Friends

Ben has a best friend. He has the same name, he goes everywhere with Ben and I mean everywhere. he eats dirt, sleeps outside, goes swimming with him., rides in the car. he is not however allowed to eat at the table or go inside church with us. And Benjamin Bear has been to the "eyeball tower"

Ben's "Eyeball" tower

I got home from work the other day and my builder boy said to me "Mom, come see the eyeball tower I built!" he led me to his room and this is what I saw. It took me a minute to figure it out..... he built the Eiffel Tower! This boy will go far.

SICK

My Caitlyn is sick. :0( She as been complaining for a week that her tummy hurts. Randomly, she will just start crying and holding her stomach. She has been refusing to eat or drink and today I had to take her to the ER because she started vomiting. My poor little girl. She has had blood tests, x-rays, ultrasounds and stool softeners and her tummy still hurts. We are off the her regular doctor tomorrow then we will see.................

It's been a while

I have been a bad blogger, but since no one really reads this thing I don't feel to badly about it. :0) to say that we have been busy would be true. My kids are still cute and funny and do a lot of things, so why haven't I captured these memories in cyverspace? Plain old laziness. Amanda has been busy with camps all summer. We have had one wedding(so far), one family reunion, one going away party and this weekend, my long lost brother is paying us a visit. I'll update that later.

There is something going on though. I can't say what it is right now, because I am not sure. I feel God beginning to stir something in our lives. I just read Crazy Love by Francis Chan and am ashamed and motivated at the same time. I need to do something. I have felt this for a while, and have come close to acting on it, but fear is a powerful enemy. I'l keep you posted (pun intended) on any developments. But for now I will leave with one funny from Ben:

"mommy, maybe sometime can I have the gate (guardrail) on my bed, because little boys are round and they roll"

Summer

summer is in full swing....... Amanda is busy with all sorts of camps, Ben and Caitlyn are still home (for now) with Becky. the baby went home. Is it weird that even though I was exhausted all the time, and I don't want 4 kids that I miss him? I praying for a change. I need a change, for the better, the extreme. I am tired of the status quo. I just feel like something needs to change for us and I am very frustrated that I can't figure out what it is.

It's been a while.

I can' believe it has been 2 months since my last post. So much has happened! Well, there was Easter, Caitlyn's birthday, Mom's birthday. I got a new foster baby, drove to Indianapolis when he was 5 days old (what was I thinking). Amanda is almost done with school, thank goodness. It has been a busy, exhausting spring. here are a few pics to illustrate.

Where I'm from

I found this great idea on my friend Gretchen's blog. Here is my attempt.

I am from bikes and tennis on the blacktop road; from Ball jars, Ford station wagons and Saturday morning cartoons.
I am from the old blacksmith shop with the tumble down shed in the back; from well water and gardens.
I am from the Lilac and the Weeping Willow.
I am from oyster soup and new pajamas at Aunt Pearl's on Christmas Eve; the Smith blue eyes and the Culumber chin.
From Merle Arlene and Pearl Lorene; from Butch, Bud and Peewee; from proud Irish and the salt of the earth.
I am from hard work and hollerin; whippins and hand me downs
From "Were you born in a barn?" and "Don't make me pull this car over."
I am from churches with steeples and wooden pews; from "The Old Rugged Cross" and "Amazing Grace"; from organ pipes and bells that ring at noon.
I am from city and country, from Kings Road and Garden Valley; from green grass and roling hills; cornfields and dairy cows.
I'm from Mac&Chees, mashed potatoes, divinity and grandma's noodles.
From chocolate pudding thrown in my eye by a brother who begged me not to tell; from the strawberry cleaning water fight and the goldfish that got "cooked" in a bowl on top of the stove.
I am from photo albums with black paper pages and white corner tabs; from graduation pictures in frames lined up on the wall. I am from cedar chests and cigar boxes holding memories and tresures for generations to come.