Labor Day 2017

This morning started like most Monday mornings. The children have off school, but Keith headed out to work and we got breakfast and started to do normal Monday chores. It wasn't too much later that Keith called and said he was heading home and we could do something together as a family. Anyone who knows me knows that I was all over that idea!

Last night the boys had a few friends over and had a fire going out in our little fire pit in the picnic area. When Keith got home he went out and resurrected the fire. I'm not sure what he had in mind, but slowly the whole family filtered out that way and it ended up that we were all sitting in the woods on lawn chairs around the fire at 11 AM. Someone mentioned jalapeño poppers and that is all it took to get us inspired about cooking over the fire. Douglas ran to one store for jalapeños while I ran to another for a few other things.

Before you knew it we were roasting poppers, stuffed mushrooms, corn, and hotdogs over the fire. You know that silly little saying about smoke following beauty? I think we heard some form of it about 30 times. It was smoky and gritty and so amazing in every way to have all of us there together.

We treasure these times more as our children get older. Douglas is going to school and working. He is very busy. We know that will only increase as he gets older. It makes these moments precious and important.

Freeland carving "I love mom" into the bridge at Cold Springs

Today felt like a precious day that almost slipped by without us taking full advantage of it.

Time for a Sun Flare lesson for Casper!

Later in the day, after Douglas went to work, we loaded up and went back to our favorite spot at Cold Springs.

Building a dam in the freezing creek water.

What a way to wrap up the summer!

First Day of School 2017

Well, I think I have felt all the feels today. Elation at the silence of my house. Regret that my health issues cause me to be so exhausted that the elation is so significant. Sorrow that they are a year older, a year closer to independence.

Gratitude and a bit of pride that they are so beautiful and amazing.

This morning started with waking everyone bright and early. Last school year I would wake the girls each morning singing to them, "Good morning to you! Good morning to you!" I haven't done it much over the summer, but this morning I walked in and sang to them. I love their sweet sleepiness as they wake up. They had everything ready to go, so getting ready was a breeze. If only that would last.

Freeland was a bit of a different story. When I woke him up he groaned and said, "I'm dropping out of school!" I just laughed because he is 15 and not dropping out.

The thing that made this morning different from any other back to school mornings was the eldest heading off to his first college class. He is going to school for nursing, planning to be an RN then decide which direction he will go. I'm excited to see him following this calling. But it is such a huge step toward adulthood.

So it has been a day for the books. I have felt all the feels, cried all the tears, and slept. Happy first day of school 2017!

All.The.Things!

I wish I had a reason, a good sound easily understood reason that I have allowed the summer to slip by without so much as a nod in the direction of the faithful old blog. The only thing I can even come up with is just All.The.Things!

Taking photos of photographers is more fun than taking pictures of popcorn!

Mostly good things like camp for Casper and work for Douglas and Freeland. Like swimming and going fun and interesting places. Like teaching photography classes and going places to take pictures of cute babies. Like birthdays and birthday parties. Like friends and family visiting.

Of course there have also been the not so good things like car trouble and health issues. Like more car trouble, and more car trouble, like driving boys back and worth to work thanks to said car trouble.  Like iron transfusions that unexpectedly caused intense nausea for an entire week. Like needing to re-schedule the birthday party not once, but twice.

Maybe having the school schedule lends a sense of urgency to the summer months. The time is so short and the list of things to do is so long! I want there to be long days of just being, but those days have been swallowed up by the days of doing.

Later this week my parents are visiting from Texas.  Next week Annika goes to camp. And so it goes. Counting down to the days of the big yellow school bus taking them all away each day.

Defender Day 2017

I mostly volunteer at school events so that I can take pictures. Don't tell the children, because I really do love seeing them have fun at school, but the photos I bring home are just so fun!

Each team designed a shield.

Here are the "Purple Peacemakers"

So today was Defender Day. The entire school was divided up into 5 teams. Each team had a color and all wore t-shirts in their color. I had a child in every team except for the green team, so I just cheered for all the teams.

The day started with a treasure hunt. Then we moved on to the most elaborate relay race I have ever seen. It included pie eating, digging for coins, shooting pie plates with little arrows, carrying buckets of water to "fill the moat", chugging down entire cans of soda, and many other fun things.

