Travelogue

"Where have you been?!" seems to be a question I get a lot lately. Especially in regards to my li'l  ol' blog over her. Seems some people just need their dose of wry humor in the form of poorly formed sentences with the occasional tear jerker and not to mention miserably flopped recipe. And because I am a people pleaser, I am here to offer just that. Hold your applause until the end. 

So, where have I been? Travel along with me over the last 6 months, will you? It's been quite the journey. Keep your seat belts fastened at all times and the flight attendant will be around soon with your snacks. Or not. 

First we travel to the sandy beaches of Maui. We know you may all be a little puffy from that water retention of a 10 hour flight, but lets go snorkeling anyways. 

Some of the local exotic beauties of the Islands... 

 On this tropical tour we will spend 8 hours- count them EIGHT hours- in a slowly rocking boat not catching one single fish. Contrary to the claim, it was NOT his Lucky Fishing shirt. Unless it's lucky I didn't fall in while hanging over the side. Then yes, I was very lucky. Although by hour 4, the thought did occur to just fall overboard so they would end the tour early.

Some may wonder how one can look so crabby and one so pale while in Hawaii...
But he's holding me up, as is that pole, and I am trying to not hang over the side for the last 20 minutes 

 After a week of water, we decided it was time to go to a less wet and wavy climate. So, off to Egypt where we took in the magnificent pyramids and of course, the local beauties. And they are beauties. But that's just my opinion.

Yes, I always though the pyramids would be larger in real life as well. 

In need of some good old USA again we decided to visit some Presidents. Here is a snapshot of our visit with Ulysses S. Grant. He's shorter than I imagined, but quite a jolly fellow. 

 And then it was time to travel again! Ready? Fasten those seatbelts tight, we are heading to Mars!

Please, do not speak or come to close to the locals... they bite. 

Somewhere between Mars and Iowa, we land in WhoVille! Oh Thing 1 and Thing 2, what did you do? What did you do?!

 Here you will also find the LORAX. Yes, you may think you saw that back at home, but this is the REAL filming of the real deal!

 And then we land. Safely back at home. But wait. It's not mine anymore. So, we say good-bye.

Probably the toughest journey I have had, and am still about to take, is saying goodbye to my home. The home we designed and built ourselves. The home that my kids spent most of their years in. The home that hosted Christmases and Thanksgivings and Easters and birthday parties galore. The home where I dropped to my knees and cried out to my God that I needed Him and Him alone as there was just too much that I couldn't take on my own. The place where tears were shed and laughter was heard often.
We sold it in December. Moved to a rental- aka the Waiting Room- in January. In June, we move across the river to Nebraska. It's been 6 months of good byes. Be sure to follow me as we move on to the Hello's.

So it's been a journey as you can see! It's been scary and fun and it's only just the beginning!

Birthday Boy... er young man.

Today is a special day.
It's my baby's birthday.

Okay, he isn't my baby. He is my firstborn. My preemie. My fighter. My stubborn one. My sensitive boy. My giver. My funny one. (okay, they're both hilarious). My sarcastic child- I wonder where he gets it?

He spent the first 2 months of his life in a plexi-glass box. Helping to grow those tiny lungs. He's always been a bit impatient- felt the need to come into this world 11 weeks early.

Now. He is ELEVEN. How did that happen?

First time holding.. I would find a picture of the isolette, but we have just moved and I can't find my shoes, much less a picture.

He still spends his days confined to a plexi-glass box. In an ice arena. We wouldn't have it any other way.

 No one could have told me when I had that tiny 3pounder in my arms that some day I would be watching him skate on the ice week after week after week taking down big kids and little kids in his way. I am not sure I would have dared dream it possible. I was told by some "caring stranger" shortly after we were home from the hospital that he would always be weak.

Thank you for your unsolicited advice, but,  I beg to differ. My God is bigger than that.

.

 Happy Birthday, Jackson! You make us so very proud to be your parents! You are a walking, talking, skating miracle. Non-stop talking miracle.

