li'l catch-up...

hello cray cray. ha ha. love you, Dad.

there's a little blind man behind my kids....
oooop, that's my honey!

not really sure what's going on with Levi's shirt...hmm.

The parentals

So these pix were taken on Fat Tuesday, also, if I remember correctly...

and honestly, I don't remember a lot of things correctly these days. Sometimes, I have to actually sit and think about events/dates/whatevs and I kinda hurt my head trying to recall something. It's kinda worrisome to me...

....I honestly could just sit at the ocean all day long. Our weather wasn't especially wonderful while we were in Orange Beach this year, but that didn't stop us from utilizing the beautiful scenery out our door....

I have more thoughts and pix to post but on top of general life busyness, Beck and I are doing the home school club activities for Levi's class tomorrow so, after much procrastination, I've begun prepping for that...and tomorrow promises to be yet another day of pure fun and general cray cray. (that was for you, Mel)

Right now? I'm listening to Levi mock Will's casual laugh. Molly is chomping at the bit for a few rounds of UNO. David got up super duper early today so he's been sleeping since he got home at 7. He just rolled outta nap mode and now is on his way to bed.

I got my orthotics today. wow.

Ok, David is now reading over my shoulder so I will close....

Note to a few peeps:
Ashley, I have printed out your beautiful email that you so kindly sent to me before my trip south and really do plan to write back. I just want to say thank you for taking the time to write, and to write so graciously. wow.
Shellee, praying for you, for your health, for baby and for your continued work over in Japan.
Mom and Dad, we miss you. Mom, I found Molly's phonics cards. whew!!

Fat Tuesday...is kinda gross

Amen! so glad to see this float and these people, proclaiming Jesus Christ. Even in the pouring down rain. Hallelujah!

We got so many beads. I felt like I was stealing. ha ha.

Two weeks ago, tonight, we were safely tucked away in my parents' condo, probably swimming and very tired.

It was quite interesting to participate in our first Mardi Gras/Fat Tuesday parade. We were positioned next to a group of at least ten 11-13 year old boys....bad idea. I was reminded as to why David and I spent time with our kids (and still try to, occasionally :D) and why we have sacrificed to educate them at home and to keep them with us.

Can I just say that _________'s fears of "no socialization" are unfounded? May I use this forum to brag on my kids? nahhhh, I won't do that here, now, but I was praising Jesus for the thoughtfulness of Will, Ethan, Melanie, Levi and Molly Young...If the comparison of SOCIALIZATION was this band of kids (and many others that I've had the immense pleasure of being around), then I will take no socialization, thankyouverymuch. (may I add, too, that my kids can and will gladly socialize with people in every age group, and quite well)

I shall step down off of my soap box now. These boys were jumping in front of not only my kids, but kids around us. Kids to the left of us, kids to right of us...rude, spoiled, rotten. That's ok...it's good that they get a taste of what their peers will be like.

gross.



all this to say...create in me a clean heart, Oh Lord, and renew a right spirit within me. there is a work being done in me and I have so many thoughts, cares, concerns in my head and in my heart that need to be laid at HIS feet before I can make sense of them and proceed to minister to those around me. I am extremely overwhelmed with where I am at spiritually.

Very clearly and plainly, I am reminded that my day is to begin in prayer and in His Word.

That, my friends, is the only sure thing...once I've given my day to Him, anything that happens has been bathed in prayer.

So, enjoy the pix above...hope that you've enjoyed the beautiful spring-like day here in Indiana or wherever you are at on this 3rd rock from the sun. Get out there and appreciate the Full Snow Moon tonight and bask in the glow of the One Who made it. There is only denial in your heart if seeing that doesn't bring you to your knees in praise and gratitude.

nighty night!

Rock & Worship Road Show

Luminate was pretty good.

Bart, from MercyMe....I love MercyMe but could've done without all the jabbering and gotten to more worshipping.

This is Family Force 5. Not my favorite but highly entertaining? Didn't really see how they lifted the name of Jesus Christ but then again, it WAS kinda hard to hear what they were saying/singing...just a lot of wobble. scratching my head.

KUTLESS! YES!

My new favorite Christian musicians. Awesome testimony and words! No denying who they were there to lift!

and the next few pix are of Jeremy Camp....

Again, no denying WHO this guy was glorifying!

Boom Jeremy!

Jeremy again, and yes, hard to see but what a cool picture.
boo yah!

Ok, my last unexpected post for the night...
I will start putting up the Orange Beach, AL pix tomorrow...hopefully.
I found my cam cable. Here's to a busy busy, cray cray week.
Good night!

Valentine's craft day

The Friday before we left for the deep south, Beck and I had the cray cray idea to do some V-Day crafts with our littler children....

Can I just say that I am loving my sister's creativity? so proud of her fearless embrace of all things crafty.

welcome back, Kotter!

I see you everywhere I go, little boy

Pooligans

I have yet to duplicate my expensive hair 'do
I went to a new girl, closer to home, but wow! pricey and def worth it.

