Hello. Goodbye.

Tickets are bought
Thousands of miles flown
Back to a place that once was a home.
Houses are cleaned
Meals are cooked
Arms open wide
Hello! Hello!

Stories are shared
Questions are asked
Laughter roars
Eyes leak
Hearts open wide
Hello! Hello!

The meals are done
Kids are tired
It's time to leave
Arms open wide and heart bleeds
Goodbye. Goodbye.

They walk toward the gate
Kisses are blown
And then they are gone again
to the place called home
Goodbye. Goodbye.

Pizza Night with Friends

This evening dear friends came over for pizza. They live far far away (as Maxi says), so this was a real treat for us. Thanks for coming over!!!

Poultry Festival

Dressed up dog. Hmm.

Poultry Festival Parade.

The Closest Max has Ever Been to Train Tracks. (And the face he makes when he says cheese.)

Max's response to the parade: become grumpy, and pretend you are not there.

Will's response to the parade: Watch and wander around to the vendors and get free food because of your cuteness.

Once Max got a chance to go on rides, he was a happy man.

Will waiting around for Max's ride to be over.

A Hot Day

The sprinklers helped us cool down. However, the sprinklers also made mud, so the boys pretended they were elephants, and cooled off in the sandy, sticky mud.

Attempts to wash off in a bucket were unsuccessful, so after spraying the not-so-happy boys off with the hose, we piled into the car and headed to Walmart.

The day ended nice, cool and mud-free.

Quote of the Day

"You're the most awesomess grown-up I've ever had, Mom."

-Max

A Good Day

After what seems like two weeks of non-stop activity, today was a wonderfully relaxing but not slow day. It started off with a 3 mile run and some things I had to get done around the house, but I won't bore you with that. Max and Will started getting restless indoors so we went into our front yard where Max and I played soccer. His improving abilities at handling the ball as well as his reckless abandon when charging the ball, punctuated by waves of laughter, made it one of those moments as a mom that I will cherish for a long time.
We were then all hot and sweaty so the boys stripped down to their birthday suits and got into our new blow-up pool in the backyard. (This was a very smart $25 purchase. Pictures soon to follow.) After some time there, Will went to bed for his nap, and Max and I did some yard work. All I can say is that yard work is therapeutic and even spiritual for me. I can explain that at some point if you want to know. I just love it.
Then Max and I had a Kung Fu Fighting dance party thanks to Cee Lo Green's music video on Kung Fu Panda. It was a great work out and Max and I got to practice our wild dance/fighting skills.
Once Will woke up we headed out on an errand that was made fun by sharing a smoothie from Tropical Smoothie Cafe. FYI, Mondays through Thursdays from 4-5 all smoothies are half off. I had no idea. All three of us shared a wonderfully refreshing smoothie for $2.30 while we sat in the shade by a fountain. Bliss.
We came home and played some more outside, which once again ended up in the boys being in their birthday suits and splashing in the pool. This time I decided to make it more extreme and moved the slide over. It fits over the edge of the pool, so now the boys have a water slide. I don't really know which one likes it more. They both climbed, laughed, splashed and did it all over again. Joey came home and we had a great dinner. Will ran around without a diaper on just because he had just done his business outside so I thought we were good to go. Well later on after dinner, Joey asked me where Will was, and I looked into the dining room. There he was under the table, pooping on the floor!!! If that wasn't enough, I walked into the kitchen after having cleaned up his little pile only to find another sausage on the floor. All I could do was laugh. Joey cleaned that one up.
The day ended with putting two happy and sleepy little boys to bed, making up a bed-time story for Max and snuggles all around.
It was a good day.
Now I am off to find Joey who said he would give me a back rub. YES!!!

Choosing what matters

I didn't get to run. I didn't get to shower. The house is a huge mess, and I have no idea how it happened.

I did have some breakfast and hot tea.

I have tired and cranky boys because of a busy week and a thunderstorm last night.

I am tired and cranky.

But here is an opportunity to regard my children better than myself; to value you them more than my cleaning agenda; to love them as Jesus does.

Lord, help me not to be worried and upset about many things as Martha was, but rather, like Mary, choose the one thing that is needed and better. Amen.