It’s already been 6 weeks since I last updated. I feel as though it was ‘just yesterday’ and at the same time there has been so much life crammed into the last 6 weeks I think “really, it’s only been 6 weeks?” In the last 6 weeks, we’ve had VBS, one slow’ish week, then attended 2 bridal showers, 3 weddings, I worked full-time for 2.5 wks, went to a local Bible camp for 4.5 days for our youth group trip, and had 16 family members & 2 friends using our home as ‘home base’ while here visiting in the state, we also had the rehearsal dinner here (44 people) for my cousin’s wedding.
So this update is an attempt at a ‘shortened’ pictorial version of this anti-socialite’s life 🙂 – God stretched me to the point I feel like a rubber band that has stayed stretched out, no more ‘bouncing back’ to my original shape. So, if you plan to read all the way through, get comfy – consider this is your warning as this post is loooong. It is once again day by day for my sake when I’m trying to journal pictures later…or just when I try to remember why I am so very tired.
Christine & I went to join friends at a local park
for a fun evening of play & visiting.
Plants on the deck are coming along. We planted a garden again this year, but we also wanted to keep some cabbage & lettuce (last year the moose got them). I told Vince he could make a container garden on our deck as long as he came up with an interesting container. He came up with the idea of tires – I love it! It seems the plants do too, we’ve decided the tires heat up & helps the plants grow well.
June 10th & 15th I went for training for filling in full time.
June 13th – 2pm was a bridal shower an hour away & at 7pm a wedding here.
June 16th-July 2th I worked full time. A very different life for the kids & I. My mom watched the kids for me. Mom, dad & the kids actually went to the cabin June 20-26th.
June 20th-26th I was home 100% alone & working all day. I haven’t lived that lifestyle since 1995! Life was VERY strange. They left Sat after the annual meeting at church – the rest of Sat & all day Sunday was the strangest. It was good for me. It was just long enough that I got past the weirdness of it & was happy when they came home. 🙂 Mom & the kids came home on the 26th.
June 27th was another friends wedding.
June 28th -mom, the kids & I went to town to go shopping for me to get things for going to camp & looking for clothes for my cousin’s wedding.
June 29th – after work we went into town again for more shopping…uggghhh, I really dislike shopping! We got home at 11:30pm!!!!
June 30th – after work I went to the airport to pick up Nate & Christina and their 5 kiddos. We went to eat in Anchorage. We got home 9:30pm & then visited for a couple hours. Oh yeah & I had to get a Creative Memory order in…
July 1st – Nate & Christina headed to the cabin. I went to work, then to a meeting for camp, then shopping to get the craft supplies for camp – home about 10:30pm.
July 2nd – went to work for half a day, went home & fell asleep sitting straight up on the swing on the deck for over an hour! Then 7’ish we headed to town again to take the truck to Jeremy’s apt for Uncle Dave & Aunt Sharon the next day. Home about 11pm.
July 3rd – needed to be at church by 12:30…at 12:15 in the Wal-mart parking lot, while sitting in my mom’s car, someone hit the car. No dents, just scratches – but still caused an adrenaline rush!
July 4th – was so different this year. This year I was at camp with other leaders & 46 students. Last year was the parade in a campaign year. Mom & my kids were home, they went to the parade & the Hughes’ picnic. Jon & Kathy got in & all headed to the cabin, there were 24 people there!
Our view when walking down the hill to eat or for meetings the Lodge.
July 7th- I climbed into bed at 2:10am and was up just a few short hours later. After spending hours working on getting the internet to work wirelessly for everyone…We four mom’s took the 13 kids to a park – it was so hot! We ended up going back to mom & dad’s to give them popsicles & let them play in the water. Josiah came in at midnight that night.
July 8th –
FAMILY
Gabby (left) is the youngest grandchild & only other girl on my dad’s side. Christina (pink) is married to Nate & has 5 sweeties. Kathy (right) is married to Jon & has 3 sweeties.
We don’t take it lightly and know we are so amazingly blessed to all love each other & get along so well. It is a heritage my grandparents started & prayed over. We just spent close to 2 weeks totally immeshed, all 13 kids most everyday all day. Yet, it still hurt to have them leave. Even though we went to bed way too late every night (even kids up too late every night) and the days were full days. Again I say, I’m so thankful the goodbye hurts because it means we care. If we didn’t care, it wouldn’t hurt.
Uncle Dave (Aunt Sharon’s husband) filled Vince’s love tank to overflowing. Uncle Dave loves to be in the kitchen cooking & so does Vince. He actually chose to stay home when we all went on a hike so he could cook with Uncle Dave for the rehersal dinner.
