6 Takes...I didn't say that they would all be quick!

--- 1 ---

I turned 40 last Saturday.  I'm doing OK, thanks for asking.  In fact, I am doing great!  J and I had a chance to grab lunch together last Friday and have a mini-date.  I was talking to him about my impending birthday and I realized why this birthday was not hitting me like a ton of bricks, as I had been warned it might.  I'm exactly where I want to be in life.  I'm a happily married wife.  I'm a mom, something that was in serious question 10 years ago, and I mostly like who I am.  Perhaps at 50 I'll be able to say I totally like myself...we'll see!

--- 2 ---

Over Ivan's winter break we traveled to Disney World for a week.  It was a blast!  It was a different trip than the previous two.  Ivan is more opinionated and at times moody.  The World only exaggerates our best and worst qualities and Ivan is no exception to this truth.  However, the trip really represents a shift for me and how I look at Ivan.  That week really showed me how much he has grown up.  It's time for me to stop thinking of him as a little kid.  He is still a kid, but tween is right around the corner and I need to get prepared.  It's time for me to stop sheltering him so much.  I need to be willing to share more information about events around the world - age appropriate, of course.

--- 3 ---

My Bible Study Class concluded this week.  We will reunite in early September.  I always feel like I enter a small desert without the accountability that my Bible Study provides.  However, I did order several books that were recommended by my Moms in Prayer group at school.  I am hoping to improve my prayer life while I take a break from Bible Study this summer.  We'll see if I can be disciplined enough once school is out to get up early and have my quiet time.

--- 4 ---

I say it EVERY year, but my how time is flying!  Third grade is almost over!  Oh my, my kid will be a Fourth grader next fall.  Whoa.

--- 5 ---

J is hosting a rather lavish dinner party for me tomorrow evening.  When he first mentioned it I was less than enthusiastic, but now I am really looking forward to it.  He is serving surf and turf (Fillet Mignon and  Lobster).  Yum....

--- 6 ---

Sadly, Ivan is running a fever today.  Nothing too high like he experienced in January, but still it's hard to watch him not feel well.  Any prayers you could spare for a quick and complete recovery would be very appreciated.  Thanks!

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Most Improved!

Last night was Ivan's swim team banquet.  He was named the Most Improved 7-8 boy for this season!  All of that hard work he put in paid off, and a couple of 1 breathers didn't hurt either.  Way to go son.

edited to add:

August 19, 20012 - Tonight was Ivan's tennis team banquet.  Coach Jim awarded Ivan the "Coaches Award" for the 8U group!  Ivan had an AWESOME attitude win or lose every single match.  He worked really hard this summer on improving his tennis game too, but I think that the good attitude put him on top for this award.

Proud Mom over here.

Quick Takes #4

--- 1 ---

I can not believe that a week from tomorrow, we leave for our annual week at the beach!  This is the big family trip of the year.  My parents, my sister and her family are all there.  It is a week of fun, sun and chaos!  You never come home rested but it is always fun!

--- 2 ---

One week until the 2012 Summer Olympics officially begin!!  Our family is Olympic junkies.  J will watch anything if those 5 rings are involved.  Ivan and I are a little bit more discerning, but not much.  My sister and I swam competitively as kids and teens, so our whole family will be watching the swimming while we are at the beach together.  I can't wait!

--- 3 ---

J will be moving to a new job on Monday.  He is still with the same company, but in a different position.  He will now be a Project Manager as opposed to a People Manager.  The job came with a nice raise and extra bonus opportunity.  J is excited to be in a challenging new role, but I know that he is a bit nervous as well.  Neither of us loves change...at first.  Sadly, J will be travelling on business during the beach trip this year.  With the new job and all the timing is not right for vacation.  

--- 4 ---

We are having a great, but busy summer this year!  Ivan is on the swim team at our local pool, and on the tennis team too.  Those two teams have kept us hopping this summer.  Plus of course he had VBS and a week of basketball camp.  I don't believe in over scheduling Ivan's summer, but these were all things that he wanted to do and has enjoyed them immensely.  Now that we are almost done with swim team (this was our final week) we are really just down to tennis from here on out.  Also, as he gets older I see that he can handle more activities without getting overwhelmed.  

--- 5 ---

We are continuing to "church shop" this summer.  We gave our official resignation at the beginning of summer to our old church.  It's been more difficult than I would have hoped, but in the end it will be worth it because we will be where God wants us to be.

--- 6 ---

Wednesday we celebrated our 7th Family Anniversary Day!  We went to dinner at a local fondue restaurant at Ivan's request and enjoyed being together.  My Mom and Dad gave us a lovely keepsake book with all of the emails and pictures that we sent home while we were in Kazakhstan that summer.  It's a real treasure.

--- 7 ---

J and I have begun to plan our surprise trip to the "Happiest Place on Earth" .  Our code name for the trip is Las Vegas.  We have booked a hotel room and secured park tickets.  Now we are trying to plan for our dinner reservations, so that when we are 180 days out I can call and get our tables reserved.  We are planning to give this to Ivan as a Christmas gift this year.  We will be travelling during his winter break in February.

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Swimmer of the Week!

Today Ivan was named as the 7 - 10 year old boy swimmer of the week for our summer swim team!  He works so hard at every practice.  He may never be like Michael Phelps, but he sure tries hard.  The coaches were particularly impressed with how diligent he is about counting his strokes into the wall in backstroke every. single. time.

