. Like it was nothing. It was great! But I wonder how much longer I have to hold him hand, give him a little hug or kiss at the drop off, or even be called Mommy. I know that time is coming.
But it wasn't yesterday, as we walked on hand in hand.

Grace

So Wyatt stuck a light saber up Rylee's nose. It was a small one, from a miniature Jedi. When asked why, he said he was playing with her. I really don't think she thought it was that much fun, since she was crying. So, as an object lesson, Lonnie asked Wy to go to the garage and get a screwdriver. He knew why right away and cried the whole way to the garage and back. But like all little boys, he picked the BIGGEST screwdriver in the whole toolbox. After making him look at it for awhile, Lonnie handed it to Ry. Then, amidst Wy crying like crazy, he asked Ry if she would like to stick it up his nose. This is the conversation that followed:
Dad- Do you want to put it up Wy's nose?
Ry- No
Dad- Why not?
Ry- Because I love God, and God doesn't want us to hurt others.
Dad- Well ok.
Then we continued on with Wy about hurting people, and we also got to talk to them about grace and forgiveness. What a neat moment.

(Don't be confused, Ry proceeded to go into her room and throw things at the boys and hit them quite a bit, but at least she knows not to stick a screwdriver up someones nose!! :) )

...

"I would say that if you only think about Jesus, "believe" Jesus and believe things about Jesus, not much new is going to happen. It is the risk of 'acting" like Jesus acted that reconfigures your soul. We are converted by new circumstances much more than by new ideas. Or as I like to say, we do not think ourselves into new ways of living, we live ourselves into new ways of thinking."
Richard Rohr, From Wild Man to Wise Man

Thinking too much

God is at work.
I can feel it, sense it, smell it, taste it.
He is working in our lives and the lives of those around us who are willing to just set down their own goals and visions of their lives and let God take hold for a little bit. I have plans for my life. Most of them involve things like money in the bank, lots of extra spending cash, and having kids out of the house and off to school. You know, plans to have a safe and happy little life here in Iowa.
But..
God's plans are different.
About three years ago, I heard a wonderful story at Hearts @ Home about a woman who adopted some boys from Liberia. I was crying by the end. I think everyone was. I felt God tugging on me. But that is crazy, since I was pregnant (Imagine that!!) So I came back to my safe house and lived my safe life. I talked with Lonnie about adoption off and on, and the answer that I got was maybe, sometime, in the distant future. It was very obvious that he was just humoring me.
During my last pregnancy, I was hearing God even more. I don't know if Lonnie was hearing God too, or just giving in to me. He was a little more willing to talk about it. Told me I could start looking into it.
Lonnie went to Guatemala in February. My prayer while he was there was that he would be able to look through all of the poverty, crime, and hardships and see people. Really see people, as God sees them. Well, he did. Now he is on board with me. (slow but definitely worth the wait :) )
We are not able to do anything official right now, since we don't have jobs and that is kind of a requirement. But we are praying and trying to listen to God's voice and His will for us. We are trying to be able to find an area of the world that we feel called to.

So now, with this going on, I am feeling very challenged by God. I am being called into account about several areas of my life.
What type of mom does God want me to be?
What does it look like in my house to be doing God's will?
Once made aware of the need in various parts of the world, and here at home, what am I going to do about it?
Am I going to stay safe in my house?
Or go recklessly out and DO something about it?

Let me tell you, my head is a very busy place these days.
I feel like God is pointing out to me that I have used Lonnie as an excuse for my inactivity for a very long time. But now I don't have that excuse, and I have to actually put feet on my thoughts, or they are completely useless. But how do I do all of that and still be the wife, mom, daughter, friend, neighbor that I need to be and not leave anyone out?

This post may seem to be all over the place, I needed to get some thought out of my head, maybe just to make room for other.

Wy and Grandma

Wyatt and Grandma M. he really gets the short stick when she visits during the school year. He just doesn't get the time with her. We got to have her walk with us to school, and then he was able to show her his classroom and such. He started to cry when we were leaving, so we had to quick pick a day in June to go to her house so now he is counting down the days. They have such a great bond, it is really something to watch. He has that bond with his Grandma I too. We really are truly blessed with the relationships that are around us, and it is our kids who get to reap all the benefits of that. Grandma and Grandpa I, we love you and appreciate all that you guys do to help our family and our kids. Grandma and Grandpa M, we love you guys and miss you so very much when you are gone.

The Recap

Lonnie did such a great job. Several people afterwards commented on what a good job he did. He was poised, confident and funny. I am so proud of him.

His Big Day

I am going to do some shameless bragging now, turn away if that bothers you.
Lonnie's big day is today. He is graduating from Muscatine Community College with his AA today. He has a 3.8 GPA. He is a member of an Honor society called Phi Theta Kappa. He has two special honor cords to wear at the ceremony. He is also speaking a the ceremony. He was invited to speak by the dean of the college. They are given a list of their "top" students and then the list goes to the department heads, and they vote. She said that they usually discuss it for quite awhile before they agree. This year apparently they brought their decision back the same or next day. They unanimously voted for Lonnie.
He was also involved in an invitation only honors writing course.
Even though he was not a great student in High School, he really has proven himself in the last few years. He also finished his AA in 3 semesters. Now he is on to St. Ambrose and working on His Bachelor's in business.
I am so very proud of him.

And he's a great dad too! Who could ask for more?

Happy Mom's Day

My "when I have kids" list.
My kids will...
1. NEVER whine.
2. ALWAYS have on clothes that match.
3. NEVER stand or sit on my table (or any other elevated surface) in our home.
4. ALWAYS be polite
5. NEVER talk back.
6. ALWAYS eat what I make for dinner.
7. NEVER eat dirt, sand, grass or any other foreign objects.
8. ALWAYS speak lovingly and kindly to and about each other.
and on and on....

