May

Whew!  Its hard to find time to blog regularly.  I often tell Mike that I find myself feeling like I can't do both my agenda and the kids.  I had been hard core kids for the first few months of the year but then after vacation, I realized that I just wanted to do house stuff/ my projects and then I realized 'oh yeah', I can't really be so purposeful with the kids when I am just trying to do my agenda.  And hello, that is what we are working on here... getting a boy ready for school.  But usually if I can get engaged with them, I end up enjoying it a ton too.  As I write this, I just told them to stay upstairs after naps and read books in their room.... keeping it real. ;)  

So here are some May happenings lumped together since it seems too much to separate them.

*FRIDAYS

I've been taking a sewing class with neighborhood friends on Friday mornings this "semester" and love, love, love it.  (I made Lily a pillowcase dress!  I'll post a pic next time she wears it.)

  But Fridays often have lots of possibilities (like field trips & yard sale prep) so I can't go as regularly as I'd like.  And then I sort for the Clothes Closet once a month on Fridays.  So I got the kids to come with me a day early to get it done so I'd be free to go to sewing.  They were surprisingly helpful in loading up the bags of "bad" stuff that goes to goodwill.  But then it all went south and there was crying and fighting and extreme doneness.  So went went straight to CookOut for milkshakes.

 *FRIDAY EVE FRIEND DINNERS

Some of our neighbors are moving (sad!!) so we've had neighborhood families over twice recently to squeeze out all we can of this season of being neighbors.  The kids have had a blast together and its just been SO nice to be outside after a long winter & cool spring.

Boys, oh boys.

*CELEBRATING!

I told Lily that she needed to give up her dogs.  She was surprisingly motivated.  Mike told her that if she slept without them for a week then she could have a treat.  She wanted a cake.  Girl after my own heart.

She did it!  And we had cake!  She added sprinkles.

And of course, you need candles!

*PAINTING

I painted the bottom of my dining room table with Annie Sloan chalk paint.  I'd love a "new" table but I'll have to wait.  This is the table Mike got after college with his bachelor friends.  It was unfinished and they stained and polyurethaned it.  Now its partially painted.  :)  It does help to break up the brown in the dining room.

*SPRING FLING

We went to spring fling at Peter's new elementary school.  Fun times to come!

 We picked up about 16 new books for $4!  They didn't even make it into the house b/c the kids just wanted to sit and read.  Love it.  They did NOT inherit this from me.  So thankful.

*GENERAL SILLINESS

Legos at breakfast, or any.time.  This boy loves legos.  Sometimes too much so.

 stamps all over

 learning to write short words.

*PRESCHOOL YARD SALE

One of the things we LOVE about our church and our preschool is that it is smack dab in the middle of a big refugee population in our city.  So our preschool is blessed to have many of those sweet kids in our midst.  And each year the preschool raises money to offer scholarships.  One of the main ways we do that is through the yard sale.  Families from the whole church donate.  I've helped work it for at least the last 2 years.  This year I had a more central role in organizing the logistics of it.  It was a little intimidating and daunting.  But then at the end, it was sorta satisfying to have planned and pulled off such an event.  I sent lots of pesky emails to recruit, recruit, recruit.  Thanks to some strong men for loading the trucks!

 ...And thanks to LOTS of people for unloading, organizing and working it on Saturday morning!

This picture is only half of what we had and it was half way through the morning.

My parents had generously taken our kids for the weekend (see Paw and Lily pics) so Mike and I headed out for lunch afterwards.  Mexican and Margaritas?  Yes, please!

*PRESCHOOL CUTENESS

Joy S, Lily is wearing the tassel skirt on her head.  She thinks its hair.

*YAY!  We've FINALLY had some warm days!!

Milkshakes at the park after preschool

 exploring!

 handsome, big boy!

*DRAWING!

Peter has just gotten into drawing, all on his own initiative!  "New" developmental milestones still nearly take my breath away at the gift of learning these skills.  I can clearly remember testing to see if he had similar but more basic skills at younger ages... visual motor skills, I think?

*SWIMMING

Peter has continued with this lessons at Aqua Tots.  We've just finished up this week and are signing up for swim team.  I have no idea if he is really ready but I decided the risk was worth it.  Oh, I have no idea what I am getting myself into.  There are so many possibilities of how this could go...  

His daddy was a swimmer so I am hoping he has some genetic potential.

 Sweet Lily just stands on the sidelines for all of this activities and looks cute.

 exhibit #2 of cutely waiting for brother

 We did buy her goggles and sign her up for swim lessons at the pool.  :)

Tomorrow is our LAST DAY OF PRESCHOOL... EVER for my sweet boy!  Part of me is THRILLED.  I am so so very ready for summer.  But the fact that I will no longer get full days with him after this school year is almost too much and sorta welcome at the same time... I hope he will flourish.  But he's my little boy and how did he get so big?!?!

