Friday, July 8, 2016

Brazil, Nerves, and Kiddos - DONE

Yay!  The husband came home day before yesterday, and I am SO GLAD this thing is done with.  Ugh.  I feel like all the energy, life and motivation has completely drained out of me, and all I want to do is lie on the floor in a puddle of mush and be taken care of for a while.  Ha, if only life were so simple.

Waiting for Daddy at the airport

In the 48 hours surrounding Philip and Stasia's homecoming, I made 2 loves of banana bread, a batch of chili in the crockpot, an asparagus crab bisque, cinnamon rolls, and strawberry shortcake-- all from scratch.  All of which is now consumed, but I'm too tired to be in the kitchen and make anything else. Maybe we'll do omelets again for dinner.  That's easy enough.

The happy mamas
The exhausted mamas
There were three mamas whose husbands were in Brazil. We just about did a victory dance at the airport that we (and our kiddos) all survived this experience.

The kiddos had about a day of adjustment to having Philip home again.  There was that weird time where I was their primary go-to person, even when Philip was right there.  I have heard it's normal, so we are taking it in stride.  I have been more stressed than I anticipated, and am struggling with over-dramatic emotions, stresses over little things, and I've been praying that God will change me. I think we will survive.

Wearing their soccer jerseys Daddy brought them

When I picked the kiddos up from Joni's house (They spend 2 nights there so I could clean house and they wouldn't be bothered by the fireworks) she told me that Juli's dog was pregnant.  Jayce had asked how the puppies got in the mama's tummy-- did she eat them?  Why would she eat puppies?  How were they going to come out?  Through her mouth?  Would Juli have to cut the mama open?  After Joni said they came out trough her bottom, Jayce stopped asking questions.  Phew.

Sissy with her Brazil headband from Auntie Stasia
Yesterday, Philip and I went to pick up cabinets for the kitchen.  Philip borrowed the trailer from his dad, and the cabinets all barely fit.  But, hey, I'm gonna get a real kitchen in the Tall House!  Yay!  This is a major step towards being able to move in! Tuesday they are doing the template for the countertop, and then it'll be installed 2 weeks from then.  I also finished planting the trees around the house, so I'm glad that's done.  So far all my green-leafy things have survived, and I'm excited to have so many varieties!

Gonna be a kitchen!!!



Planting my forest
Today, I took Gram shopping. I love spending time with her and hearing about the past (WWII, her life growing up, etc). Her wisdom and sense of humor are awesome, and I appreciate her outlook on life. She enjoys spending time with the kiddos, and I'm glad they can have memories with her. She told me today that during the war, the song "You are my Sunshine" was popular. The Pacific Islanders heard it so much from the American troops that they thought it was our national anthem.

Helping Grandma Rose


Wednesday, July 6, 2016

Brazil, Nerves, and Kiddos - Day 12

Hey hey!  Guess what?!?!?! 12 hours, 11 minutes, and 15 seconds until Philip's plane lands!!!  Not that I'm counting down at all.

"Look! Pigs!" -Anya

With Mom's neighbor girl, watching the tow truck

I'm so excited!  It has been an incredible 2 weeks, and I am very ready for my husband to be HOME.  But really, the kiddos have been fantastic.  There was a process of realizing that all the rules still apply even when Daddy isn't here, but otherwise, they have had great attitudes.  I think "unplanning" (to use a friend's terminology) everything and taking each day slowly made this experience so much better.  There were very few commitments I held, and we lived life slowly at the pace of a 3-year-old.  I rather wonder if that's not what God intended all along?  Or, at least, what is best.  The relational, flexible, fluid days that enhance life, not stress it out. Hmm.

Jayce at his friend's birthday party 

I know that people have been consistently praying for me.  It's so wonderful how God answers prayer, gives His strength, and gently takes care of us.  I expected this time to be miserable, and it really wasn't.  Sure, I miss my husband like a crazy woman.  However, His grace is sufficient and this turned out to be a much needed time for me and the kiddos to connect, enjoy each other, and just be together without distractions and a more demanding schedule.

That being said...  What have we been up to the last week?  Well, a friend graciously invited us over for dinner on Friday.  My kids got to run and play on their extensive property, and I got to sit in the shade and chill out and not make dinner.  It was fabulous.  Saturday, we went to the rodeo with my sister Juli, and another friend.

Hanging out at the rodeo

This guy melts my heart!

Sunday began the crazies.  After church, I let Anya nap at Mom's house while I took Jayce to a friend's birthday party.  He came back tired, and got a short nap before we all joined Uncle Daniel at another rodeo in town.  We had a great time, and this time we took the stroller so the kids wouldn't have to walk so far.

Our favorite uncle and a very happy nephew

A pleased Sissy, all giggly and wiggly

We spent the night at Mom's house because Monday morning was a parade in town!  The kiddos didn't remember what a parade was from last year, and after we sat for a while waiting, a cop rolled by, lights flashing.  They asked if the parade was over?  Once the parade actually started, they loved seeing the horses (Anya's favorite) and the motorcycles (Jayce's favorite).


Mama's favorite thing at the parade






Returning to the house, my car refused to start so we could go home and take naps.  Two jumps later (God bless the person that invented AAA) I got a tow into our mechanic while the kiddos napped at Mom's house.  I'm glad she was able to help so much and be flexible!  My first ride in a tow truck.  I guess that's cool.

In a tow truck.  Happy 4th of July to me.

Juggling a few things, I picked up the kiddos after nap in Stasia's car, and took them to Philip's parents house to eat leftovers from their 4th of July BBQ.  By then, I was completely done with all things adventurous and celebratory, and was ready to just go home.  Joni agreed to let the kiddos stay the night so they wouldn't be bothered by the fireworks here in town. I'm glad she did, because fireworks (huge, miserable, noisy, obnoxious things...) kept going until after midnight. Bleh. I sat in the back of the pickup in our yard and just watched all the fireworks around me, alone, and quite content.
We found a little frog, which was very
cute until it peed on me.  Anya was
very adamant, pronouncing to the reptile,
"We are PEOPLE, not POTTIES!"

This morning, the mechanic called and they had my car done!  I was so surprised they got it done so soon, and so thankful.  The rest of today I cleaned and baked and cooked and did some laundry.  I can't wait for Philip and Stasia to be home tomorrow.  11 hours, 53 minutes, and 26 seconds.  But who's counting??