No really, I'm talking, could you just shush for a minute?! Please!? Oh fine, carry on.

Love you, Chuck.

An Almost Sleepover Experience

Last April Amy Sullivan shared information about an Almost Sleepover idea started by 2 girls from Connecticut. They had their first almost sleepover last October and loved it so much that they wanted to know if other kids would want to do it too... all around the country.

So together with 32 other states, we joined in for the night of young girls learning how they too can make a big difference!

Since October is a long ways from April and life got in the way, I downsized a lot from my original ideas. At first I was discouraged, but Amy was great to remind me that even if it's just us and our girls, we are showing them that even one matters. We are still doing something for someone else and that is what its all about.

So, we had the girls in Miss Maicy's class over for 3 hours of PJ wearing junk food eating, blanket making, crazy dancing, donation collecting fun!



The take-home treats Maicy had fun making the week ahead.





Girls with their things. We collected detergent, bottles, diapers, garbage bags, socks, underwear, cleaners, sippy cups for Mid Sioux's Teddy Bear Den.




The girls also made 3 fleece blankets to give to our local DHS workers to give to kids who often are unable to take anything from their own homes when they are removed.




Goofy girls!



7 hands makes light work. :)

Thanks to Laurie Kinney and her great girls, Delaney and Addy,  for teaching our girls that you are never too young to make a difference! See you again next year!! 

My Grace is Enough

In the past 6 weeks or so- after dealing with Jonah- there has been a very consistent theme running through worship. No matter what church I was in- even one starting the umpteenth Jonah sermon I had heard in a few weeks time!- the theme was there. Grace. God's grace. His grace is enough for me.

You may think that as I walked this dark journey that was my summer, that that would have offered up peace to my trembling soul.

I am embarrassed to report- it did not.

I questioned God asking if His grace really truly was enough.

Rather than finding His grace I felt bombarded. Like someone has been adding weight to my chest daily.Then being pelted by enemy fire. Trying to dodge it, but feeling to pulled down to move. I felt like I was in a deep fog, unable to see the joy in what was my world. I was drowning in misery. I had no hope.

Even just this morning, I sat at home- the house empty as I brought the kids to school. I am won't lie- I was feeling a bit sorry for myself.

Then something changed as I chose to use this quiet time to catch up with the blogging friends I have missed so much.

Grace.

Yes, His grace has been there all along.

In the smiling faces at the zoo:

 The crazy looks I get from my son... God love him. :)

 My children and I conquering fears of ferris wheels... or not (pretty sure she's looking off to the side to make sure we won't fall... )

 Kids feeling as though they can jump to the moon...

 Coasting over the tree tops at the Iowa State Fair. This was her greatest joy of the week.

There is grace in the everyday. Their is joy around. Yes, sometimes it feels as though the world is caving in around us and we are being trapped alive. But there is always grace, if we seek Him.

Choosing to find grace and linking up with Michele and Jen...

De Klompen and the Tulips

Last week it was the wonderous time of year again where the entire town seems to shut down and we all swap our Nikes for wooden clogs and long dresses. Except for the boys- they switch to short pants. Knickers.

We eat too much, we laugh, we get grumpy and impatient and snap at each other  tired and worn down but still treat each other with love and kindess.



"smile or you won't get to eat a funnel cake! "



This week I am worn out and the crazy hasn't quit yet, so this will most likely be the only blogging I do.

In the mean time, just enjoy some pics of our crazy Dutch traditions and please, head on over to my friend Diane Estrella who is using my poor boy's picture of misery as a MicroFiction muse. I can't wait to see what creativity she comes up with :)



Hockey teams in the parade!



My girl is the tall one... of course :)



Blowing off some steam at the carnival..




Benefits of a cold spring- perfect Tulips everywhere!




Jackson is having SO much fun!




Attempting to dodge a kiss from Aunties...