Paw & Lily

A few weeks ago Paw and Maw came for dinner after Paw had some continuing ed nearby.  I think everyone else had gone back inside at the end of the eve but I found these two in the backyard goofing off.  We all know Lily loves to put on a dance show.  She got Paw to participate with her.  They each took turns.  One would sit in a chair while the other danced then vis versa.  Is this a hoot and the epitome of Paw?!  One loves it as much as the other!  Goofies.  We have it pretty good!

 Then onto the swing set.  It was late and clearly, I don't know how to use my camera.  But the point is clear, right? Paw is sweet and goofy and loves some grandgirls.

More May pics to come!

Answer

In general, I've been doing really well lately.  Feeling much more peaceful and trusting about where we are and what our life will look like.  I am so so thankful for that.  I was feeling sorta d.o.n.e. with the exhaustion of grieving.  Its been such a huge praise to think about the healing He has done.  
Tonight I looked at something (on social media) and I just felt it.  I felt my heart spiraling.  Look at them.  Look at ALL that they get.  And yet I also just felt like 'NO!... I just can't spiral and be sad and look at others'.  It was just a quick silent desperate prayer.  And only a half believing one.  God, help me.  (I don't even remember what I said in my head.)  
And then it came a few moments later.... 
Three times. In church this morning I noted that Job repeated the point three times.
I myself will see Him
with my own eyes-- I, and not another.
And then I realized-- because of this-- the loss, the grief-- I don't hope in life being cute (oh, I love cute).  That is a mercy, his grace to me.  I hope in Him.  And I hope because---

I know that my Redeemer lives,
and that in the end He will stand on the earth.
And after my skin has been destroyed,
yet in my flesh I will see God;
I myself will see Him
with my own eyes-- I, and not another.
How my heart yearns within me!
Job 19:25-27

And like that, He takes me back to being thankful and trusting.  And just to know that He is so personal to stoop enough to one day let me see Him.  To know that He sees me enough to let me see Him.

TCI: Day Four

Let's go back to Turks and Caicos, shall we?!  Its been too long. 

On our final full day there, we just explored up the beach by our resort... up and around the northwest point.

There is just something so good about no agenda.  Just walking, exploring and piddling along as the mood strikes you... On the first day, we'd made it up to the point but we'd left our flip flops on the beach somewhere so it was too rough on our feet to continue on.  We made sure to hang onto our flops so we could keep going on our last day. 

Some of our piddling finds... 

Now looking down the western-ish side of the island

 The terrain was really cool... we called things moon rock, lava rock, and then big hunks of coral!

 Pools of water up on the rocky area

 Deep quick sandy area... 

 Love me some Michael, esp Michael at the beach, in the sunshine, eating a lobster shell... 

 a shallow area b/t two rocky areas

 Sea biscuit?

 Look at ALL of the shells and coral!!!

 Now we are headed down the western side... Look at the water!  

A new shade of blue... sort of a navy!

 How many conchs did Mike blow?

 This sail boat made us think of Robert, Alvin, and Ski.

 Somebody pinch me!

 An area the water had carved out.

Then we headed back... more beach finds... 

 Going in for a dip!

 We were gone for about 4-5 hours!  So fun to do all of that walking in the sunshine and thaw out after a looong winter.  Just what the doctor ordered. 

Later that afternoon, we sat by the pool (in the shade!) and read.

The interior of our resort.  

This reminded me SO much of Morocco.  And made my heart happy to travel again.  Oh, how I miss it.  Love this season too but it was fun to think back on the gift of a season of travels in our 20s.  And its always fun to dream of living somewhere a little more tropical!

 Squeezing in another late afternoon trip to the beach!

and a paddle boat ride!

 not so fun without back rests.  :(

 And the sun goes down on our last day in Paradise.  

Thankful for every minute!

Field Trips

A few weeks ago I got to go with BOTH of the kids on their spring field trips.  ;)  I'd gone on Peter's fall trip so thought I'd go on Lily's spring trip but b/c of the way their classes are, I was more needed for Peter's.  

I loved having a sweet van full!  :)  I love the international component of our preschool.  I'm glad my kids have had exposure to it so early.  It definitely won't be the case for us in the years to come at their elementary school.

 Peter's classmate and friend, J, came along with us at the park.  J and his brother are now a part of our church family thru adoption two summers ago.  It was a blessing for me to have the chance to hang out with him and get to know him.  And thankful for Peter's little friendship with him.

Of course, Peter found the baby goat and got it to come over to him. 

Love my tall boy! 

 Getting a tow up the hill!!

I still went along for Lily's a few days later.  Another mom and her daughter rode with us so that made it fun!

 Required Bear Pic

 We tapped into our rebellious side and went off the beaten path with another mom and son.  I'd never made it to this part of the park before.  We got to see these crazy, huge, sorta creepy fish.

 How cute.  I try to dream that Lily could have some wave to her hair but there's probably no hope for that.

And the preschool year is coming to a close.... two weeks to go!  I am pretty excited for summer and the lack of schedule and extra time with my kids.