Look Ma, No Tooth!

Our little monkey lost his first tooth! I thought that was one of those way far on the horizon kind of things, but just a couple of weeks into Kindergarten he discovered a wiggly tooth... and the tooth fairy's first visit ensued. (Is this picture not just a little creepy/hilarious???)

First Day of Kindergarten!

Our boy started kindergarten. So hard to believe that we have reached that point already. I did't cry, and of course, he did not, either. Putting him on the bus the second day was another story, though!

I know that he is more than ready to be a school kid, but seeing him so grown up and independent is a shock, no less. I know that my job is far from finished, but I know that a huge chunk of, dare I say- control- is gone. He's out swimming in a much bigger sea, so much more to see and do and hear than at home.  

I hope that we have prepared him in some way, I hope that I have made the most of those little years. My hope is that he proves, in all environments, to be the bright, funny and courageous little boy I know him to be.

This Summer is Different

Last Summer we were so busy going and doing and playing, I didn't have time to blog. Last Summer, we could barely catch our breath! This Summer is different, we are all about routines, taking care of family and home, searching for new things to see and do. We're taking things pretty slow in comparison. It's an adjustment for super go all of the time Edward and me, but we are adjusting.

Father's Day!

So this was Father's Day morning at our place. Hope you all had a chance to celebrate the fathers in your life. I'm certainly grateful to have this guy as my babies daddy!

The Graduate (of preschool)

That's right, he graduated. Final progress report stated that "Edward has great verbal skills." and "He likes to run and climb." It said some other good stuff, too... but those made me laugh. I'm super proud of him, and stunned that Kindergarten is right around the corner.

And here's a little peek at our backyard garden. I'm trying Square Foot Gardening. So far, I've skipped a few important steps (soil composition), so I'm not sure how it's going to go. I am, however, incredibly blessed to have a husband so patient with our weekly trips to the garden center to just pick "just a few things" (read- pounds of manure, compost, potting soil, potted plants and piles of seed packets). I know that it would be a lot more economical to just frequent the Farmers' Markets, but it's just so fun to watch things grow.  Little boys and fledgling gardens!

Soccer People (for now)

 

Soccer has taken over our life! But I'm grateful. I really, literally had no idea what we had signed up for with this soccer business. And I still mostly think I should have thought better of it. But 3 nights/ days a week + special clinics, we are at the fields, yelling at Edward to pay attention to his coach and be nice to his teammates.
I'm not sure how much he would like the game if not for the mad post practice feast of Doritos, Go Gurt and Capri Suns. But, he has shown significant progress... most of the kids have figured out which direction to kick the ball- and they even won their first game on Saturday (without the other team scoring for them!). It keeps us busy, it keeps us in the sun, and it's a surprisingly fun family thing to do.
For a couple more weeks at least, I am a soccer mom (eeek!).

Dragon Boy

E completed his first karate class. Despite my reservations (and 80s hang-ups... it was such a thing back then), it is such a good fit for him.
Parents were admitted to the classroom on the final day to observe the progress of the students. It was so fun to see him enthusiastically following directions and pouring his whole self into the exercises. The boys were not just allowed but encouraged to yell their loudest as they recited the poses. Making a LOT noise while following directions- what a concept!
I am of course, super proud of him for learning so quickly... but it's his sustained excitement, focus and total cooperation that totally amazed me.

Easterrrrrrr!

Chocolate, egg dyeing messiness, ham.... it's a good thing.
A God who conquered death, who kept His promise, who paved the way to Heaven is definitely reason to celebrate.
Hope your day was super sweet!

Because I Can't Pin It

I came across this article a month or two ago... and stumbled on it again tonight. I could read it everyday and still find it humbling, inspiring and completely relevant.
My job as a mother has been heavy on my heart. For so many reasons. But more than anything, God is moving in me. I just know it.
Everyday, a new wave of memories and remorse swells in, only to be washed away and cast into the depths.
It's grace. I could get all Jesus freaky on you right now... I will stop there. The undeserved, relentless miracle of grace through the perfect sacrifice of Jesus. That's where I am right now.

Pioneering On

So with that said... and B will be the first to attest to the fact that when I write something, it seems a hundred times more dramatic than living it... I can move forward. Things really are good. It's going to be OK.



Looking for the "so much to do" in the area, we found the fun and free Pioneer Museum in downtown Colorado Springs. I don't really know why it's not just a general Springs history museum because I don't actually remember much about pioneers unless you consider Indians (they're not Native Americans anymore, are they?) or people with tuberculosis pioneers. I don't.



