Flowing Like a River

Some days are better than others.  Sunday I was just grouchy, so my emotions were a little on the surface anyway, but I was good.  Then church happened.  Stephen was being given the Melchizedek priesthood and being ordain to an elder. I forgot that before this happens, he has to be presented to the congregation for a sustaining vote.  So when a member of the Stake Presidency got up to the pulpit and asked Stephen to stand, it took me by surprise a little.  But I was still good.  Until.....Pres Guttery says "I can't go on until a say a little something about Stephen".  I turned to Glade right then and said "this isn't going to go well".  The tears came and stayed through the entire sacrament.

After sacrament meeting was over, we went into the Bishops office for the ordination.  And the river continued to flow.  I was a mess. Right before they started, Pres. Guttery asked me if there was anything I would like Glade to include in the blessing.  Wow.  There were so many things and some were even silly, how could I just choose one and which one would be most important?  In the end and through tears and the inability to speak the words, I asked him to bless Stephen that he would know of his worth and his greatness as I can see him, as his Heavenly Father sees him.  I cried for the next 20 min.  I can't really explain it.  I'm not sad.  I mean, of course I will miss him, but I don't feel sad when I'm crying.  And it just comes when I least expect it.  Like at Costco when someone I haven't seen in a while asks "how are the mission preparations coming?"  It's really quite embarrassing.  I'm hoping it will get better once he's gone and I don't have to look at him and have the anticipation of him leaving.

On a slightly humorous, not so humorous note.  When I'm not crying because I love him so much, I want to wring his neck.  Some days I think he's just trying to make me mad so I won't be so sad he's leaving.  BUT, I have mentioned this to a few other missionary moms and they said their son did the same thing!  So maybe it's just God's tender mercy in making the separation a little easier, lol.

Mother's Day

So I'm going to just put it out there in all my raw, honest ways.  I hated Mother's Day this year. It wasn't because my family wasn't sweet and lovely, they were.  Gifts and flowers, home made stuff and breakfast.  On a normal holiday I would have loved it.  This year, I was too busy being a mom to enjoy the weekend.  AND I was a little bitter about all the activities that were planned for that weekend. I don't need to be pampered and showered with attention for a whole weekend, but I also don't appreciate being run ragged either.

For starters.  Fathers and Sons camp out.  I will NEVER understand why anyone thinks mother's day weekend is a great weekend for this.  I gotta get everyone packed and then spend the next 2 days taking care of things as the sole parent.  My kids are bigger now, so it's not a big deal, but when you have little ones, it kind of sucks.  Normally we do some kind of fun girls night, but this year, Rhett's dance teacher decided to have a four night dance performance.  Seriously??  So Friday was the only day I had available to attend.  Friday was actually a very good day.  Mom, Chelsey and I went to see a movie in the morning and basically spent the whole day together.  Then that evening, Mom, all the daughters (and son in laws) and I all went to Texas  Roadhouse for dinner.  We went early so mom and I could get to the performance.  Now, I will say that it was a surprisingly enjoyable performance, but that's another post.  And it was a great day because I got to spend the whole day with my own Mom.

Chelsey's gift to me.. it says "missionary mom"

Brynlee couldn't get enough green beans

Whitley and Nick had to join us late because of work

Saturday we had play practice and then home to get dinner ready for Prom.  I love doing that for my kids, but it was just one more thing on this particular weekend.  We cleaned and decorated and I helped get both boys ready to go.  After serving dinner, Glade and I and our friends, the Kettrings, were banned to the front living room so the kids could have privacy.  I enjoyed that, but it wasn't exactly a date night.