Pleastly Disturbed

I don't know if y'all have had the distinct pleasure of "meeting" Duane Scott, but if you haven't, you should.
The guy is too wise for his years and also a bit off the wall at times, which fits right into my kind of read. Every so often, as the spirit moves him- which really, is the only way to go when talking about being disturbed- you can't try to schedule that, he hosts a Pleasantly Disturbed Linky Carnival. This is that day. And after many times of laughing and nodding, I am FINALLY joining in.

I realize that this should have happened long ago as I am so obviously disturbed to those who really know me, but it seems I never was at the right time. Thankfully however, I spent approximately 6 hours or more in the car with 3 kids this week and they filled me up with more than enough material. Which is also followed by a sad part. I can only remember ONE thing from the entire weekend that I wanted to tell y'all! And the fact that after 3 days, THIS is what sticks with me probably says a lot about me and my mental capacity.

Yup, she's ALL mine! :)

So, we are driving along the familiar highway to Nebraska, munching on McD's drive thru as usual. I was busy dodging orange cones and crazy drivers- I was NOT the crazy driver eating and getting 3 kids fed, I promise. And from the backseat my dear 8 year old pipes up "look mom, this chicken lost his nuggets!"
I'm sorry, what?

She had eaten all the breading off her chicken nugget and held up a less than appealing looking wad of chicken chunk. Evidently the nuggets are the outside.
And I may never eat a chicken nugget again. Or I might just ask if he has his nuggets first...

And it's finally happened...

...I am officially an embarrassment to my son and need to fade into the background like wallpaper.

I sat in my car, dropping this boy who shares my DNA, the boy who kept me hospitalized for a week hanging upside down before he came into this world. This boy who I did all I could to make sure he was well taken care of for 8 weeks in the NICU, this boy who made me relocate for those 2 months, this boy who I have given life to, yeah that one. Anyways, I dropped him off at yet another activity which I had 2 hours notice that it was actually something different then I thought and well, I need BAIT mom. Fishing BAIT. WHA????? Where in tarnation am I supposed to find that now?! I simply asked him to check with the grown ups if it was all good that his mom was a big airhead and didn't know they were doing this and the fact that he is there on time not knowing that he had to be an hour earlier until I learned he needed bait is really impressive enough on its own... and as I waited for him to go and report back to me... he... he... SNUBBED me! He ended up finding his friends and I gave him the hands up like "Well...?" and he waved me off. Not like a 'bye mom! the one who put her life on hold for me, the one who does my laundry and cooks my food and cleans my room and spends her winters inside hockey arenas and driving all over on icy roads so I can spend an hour on the ice'... No. It was a "shoo fly, don't bother me" kind of brush off.  OUCH.



WHY does she keep speaking??


I knew the day would come. And it isn't cool.
But, I do have a secret to getting through this unfortunate phase.

Because I know that on Sunday, after all the eggs had been found, the clay pigeons shot (what? you don't all shoot on Easter Sunday???) and all the family gone... my baby boy laid on the couch next to me and laid his head on my shoulder and napped.

Yeah, the little butthead is still my sweet little man... just don't tell his friends. :)

It happens Every. Single. Year.

Despite the promise I made her make when she was a baby...

My baby girl is another year older. *sigh*

Gone are the day of pigtails and wobbly legs and replaced now with dances of grace and "no Mom, we are NOT putting my hair in THAT"

Miss Maicy Jo. 8 years ago you came into this world and all was well. You were a beautiful baby girl with a great dispostition and I thought I had it made. I felt God smiling on us.
And then you turned 1.
And I heard God laughing.

You were crazy about....

Dogs...

 Dirt...

 and Food...

 Yes, still food.

 And you tried to combine your love of dirt and food often...

Baby Girl, You made us laugh until we cried and cry until we laughed. Not much has changed.

You still love dogs and still ask every single year for your birthday for a dog.

 And try to give your dad one for HIS birthday because how could he after all refuse anything from his precious baby girl.

You still make us laugh...

You still have a knack for dirt...

And a need for speed.

And I pray you will always love as strongly as you do now...

Hold on tight, Baby Girl, this is just the beginning...