Owls and horses and mice, oh my!

Well, we have been in our new home for just over a week now and what a week it was! Tim's parents and my mom came along for the move. When we got to our house, we were greeted by several of our new friends and church family, all ready to unload our truck. Much to my surprise, and gratefulness for sure, once the truck was unloaded, men got started on assembling the bunk beds and putting together the TV area while women were setting up our kitchen and unpacking all other boxes to get us settled right away. One of the ladies even ran home to get a much needed set of sheets for me.

While all that was going on, Tim's parents were blessing us by cleaning the boy's area (the converted attic) which hadn't seen many guests over the past who knows how many years. While they were in one of the storage rooms up there, they found a clue as to how long it had been since the area had really been cleaned last. Wow.

The next morning it felt like we had an eternity to get ready for church with how early everyone got up, so I decided on a cup of joe in one of the cute owl mugs that Ruthie got me before we left to spend some of that precious time.

While I was thoroughly enjoying my Sunday morning coffee, I got this picture from Tim telling me about some of his Sunday morning. Should we invest in some cats around here or what?

For lunch we went to a local favorite place called Gators where the the menu is large, just like this pork tenderloin sandwich, and very tasty. I was glad not to have to think about what I was going to feed everyone just yet. I'd eat here (shoot, I'd eat out) once a week if we could! For now, I'll settle for this treat!

Meanwhile, back at the ranch...ok, it's not a ranch, but we do have a couple horses and the kids love them! This is Scooter and there is another one called Ready, but the kids call him shy guy...a much more fitting name. I really hope we get the chance to ride Scooter. The kids will go crazy if they can! In the meantime, the kids take turns feeding them apples and carrots and going in the pen to pet the horses and talk to them. The neat thing is that the horses come around when the kids come over. If its just me, they look up, roll their eyes and keep on grazing. It's rather sweet, really.

The kids have been able to ride their bikes more regularly, and I am very excited about that. What's more exciting to me is that when Micah said she wanted to ride two wheels only, Eden took it upon herself to dig through Tim's tool box to find the right wrenches to do the job herself. I wonder if she knew they were called wrenches?

Five days after we moved in, I left everyone for a leadership conference with some ladies from Harmony, leaving Tim and the kids alone for a few days. When I got back, I was saddened that no one came out of the house to greet me. Clearly they did not miss me. When I got in the house this is what I saw.

If Micah's "Mere Christianity" didn't do it, Titus' "Christian Manifesto" gave the joke away. Perhaps they did miss me, if only a little!

I am back in Indiana for a long weekend to get a few things I didn't pack up when we moved, bring dad's trailer back and get my hair done and so far we have made mema cry (in a good way) and spent the morning with our friends. Tonight we will see grandma and grandpa for dinner and to get a head start on some of our back-to-school shopping (thank you grandma and grandpa for some help with that load!) and then later we will visit with aunts and uncles before heading home. Perhaps next week we will take a crack at out first normal week in Iowa, whatever that will look like. I can't wait!

Just plain sad

So we finally have Internet...which means I am already behind...again. Great. We've had a lot going on lately, but right now Elijah and Levi are at football camp and the other kids are watching Monsters, Inc. (They are soooo awesome!) and so I have some free time on my hands. I should be putting away the laundry or dust mopping the floor, but im just sitting here looking out the window at the cornfields and wondering, is this Heaven? No, it's Iowa. In case you haven't heard, we moved to Iowa last Saturday morning.

Now, I haven't got the stamina to go into the whole story right now, but suffice it to say, God picked us up out of the hustle and bustle of NW Indiana (where Tim and I grew up and all our kids have lived since they were babies) and carried us to our little cottage in the cornfields of Danville, IA. To say "I didn't see that coming" is an understatement, but to know that God directed each step of the way is divine! We have a house sitting in IN empty (oh when will it sell?). We are going to be living in what most would say is "too small" a house for 5 "lively" children. Tim just left his job of over 15 years. I suppose I could go on but I want to point to what has become the overriding theme in all of this (as in all things, right?!?) which is that God truly has orchestrated each of these seemingly negative things for our good and for His glory. The best part is that we can already see His hand through it all.

