handsful

This past Saturday, Randy and I celebrated 17 years of marriage.  That sounds like such a long time!  20 seems just around the corner.  We actually began dating in 1985, so we realized that we will have been together a total of 25 years next year.  Gracious! 

Randy surprised me with a slideshow complete with music that he created the night before our anniversary…come to find out, he stayed up ALL night making it.  What a sweetheart.  It was great, and I held back the tears during the whole thing.  The kids loved seeing all the pictures of me as a little girl leading up to us dating, marrying, and having our brood of kids.  It was the best anniversary present EVER. 

The girls decided that our anniversary deserved a cake, so they made this while we were out at a baby shower that day.  Pink frosting, baby blue cake (someone had fun with the food coloring…), the wolf represents Randy’s college (everything always comes back to NC State somehow), and they found a stray “1” candle and added 7 others.  How sweet is that??  We saved the cake until after we all got home from our wonderful steak dinner out.  

 

Why I love him…

He’s my best friend.  I know most everyone says that about their husbands, but he really is.  I prefer an evening spent with my husband over any other option.

 

He makes me laugh all the time…one of the first things I loved about him all those years ago is still true (more so!) today. 

 

He’s generous with the resources that God has blessed him with, and enjoys doing for others – what’s not to love about that? 

 

He’s a fantastic dad, with a great relationship with all the kids.  He balances firm discipline with all-out, crazy fun. 

 

He endures ME!  My constant to-do list suggestions (some would call it nagging, I prefer not to), my simplistic cooking skills, my “how can I handle all this today” rants.  He loves me completely – just as I am – and I can’t say how much that means to me. 

 

He loves Jesus.  As much as his “I can do it all” self tries to push him, he strives to lay it all at God’s feet and accept when things don’t go his way.  And, he’s quick to give God the glory when things do. 

To quote Winona Ryder in Beetlejuice “The man next to me is the one I want.  You asked me.  I’m answering.  Yes, I love that man of mine.”  :)

Such a perfect Lainey expression.  Sweetness and sneakiness, all in one. 

When I read other families blogs – which I love to do – I tend to go to those that blog consistently.  I love reading their stories, seeing what’s new in their lives.  I try really hard to do that here, but I’ve failed pretty miserably lately!  It isn’t that life hasn’t been bloggable.  Randy says I rate our experiences based on how well it would fit into a story here.  heh heh.  It might be true. 

the little gymnast…she started 3 weeks ago and LOVES it. 

I’ve been so consumed lately with getting our homeschool year started, planning for the co-op class I’m teaching, adding back in the kids weekly activities that were off for the summer, dog-sitting (which means trips back and forth to their house daily)…you get the picture.  I’ve barely had my camera out lately at all.  Next week will be even crazier, as we pack for our trip home to NC. 

So, bare with me as I get back into the swing of things, find my rhythm, and learn to get less sleep.  Just kidding about that last one.  I’m the kind of gal who NEEDS sleep.  In the meantime – another picture of L.  She’s a hilarious “poser” lately.  She twists, jumps, makes the goofiest faces – I click and she’s beside me in a flash, having to see the results of her work. 

Next post – pictures of our resident pre-teens and teen.

…your toddler might be up to something.

Notes from my kids MAKE my day… (this one is from EJ)

I didn’t want to be SO predictable and post about the kids 1st day of homeschool :)  Today was our SECOND day and it went really well.  This is my 9th year teaching at home – Abbey began her homeschooling in 2001 when she was 5, the triplets joined the “class” in 2003 (boy was THAT an interesting year…), and Lainey will officially begin in 2011.  I try to avoid thinking of how many years I have left to school …too stressful to consider! 

Seriously, though, I can’t imagine doing it any other way.  There are certainly days when I question my abilities, patience, and strength to get through each day – especially as they grow older, subjects become more difficult, and studies take longer to complete.  But, there are many more GOOD days than bad. 

I am BLESSED to be able to stay home and teach-train-raise our kids with the knowledge and beliefs that WE desire they have.  And, our kids wouldn’t have it any other way. 

The teacher with her future student.  (note to self – try a little eye makeup next time maybe?)

