busy summer with some bumps in the road

warning: the spell check isn't working. grrrr...

our weekened:
breakfast. art therapy. lunch. swimming. showers. naps. dinner. pedicures. fireworks. sleep. breakfast. splash park. lunch.naps. cookout. church. sleep. Monday.

We are running like crazy this summer and it is a good thing (most of the time).

Last week was a hard week. Work projects are pending, Emily and Morgan had VBS in the mornings, pick-ups and drop-offs being coordinated, nothing in particular things just weren't jiving and it was stressful. Last Monday afternoon Emily got a splinter in her foot and she screamed like someone was cutting her foot off. I did not react very kindly to the over-reaction and over-reacted myself which lead to of course a break-down later than evening of if Craig were here things would have gone differently. Eventually a tearful discusion with God that He took the wrong parent. Craig was patient and so good to the girls. Although he wouldn't have put up with the rediculousness that occured on Em's part, he wouldn't have reacted the way that I did. Em and I laid together that night after books and prayers and tearful apologies were said. We worked to make it better through the week. It just took one day at a time.

Last night Southeast celebrated the church's 50th Anniversary. It was a fun service and I am excited to see what God has in-store for the next 50 years! Words can not decribe what that church has meant to my family. I was overwhelmingly grateful last night. I know that Craig is happy and healthy and at home b/c of the guidedance and love of that church family. It is an awesome place.
I think I need to get back into thankful Thursdays. When I laid down last night I was flooded with lists and lists and blessings in my life. I was overwhelmingly grateful for all that He has provided. We have an incredible support system. Emily colored this in art on Saturday.

They have done this before put this one turned out much differently than the ones done about a year ago. This ones features, me, Hannah, Morgan, Cooper, ViviAnne, Kristen, Brent, Hayden, Scott, Gwen, etc. etc. etc. A year ago the images were just immediate family members only and on occasion my mom would get thrown into the mix. During therapy the girls color each person in their family, what they are feeling and what they are doing in the picture. Notice that none of the figures in distrest are colored except for that one laying on the ground, I'm not sure who that is.

They really love spending time with our friends that have become more like family. I can usually tell when they have an over-the-top awesome time when we climb back in the car Morgan will say "I wish Daddy could have been there." That is a good sign that she has had the time of her life somewhere when she wishes she could share it with her dad. So sweet. I always reply with something like "he loved swimming (or whatever we are doing) with you guys." and "then we are so thankful to have wonderful friends that invite us swimming with them." They all agree. Sometimes it is followed by conversations of past memories or what he would have done in the pool (throwing little ladies, cheerleadering in the pool) or what he would have said after Emily went off the high-dive or when Hannah jumps in and goes underwater intentional. They are fun conversations and we all giggle and share what we think.

The conversation turned into a different direction on the way home from the pool Saturday afternoon. I can't remember who said it but here is what was said "do you think we will get a new daddy?" I said "if God wants that for us then He will send one but it may not be for a long time or it may be soon, it will be His timing and He will have to pick him out for us. Morgan proceeded to ask if we need to make a new daddy.  I said no he is out there God just has to send him our way in His timing. And then the question was "how will we find him?" I told them that I would start looking when I was ready and I would pick out my favorite one. This is way we always explained getting married to them in the past. (Funny side story: Emily asked my brother if he had found his favorite person yet,the last time he was in town and he said no. Then I continued with some of us are REALLY picky and it takes a while :) ) Anyway, side tracked, Morgan stated that she didn't want me to steal any other kid's dad that wouldn't be fair to them. I love the way this child's mind works!! If more people would think that way... well we won't go there right now. So I kindly told her that I wouldn't even think of stealing anyone's daddy but if God sent us a daddy that already had kids then they may have step siblings. Then they wondered where we would put them (in our house)!!! I told them we wouldn't stay in our house we would buy a bigger house and everyone would have their own room. Emily then say she was started to look for a bigger house for us. "Do you think that one has enough bedrooms?" WHOA sisters, slow down, Mama bear is no more ready for that...

It is so funny to hear how there minds work. We have always had a lot of open discussions about everything. They don't even phase me any more. When they phase other people I think I look at them funny b/c it is so normal to us that I can't image otherwise.  Emily's VBS teacher said that she said her dad was in heaven and responded with a "yah and..." I was wondering if there were more to the story but there wasn't. I just told she talks a lot about it and left it at that.

So we are having our ups and downs. One might think the "hard" conversations are downs but they are memories of a wonderful daddy and husband so those are really our ups. There are some logistics that I have to work though during a normal week to make this house more peaceful. So if you could pray that God reveals a plan for those times that would be great. Bath nights are a nightmare, I feel more like a drill sargent than a mom.
I wish I could update the blog more. Last week's sermon was on happiness vs. joy. AMAZING message that Dave Stone delievered. I think that might have to be another blog post by itself. I just love the scriptures that were used.

Craig, if there are blogs in heave we miss you, we love and we will see again.