Sunday, the big day.  Awoke to breakfast and showering of gifts.  But by now I was just grouchy and still had a lot on the agenda.  After church Glade and the boys unloaded all the camping stuff which ultimately leaves me a lot of work.  Not to mention I was trying to get my house clean so Glade's family could all come over for a BBQ.  No nap today because my kids are only noisy when I ask them to be quiet.  The family all came and it was nice. Truly, I LOVE  my inlaw family.  But after it was over, there was the clean up.  I saved that for the next morning.  So even the next day, I spent the whole morning getting my house back to livable.  I haven't even mentioned church (yet another post) or the two wedding receptions we missed.  So  basically it was just a stinky weekend.  I'm sure I could have changed my attitude and handled it better.  It didn't really seem possible in the moment though.  I told Glade that next year was consisting of me in my PJ's eating mac and cheese.  Here's to being a Mom, the very thing that kept me from enjoying Mother's Day.

Prom

Spring Formal...Mormon Prom... MoPro....Our church puts on a prom every spring that is such a delight.  It's only $10 per couple and includes pictures.  Dress code is adhered to with true diligence, music is appropriate and no bumping and grinding on the dance floor.  Yep, a wholesome event!  That's why I love it.  This year it was on Mother's Day Weekend, and that..I DIDN'T love.  Stephen to Taylor Contessa, the girl he's been dating for about 6 months.  Being the mom of the boy, I got no pictures except ones I store from Taylor's FB page.  Her mother made her dress and Stephen's tie.  Super cute. Ü

Rhett asked a girl named Cherish Soloman.  This was only his second date ever.  He and a friend from school went together and a third guy joined their group last minute.  I fixed dinner for them so they could be sensible with the little money they had.  In the end, Rhett spent $30 on prom and that includes the corsage.  Did I mention I love Spring Formal? 

Getting boys ready is much different that girls.  I thought there would be nothing to do.  Wrong.  I had to spot clean suits and straighten ties.  My mother's checklist of "do you have"s proved to be very beneficial.  Stephen was a little exasperated with my asking until it ended up helping him have enough money for dinner and prom tickets which he forgot to put in this pocket.  Once he realized my "nagging" saved him, he hugged me and said "that's why we have moms".  Rhett was more chill about my fussing. 

They all had a great time with only one little incident.  Shortly after Rhett got there, he was coming around a corner and a kid puked on him.  Got on his face jacket and shoes.  It also got in his dates hair.  Poor thing!  They cleaned up, he ditched the jacket and enjoyed the rest of the night.  It also ends at 11 so everyone has time to get home and not be out till all hours of the night.  I love my church!

Ketchup

Or Catch up, whatever.  I'm not sure there's anything to really even catch up on.  I can't believe two whole weeks have flown by since the CALL.  We've returned and rebought stuff.  Filled out paperwork.  Laughed, cried, fought.  There's just so much.  He's still trying to finish high school and since he's let his grades slide this last semester ( by slide I mean avalanche), he doesn't have any wiggle room.  He has to do well or he won't get credit and graduate.  No graduation means no mission.  Plus, he still has some weight to lose before he can go.  Add cleaning his room out, filling out papers, studying, friends, family....he's a little overwhelmed.  This weekend is Fathers/sons campout, prom, rehearsal, two wedding and a dance concert.  Seriously?  All on mother's day weekend.  Is there no respect??

I can't even think of what we've done all week, but we haven't been home!  After this weekend, there'll be a lot to post about.  Let's hope I keep on track and get it all down. Ü

I've been staying home most days trying to get life in order.  I hate laundry and it makes me insane.  Not only does doing it make me insane, but NOT doing it and having everyone looking for stuff makes me insane as well.  So this week I've tried really hard to get caught up.  I even cleaned out Bo and Katy's room, like seriously purged.  But they've gotten ready so nicely the last few mornings!  Then I went upstairs....if you know our family, you know what that means.  AAhHHHHH!  Now I'm not even close to caught up on laundry.  As I do this next batch though, I will weed out and they will only get to keep a little.  Tired of the chaos.

