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! 

Happy 6th Birthday Oren!!

Happy Birthday dear Oren!!! 

We love you so much!!

Happy Mother's Day!!

 We are so blessed to have the desire to recognize and celebrate SO many wonderful moms today!!!

 In heaven and here on this earth  -- wonderful moms and grandmas

Oh the gaggle

I am part of this gaggle of girls.
They laugh and cry. They are real and honest.
They're moms.
The encouraging doesn't stop.

We are not in competition. We are not judging each other. We encourage, we pray, we all make mistakes and we help pick each other up.

Today I asked two from the "gaggle" to join me to visit a new espresso stand in town owned by the famous Heather Mason. (Her coffee is delicious!) Well, I read info wrong and took my friends on a wild goose chase. Our search for coffee became an actual search for coffee, on foot.

Through the walking and talking with three little boys along for the ride, I was reminded of the importance of adventure. Even the silly ones. I was reminded how conversations with women are really necessary and I was SO thankful for my friends.

A father, only 38 years old, passed away last week. A husband and father of four.... his passing leaves a big void. Willem and his second son are good buddies. They have played travel baseball and travel basketball together.
 I shared the request to pray with the gaggle of girls. We soon learned that our kids knew their kids, there were many connections and intertwining. Meanwhile, one of the dear girls in our group is in Wenatchee, recently having said goodbye to her father in law. She told me people are generously dropping off so much food as they take the time to express their sympathy. I told her I wanted to help the mourning mom of four someway. She suggested paper plates, paper bowls, cereal, easy snack stuff.
I then mentioned this suggestion to another gal in our circle. She handed me cash and said "I want to pitch in!" It would have taken me three weeks to go get the paper plates, bowls, cereal, easy snacks etc. But she inspired me to make it happen!
As I approached Megan's front steps tonight, I felt my eyes stinging, alligator tears forming ... Willem's buddy answered and just seeing his face made his loss more real to me.
Earlier this year, a second grade girl from Longview passed away. Tonight, Marie - one in this gaggle - shared a dinner with their family. She met the mom through their sons' baseball.
It made me think of all the food people brought when my mom died. A houseful of people, two teenage boys - just like this family - mourning, grieving, taking it day by day moment by moment.
The way people reach out and show they care, the greatness in community - it is pretty remarkable.

Grateful for the gaggle. 
Praying for those whose hearts ache. 

Marilyn's greenhouse - such a place to be calmed and refreshed

SPRING DAYS