Imagine the views he experiences

On our first night in Orange Beach, Mom had the kids try their Mardi Gras finery on. This was something we'd never experienced before but what a fun, if not excessive, southern tradition. I still don't get it and I can sniff out a unit study on the doorstep.

love this little pixie face...in the dentist chair

One of my fave pix of D and I on the beach, at sunset...and probably the only.

This was taken two weeks before we left. We love this little girl, Miss P.

Not sure why some of my Instagram pix would upload and why some of them won't upload.
grrrrr. On top of that, I've managed to misplace my camera cord (I kinda dislike the word cord) and can't get my pix onto here till I do. As usual, the pix uploaded out of order.

We arrived home from Orange Beach on Friday night, 2/22/13. We had a busy weekend on the horizon and it felt so good to be home. I will recall the 12 days of non-home life, at another date, hopefully after I've located my camera cable.

I wanted to get something on here for the peanut gallery...I know these are pix you've already seen if you are my friend on FB or Instagram.

I'm really trying hard to keep my head from feeling so wobbly (wobble wobble) but honestly, it seems as if I'm slowly (or not so slowly) losing "it".

Maybe I never really had it. I may have just thought I did...

I'm kinda agitated tonight and probably need to just head to bed. any little rambunctious noise is getting under my skin. I don't think I was ready for the fast pace of our crazy life to pick up again, and so quickly.

Let's focus on a few good things that happened this weekend/things on tap:
1.) We bask in the vacation glow and praise the Lord for a wonderful time with my parents in their condo. Thank you, Mom and Dad. For the food, lodging, care and good memories that we will cherish for the rest of our lives.
2.) A fun, late night visit from my sister and her two little beauties Friday night. Again, memories that I cherish. (she and the McCoy's kept a watchful eye on our mail/house and Beck stocked our fridge with some necessities and groceries). Thank you, loving family.
3.) A Knighting Ceremony (welcoming our two oldest young men into manhood kinda thing) and an overnight visit from Nick, Nat, Ryan and Sophie. More on this later. Love you, Illinois fam!
4.) A fun celebration of my sister, who will turn 35 this Wednesday, at a local restaurant, last night. Happy birthday, Beck...can't believe you will be half of 70 this week. Wow!
5.) A somewhat relaxed Sunday to prepare for the week's events and to get caught up on laundry, unpacking and recharging, followed by dinner and Bible Study at our church.
6.) Molly, Piper and Nora start gymnastics this Tuesday...I am so excited for this!

Plum tuckered...gotta run. May the Lord bless you as you seek His face.
LY

Happy Valentine's Day and other fun things!

man, I wish I could say that this hasn't happened to me, but it has.
I guess I could whine and complain that it stinks and it's hard and unfair but
I'm trusting in God and that His ways are not our ways.
If what my family and I have gone through makes you uncomfortable,
and you feel the need to part ways....I feel sorry for ya.
that is all.
(I found this on Pinterest, which I love. a lot)
This has nothing to do with this post, really.
Thankful for faithful friends and family.

I also found all of these vintage V-Day cards on Pinterest.
I think I could sit and print them out all day.

cute!

Hi.
How are ya?
Have I mentioned that in, say......FOUR SLEEPS...we will be on the road to the Great Gulf of Mexico? Well, yeah...that's kinda big around here of late. We are all just biding our time, biting our cheeks and clutching our fists in grateful anticipation. I'm gathering supplies and lining up my house checkers...any volunteers? hmmmm hmmmmm.....

Ya wanna know what we did today? Mel, Moll and I got up for our 8 and 8:45 am dental appointments this morning. I am reminded as to why I never EVER make appointments for THAT stinkin' early. I know to you other folks out there, that 8 is probably LATE morning....but NOT to me. Then I didn't consider that it'd be rushy hour trafficky.....and then I got behind every slow poke on the south side of Indy...needless to say, I arrived and was first in the chair for my filling (which, may I tell you, he had to cut some of my gum to get to it? o. my. gosh!)

Our day was chock full of here, there and everywhere....and while I'd love to sit and fill you in, I need to get to bed because I was up with the roosters and I'm sleepy. I'm sleeping with that night boot and my dreams are super vivid and I may not be sleeping super fantastically.

boo.

ya know what though?

God is good and I am so thankful for each and every day He gives me to PRAISE HIM and to choose JOY.

That's about all I know.

I need to get a few more blog posts in before we head out, though I do believe I will be able to blog from the Gulf. I need to get an Ethan post on here and of course, A Becky Post, since it is her BIRTHDAY MONTH.....

but that will have to wait till tomorrow or Friday.

And did I mention that we are going to the Rock and Worship Roadshow on Saturday? Jeremy Camp, MercyMe, and other groups...but Jeremy Camp is, by far, our favorite. I hope to have some fun pix from that....and pix of other happenings.

Goooood NIGHT.
God be with you and bless you and keep you.