Wedding Wedding Wedding

Our daughter Melissa set a wedding date right after Christmas and it's been busy busy making plans for that. Tomorrow we are going to tour the wedding and reception site. Mark and I were at a wedding there, but they have yet to see it - hopefully they will like it as much as we did. Of course, there will not be any snow May 28 - I know it's Minnesota, but that would definitely be ridiculous.

Last week I went to a fabric warehouse and amazingly found a bolt of fabric that matches the sash on her dress - it's called azalea, so kind of a dark pink. I was really excited to find it as I hadn't found anything close to it at the local fabric stores. So, now 6 little girl dresses to make and 2 bow ties for Chris and his buddy - it's a long story, but he has been collecting bow ties. I will also be making Melissa's daughter Kaia's dress which will match Melissa. Should be cute.

Beautiful Eyes

Yesterday Ella was invited to a new friend's house. She was in heaven as her friend has horses, among other things. A lovely home and only one older sibling - like going to Mars for Ella.

After she came home she was standing in the kitchen and asked me if I thought she had the most beautiful eyes I'd ever seen. I was taken aback. Of course I think she is gorgeous, but it's not something I often tell her. She said her friend's mom had made this comment about her eyes. A bit later I found her in the bathroom "smiling" at her eyes. That mom has no idea the impact of that simple statement.

In the world we live in it is blue eyed blondes which rule the beauty mark, so to speak. So for that mom to state - really the obvious - just made this mom and that 8 yr. old's day.

End of the year - End of the decade

As I was contemplating where I was 10 years ago I realized that although the years do fly by faster the older I get - I'm amazed at all that has happened this past decade. Our family doubled!

Ten years ago my oldest child was 25 - my youngest was 9. In this past decade we added 4 children, married off 2, had one experience a divorce and remarriage and welcomed 2 grandchildren into our ever expanding family. Perhaps the weirdest thing is that as we enter this decade our youngest is now 6. At this rate we'll never finish raising kids - which, I've learned this past decade, you never really finish doing anyway.

There is definitely a reason the Lord doesn't allow us to see into the future. How many experiences would we miss - both good and bad - if we knew the outcome beforehand. How many lessons would go unlearned and how very anxious we would be about life. If we doubled in the last decade - what will happen in the next one? OK - that is making me a little anxious.

I've was never a big fan of New Year's resolutions until I past my 5th decade. Somehow, goals seem more important to me now. Perhaps it's because I realize how easily a year can slip through your fingers and although my day to day life is generally set out for me, I do want to be a bit more deliberate through my days. It just seems in this family spontaneity is the key to, well sanity. If you don't make plans you can't be disappointed when they don't work out. This however has lead to a huge lack of a social life, because other people do plan. So, deliberateness, if that's a word, is a goal.

I probably have some of the same goals many people have - drink more water, eat better, lose that 10 lbs., exercise etc. Other goals I hesitate to state as I don't know if I have the true ambition to achieve them.

I always wanted to write a book, and have been told often I should write about our family - but so much of our story is personal and I'm not sure I want to share it nor that I should share it. I have a tendency to be too open sometimes and must remind myself to respect the privacy of my children and that their stories are just that - their stories. I've been telling Ella lately that she should keep a journal and write down some of her experiences growing up in this family. She has such insight sometimes and lives a life that really non of her peers could possibly understand. Perhaps that is my New Year's resolution for her.

For now, I think I'll stick to the goal of blogging on a more regular basis. I'm never good on the specifics of a goal, but let's just say - at least 4 times a week. I guess next year when I look back on this I'll find out whether I made it past the month of January. Goals are just that - goals. They are not finish lines right?

Happy New Year Everyone!

Survival mode

So, we're half way through Christmas break. I know I should enjoy it, but sometimes I just get tired.

Callie woke up at 4AM today and was just about to get back to sleep at 5 when the alarm went off for Mark to get Shannon off to surgery. So, I got Shannon ready while hoping Callie didn't wake up the rest of the house and Mark got ready to go. After Mark left - I checked my phone and Jonathan had called. He and Jill were going to Las Vegas for a grad celebration. Well, their cab didn't show and they were panicking. Thankfully their place and the airport were all on the way to the hospital. Apparently with all the increased security they just made it.

So, it took until about 6:30 for Callie to fall back to sleep and by then I couldn't. Nothing more frustrating then trying to fall to sleep.

Shannon's surgery was to remove her the plate which was put into place after her hip surgery last year. It has really caused a lot of pain over the last year and we are really counting on it relieving that. She also had botox and phenol injections which help with her spasticity. She is such a trooper, but it's been a tough year for her.

Here's hoping for a restful night - pretty please.

Mom of Many: In memory of Ian Henderson

Mom of Many: In memory of Ian Henderson

In memory of Ian Henderson

Last February the unthinkable happened to our friends Tom and Deb Henderson. They lost their 7 yr. old son and only child Ian to brain cancer. They will soon complete a year of firsts without Ian - a relief in an odd way I think.

For Ian's birthday this summer, they planned a celebration by inviting others to package food at Feed My Starving Children. In trying to turn their grief into something that would honor Ian's memory they thought about kids whose moms and dads are doing their best, but unable to provide the most basic of needs so their children can thrive.

Rather then turn the one year anniversary of his homegoing into a time of sorrow, they are again looking to help other kids in his memory. Deb said to me that there was nothing they could do for Ian, but kids are dying because they don't have clean water to drink - and we can do something about that.

Yes - we certainly can. So, if you are able to financially help in providing a well in Ian's memory through World Vision - please go to the site listed below.

Thanks - and thanks Tom and Deb for thinking of and providing for other kids in honor of your beloved son. How very proud of you he would be.

Great start to the week

Well, the way this week started out I figured it couldn't possibly go anywhere but up. First thing Monday morning Jacob came running over to tell us - there's dog poop all over the floor. Mark and I both ran over to the family room and sure enough there was dog doo traipsed all over the floor and area rug.

It looked like Christian was the most likely candidate so we made him sit immediately and proceeded to check the bottom of the slippers he had on, but no poop there. We kept checking shoes and feet - nothing. Finally Mark pulled the slippers off and sure enough - for some unknown reason Christian had walked the poo all over and then thought - I'll just put on Ella's new slippers to cover it up. So very very gross. We spot cleaned the rug and mopped the floor while trying not to fall behind in our morning routine - which is a pretty tight schedule.

There were other issues later in the week that made the poop mess seem like a walk through roses. You can walk through poop literally - or figuratively. Honestly - the real poop was a lot easier to clean up and just makes for hysterical storytelling. The figurative poop will take a lot longer to clean up - literally.