Before I start on life in Southeast Iowa, I'm going to talk about one of the sad days the kids and I had recently. Granted I don't think they fully realize what happened, but they will soon. If it wasn't hard enough for them to leave their mema and poppy, grandma and grandpa and aunts and uncles, saying goodbye to their closest friends was. Last week, we said goodbye to the Taylors. They've hung around each other for over 8 years, and don't know life without each other. They are brothers and sisters. They are cousins. They are friends.

Let me start with the big boys, Levi, Jackson and Elijah. I'm surprised they all smiled (Levi). These boys can make a ball game any time, anywhere. One of them will most always quit mid game to play with the girls, another will get mad at the quitter while the last one will try and keep the peace. They are indeed brothers. Elijah and Levi are going to miss "Jack" (Levi, you know miss Erin doesn't like that name) and I will miss all the things that make him who he is! I will most affectionately think of you whenever I hear the word "pout!" ;) Sorry, Jackson, I had to say that!

Eden and Abby. What can I say about these girls? They may not look like it (Eden hasn't grown in years and Abby is shooting up like a weed putting Eden at Abby's shoulders) But these girls are two peas in a kind-hearted pod. They rarely ever fight, and yet they each have opinions about how to do things. They love drawing and writing and playing dress-up. They are little mothers to their "spirited" little sisters. I find unfinished cards that Eden has written, almost all of them to Abby. Eden will miss Abby terribly. I will miss their giggling fits and the late night (early morning) sleepover chit chat that those girls made so effortlessly...what on earth did you girls have to talk about anyways?

Ty-guy and Mesay-guy. Oh how I wish they had more time! Unlike the other kids, Titus and Mesay (Mu-sigh) weren't "diaper friends" but they are so much alike that I felt from the beginning that God even had Titus in mind when he made Mesay for the Taylors! They are rough and tumble. They are strong willed and even quite obnoxious when they want to be (when the big boys leave them out). They are bulls in the china shop of life who are always on the go. Despite all of that, both of them are quite tender-hearted, loving little boys. I remember early on in their "all boy" friendship when they were both in my car and Titus gently pats Mesay's arm and says, "my chocolate" (I'm tearing up remembering that one). These boys aren't gentle (don't let that precious picture fool you), but in that endearing moment, I knew Titus had found his best friend. They had their ups and downs, mind you, probably more than the other kids, but I have no doubt that God brought them together. Oh how I wish they had more time! Titus will miss Mesay and I'm going to miss all that fair-n-square rough-housing.

Oh boy. Makenna and Micah. Good grief, just look at them. They have trouble written all over their faces!!! The babies of the family. Little sisters. The perfect storm. There is just too much to say about these precocious little girls. They are always into something making some kind of mess that their big sisters get roped in to helping clean up (these two know how to work that system). They have boundless energy (except when it comes to cleaning up those messes) and imagination galore. They fight and boss each other around, but must always hug each other goodbye. Micah will definitely miss "Kenna" and I will miss never knowing what to expect when Makenna and Micah are together!

God knew what He was doing when He brought our kids together and since I know that to be true, I trust that God knows what He is doing in putting the distance between these kids (and their parents). I am sad that it has to be this way. I pray that we find God's will in all this and perhaps, above all (from a mom's perspective) I pray that God sends along some new friends, for my younger kids especially. I know that Jackson, Abby, Makenna and Mesay cannot be replaced because of who they are and the specific spots they fill in mine and my kids' hearts, but I believe God cares about each of these kids and will send all 9 of them the friends that they need. In the meantime, I believe we as parents, the ones whose friendship carries on despite the miles, are challenged to be very purposeful in keeping the kids connected. It won't be the same, I know, but there is too much history to just say goodbye. I am excited to see how God uses this time in our lives and look forward to seeing each of the kids grow during this transition that right now is just plain sad.

