pumper trucks, sea monkeys, goodbyes and more

Well, there it is! The first bit of concrete poured. Wahoo! These past few days have been hilarious. In between organizing “end of the school year things”, t-ball, car pool, and doing the average ordinary things I have had to coordinate the construction of our house. Monday I had to stop cooking dinner to make a quick run to transit mix for more supplies. Tuesday I had to wait around to pay the pumper truck guys and today I had to rush home from picking the kids up to meet 3 tandem loads of 57 ( that’s what we builders call rock). You might chuckle but Rinker (rock quarry) has made it on my contact list on my cell. So, I spent my afternoon directing dump trucks and saving “sea monkeys” (water creatures of some sort, pet shrimp, I think). Luke has them, somehow these creatures come to life if you just add water and I have heard die just as easily (kinda like goldfish).
This summer and fall, hopefully not too much of winter, will offer a plethora of learning experiences for me. Who knows when this is over I just might start building houses for a living. That is if I still have my wits about me. If you know of any other stay at home moms that build houses on the side let me know ; )

Kindergarten Graduation

The kids put on a great show!
















Waltzing with Caroline ( poor guy only comes up to her chin).


















Luke and his teacher.

















However a great day, everything has been over shadowed with a deep sadness as the little boy in the front row (looking right at the camera) with his arms crossed was hit by a truck after school yesterday (shortly after this program) and today is on life support. Please pray for him and his family.

That a boy!

As a reward for a great first year of school Luke gets he very own skate board. No more snagging his dad's. This year has been a good one for him, he came home everyday with good remarks. Except for the day he came home with a "red ticket"( which indicates bad behavior) as a joke. I didn't think it was too funny but he is his father's son! His graduation ceremony is Monday. I am preparing myself by watching lots of Oprah and sappy movies in the hope of running out of tears by then ;)

FIELD DAY 2006

a thing of beauty and a joy forever.......

An older friend, kind of mentor, once came up to me and randomly said “you are a thing of beauty and a joy forever”. I have never heard that before, at least I have never heard those words in that succession before. It felt great to hear, I mean who wouldn’t want to hear that? It came at a time when I truly needed it too. I was in Africa and questioning my real significance and contribution to my team. The neat thing is my friend didn’t know my thoughts and I was trying hard not to be transparent and reveal my insecurities.

But since then those words have echoed in my ears, I have not forgotten them. I remember when she said those words to me I instantly questioned her in my mind, wondering what I had done to prompt such a wonderful compliment. Not wanting to seem ungrateful or give away that I was even questioning if what she said could be true , I just responded with a “thank you”. Unfortunately, very few things that have been said to me I remember verbatim . And if they do stick usually it is the most hurtful words that linger most. I’m not sure why. Is it easier to remember the bad because the bad is easier to believe or is it the pain that serves as the glue so that it sticks etched in your mind? I’m not sure. But truly if my words are going to be remembered I want them to because they were affirming, uplifting, and they came when they were needed. As a wife, and a mother, and even a friend, I am drowning in this opportunity. I think my friend's words speak more of her than of me. I pray that God will give me the words and the discernment to use them just as He has with my friend.

Happy Mother's Day

Nice day... Phyllis and Les ("Mamaw" and "Bubba", is what the kids call them) came over for lunch. I made Pesto Bowtie Pasta with Chicken (with my home grown basil) and homemade garlic cheese bread with a toss salad.
My mom is in up state New York today so in honor of her I wore the sweater she knitted for me. I miss her so it seemed to me a simple way to keep her close.

For the rest of the day.... probably nothing out of the ordinary, our sunday special. A family bike ride, a nap on the couch with the typical interruptions of quarreling kids, the sneaking of treats hid high up in the cupboard. The mad dash to church only after sweeping through the house to pick up the damage of the day and lastly dropping the kids off at Mamaw's so Tim and I can relive our Youth in a far better way.
So, here is to Mother's on such a sweet day and here's to their families that honor them in endearing ways.

da' boyz

Luke and ah ....we'll call him "the neighbor boy" got cool new do's from Amber today. I'm not sure how the topic of mohawks came up but it only took seconds for Luke to want one. It wasen't long before both were sporting "fohawks". They were heading off for soccer practice. I supose they were wanting badly to have an edge today. Neighbor boy's mother said her son actually played harder and stole the ball a few times, typically he is way too polite for soccer.
I think we are going to do this again for the game on Saturday. Hooyah!

ps: Talking about new do's Tim was on the local news tonight dressed up as Alex Trebec in a 70's leisure suit wearing a curly blonde wig......HILARIOUS!!!

Life around here is seldom dull!

Together we can make a difference!

