From the monthly archives:
Spent some time at the park having lunch and getting a good round of wiffle ball in with some friends.
I didn’t take too many pictures because I was curled up in a BLANKET!!
It’s almost July in Iowa and it was COLD today.
Anyway….
OK, I’m not a big fan of the “puffs.” But Kora loves them. And asks for them.
This is the kid who asks me almost every night…
“How many more days now until I can get married?”
They do hire out for a fee….
The week I declare, “Get Our Lives in Order Week.”
It’s one of Andy’s favorites. 
But occasionally it has to be done.
Things like find a car. A cheap, running car with seat belts.
We are down to one car right now. We were in denial about it for a couple weeks.
Now we need to take action and figure something out.
Both of us hate that kind of stuff.
And things like clean out the garage…so we can get the cars into it.
Things like revise a new disciplinary/parenting method.
Problem is we really need to make 6 different plans…as they all are at such different places.
And I like to throw in a couple, long “Re-Evaluate our Lives” kind of talks.
This is usually when the pillow over the head comes into play.
In between all that, I don’t have any of the kids signed up for much of anything this week.
So I need to throw in some good, family fun.
Today I clean.
Then we proceed.
All six of these children will be in bed at 7.
Oh. my. gosh.
Meltdowns all around.
Tomorrow will conclude what has been a rather painful season.
No wins.
Highly frustrating for the boys all around.
Dawson said on the way home that, “God keeps letting me down. I keep praying and praying for a win.”
Now if this isn’t an opportunity for some life lessons, I don’t know what is.
There are seasons in life that may be much like this season of little league.
And for that I am incredibly thankful for the past couple months of baseball.
And seriously, how cute are they?
In a rare change of hands, the three big boys are my crew today as we head to an out of town baseball tournament. Andy has to stay home to be at work so he will corral the three little ones this morning and then get them to a sitter for the afternoon.
Andy, I’m certain, would prefer to change roles…as is his normal responsibility. But some week-ends are like this.
The big boys were kind of disappointed that it was Mom in charge today.
I don’t know what to do with their shoulders and hips when they are up to bat or where to throw the ball when there are two runners on base and I always make them get water and not Gatorade.
“90% of Christians pass the test of adversity; 90% of Christians fail the test of prosperity.” (Josef Tson) Deuteronomy 8:10-14
Gabe took a writing class this week at College for Kids.
He came home today with his completed book.
And it’s my favorite book ever.
I picked a couple pages to share…
“Famliys in Africa.”
(i am correcting the spelling and punctuation…but the words are his)
“I was going to Africa. When I got there I could not face the sadness of the poor so I set up my tent in the middle of the night. I heard sounds and looked out the door and a kid was carving mangers and…”
I just love this picture. On the previous page he asked the boy what happened to his family.
“My mom died in birth and my dad is very sick. I have a younger sister. She’s 4. I asked how old are you and he said 13. Africa needs more water.”
“When I went back two days later, I raised over $5,000 and workers drilled wells for Christmas.”
“I stayed until Christmas. I told Kora and Zeke to come outside on Christmas day and I said, “surprise.” Then I called all the Africa people to come out and for the rest of their lives, they had clean water.”
The End.
Now, if that doesn’t inspire you, I got nothing.
Simple.
Childlike.
Faith.
Hope.
And love.
Seems like it’s one of those times that too much is swirling around that I can’t come up with anything to say.
Have to take my time unpacking it I guess.
I’m sure I will spew it all here at some point. (Did I just say “spew?” May I remind you that I live in a house with 5 little boys and one that one slightly larger little boy?)
Anyway, while I’m having a blog block…let’s look at these.
Family pics taken by my brother-in-law, Taylor.
Which do you like? 1 or 2?
1. 
2.