 Lainey, are you excited to do school one day?

I’ll call that a yes. 

And, no, this pic has ZERO to do with the topic of this post – but it’s too darn cute not to include!  Lainey gave lots of lovin’ to Cammie while she was here (we were dog-sitting for friends).  She went home today, and the kids hated to see her go.

…just can’t wait to get on the boat again.  Are you humming the tune, yet?? 

hold on, kids, daddy drives fast. 

The girls in your usual spot at the front of the boat. 

Holding tight to Ms. Lainey.  Too bad I wasn’t quite as careful with my sunglasses.  They’re currently enjoying the bottom of the St. Johns river.  Dang. 

Ready for a swim?  Notice the quirky FOUR pontails she had to have that day. 

Nice and refreshing…

Ethan, in mid-laugh.  Blowing up the tubes, now…

Lainey joins the girls, her first tube ride!

She liked it, but didn’t love it. 

Payton, our creative cartoonist. 

Marley, lover of all creatures great and small. 

Abbey, extroverted leader of anything/anyone that’ll let her. 

Ethan, budding lead guitarist…and wanna be wake boarder.  Here he is practicing. 

and, Lainey…the girl who will try anything once.  And, usually do it again. 

A little knee boarding to round out the afternoon.

And, then we headed home.  Once there, something reminded me that I forgot to put on sunscreen.  Must have been the extreme heat and sensitivity that I was feeling on my back.  Oh well…it was a great day on the river anyway.

What we’ve been up to these last precious days of summer vacation :)

Tired but happy, Abbey LOVED her week at the church and working all 14 clubs that she helped lead!  We are extremely proud of her…last year, we couldn’t have paid her to participate in Power Up Clubs.  The thought scared her to death.  This year, she couldn’t imagine NOT doing it, and it shows how much she has matured both mentally and spiritually.  She can’t wait for next year! 

Power Surge (our end of PUC extravaganza at church) was a huge hit with all the kids, especially Lainey.  She rode down a water slide, had her hair sprayed with red streaks (kinda hard to see), and slurped down a whole BLUE snowcone! 

Ethan takes guitar lessons during the school year at our homeschool co-op on Fridays.  For the summer, our friend Steve came over every Monday night for one-on-one lessons.  EJ absolutely eats and breathes the guitar, and he’s been practicing A LOT.  Steve has mad skills, and Ethan soaked it all in.  He learned so much this summer, we’re so glad that Steve had the time to work with him! 

Speaking of guitar, Abbey is taking a beginner class at co-op this year.  Ethan is trying to give her a jumpstart!

someone’s hair FINALLY grew long enough to squeeze into pig tails!

She’s shoutin’ it from the rooftops :)

No, we didn’t get another dog…we’re dog sitting for our friends so they can spend their last days of summer in the Florida Keys.  Cammie is a cutie, but Jack keeps looking at us like “is she…uh…staying?” 

There is more I could post, but it’s been a llllooonngg day, so I’m closing this post.  Yawn… Happy almost end of summer, ya’ll. 

Last day of our Power Up Club was fantastic!  If you’ve been reading my blog for the last few days, you’ve seen how our weather has been less than dry lately.  Everyday, it’s been blue skies until JUST before it’s time for our club and the rains come.  Thankfully, we have the back porch and it’s worked perfectly for those days when we’ve needed it. 

Abbey douses her brother during a game of “drip drop’ (think duck, duck, goose with a pail of water).

But, Thursday is always “Tidal Wave Thursday”, meaning WATER games.  Kids come in their swim suits and get seriously wet.  I SO wanted the kids to be able to have this day, without having to improvise on the back porch.  So, I prayed.  I gave the outcome totally to God, like I’d done each day.  He’d use it as He saw fit, and if that meant rain then I’d take it.  But, I asked God to give the kids their water day.  

As the club drew nearer, the clouds started rolling in and it looked a little dark behind us.  But amazingly, as the kids played, the clouds just rolled by without a drop of rain. 

No rain!  And, the kids had a blast. 

Abbey the interviewer (picture a microphone in her hand…)

Wanna know the interesting part?  About 5 minutes AFTER all the kids left, it started raining :)  Thank you, God.