The last DAY in MAY

Last night I went to a home of a senior girl, friends from church, I left a little something on their front porch bench and I "felt" the anticipation, excitement, sadness, and goodness of graduation.
Today I visited two homes of senior boys. I got to hug their moms and chat a bit. People are preparing for grandparents to come to town, they are getting food ready for the parties... they are preparing to CELEBRATE their child, their graduate.
It is the really good stuff and the hard stuff wrapped in one.

These kids leaving the nest looks hard. Their graduating and making plans for the future looks like something fantastic to celebrate.

This week has moved very quickly with several commitments each day. The quiet moments of respite are so valuable, coming every few days for a short time, reminding me to breathe. I have not exercised once this week. I do NOT like weeks like that. But I have so enjoyed subbing (twice in third once in 5th!), I have run Willem to baseball practice and went to Merit's Honor Society Banquet. I have enjoyed the kitten we are fostering, I have baked probably 70 cupcakes, several quiche and banana bread today (well, that was mostly Hazel.)
Oren had two doctors appointments and an ultrasound this week. Between appts, keeping myself  busy felt sort of therapeutic. He had leg pain for four-five nights that really disrupted his sleep. We discovered a lump on the back of his right knee. The first doc was not sure what it was, his pediatrician thought it was a Baker's cyst and today it was confirmed it is a Baker's cyst. He also has a small one on the back of his left knee, visible only on ultrasound. He has slept better as of late (I am so thankful!) I am so thankful this is not something more serious (answered prayers) and I hope they do not disrupt his sleep. They should resolve themselves on their own, over time.

Black Bottom Cupcakes

 spring blooms

 cabin cozy

 glamour shot

These are a few of our favorite things...

CONGRATS GRADS OF 2019! 

A little Wednesday Update

Subbing this week, I once again was amazed at what a group of elementary kids can teach me.
I passed out a flyer at the end of the day, the flyer was advertising a sports camp to be held this summer. I handed it to a little boy along with his homework and field trip permission slip. "I don't need the flyer" he said, "my parents can't afford it, it costs too much money."
His parents work.
Times can be tight.
He gets free breakfast and lunch. 
Those meals will be missed this summer. 
Will my kids ever know how lucky they are to attend the sports camps, if they want to attend the sports camps? 
And I call it lucky because I am at loss for another word... I don't know if I can use the word blessed. Although, we certainly are blessed. But God wants to bless the kid whose parents can't afford a sports camp just as much as He wants to bless mine.
We work on finding little ways to reach out to these kids. I love our community.


We had a heck of a weekend! Our baseball team, state champs!! I cried so many times at the semi final game and championship game. I am laughing as I type this. I see Evan pitching this GEM and and I look over at his mom and tear up. I see proud parents, nervous parents, parents who have raised terrific kids and I want to thank every single one of them. I want to thank the parents of the seniors for what the seniors are teaching my son. I can make a small excuse for my many emotions in the stands at baseball :-) Oren had (has) a lump on the back of his knee that is causing him a lot of pain at night. After four or five nights of interrupted sleep I had that fog one has with a newborn and the emotions to go along with it. Not knowing what the lump was made me scared. But God calmed my emotions so many times. WHAT does WORRY solve? Nothing.
His lump is most likely a Baker's cyst. This cyst is commonly not serious in children.
An ultrasound on Friday will hopefully confirm this. 
We were so thankful for the good news yesterday! And for praying friends! 

Funny story:
Whenever I consider giving a toy away, my kids tell me I shouldn't because Ingrid likes to play with it. Ingrid is Tasha and Reese's youngest. My recent possible give away (because our house is SO full!) is a doll house that is not getting played with. Oren tells me "you can't give that away! Ingy loves it!" 

4A STATE CHAMPS!!!!

 Words cannot describe it!
SO proud of this team!!!!

Oh! What a weekend!!

Evan's pitching was so good. 

This kid is hard working, humble, and a heck of an athlete!!

 I am always proud to be a chief, but last night. Wow, I could not begin to describe the feeling.

TONIGHT's the night!!
This team HAS what it takes to be state champs!!!

Holy cow! 

We are fitting in some very intense 3 on 3 between these Chief Varsity games!!

Willem's intensity and hustle is AWESOME! 

I love watching his team! 

I don't dare blink, but I gotta remember to breathe

This is fast paced!

Our last two weeks:
TONS of baseball! Willem is doing more pitching, he is hitting the heck out of the ball. His team is great! These relaxed week nights at Lauzier are pretty much just what we needed.
Oren has GREAT hearing. I know this because he can hear the music of the ice cream truck a mile away. Hazel and Oren get ice cream at these games, Merit comes by after practice to route the GOLD team on. This is the good stuff.

Varsity Chiefs are having a tremendous season!
Merit was a JV guy this spring, called up to varsity three weeks ago. He is an encourager, a great dug out guy, and he is learning SO much from this team!

 A police escort out of town today!
They headed to Tri Cities at 12:15.

I can't tell you how much I love watching this little guy sing!!

Yesterday was hard and so good. 

Oren had leg cramps in the night Wednesday night and then again last night. 

He was up a lot. He actually was not up, he was awake crying. Poor guy. So we faced yesterday feeling pretty tired. But watching this guy sing last night was so wonderful. He has had a GREAT year!! So much growing. Happy Hearts has been so wonderful for him.

Hazel sat in the church pew with her dad and I, so proud of her little brother. 

Merit was driving back from Tri Cities. (But he came by the church to congratulate Oren and to hang out with us, once he was back in town.)

The Moses Lake Chiefs toured Gesa Stadium and had a BBQ in the area, all final four teams! 

Moses Lake has not been in the final four since 1981! 

Willem was close by at Lauzier, playing a terrific game! 

I feel sad that there is no more Happy Hearts pre-school for our family, but Oren is onto kindergarten where he will do fabulous things there too. 

Time feels like it is going too fast. How is it the end of another school year already?! Sometimes I don't dare blink. But maybe some days I forget to catch my breath too. We are moving quickly and catching everything we can, reminded that the occasional down day is so good too. This summer will provide some. 

Willem plays in the 3 on 3 this weekend, I think that will be really fun! 

There is a lot going on in Moses Lake this Memorial Day weekend.

Many memories to be made. 

Busy Days

Oren has his last Happy Hearts program and pre-school graduation tonight. This mama is a little emotional. 

  

I told the kids “I’ll cry when you both don’t fit in the car cart anymore, legs hanging out -they fit. 😄 

May happenings

Kitten goodness 

Kinder teaching last week

Play time

Art work

So much fun!