But anyway- it was fun outing, and a pretty day.
I do really love old stuff, and they had lots of it! This disembodied head was designed to hold pig's eyes for training purposes. I wonder why they gave her such nice hair and a necklace?

My favorite thing was this poster. I want a copy of it, huge on the living room wall.
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I think that we have decided to climb Pike's Peak as a family this summer. We may be nuts.
And I finished Bossypants. I most liked the stories about her father and her teenage years and being a mom. There was a lot about SNL and what felt like defending and explaining her actions... actions I was never even aware of, so that got a little old, but worth getting through to get to the good stuff. And that's the news in my highly elevated, rocky neck of the woods.

Big Thoughts, Light Pictures

Yeah yeah... haven't blogged in forever.
Lots of reasons. Mostly, I don't know what to say.
It's not that I don't have anything nice to say (though I am struggling to fall in love with the majesty that is Colorado)... really, I have nothing to complain about.
But whew! it's been a rather intense season. I know that I have a lot of them. I'd like to think I'm not one of those drama people, but my life never seems short of it no matter how I loathe the stuff.



When Jesus promised life to the fullest, there is no denying he wasn't kidding. But this new turn, this is big. So big. I have never felt normal... and maybe, who does? I supposed a certain sort of life when I was a teenager, but never until maybe a year ago, could I see the connect. But there is a sudden largeness.
Being separated from Brady for 7+ months was a challenge, but compared to the weeks following our reunion, the separation in many ways, was the easy part. I was in no way prepared for that.
And it's not that we don't still love each other. a lot! ... it's just that we kind of had to establish individual identities in the other's absence. I thought I was just staying busy and trying to pass the time as quickly and distractedly as possible, but I established routines and habits and expectations that never existed before. And so did he.



And he got to do a lot of stuff that he never would have if we were living as a family unit- nothing wrong, just being social. Hanging out with friends in soldierly fashion.
I can get jealous. I don't want to be that girl, but it does happen.
We have to rebuild trust from a weird place. What I feared more than another woman was that he would prefer the bachelor life to life with his family. Not many are afforded that kind of extended vacation from regular life. And perhaps it's not fair to call it a vacation, but on the weekends... it totally was.
So anyway- this place that we are in has been pretty consuming. It sounds like a bad thing, but actually, it's not. I was telling Brady's grandmother that it's funny, having to get to know your husband again after 11 years of marriage- one would think a measly seven months wouldn't count for much. She laughed in her wise way and said- "It's like another honeymoon."



And she's totally right. I don't know about yours- but for all the fun that was had in the first few months of our marriage, there was a lot of "adjusting" that included door slamming, yelling and crying. And believe me, I love this man to death and marrying him is one of the top most best things in my life. Maybe it's just me. I don't like change. If I won the lottery I would probably cry for days. No lie.
Anyway. Marriage is a story. I like our story, but sometimes one feels like they're living that scene in Indiana Jones where they're crossing over a pit of raging crocodiles on a skimpy rotting rope bridge.
But all I can tell you on this front is that, God answers prayers. It's not like I prayed to get an A on a test then studied my butt off and got an A... nope. I've been totally lost in the face of this. Helpless, had nothing at all to offer, no effort to make. On so many occasions, we just couldn't see eye to eye. I would fill up with fear and anger, helpless to open up or let anything in.



I don't know why I'm here baring the details of our marriage... if only to let you know that in spite of challenges- big hungry crocodile sized fears, and the faith of a rotten bridge, God has provided. He is providing. We are growing. More togetherly now, thankfully. And we're a living story worth telling. Maybe you can relate. You probably have a story, too... one where He provided so much more than you ever could have hoped for. I hope that is your story, too.

Greetings from the desert

On the last day of our trip, our bodies still feel like they're clinging to Eastern time, up with sun as always. It's funny about trips, experiences, it takes awhile to process what has happened. I think with travel there is an inevitable shift in perspective. At least if you are prone to shifting perspectives, which I am. And it has been the kind of trip where we have relied on others to entertain us for the most part. And no doubt, our sense of being well cared for was confirmed. We are rich in wonderful people, and I just don't think there is a greater earthly wealth than that.
That seems to be about all I have to say lately, that we are blessed. Infinitely. I hope that some day we will be able to share that.
There are some big unknowns on the horizon. But for now, the fears are definitely overpowered by the excitement of having our family all under one roof for a little while.
I think the hush of the desert is an image I will find myself returning to as the chaos of relocation builds momentum in the coming weeks.