A small portion of our crew starting the hike.
It took 5 vehicles to get us all up to the mine! Of course I have many pictures of flowers. They were different than the ones going up the other trail. 🙂
Christine & I had to head down the mountain earlier than everyone else. The allergies were getting to be too much & I had to get to town to get paper for the wedding programs and back home for the rehersal dinner at 6pm.
July 9th (evening)– the rehersal dinner was at our house. How strange to have people from both of my hometowns at our house here. It was ‘mentally trippy’ :).
If I counted right we had 44 people here that evening.
At 12:30 Friday morning the 3 oldest girls had a sleepover in my bed.
The beautiful bride working on the bridesmaids’ bouquets.
Buckets of flowers!
By 1:30pm the centerpieces, bouquets, boutiners & food were as ready as they could be. So we went separate directions until 4, when we were to meet for manicure/pedicures. I went to Jo-Ann’s & Michael’s with mom & Aunt Sharon. We needed ribbon for the programs & something for the flower girls to carry.
I got my first pedicure. I figured it would be a fun memory for a first. I even got a design, one of the other girls got it & I liked it – so I copied her.
On the left are the 3 oldest girls – within a year or two. The younger ones rotate by family with some a couple months apart & a few being only a week apart.
The table in the backyard during the rehersal dinner was Jeremy’s table. Kate came back to the house to get something she forgot & saw them burning it after the dinner (it broke when trying to move it), she was sad & mentioned she’d really liked the legs. Vince snagged a leg & made it into a hanging rack – sanding it down & putting hooks on it. He gave it to her at the reception – she recognized it immediately & loved it. He was so pleased!
Mom & Dad with the little car. Dad & Vince brought the little car into Anchorage. Dad chauffered Jeremy & Kate away from the wedding in it.
July 12th – church, gathered for lunch & then all gathered up at Zach & Janes for a hot dog roast – but first Christine & I went to church for the camp wrap up (a crowd of 80+!). Fourteen of our family friends also joined us. Jon & Kathy left late that night.
July 13th – Nate & Christina left late-afternoon (flew out at 5:30pm). Unfortunately Christina got sick & ended up in bed ’til the moment of leaving. I took them in to the airport, made a couple stops to return stuff not used for the wedding & then home for a movie with mom, kids & Gabby. Uncle Dave & Aunt Sharon went to a friends for dinner with Josiah, who left late evening.
July 14th – Uncle Dave, Aunt Sharon & Gabby had to be packed & ready to go. We drove up to Matt & Samantha’s for a BBQ, Nick & Beth (WI friends) also joined us.
While at Matt & Samantha’s, Matt took Gabby & CJ to fly over the glacier. They came back, landed & ate, then we left. We were there just over an hour. Then headed back to drop off BBQ stuff, pick up the fish and luggage to take them to the airport to fly out at 9pm.
This brings us to today, July 15th…It was the first morning I didn’t have to be up by 6:30/7am & out of the house by 8/9am…I slept until 10:20 & Christine until 11! Mom left to go for a campout with friends down in Ninilchik and Vince went to a friend’s for R’s birthday – so it’s just CJ & I. How weird is that?! Today, I got to actually stop & look at my flowers on my deck & how they’re doing. Guess what – remember my hibiscus I couldn’t get to hang onto its buds & bloom? I put it on the deck a month or more ago, I thought it was dead, I just didn’t get around to getting it to the garbage & I’ve basically ignored it. Yesterday (or the day before) I noticed a bud & today it had bloomed! It had all turned yellow & looked very dead. I’m glad I never got around to pitching it. Also, my pots that looked so pathetic have filled out nicely. For some reason though, my Viola’s that should only get to 6″ are all 12-18″ high….who knows. I’m just thankful they are all still alive & I can slow down, breathe & enjoy them now.
I must say I’ve learned so much in the last year & the last 6-7 wks cemented it. I feel as though this picture from last week’s hike very aptly describes my life right now. Beautiful, with bends & curves I can’t see around – but it is still good. All essentials there, just not straight, practical, functional – the way I tend to think is best. My trust is growing thru all this. For an anti-socialite who is used to requiring a couple days to recover from one crowd to see how God does give strength to make it thru multiple crowds in a week or crowds day in & day out for weeks on end… I’m tired but content. God has provided above & beyond, exceedingly & abundantly above all I could ask or think. I’ve been too tired to ask, but He knew what I needed even when I didn’t get it requested.
Thank you, Heavenly Father, for knowing me – who I am in Christ.
Knowing what I need, when I need it & how much.