Well, this is my 7th Mothers Day, and I would like to say that I have grown quite a bit. Our house is messier. It is definitely louder. It is fuller. Fuller of fun, laughter, and love. I can very quickly fall into the habit of complaining about all the craziness that is around me. But truth be told, I can't think of any other way for my life to be. We feel the crazier the better.
Sometimes their clothes don't match (they dress themselves, and Ty won't keep his on) They stand on, and jump off of the furniture. Sometimes they skip dinner, and someone is always eating something weird. They fight. They whine (a lot) But you know what, they are polite (most of the time)
And God doesn't expect perfection from us. They love each other, They love God. We are challenged to raise them to love and serve Him.
I would say that I have learned and grown. I am so blessed with my kids and my family. They are each such individuals. i am constantly trying to find new ways to reach each of them where they are and for who they are. To be the mom that each of them deserves. I thank God for the opportunity, and for the faith that he has placed in be, by allowing me to borrow and raise them for him.

Other pics from our day

OOPS

5:17 p.m. That is what time it was when the phone rang. The person on the other end said "Do we have baseball tonight" I said nope. Then I looked. Yep, we do. I was in the process of walking out the door with the kids to go for a quick walk before baths, dinner and early bed. But we had baseball. At 5:30. So, since Lonnie is one of the coaches, he had to quick put away his homework and change clothes. Wyatt changed in record time. The we filled up water bottles for both big and small and headed out. When we got there, I called coach #3 (since coach #1 is out of town) he didn't know either. But he did mention that all of the equipment was in his van. But that his van was in Davenport with his wife. He loaded up his kids and came down too. There are 13 kids on the team. 7 were there tonight. So we are obviously not the only forgetful people around. The coaches (Lonnie) asked the kids who had what, as far as equipment, and they pulled enough together to have a pretty good practice, lots of fun, and learn to just roll with it.

I am not sure though that all the parents were as into the imrov. :)

Meet Ollie

This is Oliver. He is the newest resident of the Mason Zoo.
He should fit right in around here. The others, for anyone who doesn't know, are Emma, and Joy We will be calling Oliver "Ollie" And yes, he really is that cute.

Rylee's Mother's Day Tea

I will now answer to "Rylee's Mom" as my place setting says
We had a great time at the pre school, the kids sang some funny songs and we had a nice little snack. I love to get away with just my girl and do special things with just her. (I did try to get her into a pretty little dress, but she said it wasn't a dress kind of day and opted for capris and a t-shirt, still beautiful)

Lazy day

I am tired. Nothing too excited about that, just tired.
I am waiting to stimulate the economy, but my generous uncle is being slow in providing me the funds. I really wish he was an uncle who was on the ball and was a little quicker.
We are having french toast for dinner, the kids just LOVE that.
It is a beautiful day out today. The kids have been out most of the day. I have resorted to sunblocking Ry and Ty in the morning, no matter how hot it is supposed to be. I hope this will make some difference for them both. I think I am just going to have to smell banana boat all summer.
Tomorrow morning I am heading to Iowa City to the U to participate in a study on gambling. Since I don't gamble at all, I get to be a test study. Sounds kinda dull, but they are "compensating" me quite well, so in the am my mom and I head off.
Lonnie finished his graduation speech today.
Rylee's Mother's Day Tea is Wednesday, and then she has less than a week left before summer.
Wyatt ends school at the end of the month.
So summer is upon us. One of the ways we want to stimulate the economy is by putting in some sand for under our pool, then we can get it put up before they are out for the season.

This has been yet another fairly random and useless post.

my day

mow grass ---check
play with kids ---check
freak out and loose mind trying to teach 2 kids to ride their bikes ---check
go for walk by myself to cool off and not freak out anymore ---check
apologize to kids for freak out and play some more ---check
kids baths and bed ---check
desperate housewives and brothers and sisters ---check
oh, feed random teenage boys from nexus ---check

now, go to bed --- almost check

Saturday

I love days like this. Lonnie went to school this morning and didn't wake me up. He took care of Dylon before he left, so I actually got to sleep in. :) So when I did wake up, I felt a lot better. Now the kids are hanging out with some Saturday morning cartoons. I am getting started on straightening the house a bit, and when Lonnie gets home, it is basically a movie and hang out day around here. I Love this!! I think my kids are great, and so is my Hubby, I truly am blessed. Sappy, but true, it is just that great.

Casting Crowns- Somewhere in the middle

Somewhere between the hot and the cold
Somewhere between the new and the old
Somewhere between who I am and who I used to be
Somewhere in the middle, You'll find me

Somewhere between the wrong and the right
Somewhere between the darkness and the light
Somewhere between who I was and who You're making me
Somewhere in the middle, You'll find me

Just how close can I get, Lord, to my surrender without losing all control

Fearless warriors in a picket fence, reckless abandon wrapped in common sense
Deep water faith in the shallow end and we are caught in the middle
With eyes wide open to the differences, the God we want and the God who is
But will we trade our dreams for His or are we caught in the middle
Are we caught in the middle

Somewhere between my heart and my hands
Somewhere between my faith and my plans
Somewhere between the safety of the boat and the crashing waves

Somewhere between a whisper and a roar
Somewhere between the altar and the door
Somewhere between contented peace and always wanting more
Somewhere in the middle You'll find me

Just how close can I get, Lord, to my surrender without losing all control

Lord, I feel You in this place and I know You're by my side
Loving me even on these nights when I'm caught in the middle



-Every time, I cry. It just gets me. This is the song of my heart right now, the continual track in my head. I love it. I just wanted to share it. Maybe it will move someone else too.