A hump day update...

On Sunday, David, Mel, Levi, Molly, Uncle John and Aunt Sherry drove over to Danville to retrieve Will and Ethan, who had been over in Champaign with David and then with NickNatRySoph. Here, we are observing Sherry and John's Danville area home (which is actually right on the Indiana/Illinois state line!!)

We then met up with almost all of David's entire immediate family and their children/significant others at Monical's Pizza. We took up about 6 tables. Booo yah! This is Molly and Adelaide, who also just turned 5. 

Ryan and his light blue eyes and his "spiders web" shirt (which is actually little skull/crossbones) so handsome!

David's parents, uncle and auntie

I didn't realize Nat had thrown up a thumbs up! And Nick!! what a face! Sophie was asleep behind her mom. I failed to get a pic of her because, quite frankly, I'm a bad aunt!

We call this the "kids' table" some of the fam is hard to see...Aaron, Anna, Ami are at the far end.

This is Jay. I know he, Ryan and Jack would've had a blast together. He looks SO much like his momma.

a good group of kids. Adelaide wasn't here for some reason...

I'm gathering my pics for my hands post. I love Molly's little chewed up hands. She really needs a mani/pedi and some serious cuticle attention! but I love her li'l hands.

Well, here I am...3 days before the Harvest party (this year is the 10th!!) and way too much to do!

We woke up to a dead possum in the pool this morning. That is pretty much one of the nastiest things I've ever seen or smelled. Thankfully, Ethan is one of the more awesome humans I know and he scooped it out with a shovel. Also, thankfully, I empty the water every spring to put new in. so if you've ever gone swimming with us, you can rest assured that the only gross thing in there is probably tinkle.

ha ha.

David is on the road to Champaign again. I'll be doing yardwork with the kids today...homeschool club tomorrow, karate, schoolwork, exercise, ohhh help me, Lord!! All of that in the midst of annoying political mumbo jumbo that is bombarding us at this time of year. I have a hard time ignoring it but I'm managing to!!! mostly.  In light of all of the hullabaloo and people that are seemingly out for blood (over politics, mind you), I have decided (to follow Jesus) and get a JESUS CHRIST sign for my yard (and not a Romney, Obama, O'Donnell, Mourdock, Gregg, whoever) because giving politics another minute of my mind power or yard space is a waste of time. HE is in control and I don't want to forget that. (now if you have a job in politics, e.g. Tory my dear etc, you are exempt from these thoughts. I know that people work in that area and I'm in no way bashing that! I'll do my part and vote...I'm simply referring to the folks that are vicious about it). See? my blood pressure starts rising when I even slightly mention this...next subject....whew!

Our weather has been pretty great this week. Aside from weird storms, gobs of leaves everywhere and lotsa wind, the skies have never seemed bluer against the beautiful oranges, yellows, reds of the trees around here. Winterizing is so bittersweet. I know the days ahead will be challenging and hopefully, the Lord will use these days to fine tune my wandery spirit.

We are fine tuning our costumes for Saturday. I found a PERFECT Mama Cass dress but Mel reassured me that I could NOT be her again. boo. I have a few ideas rolling around in my jiggety head....still have no clue as to what David will be. yikes. How do we top years past? I mean the guy last year??? wow! he was ROUGH but highly entertaining....I know you will stay tuned to see what we come up with.

Thinking of my blogging friend, Stacey, whose precious girl, Lydia, went home to Jesus 52 Wednesdays ago today. Many hugs to you and your guys. She made such a good point over at her blog, which is posted on the left, Byrd's Nest. Go give her a visit and maybe you could pray that the Lord would give her, her husband, Willie, and her two sweet little sons some extra comfort today.

Tory, I have your letter just about ready and a card to put it in...just wanted to make sure you knew that and hope that you, your momma and dad are doing well!

Time to get outside to begin the work...until next time.
Much love
LY

Li'l bit more Will

Dawn, my loving cousin, got this amazing pic of our happy guy.

Will with my Gram G. so glad my grandmas got to meet some of my babes. Will got to know her for 11 years of his life.

MA gathers Will's stats while I talk to my invisible friend and Andy feeds me eggs.
it is an understatement to say that we were all on Cloud 9.

forgive this out of order picture...this is documented history. Will's first recorded pic of himself playing Legos. awww.

Little blue peepers peeking out at the world.
be still my heart.

I absolutely cherish this pic.