 

Speechless

Wouldn it have been fun to wait until a full year had gone by before updating the blog to life in SE Iowa? I'm so close. Moms? You say no? Hmm, well, it doesn't matter. I'm going to jump in head first with this little doozie of a post. I'll come back to fill everyone in on the Iowa details later.

We have been trying to sell our house and have had 11 showings in 3 weeks. All that time I have had some smell in the kitchen that I thought I was imagining after a while. I had cleaned and scrubbed and asked my friend over to confirm my nose's suspicions, only to find that, yes, something smells. Ok. Now that the obvious had been confirmed, I was at a loss as to what to do for showings, so I befriended Febreeze for each showing (Clearly the Febreeze is not working...our house is still for sale. That's a whole different story).

So yesterday morning I get up and reach in the pantry for some Rice Krispie knock-off and didn't feel the expected crinkly bag in the box. The bag was smooth. Odd, right?!? Well, this is what I pulled out:

 

I was speechless. How? When? Who? Perhaps most importantly, WHY??? I think at this point it will only be fruitful to be thankful for the fact that the dead animal smell has been found and buried!

 

Back to school campout

We just had our second (unofficially) boys back to school camp out in our back yard.  10 fabulous boys showed up around 5pm for the start of the festivities.  Now, don't go getting some idea in your head that imagines an evening full of planned activities for the kids.  No sirree.  We are on the fly and off the cuff.  Once Tim got home they all walked down to the ball field and played a game of baseball and from there it was (breathe in) sports, (breathe out) sports and (repeat) more sports. 

I don't have a clue what the teams were, though I know they could rattle them off in a heartbeat.  All I know is that they got filthy dirty (most on purpose) and they had a blast!

This is how they all got "cleaned up" for dinner...mass public shower!

If they'd just sit still long enough to capture a clear shot...but naaa, fooling around is more important.

I know you can't see what this is, so I'll tell you.  After dinner, while the kids played in the yard, Tim hooked up a projector outside and shot a movie onto the side of the house.  We started off with Stargate, but due to some unexpected expletives streaming their way through our neighborhood, we put in Napoleon Dynamite.  We ♥ Napoleon. 

I sent these two inside to play the wii when we had Stargate on because it was a bit much for them.  They didn't care.  Apparently I did them a favor.  Each of them having several older siblings, they never get to play the wii by themselves.

Getting to bed at midnight makes for an extra early 6am.  Isn't that right Tim?  Tim was more than wonderful through this whole thing and if I had to guess, I would say he even enjoyed it when all was said and done.  Is he tired?  You bet he is...because after all this, he went to my grandpa's house to help my dad install wood flooring...but I have to say that he made the camp out the success it was!   ♫♩What a man, what a man, what a man, what a mighty good man♪♫!!!

For breakfast was pancakes and waffles.  He even let some of the boys flip their own pancakes.  Now THAT'S saying something for anyone, much less a sleep deprived parent!

This is what the divine breakfast looked like, if you chose the waffle...slathered in butter...then slathered in peanut butter...then slathered in syrup.  Need I say more?

Well, I guess I should say something to show it didn't all end right after breakfast.  The boys played a game of soccer followed by a game of football, and I only had to tell them once that "using" the great out doors is for cover of night only!  By the end of the football game, parents started showing up bringing the rain with them.  It was a great camp out with a great bunch of boys and in my opinion, ended with a perfect rainy day complete with thunder and a cup of coffee. 

Lavender Fresh

You know, who would have thought that doing laundry takes mental prowess?  Clearly you cannot set a poorly capped jug of freshly purchased laundry detergent (Lavender Fresh) on top of a running washing machine full of bulky blankets and sheets.  Who knew?