Uncle Matthew Graduates

My little brother, the youngest of all 7 of us, graduated from high school last Saturday afternoon. Its hard to believe that I have a sibling that is just now getting ready for college, but for any of you who have known me long, you know just how special this guy is to me. I ALWAYS wanted a baby sibling--I thought that I would have preferred a sister, but God in His infinite wisdom gave me a baby brother when I was twelve years old. I loved taking care of him, I loved feeding him, I loved watching him sleep when he was little, I loved watching soccer games, little league games, football games, picking him up from daycare or school...really anything that he did. He was always "the special one" of us all. We're all so proud of him and love him so much!

Now, after having kids in the house for 36 years, my parents will finally have us all out. Most of us will still trickle in now and again, but for the first time in my parents 19 years of marriage, they'll live alone. You might think that's sad, but I think they're going to have a major party over it!

Unfortunately, I was so hot and the swelling in my feet was so bad by the end of Matthew's graduation ceremony, that I'll have to confiscate pictures from my siblings of the actual ceremony and afterwards, but here is one of Logan and Matthew right after we got home. And one of me with my sweet sisters...all showing up at the house Saturday morning in green...what great taste we have!!!

Memorial Day Weekend

Well, we finally did it--we took Logan to the boat for Memorial Day weekend. It was a BLAST! He absolutely, positively loved it. We were pleasantly surprised that Auntie and Uncle Andrew came too! Logan loved driving the boat with Pops, he loved riding the Jet Ski, but would only ride with Pops (racing Daddy and Auntie), he loved just being at the boat. There was no problem with getting him to wear his life jacket if he went off of the boat and I was so thankful! God blessed me with SUCH a sense of peace and when we left, Logan asked "Mommy, when can we go back to the boat for a long, long, long time?" He found out that we're going with our college friends next weekend and he asked today on the way home from church, "Mommy, when can I go back to the boat?"

Driving the boat with Pops
Logan with Auntie Lorre
Going to give Pops a "Wet Willie" after Uncle Andrew taught me how:
Beautiful Lake, Beautiful Sunset, Life doesn't get better than this:
Getting Ready for our first day on the lake with Uncle Andrew and Daddy

My first trip on a Jetski with Pops
Coming Back from Jetskiing
That was fun, but I'm SUPER Tired
My first (memorable) trip on the ski boat:
Logan and Honey on our way back from a sunset cruise

End of the Year Program

School has gotten out for the summer (and for the fall for me...I'll go back in the winter, hopefully).

Here are a few pictures of Logan's end of the year program!

25 Weeks

Some have asked, so here is my 25 week picture:

Sea World

Okay, Here are the long-ago promised Sea World Pictures:
Waiting for the Shamu Show

Jarrod, Seth and Logan on the Spinning Paint Cans

Playing in the water at the end of the day

Feeding the Dolphins:

Getting ready for bed with my friends Rylan and Braden

Seven Years

Seven years ago today, I married the most amazing man. God blessed me so richly through him in every possible way. He is a loving and devoted husband, a noble man of character who loves God more than anything else, a simply amazing involved Dad whom I love to watch, and the best friend I've ever had. He offers me so many different perspectives and so much insight. He challenges me to be a noble wife and friend, he offers so much love and support to me as a mother, and he constantly encourages me in everything that I do. I'm continually amazed at how differently we think, and yet we still manage to arrive at the same conclusions. His perspective is invaluable to me.

At our wedding the flower girl, my niece Jessica, walked in to "God has smiled on Me." I feel this everyday as I wake up and look beside me. He has given me a priceless gift in Jarrod and one that I don't ever want to take for granted. I thank God for seven of the most wonderful years of my life.

Funny Imagination

Logan has this "new" thing that he's doing that is cracking us up. In Bible class, they look in their Bible and find a page and tell you that it says that "God Loves [Logan]." Well, the other day, Logan was wanting me to play as I was going through some of his old clothes to take to the resale shop. He found some Bibles I have to give as gifts and opened one and said, "See Mommy, it says RIGHT here: 'God wants you to go upstairs and play with Logan now.'"

Well, today he pulled it again, only he found one of my many EOBs from the insurance company. He pulls it down and says, "See, it says right here: 'The library is not open until after you play on the top bunk."