Days Like This

This super-fantastic thing has happened.  Ava, in her Mama's sadness of her growing up, is...well... growing up!  After 3 years of planting organization and favorable hygiene habits, it seems we are yielding some results. 

I have, I admit, been preaching, "I know you don't care how they are folded... BUT I am showing you how they are folded, so that ONE DAY, when you DO care how they are folded... you will KNOW HOW TO FOLD."

Sooo, yes... and... no. Ava had her own take on "folding". It really should come as no shock.  Girl does things her own way.  And I'm actually quite inspired, sometimes.

"Hey Mom... lemmee show ya something..."

"I found it on Pinterest; it said that rolling would actually make LESS wrinkles than folding.  Plus, this way I can see everything in there, at once."

Is my girl one up-ing me??  Groovy.  I can't tell you how many nightmares I've had about her laundry habits. Candy wrappers, plastic spoons, earrings, and other unmentionables have been found in these same drawers, and under her bed.  Sooo.... you GO, girl, go.  Score.  And also, WAAAAHHHHHHH!  HOW are you so big?!? Sigh.

A shout out to my Veteran Homeschooling Mama Heroes, Nicole Warren and Jennifer Kimble: I remember talking to you when our family made the commitment to begin homeschooling...  You said there'd be days like this... when making a water bottle volcano doesn't sound half as fun to a 9 year old, as covering the cookie jar with crud that never comes off.

Making Olympus Mons, the solar system's largest volcano - located on Mars

No matter how I try, I still can't seem to fully embrace messy crafting and experimenting.  But I forge on... because the smiles and looks of concentration and interest on my ever-changing kids' faces makes it more than worth it.   

You said there'd be days like this...

and this...

There are also days like this...

Learning about Rachmaninoff and Rothko

And days like this... 1:1 time.  Thee.Best.  Amazing how a kiddo's light just shines beyond belief when date time kicks in.  I think it's the parent's little gem of a reward for prioritizing this special time. Love so much.  She was so happy to choose Pandora songs... giving the  "thumbs up" click when she approved.  She now calls classical music "our music" and that pretty much makes me happier than anything.

We are on the road this week.  Sooo very super excited to be spending time in Indiana with my one-of-a-kind inspiration & soul sister, and her family.

This picture, below, was actually taken on the day we met each other for the very first time.    

It was the Fall of 1995 and Tony was playing baseball at Bethany Lutheran College.  He had a teammate named Garry Kimble.  Garry was already married at the time... to Jennifer.  We were just 18 (me) and 19 (her) at the time. 

Tony: "Wait till you meet Garry's wife; I think you are really going to like her and get along well."  

We'd no idea what kind of true, blessed friendship lie ahead.

From our passion for learning, and challenging ourselves, to the uncontrolled and self-diagnosed ADHD, we are truly kindred spirits.  A heart for missions, the both of us, and striving to center our lives around loving & serving Him, and our families.  Both of us, dedicated (on most days) to constant, all-around self-improvement.  So similar, yet... I could only hope and pray to be as strong, unselfish and unprententious as this girl.  Oh, and 

p a t i e n t. Also, she can sing.  Like, in an ahhmaayzing way.   On that note (pun intended... ok, bad, bad...), Jen's the only person I can claim to have done my "witch laugh" with, while she simultaneously sang an impromptu opera ditty.  Oh yeah.  That happened.  Just this Tuesday, while we were unloading the dishwasher and feeding the kids lunch. 

Jam & Jen on Michigan Ave, Chicago - November 2010

This trip has prompted me to look back at some memories from the years past - ones of such joy, with our families together.

Ava and Annalee in the Navy Pier fountain - summer 2005

Ava & Cassidy, summer 2005 in Chicago

Ava and Cass @ Navy Pier, 2005

Ava & Cassidy at Shedd Aquarium - summer 2007

Cass, Annalee, Ava & Soren

Gressa, Cass & Annalee @ Shedd

Annalee, Cassidy, & Ava - Fall 2008

Colton... in the belly!

Ava, Annalee, & Cassidy - Navy Pier 2010

January 2014

Oh, growing up, so!  Jen and I decided we love this pic for the fact that it truly illustrates each of their personalities.  Those are raw grins, and I can feel Cass's tomboy breeze from here :)

The kids, after Addison's, "Phantom Groom" Wedding.  They spent hours orchestrating this... Gressa running about during rehearsals, yelling, "The Bride is hungry!  The Bride is thirsty!"

Colton & Soren = Monster Truck Mania

We sure do miss Tony!!!  We all drove together, to Indiana, and he flew out of Indianapolis on Sunday am.   He was headed to Beech Island, SC for a week of work, there.  We treasured the facetiming we did this week, but we absolutely can't WAIT to see him tomorrow (toDAY at this point, I suppose...)! Addison was a big fan of the facetime gig, too.  "Hi Toby!  You funny, Toby!"

I'm finishing up some laundry and getting ready to smush myself in between 2 of the sweetest little bodies I could ever imagine.  Sleeping with S and G is a little piece of heaven, with a crack between the twin and adjacent trundle bed, made just for me... :)  It surely isn't all rainbows and unicorns... tonight Soren chose bed - still in his jeans - over a chili dinner.  I hope that sleep-deprivation-too-much-good-fun-with-friends pout is gone in the morning... maybe I can love it out of him with some snuggles...

 Love ya, friend.  Thanks for always being you.