The games continued throughout the day. In the end they tallied the points for all of the teams and the purple team won! This was Annika's team and she was super excited to be on the winning team! And each team member got a huge chocolate bar.

Only 3 1/2 more school days this year!

I Just Want To Say Thank You

All photos were taken at my brother's wedding in April.

Tomorrow is Mother's Day. I plan to enjoy my day to the fullest. I have some of the best children ever and my position as their mom is one of the things I enjoy most in this world.

I look at my sons, now taller than I or almost as tall, and I feel so much gratitude. They are so kind and caring toward me. I do not doubt their love and devotion, because they prove it in so many little ways every day. Having a mom with a chronic pain syndrome is not easy, but these boys never complain. They are respectful, smart, funny, and polite. I enjoy conversations with each of them, reveling in hearing their perspectives on life. They are like Keith and I in so many ways, and yet they each have a unique personality.

Casper, Freeland, and Javon (cousin)

And then there are my daughters. Oh my, these little girls of mine. They are so different. They are so amazing in such different ways.

Annika is so independent and capable. She is a natural leader, confident and self-possessed. She is graceful and artistic. And I look at her and see a reflection of our family, but I also see the things we did not give her. Her incredible natural beauty, her grace and athletic ability, her ability to make friends so quickly and easily. Those things come from a family we do not know. I wish they could see her now. Their beautiful brown eyed baby girl has turned into a wonderful ten year old.

Eliana! Sweet, sensitive, cuddly, with a deepness to those black eyes of hers that belie her easy going silliness. Sometimes her responses tell you that she has experienced more brokenness than most adults have ever, or will ever, experience. But most of the time you only see her sweetness. She is quick to forgive and hates to see anyone in pain of any kind. I wonder if her birth family is as sensitive as she is? Does she get that from her birth mom or dad? Are they both petite? Where does she get that little dimple from? And again, I wish they could see her. I wish they knew that she is safe and so very loved!

I look at all of them, these children of mine, and my heart is so full of gratitude. Gratitude for my strong, healthy sons, it could have been so different. Gratitude for the doctors and nurses that cared for Freeland and Casper when they were too small for us to be able to meet their needs. Gratitude for the birth families of the girls, their loss was certainly our gain and I am thankful for the life they chose for these beautiful girls.

And most of all gratitude to God who took two very young, and maybe foolish people and blessed them in unimaginable ways. He gave us our sons and He led us to our daughters, He melded our hearts together and made us a family.

Out, In, Out, In, & Out Again

It's been a little busy around these parts. (All pictures from the time in Texas)

You see, there is the flu. And the flu is a very nasty thing that, once it gets ahold of me, refuses to let go for weeks on end, making everything seem worse and busier and more difficult than it would be otherwise.

There was a funeral in Ontario that we wanted to go to. We did not know the man who passed away that well, but we know almost all of his children and have counted several of them as our dearest friends through the years. Only Keith and I went, so that part was fun. We rarely have 2 days together like that. I have to say, I'm extremely thankful that after 18 years of marriage there is no one I'd rather spend time with. He forgot his passport and I almost thought the drive to the Canadian border may have been in vain, but they let us through. And then the US border patrol let us back through. So that was good.

Then there was Levi's wedding. The whole family flew down to Texas last Thursday. Douglas was a groomsman. It was beautiful and sweet. We ate brisket and barbecue and potato salad and wedding cupcakes. Never was a groom so handsome. Never a bride more excitedly sweet.

But we walked back into our house on Monday afternoon beyond exhausted (remember the flu's chokehold) knowing that I needed to leave for Taiwan 5 days later. And that I had not yet begun to prepare.

But here we are, I leave in about 12 hours. The suitcases are mostly packed. I'll need to throw a few things in tonight, but it is basically done. I think things are in decent order here for the ones at home. It amazes me how it all pulls together.

This trip looks relatively easy compared to China trips. We will be in Taipei the whole time, in the same hotel. We see fewer children per day, meaning we have more time with each child. I'm sure we will still feel tired and busy, but it should be easier in a lot of ways. You can follow along on the Superkids blog or on the Superkids Facebook page. I may even post here, we shall see.