One of my life's most amazing moments. I wondered all that first night what I was supposed to do with that little cone-headed fella.

this is one of my favorites. what a gift this is. I knew that. but now it is firmly planted in my mind and heart.
Jack had this same little face and chin. It is hard yet strangely glorious to recall all of these pics and wonder what my sixth child would've been like, who he would've looked like. From those two days where I got to "see" him on earth, I do believe that he was built a lot like Will. I find myself sobbing as I type this. How poignant that he and Will had so much in common. so much. When I showed this pic to Mel this morning, and we did the comparisons that I'm so prone to make, she so eloquently pointed out "there lies one of your biggest encouragers" (referring to that little bundle in blue above and how he encourages me and so many these days!)
Thank You, Lord, for the children You have given me. I give them all back to You.

Will even got to know my Gram Taylor. She died when he was newly 5.  All of my kids have been really happy...right from the start.  I am truly blessed.

I'm out the door (as usual) to run errands and then we will be attending my friend, Kellie and her fam's Chili Cook Off. I am not bringing any chili.

I am so flippin' nostalgic right now, it's not even funny. I've already cried 2 times this morning...for this reason or that...I'm just in a whirlwind. I'm so thankful to God and can feel so angry all in a matter of moments.

giving over my wonky emotions to the Lord...

Hopin' you're having a good weekend...Molly's yelling from the tub! See ya!

chilled out Friday night....

I'm in a very paper lanterny kinda mood

I'm also in a get organized and have lotsa shelves kinda mood.  A trip to Ikea may be in order.
I'd best go check the money tree out back.
I think it dried up and blew away with the past summer's drought conditions.

I know this is backwards but I wanted to get this pic on my blog.
My friend, Mary M. from Calvary Chapel, brought this over to me today.
What a nice, unexpected surprise for this blustery Friday.
Isn't this cool?
I know I have some catching up to do in the JOY department...
in regards to the awesome people that still send things and pray and just plain ol' care.
It means more than I could ever express in mere human words.
They are inadequate.
Shellee, Tory, Stephani, Tashena...the list goes on.

So in this crazy pic above, with the cool JOY pic...I'd just gotten done running/walking. I'm definitely running more...5.0 and above. I like to push myself. I hope that it will translate into other areas of my life...e.g. my personal walk with Jesus Christ, my diet, my judgmental ways...etc. He is doing a work in me. I am most grateful for this...of all the trials and failures, heartaches and jubilations, I am so excited that He is working, moving, LOVING and changing me.

I'm viewing the world with some wide open eyeballs.

I'm wondering what He will have me do...How will the trials and hardships that I've endured help others? It is in many ways...As for the big picture?

That remains to be seen.

I'm at a place that I never thought I'd be. The canvas of friendships in my life has changed in ways I would never have imagined one year ago. Some have bid adieu and some have embraced my imperfections and idiosyncracies with both arms...I am so thankful for each one of you. Truly so.

Shellee, I will be sure to take pix at Monica and Todd's 11/3/12 wedding and find out their address for you. Thank you for constant caring and encouraging comments on here. Love you! Tory, I've been carrying around a letter I've been working on since Wednesday...YOU amaze me with your mad letter writing and caring skills. I stand in awe. Love you too!  Myssi, you are precious. Not a day goes by that I don't think of you, Adam and sweet Greyson. Sending many hugs from up here, where it's chilly for now but promises to be in the mid to upper 70's all week long. I will pray it stays for a bit so you don't get temp shock.

David, Will and Ethan are over in Mahomet, IL, working on installing his HYBRID system in a brewery over there...whilst I miss them, it is niiiiiice to just BE chilled...I MISS U, D, W and E.

I must close this weird, random post....I'm in a blogging mood so stay tuned...Gotta go feed my #3-5 their late Friday night Pioneer Woman Pot Roast Round #2...and Mel and I will be masking our hairs, soaking our tootsies and hopefully scrapbooking, card and star making....ahhh pipe dreams.

Hope this finds you well, enjoying your Friday evening and embarking on some amazing weekend plans. yah!

we have another adult in our house (a very "Will" post)

Will (orange) and Ethan (grey) coached Molly and Nora's U6 soccer team this fall.   My heart may burst.

do you have any pictures of a moment in your life, when it changed for the better? This is mine. In other pictures from Will's birth, David is in pure shock. Even shedding tears. I like to think it's because I had just given birth to his Mini Me (all 8 lbs, 11 oz of him, no less) but he told me later that it was because Will had a major conehead. He was freakin' out. He failed to pay attention in our childbirth classes when the midwives talked about that possibility. It makes for great stories around the table. He still refers to newborn Will as "Long Head". ha haaaaaa.