So I guess it sounds like I'm complaining, but really not.  About the laundry, yes... but in general it was just a busy week of normal stuff.  This weekend is the doozy so let's hope we all come out alive.  Keep on keepin on....that's the way we roll.  ♥

1 in 7

So I've cried every day this week, but one.  Hey, at least there was one!!  The first four days were the worst.  Starting with Sunday.  Wednesday was my no cry day.  I'm pretty sure I was dry by then.  The other days, I didn't actually cry, just tear up.  That's progress!  Today though, I think I cried three times at church and once at home.  I'm back to welling up if someone asks how I'm doing.  I'm sure it will get better.  Then, after church, Stephen and I were sitting on the couch talking about a song for his farewell.  So I looked up a few I hadn't heard in awhile so I could let him listen to them.  That didn't go so well.  The tears rolled.  He was sweet and put his arm around me and let me have a little cuddle time.  How quickly this last week went by, it kind of freaks me out.  Too soon!!!  Here's a link to the video that made me lose it.

  In the Hallow of Thy Hand

State Track Meet 2014

Rhett, Brooklyn and Dalin all participated this year.  Dalin, as a 7th grader went for shot/discus.  He didn't actually throw far enough to qualify, but they took the top four from each school.  Needless to say, he didn't place and wasn't thrilled with his throws.  We're gonna bulk up this summer so he can be stronger next year. Ü  Here are some action shots: 

Poor Brooklyn.  I forgot my camera Friday with all the Bo drama, so I have no pictures of her doing her thing.  She is a freshman this year so it's her first year as  a HS athlete.  She finished 6th or 7th in both shot/discus.  

Rhett competed as a sophomore in the 1 mile, 2 mile and pole vault.  Again, no camera Friday so I didn't get an of him pole vaulting.  He finished 4th, but it doesn't count for points for some reason.  He also ran the mile, in which he finished 13th.  He ran his fastest time, but he hasn't really gotten any faster this year because he hasn't wanted to run.  He just wants to vault so he's been a stinker about doing his workouts.  Also, weirdly...he just likes distance.  He hates running the 800 and mile, but gets excited about the two mile.  Anyway, he finished 5th in the two mile with a PR of 11:27.  

This is him the first lap around, in the back.  The boy in front toasted him in the mile, but Rhett has endurance so he beat all three of these kids in the end.  

This is about the 6th lap where he pulled out and put a pretty good gap between them.

The big finish!  He really sprinted it out this time.  (he doesn't always)

Me trying to kiss him

Bo

Bo had a birthday!  He is officially NINE years old!  Last year time went by and a birthday party never happened.  We are determined not to let that happen this year.  But on his birthday, I took him McDonalds for lunch and shopping after school to spend his birthday money.  I had all the boys with me since we had some other things to do as well.  As it got later, it was decided we go to In and Out for dinner.  Bo actually resisted because he had his heart set on biscuits and gravy for dinner.  It just got to be too late.  He only protested for a minute. Ü

When we got home, Brooklyn had made these cute cookies for him.  I'm pretty sure I heard the words "best birthday ever!"  muttered somewhere in there.  

On Friday, as I was packing up their clothes to take them (Bo and Katy) for a sleep over at Chelsey's, my phone rang and I was informed that Bo had an accident at school and broke his tooth.  Dang, had I been twenty minutes faster picking him up, this never would have happened!  I immediately called our friend, Alex, who is a dentist and asked for his advice.  He happened to be getting groceries for a scout camp out he was leaving on at a nearby store.  I took Bo there so he could look at it.  Fortunately, we had the other half of his tooth with us.  He thought if we got it reattached quickly, we might be able to save his tooth.  I helped him grab a few more things at the store and we headed to his office.  

Bo was a champ and hung tight through it all.  It took over an hour and he was very patient and kept his humor through it all. I got to be the dental assistant since his office was closed at the time.  I'm so grateful he was willing to help us out.  We won't know for a couple of weeks if the tooth will die or not.  If it does...root canal.  Fun stuff right there.  His fixed tooth looks really good right now, just a slight difference in color.

How did he do it, you ask?  He was trying to juggle bowling pins during PE.