Memorial Day weekend

Memorial Day weekend was full with lots of fun activities!!  It started Friday night when Richard and I were able to watch the Rangers game from row 1!!!  It was so neat to be that close to all the players and to the field!  We were even spotted on TV a few times!! It was a great game with home runs and a grand slam and fire works at the end!  We couldn't have asked for a better night!

Right after the grand slam hit by Cruz

On Saturday, I got Richard and I an appointment for a couple's massage as his birthday gift. It was nice to take some time to just relax and be pampered!

The rest of the Memorial Day weekend we spent at the lake with Amber and Taylor and Annabelle and a few of Richard's friends. Richard bought a new jet ski so that was a lot of fun to ride. He took each of the kids out in pairs and then we hooked up the tube and let them tube behind it. They all loved it!! It was a great weekend and nice to spend time with everyone and just relax.

Saturday Fun!

This Saturday, my family and Richard and the kids all came down to cheer Troy on at his soccer game.  He did great, in spurts...He would be very attentive and running full speed one minute and then be looking over at us and waving the next.  I think we were more of a distraction than a support, but he did have a couple really good passes and breaks down the field.  He shot of the goal twice and almost made it both times.  He just needs to straighten out his kick!!  After the game we went to eat BBQ and then for snow cones.  The afternoon flew by too fast, but the time spent with everyone sure was fun!!

Troy's cheering section

Eating lemons and making funny faces

Richard always "jumps" the boys.  Troy loves it, but when you ask Teague "wanna jump?"  he starts to whimper and says "nooooooooo!" Guess he is afraid of heights!

Snow Cones!!

The first picture of all 7 of us!  Pretty good, minus Troy's eyes being closed, but getting all of us in one location long enough for a picture is difficult enough, so a perfect picture may be out of the question. We will keep trying though!

Graduation

Troy graduated from pre-school!!  All the kids were so excited!  It was neat to be a teacher and a parent there.  I was so proud of my own class for all their hard work this year, but also really proud of Troy in all he has learned, too!!  At this age, we teach number, letters, colors, etc...but I think it's also a key time for them to learn about manners and how to be a good friend and how to respect your teachers.  I am so proud of Troy and I have no doubt he going to do just fine in Kindergarten next year and LOVE every minute of it!!


With a last name starting with A, he is always first.  Here he is leading the graduation line!!

He got to hold the flag while we all said the Pledge of Allegiance

Getting his diploma

This is one of his friends...(girlfriend I think)  I see them together a lot and his teachers told me they were trying to hold hands during nap time the other day!  LOL...toooooo cute!!!

Mother's Day

This Mother's Day has been emotional although I am not real sure why. I'm hoping to find some peace in getting my thoughts out of my head and onto the paper. I think overwhelmed and sad would be the two words that come to mind this Mother's Day. This weekend the boys were not with me, so that made me a little sad. I did get them back early on Sunday and I tried to make the most of my "me time" by napping and running and blogging, but the sadness was not just that they were not with me, most moms plead for a little "me time" on Mother's Day, but it was because this is not what God or I intended for my family; every other weekend exchanges, with special considerations on Mother's Day/Father's Day/Holidays/and birthdays, etc... The whole thing just upsets me and reminds me that life is not fair.

But then God brought me back to a place of thanksgiving, in the fact that I have children to love who are so special to me. I know several out there who want children desperately and for whatever reason can not have children right now. I also know a few grieving the loss of a child that made them a mom for a short period. And all too close to home, I encounter three sweet hearts missing their mom today as she is in Heaven. Which brings back the word sad because it breaks my heart to think their mom doesn't get to enjoy them every day, and they didn't get near enough time getting to know their mom. It brings tears to my eyes that I am the one that gets to hug them or hear about their school trips or watch them play ball. It's not fair that their mother is not here with them...but life's not fair.

Along with the sadness, I feel overwhelmed. God brought this special family in my life and I am being given the opportunity to love on these children as if they were my own. Sounds easy enough, but then I wonder if I am doing a good job. Am I showing them how to be a God-fearing Christ follower? Am I showing them how to serve selflessly? Am I teaching them how to love others? Would their mother be proud of the job I'm doing? It's overwhelming at times, and today seemed to magnify those feelings.

Proverbs 31:28-29
Her children praise her, and with great pride her husband says, "There are many good women, but you are the best!"

This verse is my heart's desire and I pray as the years continue, God will help me look more and more like the Proverbs 31 woman.

Camping

Richard and I decided to take all the kids, plus two of their friends, camping.  We found a state park about an hour from Enchanted Rock that was so quiet and beautiful.  We were able to be near the water and a playground, so the kids loved that.  On Saturday morning, we got up early and made our way to Enchanted Rock.  It was quite a trek to the top, but we made it!!   Saturday afternoon we went back to our camp site to swim and relax.  Richard threw some chicken legs and ribs on the grill and got out the bean bag toss.  After a long day, everyone was tired, so the kids crashed around 9pm.  Richard and I were up talking when the wind picked up significantly and the temperature dropped.  We scrambled to secure rain flys to the tents and pack everything into a water proof place.  By  10:30pm, we were in the middle of a thunderstorm!  I have been camping many times, but never in a thunderstorm!!  It was crazy with the wind and rain and thunder and lightening!  Luckily, Troy and Teague were tired enough to sleep right through it!  By 4am, it finally started to die down.  Sunday morning was cloudy with a few sprinkles, but by 10am, it was hot and sunny, so we decided to go for a short hike to the Devil's Waterhole.  After lunch, we loaded up and headed home.  Camping is so fun and so tiring!!  We all will sleep good tonight!!

Unloading and preparing for set-up

After ... 2 adults, 7 kids, 4 tents, and a dog...Oh My!!

The sunsets were beautiful!

Tent time!!  It took these turkeys FOREVER to go to sleep, since tent sleeping is just soooo much fun!

At the summit of Enchanted Rock

Some of the caves were small and narrow and dark.  At one point, Richard and the boys went on while me, Troy, Teague and the girls stayed back.  About 30 minutes later they emerged and had some wild stories to tell about their underground adventure!

We had a bean bag tournament with Koby and Cannon.  Richard and I are an unbeatable team!!

Devil's Waterhole

Loved all the wildflowers!  Most were taller than Teague!

In the preparations on tearing down all the tents, a lizard jumped in mine.  The boys loved trying to catch it and once they did. they didn't want to let him go.