I have a dream…. A dream of a world with no dropped calls. When you can talk and not be interrupted with silence, then a hello?....hello? to follow. The thing that drives me most batty is the circus of calls that go on just after a dropped call. Should you call back or should you wait for the other person to call you? Sure enough no matter what you decide the other person is going to decide to do the same thing and then both parties are left to hear the other’s voice mail, then again should you hang up and wait or call back… UGH!
I am optimistic that one day the cell phone industry will have the necessary technology it needs to make using them more tolerable. But, until then I propose a plan! A nation wide, no global plan( I don’t want to leave Kelly or Michele out). A world wide rule of thumb, a universal standard, a cell phone edict (or any phone for that matter). IT IS: If your call is dropped who ever called to begin with is responsible for calling back. It’s that easy! This will save endless amounts of frustration. Now, we just need to get this information out there for this to be truly effective. Spread the word, and together we can make a difference . Though, I am being a bit ridiculous I think this could work.
So, if you’re on the phone with me you know what to do. Also, I dedicate this post to my mother who I think has had the most dropped calls of anyone anywhere. God bless her.

Good o'l fashion barn raising

That's Tim and the footers, well the frame for the footers. If you're up for a good o'l fashion barn raising let us know.

Early Dementia

Okay, Now I’m worried! A while back I made Chicken DiVan. After I Made the creamy curry sauce I decided to half the recipe, so I just froze half of the sauce for a later date. Well, in anticipation of that date being today I took the sauce out of the freezer yesterday and put it in the fridge to thaw. So, all day today I have been thinking dinner is going to be so easy. First, I already know what I’m going to make. Second, half of it is already made. Here is the really sad part.
It came time to start dinner so I put the chicken in the oven and began to make the creamy curry sauce. Yeah. Well at that moment it never crossed my mind that the sauce was already made and thawing in the fridge. It didn’t even cross my mind when I realized I was out of an ingredient (mayo) and had to go beg from the neighbors. Duh. I made the sauce and added it to the dish, still not even thinking why I wanted to make this meal to begin with. We ate. It wasn’t until I was cleaning up that it hit me. That I am SENILE. So, I put the creamy curry sauce back in the freezer… for a later date. I think I need some serious drugs, like prescribed for dementia drugs!

Our drive way

Going in.....






















Going out.
Yeahhh!!!!!!!!!!

Global Night Commute - Invisible Children

Well, there was a ton of us, 300 maybe even 400( in knoxville, but this was happening in most major cities in the U.S and some abroad). We met at a local grocery store and walked 3.5 miles to the World’s Fair Park. It was quite a site seeing this huge crowd walk down the road with back packs and sleeping bags in hand. When we arrived at the park it was just getting dark and the rain started. Everyone gathered under the bridges and set up their spot for the night. We took some time to write our state senators and the President. Each of us with construction paper and markers made an “art project” sharing our heart with the Uganda children. The art work is going to be compiled and made in to books and given to them. It was a bit nippy, as in low 40’s with a light breeze, but nobody was really complaining. I think everyone there knew how truly good we had it compared to the people in Uganda. If you haven’t heard about the Invisible Children of Uganda, grab a kleenex….I’ll wait.

Many years ago the Lord’s Resistance Army ( LRA) started a war to over throw their government in Uganda. Over the years the LRA has lost their army and have become desperate for more terrorist to continue their war. They see their solution in abducting young children typically as early as five, young enough to desensitize and brain wash yet big enough to carry artillery. They go into villages at night and by force choose a life of violence and blood shed for every child they capture. The good news, (though it doesn’t seem so good) tens of thousands of these children manage to escape abduction. However, there escape happens over and over every day of their life. These kids have to seek safety every night. They leave their villages before night fall and walk miles (many miles) into the nearest town to seek shelter and sleep for the night. They pile up in the basements of hospitals, under bridges, under any shelter they can find. They leave their villages, their homes, and their families only to get up and walk home in the morning and do it all over again everyday. They can’t afford to be lazy they have to walk to live. These people need the world to know what is happening. The reason why they are called the Invisible Children is only because this crisis has been ignored and no one has come to their rescue.

I couldn’t help but think last night as we were marching down the road and setting up camp in the streets that forty years ago it was an entirely different group of people who were campaigning for change in similar ways. Though, this weekend it was people that were singing hymns and praises to the Lord and spending time on their knees for the sake of peace and humanity.
May God have all the glory and may these children in northern Uganda become visible again.

