Hug!

Ignore the teary right eye. Ignore the food around his mouth. Focus on the thing he's holding. That wonderful thing called a book. My little man love books. I wonder where he gets that from? His current fav. for the day is Hug by Jez Alborough.

This is his favorite part - when the mommy finds her baby.

Here is Owen "reading" me the story of Hug.

Fishing Derby

Hunting and fishing, fishing and hunting.

My boys are turning into their father.

And I am oh-so-very glad!

We took the boys to a fishing derby on Saturday at Morgan Lake outside of La Grande. Caleb was excited to try out his new fishing pole that Gramma and Poppa got him for his b-day and Owen, well ... Owen was just excited.

I brought my book expecting it to be like many other fishing trips - lots of slow time. Little did I know... Caleb caught his first fish within 5 minutes and they never really slowed down. I started out taking pictures but then the 5 of us (our friend Tredd came also) became so busy landing all the fish that I couldn't read or take pictures! Here is Caleb with fish #1.

Here is Caleb with fish #2.

And here is Caleb with fish #3. ( I didn't take any pictures of fishes 4-18)

Tredd was in charge of Owen and at first he thought that was an easy job - Ha! Owen quickly showed him our number 1 rule when it comes to him - NEVER LOOK AWAY!

(Tredd almost lost an eye when Owen swung the pole around to show him his latest fish).

Owen is the cutest fisherman. I think the fish took one look at him and wanted to be caught. (Owen also caught around 15 fish).

After a while I got cold and retreated to the truck where I had left the food and my book. (I have finally checked out my next stack - the 2nd book from the top is Brideshead Revisited.) All in all, it was a great day had by all! (Well, maybe not the fish!)

Courage

This last Friday I attended a Celebration of Life service for a much-loved member of our community. Walt was a person who many loved, respected and admired. At age 41 he was much too young to die. However, I didn't attend the service for Walt. I attended the service because of someone I admire even more than him. I attended because of his wife Stacey.



Webster's dictionary defines courage as mental or moral strength to resist opposition, danger or hardship. It implies firmness of mind and will in the face of extreme difficulty. A person with courage has an ingrained capacity for meeting strain or difficulty with fortitude and resilience. In the last two years that I have known Stacey she has displayed more courage than I can even fathom.



During her husband's battle against cancer, Stacey has been his cheerleader, his nurse, his steadfast supporter, his wife. Once when we were talking in the hallway, I asked her how she managed to stay so positive and upbeat and she told me that she had her time to cry every day. She would wait until she was in the shower and then that would be her crying time, the time when she could let it all out. Once she was done and drained, she would get out of the shower and put on her brave face so as not to upset her children and husband by breaking down in front of them. Stacey chose to be the strong one, the one they could rely on and go to when they were hurting.

When I imagined what courage looked like in my mind, it was always courageous acts done in quick situations. For example, a mom protecting a child from an attacking animal or a soldier bravely placing himself in danger so that someone else would be safe. Those acts were very courageous yes, but they were such short and brief acts of courage that I couldn't help but feel like I could do them too. Stacy's brand of courage, the kind that lasts days, weeks, months, years - to me that is the kind of courage that I don't think I could do. To look at your dreams dying, your hopes dying, your husband and father of your children . . . dying. To look at all that and still get up each morning and put a smile on your face for your children and husband in order to ease some of their suffering - that to me is amazing.

While I pray that I am never tested in such a manner as Stacey, I also pray that if I am I will be half as strong as her. Strong enough to love my husband to the end the way she did and strong enough to honor his memory the way she did. Stacey is an example we can all look to when times get tough, someone who never gives up. When I picture courage in my mind now, Stacey is what I will see.

Busy Boys!

Caleb is so into his new toys that for the first time in his life, he did not come into my room and wake me up at the break of dawn. Instead, upon waking up, he ran around the house yelling at the top of his lungs "KABOOM! PEWW! PEWW! YOU GOT HIM! MOVE TO A NEW LOCATION! PEWW! PEWW!
Sleeping in is over-rated right? Right!? Someday. (sigh)

I decided to plant some flowers and Caleb happened to get some for his birthday. Caleb actually received 2 planters but he opted to share one with Owen (what a good brother) so we got busy. First the dirt.

Then we mixed the dirt around for a little bit until it was just right.

Then we planted. (no pictures of that as I had to supervise (help) with this part.) Next came the watering.

And now comes the waiting. Owen is still outside watching and waiting for his flowers to grow. He has requested his meals be delivered to him.

Last week we registered Caleb for kindergarten. He made a calendar there that will help him count down the days until school starts, as well as keep him (and me) busy. Each day has a little activity for Caleb to do.

The other day Caleb made a spring collage.

Don't squint - it's my bad picture taking skills! Today Caleb got to be a scientist.

He dumped in the baking soda ...

and then he added the vinegar. Whoosh!

He played with that stuff for at least 15 minutes and then it started to spill onto the floor and mom-the-meanie called a halt to the fun and games. He then told me he likes making "potions" and that he wants to be a scientist when he grows up.

Should the FBI be worried?

Fire Trucks!

This was the first year I let Caleb have a say in what kind of birthday he wanted. Normally, Mark and I just think of something fun and we go from there. Since Caleb was turning the manly age of 5, I thought I would ask his input.

Mom: "So Caleb, if you could choose your birthday party, what kind would you like to have?"

Caleb: FBI!!!

Mom: (I should have guessed that one) "Hmmm... what would your 2nd choice be?"

Caleb: Fire Trucks!!!

Mom: (thank goodness! Fire trucks I can do!) "Ok Caleb, thanks for your ideas!"


Fire trucks were the name of the game on Saturday. Aunt McMolly made Caleb's cake (like she does every year) and she never even bats an eye at my requests. Elmo - no problem, pirate ship - piece of cake (Ha!), bugs - bring it on, fire truck - do you want it standing upright or laying on it's side? She's awesome!

This is the only present-opening shot I was able to take because my batteries died (of course) and not one single grandparent brought theirs! (yeesh!) Luckily my friend Diana happens to carry everything (including the kitchen sink) in her purse so of course she had a camera and extra batteries for it when it died too! Caleb got a 5 dollar bill and I can't tell who's more excited, Mark or Caleb.

The day we celebrated Caleb's birthday just happened to be great-grandma's birthday too! Happy Birthday Great - Grandma!

After the gift opening came the fun part. We all headed over to Fire Station 2 for a tour of the big rigs.

Fireman Dan was our man.

We went through the station and out to the garage where we got to see the ambulance as well.

Caleb got to lay out on the gurney and even be hooked up to the heart monitor. Isn't he cute, my little plucked chicken?

Fireman Dan let all the kids shoot water out of the hose and try to knock down a cone. They did this again and again and again...

Caleb's 2nd favorite police officer (his daddy will always be #1) even stopped by to say Happy Birthday.

Fireman Dan finally turned the water off before we dried up a well and invited the kids to climb around inside the fire truck.

That concluded our trip to the fire station and we wrapped up the party with cake and ice cream. Caleb swears this was the best birthday ever but he did ask why the FBI never showed up. I told him I had to use the bathroom and could he excuse me for a moment? Mark and I tucked the boys into bed at 8:00 and I tucked myself in at 8:32. What a day!

5 years ago today...

5 years ago today...

God gave us you...

to make us laugh ...

to make us smile...

to make us appreciate...

to make us cherish...

to make us teach ...

to make us cry ...

to make us treasure ...

to make us give of ourselves ...

in ways we didn't know we could ...

to make us love without reservation, without holding back, without counting the cost to ourselves. 5 years ago today, God gave us you.