Where we are, where we are heading

Well, I'm just as quiet and buzzing with overwhelm as ever before. But I like this place.
It's good. My husband as soldier is even more fun/awesome looking/steady/strong than ever. Of course, I am so anxious to live with him again, to share all the funny little things of life. But it's mostly not as hard as I thought it would be and occasionally a million times more difficult than I ever thought it could be.
Our boy is magic. I feel like I rarely say good things about him. But he's sort of like a meteor or something. I'm never quite sure how to process, not sure how to express who he is to me, how much I love him. Only that I am so blessed to be his mama, that every day through my sheer helplessness I am drawn even closer to our Creator who truly is the only one able to empower me with the patience, judgment and wisdom required of the enormous job of parenting. Brady aside, he is the smartest, funniest, most passionate, and adorable person I have ever met.
Here is good. We are blessed beyond words by our accommodations right now. It's ridiculous. And that's the small part. Getting to know Maryl and Ernie even better has been so much good. When we decided on this arrangement, there were so many factors- but mostly I wanted to do what would make for the best transition for Edward, and they have shown him (and me!) such bottomless patience and love. And a realness I adore... a realness I will forever strive for. They live what they believe and they practice what they preach.
2 weeks from today- Lord willing- we will be in Phoenix, catching up with Alex and Maggie, acquainting ourselves with their 100 lb puppy, "Banksy". And spending October weekends visiting Brady in Ft. Huachuca, AZ with a trip to Portland in between.
Tomorrow we start work on Edward's Halloween costume- a pirate this year. Year 2.5 of preschool is good so far. I'm harboring some paranoia about a stomach virus that took out half the class today- praying that we are either spared or it hits and clears before the trip. I won't lie, I immediately ran to Jungle Jim's to stock up on probiotics.
I'm currently obsessed with Pinterest
And Brady called tonight to tell me that he is 99% sure (or at least as sure as you can be without having been given orders) that we are going to be stationed in Ft. Carson, CO. Part of me is thrilled- it's exciting, new, beautiful... apparently he is the envy of many classmates (who have been assigned to upstate NY- brrrrr and Kansas, snore....) and we even have friends who know the area well when we have a bazillion questions. But... there's the reality that we are not playing a game. I am still in a weird way, not really realizing that we are doing this. Really, really. It's just a business trip, a uniform, it still feels so far away, this military business. But it gets closer and closer. And I hear the sun just shines and shines there... and I know that we are being taken care of. Step by step, we're not alone, we don't have to figure it all out. We don't have to be anything more than be who we are today, He will work it out for our good. He is so, so good.

Swings, Strawberries, S'Mores and Smokies

We should be packing. But, between boxes, we are playing hard, soaking up all the sweet silly that we can.

Happy Easter!

Our God overpowered death. The grave could not contain Him.
I so love a good redemption story, and there is none better than this.
Matthew 28
Mark 16
Luke 24
John 20

Hope your day is filled with sunshine and joy!

Army Family

Army Wife, Army Brat...
I never really saw those phrases in our future. But come May, B ships to Ft. Jackson, and an Army family we will be.
For more on this journey- go here.

White Out!

The 1-3" predicted for our White Christmas quickly turned into 8-10"! I wish I was more of an appreciator- but, holy! it is cold. We have had to extend our visit, and I have been forced to eat my weight in the aforementioned not-very-good gf Russiam Tea Cakes, watch every show the new Cooking Channel and DIY network has in their line up, tried to teach E Go Fish,and every hour or so jump up and do 20 jumping jacks so I don't turn into total mush. Looking forward to getting home, but a bit nervous about the journey.


This is what it looked like this afternoon after storm had officially passed.

For My Record- A Handmade Something

Happy Christmas Eve! We made it safely to the mountains, and spent the day baking and playing. Now we await Santa and the snowstorm. The whale for E is one of the two handmade gifts I made this year- he was immediately in need of repair, as sewing old denim was a new trick for me (allow LOTS of seam allowance- very ravelly). I hope that he likes him!

Little Drummer

We Went to Ohio

and it was great. Here are the pictures to prove it (the good one courtesy of Brady- I seem to have forgotten how a camera works).


Mom, Brad, Brady and Edward whupped up a gingerbread house while I was out for coffee with my ridiculously sweet and lovely future-sister-in-law, Maggie.



At Thanksgiving brunch. Dad and Brad made omelets and Grandma made a special fruit salad with extra cool whip. That face!


They're flying! (It was more convincing in real life)

Not pictured was the fabulous meal by Jaylene, up-past-our-bedtime movie night, tons of fun with Colli'nana, several trips to the Jungle, good food and even better coffee with Maryl and Ernie... we have so, so much to be grateful for!