LEARN MORE

















meeting up for the march


















the march
















Amber and Kristen
















long night under the bridge

"He's got the whole world in His hands"

I have always enjoyed world geography but honestly I am terrible at anything that requires retention of any kind, other than water. Tim however knows his stuff. Really, he knows a lot of stuff. I kid him and say it is mostly useless stuff, like trivia. Unless you are playing a game of trivial pursuit, in such case it is useful if you’re on his team and plain painful if not. Anyway, in our best efforts to raise our kids with a world view that actually consists of the world and not just the United States we have started some homework of our own in world geography. We have always talked a lot about different places and different cultures with them, but this is far more intentional. We are learning not just the names and locations of other countries but about their specific cultures as well. When we finish “visiting” a county we attach that country's flag to our world map. As we were getting into the first few countries (the first was Peru, and the second, Uganda) I could see Luke beginning to bear a burden and his heart was heavy. His questions were simple but I had no answers. He wanted to help the children in these countries but I have no means, no methods. I was just thinking we would cover some geography. But, just as I was going to spit off some words of complacency it struck me that we know the creator of the earth, the king of kings and the Lord of Lords. We might not be able to get up and leave our kitchen (today) but we can speak to the one who owns it all. I am thankful that we can do something and for Luke his prayer was enough but for me my heart remains heavy. We decided to attach a picture of a child from each country along with the flag. I’m not so sure my heart will make it around the world. Maybe for my sake our next stop will be Canada.
















This is a picture of Brandon, our Compassion child we sponsor from Peru.

And, if you are interested in knowing what is going on in Northern Uganda check out Amber's site. We are headed to the Word's Fair Park tomorrow to help bring more attention to this on going crisis.

" L "

It would feel too much like a lie if I got on here and posted anything other than that I am completely overwhelmed with life at the moment. Well for the past several moments, maybe days. They say building a house is stressful, well if you’re stupid enough try buying one at the same time. Oh, and at the same time have your best friend, partner in life, right hand man, and husband not here. Eeeshh!
We fired our excavator guy the other day, and now we are counting on one of our friends to help us out with the last of the digging. The only real issue with that is he can only help on the weekends and it can’t be raining. Ha! No rain! Please God, no rain! This April has been wet, and we are soaked and far behind.
And, I think I am going through early menopause. Yeah at 34! I think building and buying a house ages a person a decade immediately upon committing to such a hair brained idea. There is more to this story but some things have to be left to discretion.

And, today I feel like a total looser because I learned after talking to my mother in law that it is secretaries’ day today. Teachers and students bring the secretary gifts and treats to school today to show their appreciation. Well, Luke showed up to school with no appreciation and my mother in law is the school secretary. My mom in law is way to sweet to say anything that would make me feel bad, but I do feel bad. Bad and brain dead.

Random Weekend Photos

Luke taking his turn on the bench.

























Libby and Mamaw (Tim's mom).



















Huge dog that hung out with us at the Burger Bash.

A motley crew

No, for real these are some of the coolest kids.
I spent my day today with 22 six year olds. They are great kids and I give a lot of credit to many of them for making Luke's first "real" school year such a success. They get along great, amazingly well really. I love how they tell random knock knock jokes that make no sense. And, eat their yogurt with their fingers because their mom forgot to pack a spoon ( don't worry we found a spoon). I couldn't help but think as I heard them howling like wolves that they felt a real sense of freedom since their teachers (yes, both of them) were not able to make it on the field trip today. I did carry a measure of fear with me that they would figure out that 3 moms, 1 assistant teacher, and a substitute were no match for them and mutiny would certainly unfold. But, really all you have to do is show up and these kids think you're amazing. Truly, I hold an affection for each one in some way, especially for the kid in the middle wearing bright green : )

two's day

1. I could use one of these.






2. I have the best neighbor's ever! The other day the neighbor next door invited us over to cook out but we couldn't because we had company. So, instead they brought over enough food for us and our company( Chris and Penny). Then last night the one across the street brought over a huge planter full of basil. Now I can make pesto anytime. I'm glad we are just moving 50 feet away!

EASTER ' 06

I think I'm going to throw up.

Yesterday started with our Good Friday family tea party. This is not a family tradition just a random thing the kids organized so Tim and I went with it. The kids set the table and prepared the tea (Easter grass) and biscuits and scones (little rubber ninjas and day old colored eggs). I was most impressed with their good manners and creative cuisine.

It wasn’t the rubber ninjas that made me feel ill. It happened later that afternoon when we put a contract on a house. It was then the nausea set in. Amber our very dear college freshman friend asked us a little while back if we would be willing to buy her and seven other girls a house. She had found the perfect place for her and her friends to live. It is an eight bedroom house that sits just behind campus. It will give them plenty of room and it is walking distance or a short bike ride away from the school. For Tim and I we think it is an easy way to get into what we have always been interested in, investment property. It isn’t everyday when you have eight very responsible renters come up to you with a house already in mind and willing to pay for it. The paying for it is key. We had to get really creative with the financing part of it, that’s the part that is making me nauseous. I keep telling myself, it’s just money, really it’s just credit. I just hope we still have some when this is done.

friends forever....

The kids had a surprise visit from one of their best friends yesterday.
They have known each other since birth, well Jordyn was 3 months old when Luke was born.
She actually came to visit Luke in the hospital when he was just 1 day old. They don't live right around the corner anymore ( this past summer they moved 3 hours away) but this is not a bond that can be easily broken. If you ask Luke who he wants to marry when he gets older his answer is always Jordyn. I hope he has a big growth spirt ;)