Joyfully Overloaded

Last night my Strong Man and I made our first decision about our teenager. Even though he’s still 18 months away from officially being one. There is a National Boy Scout event that only happens every four years. The next one is in 2021 and now is the time to apply. The commitment is big. He’ll have basically two troops his local one and then a troop that is formed just for this event. The scouts will have to raise approximately $2,000 each and will have to do some physical training in preparation. Just because he applies it doesn’t mean he’ll be accepted. It’ll happen in West Virginia and will be about two weeks time. Neither Strong Man or myself will be attending. I would love to go as a staff member, but my babe will be four and will be getting ready to go to pre-K. He needs to be with people that have had specilized training to help him learn academically. While we feel strongly about homeschooling the big ones I feel strongly that he needs to be in a school system. The idea...

Sweet Laughter, You're TEN!!  It blows my mind that ten years have past since I first held you close as you purred. Tonight I was looking through old photos of you and these three I think sum up your personality perfectly: Our super hero who is always ready to help.  Over these ten years we have watched you give all of yourself and sometime more to others.  Once you gave away all of your Christmas and birthday money to your friends.  You have physically over exceeded yourself with tasks to make life easier for others, it's not until we get home or much later that we realize just how sore your body is. We are learning that just because you offer doesn't mean you know when it's time to stop and take a breather.  At the same time the perseverance to love others at all cost has been beautiful, like that time we were in Japan and you gave a band aid to the little girl who scrapped her knee.  It's like you were born knowing that Love was a universal lan...

Today my two year old and I were playing trains on the the living room floor when he jumped up and ran into the kitchen. I assumed he was getting a forgotten train or car to add to the mix until I heard the crunch of 10 eggs hitting the floor. My big ones jumped into action by watching over him in the tub while I scrubbed the floors for the second time in a week. At first through barred teeth I sarcastically chanted, “ Praise Jesus... Hallelujah... Life is good...” but as I cleaned I remembered another two year old who once put a mixing bowl on the table and tried to add eggs so he could cook like Momma.  His favorite thing to do has always been to serve people, even back then while eggs dripped from the table to the floor he was trying to love me the way he had seen me love him. 2011 Ah and I realized life really is good. These moments will pass quickly. While I think the motives may have been different I am thankful to be a Momma of this boy. I really can’t im...

Sometimes plans change and sometimes unexpected gifts happen. Usually I have between 11 and 20 people in my home for Thanksgiving. This year with the way I have been feeling I canceled all of our plans. A few days later heard that this pretty lady was stateside and free for Thanksgiving. We had shared a cozy little apartment on the third floor of the castle when I lived in Hungary. My big ones fell in love with her the last time she visited. It took about three seconds for our Happy One to feel the same. This year Thanksgiving was simple with just a turkey pie, and fresh bread. It was good to sit with an old friend who knows me well. We talked about all of life, our deepest sarrows and our greatest joys since we last sat together. Our friendship always picks up where it left off. She is always good for my soul.

- You can quote the Sout law and Oath right along with them. - You know what it means to whip or fuse a rope. - You know the difference between a knot and a lashing. - You know every single fact about popcorn there is to know. - You’ve dreamed about popcorn.   - You’ve left signs on your door for the UPS man letting him know it really was you who order 15 cases of meat sticks. - You know the best fire staters and how to turn a cardboard box into an oven. - You’ve camped in temperatures below freezing... more then once... - You’ve been on wilderness adventure when a tree just wasn’t going to work for you like it did the boys and you’ve calculated just how long you can go without using a bathroom. - Your currently trying to psych yourself up for a winter camping trip. - You watch the scouts repeatedly step outside of there comfort zones to find that items actually not bad out there. - You keep your cool when critters visit your shelter in t...

November is my favorite month of the year. I love the crunch of leaves under your feet. The smell of the wood stove and the baked goods wafting from the kitchen. My favorite tradition is the thankful tree we create together. It started 10 years ago with some paper and crayons. As the month moves on we’ll add to it the little things that bring our hearts joy.  Honestly, I almost didn’t set it up this year. It’s one more thing I have to guard from my whirling-dervish but my middle boy he insisted we continue the trandition. So today school started late. The boys collected sticks while I cut up note cards. We played Christmas music to help set the mood.  My bigs ones fought. We experienced an epic two year old tantrum. I burnt myself while rushing at the stove to rescue the destruction of our new creation. Even still the two year old is in awe. The first note to go up was from one brother about the way the other brother loves.  My throbbing thumb is a sweet reminde...

You know what my least favorite holiday is?... Halloween... It's because of the candy.  The sugar high.  The constant asking for more junk.  The candy.  If you took the other 364 days and smushed them together my kids still wouldn't have had as much candy as they collect on this day. 2016 With that said there are some things I really do love about his day.  I love watching families come together and PLAY TOGETHER.  I love seeing how creative people are.  I love that my kids get to walk up to strangers and interact in a way that isn't intimidating for anyone.  But this year as we get ready to venture out into the pouring rain my biggest boy isn't coming.  This year he's bowing out.  About a week ago he said, "You know Ma someday I'll be too old for trick-or-treating.  I'm not sure I want to go this year." 2017 Back in the spring when he made my gym shoes his own I started noticing that he walks a little taller, t...