With his Grandma Greenhill (2 weeks old)

sweet li'l bebe boy (with my Grandma Taylor)

gotta watch those quiet (er) guys. 

This was taken at Jack's July 16, 2011 celebration. I know Jack would've LOVED Will's physical comedy.
Maybe he is...from afar.

This was taken in Flagstaff, AZ on his 15th birthday. We went to the Grand Canyon the next day. See below.

A grand guy!

Wolverine, aka Willverine

Decorating Christmas cookies. I think he really enjoyed himself.

always so cute!

Me and my two little guys. I love my jumper.

no words. I miss these two littles.

Cheeser. always the cheeser

Bismarck, ND, July 1996. A Will Classic

precious babies

Will at one month, with his Aunt Natalie. precious.

I'll be back to wax eloquent on what it's like to have our first 18 year old and why that's so bittersweet to me.

but I'm out the door to retrieve Ethan from taking his PSAT.

back later!!

Later:

I'm back. Ethan believes he may have done ok on his PSAT. The results will come in the mail. I'm strangely nervous.

I didn't get to blog on Will's actual birthday (Yesterday) because He and David were trying to get out the door to Champaign IL. They finally left around 3 p.m.  The day was so weird and out of sorts that we who remained at Young Manor gave it up and went to see Brave at the cheapo theatre.

Today has been mega blah but good blah. Just an at home day, with the exception of running E out to testing....it has stormed (which LEVI LOVES) and some organizing and switching things out for fall/winter.

Tomorrow morn, I will be driving E to Covington IN to meet up with his dad and bro.

sounds pretty dang exciting, huh?

I will refrain from waxing eloquent, as I stated above that I'd be doing. I'm just not "feelin' it" right now. I have so many thoughts that I probably should NOT blog or have been advised not to blog so for now, I will just share these delightful pix of my precious firstborn son, Will Franklin Young and celebrate the JOY, mercy, grace and love that he brings to our family. I am truly blessed and thank the Lord Jesus for the gift of Will. I got to enjoy my firstborn child and I can't help but think of some friends that have had to say an earthly goodbye to their firstborn children. It just makes no sense to us.

And as my friends, Robin and Bob shared with me, God sees the finished tapestry. All we see are the strings and disarray of the unfinished artwork...I'm trusting in Him. Hope your Wednesday is fabulicious!

Will in the spring of 1995.  that face.

Phone pic catch up!

Today is catch up day...I'm getting pix off of my phone today and here are just a few of the delights!

our cousin, Kara, making our niece, Sophie, smile. precious.

Nick and Will think they are soooooo funny (and they ARE!) While the women were crafting, the men were mocking.
not really...but these two really know how to make me laugh. The guy is saying "I love craft star time!"
Heeeehhhheeeee. These were taken at the Young Fam Reunion. I'm a tad behind.

my fascination with clouds continues (Aug)

Jack's Garden, in August

Sept. I probably blogged this already. forgive. We went to IKEA, remember? and Mel and I dig this couch.

Here are my peeps getting finished on the family raft! so. much. fun at Great Wolf Lodge.
so tiring!!

These were taken at the Canal, on Jack's 15 month with Jesus day. Such a glorious day. Levi was with John and Sherry!
This is Darth Vader (or as Will used to call him, Doff Vader) behind them.

this is a funny pic.

How did this Aug pic get down here? well, anyways...here is David, with his free coffee.

October. The view from above Molly. Reminds me of Dorf.

Last weekend, Mel, Moll and I drove to Logansport for my beautiful friend, Monica's bridal shower. They had it in a carousel building. Very cool!

Menards' Halloween display!

We pretty much have the bestest and most awesome far away cousins. My kids have never had the pleasure of meeting my cousins, Tory, Linda and David. Heck, I've only seen them a handful of times in my life but that matters not!
I just want to make sure you know, T, L, and D, how much we appreciate the thoughtful things you send. We love your cards and surprises and care. In fact, Levi went right up, and wrote in his card for you...so I need to get some of that mailed out. THANK YOU, loved ones. You brighten our days 

The Pioneer Woman's Pot Roast...this was just after I'd braised all ingredients, prepping for 4 hours of roast time. But doesn't it look good? it was DELICIOUS! mmmm mmm good.