Way to go son!

Biker Boy

Today Ivan rode his bike without training wheels for the first time!  He did a great job and I couldn't be prouder of him!!  We removed the training wheels a while ago, but just had not found the right time or weather to get out there and try it.  Today however, all of those things just lined-up and off we went.  J helped him get to the cul-de-sac and then we took turns helping him along.  He needs to work on not leaning to one side or the other and of course trusting himself, but those things will come with time and practice.  He does have a skinned knee but it is actually from the scooter ride (he's been riding his scooter for well over a year now) that he took after riding his bike.  The pine cone just jumped out in front of him...or something.  He's getting so grown-up!

Swimmer of the Week!

Today Ivan was awarded Swimmer of the Week at our swim club! The coaches award this honor once a week in each practice level. Ivan is in the 6 and unders this year and he was recognized as the Boy Swimmer of the Week in his practice. This is Ivan's second year on the swim team and he is doing great. The coaches announced what makes someone swimmer of the week and I think that is what makes it such a wonderful recognition.

The Swimmer of the Week is described as follows:

*The swimmer comes to practice every day

*The swimmer works hard during practice

*The swimmer has great sportsmanship

*The swimmer has a positive attitude

I must say that when they were describing what makes the swimmer of the week I thought to myself "that sounds like Ivan!" I'm his mom I know, but he's a good kid who works hard and really does stay positive! He is not one of the top swimmers, but he goes to practice every morning and works on whatever the coaches are instructing about that day.

Ivan was really excited about the whole thing. He got a new QHST Swimmer of the Week backpack to keep and carry. He took it to Nana and Papa Wayne's last night as his overnight bag.

I'm so proud of who Ivan is becoming.

When you wish upon a star...

We are off to the house the mouse built for a week! I'm sure that there will be plenty to share when we return. We are all SO excited!!

TTFN!

I wanted to say no...

This afternoon I was feeling a little blah. Not sad exactly, but not my usual self for sure. I was on the couch in the den when Ivan came in from his playroom. He climbed right onto my lap and we were face to face. He asked me what I was doing and I asked him what he was doing and then he asked me if I wanted to go out and play basketball* with him. I wanted to say no. I wanted to say no way, I am sitting here feeling all blah and I don't want to get off of the couch and go outside where it is cold. But I didn't. I looked into those wonderful, brown eyes and said "Sure, that would be great". I knew it would lift my mood and that those are the moments that memories are made. I was right. We had a great time, a ball in fact. J joined us about halfway through and it became a family moment. Life is good.


*Basketball at this time/age is passing the ball, dribbling the ball and very little shooting. He loves it though and that is enough for me.

All over the place for 10 minutes...

I write in here so rarely. What a pity really as I was planning on using this as my "memory book" for Ivan one day. There are several unfinished posts in my drafts folder with thoughts jotted down that were intended to become entries at one time or another. Some may most won't.

I'm slowly but surely turning the corner on my grief for Sherman. March 4th will be one year since I was last able to rub my favorite ears in all the world. I am slowly opening myself to the thought of another dog in our home. Decisions, decisions.

We have been blessed with the opportunity for another trip to Disney World in April. Thanks to a monetary gift at Christmas and the use of a friend's timeshare we will be heading to "The World" a whole lot sooner than we ever thought possible. This trip will be SO different from the one we took last year. We are travelling with my sister and her family for starters. We are driving and staying off property. We will be on a major budget with no dinning plan to splurge with. However, it's all good...we are going to get to see Ivan at Disney World while he is still unaware of "coolness" and worrying about others. Blessings abound.

That's ten (very interrupted) minutes. I'll try to do this again when Ivan is not home and my niece is not here too!

Growing Up!

Today Ivan turned 5! Where has the time gone and who is this grown-up boy? Happy Birthday little angel. May this next year bring you even more joy than the past 4.

I SO excited about the beach!

This has been Ivan's refrain for the past 5 days and tomorrow we finally leave for the beach. Ivan is looking forward to spending time with two of his favorite cousins, his favorite aunt and uncle, and of course with Nana and Papa Wayne. He is also thrilled about the beach house that my parents have rented for all of us for the week. Of course he is looking forward to playing in the sand and surf and everything else that accompanies a family vacation at the beach.

For me however, there is all of that and so much more this year. My Dad will be with us. There was a time, not too many months ago, when I was not sure that would be possible ever again. In fact, when my Dad was unconscious my sister and I would sit with him and hold his hands. We would tell him to "keep fighting Daddy" and to think about the beach this summer and to think about the kids piling sand on his feet and calling them frog houses or crab condos. It was one of the things that we would remind him of almost every day. I know that Daddy survived his pancreatitis because of God's grace and his strong will to live, but I also know that part of that will to live comes from the desire to see his grand kid's grow-up. He doesn't remember anything about his time while he was unconscious or much from when he first regained consciousness. However, I do believe that this week will be very rewarding for my sister and me as we watch our children do exactly what we told Papa Wayne they would do with the sand and his feet. I know that I will be emotional this week at the beach just thinking about how we almost lost Dad this year - and never saw it coming. I don't mind though, because I So excited about the beach too.

VBS - a whole lot of learning goin' on!

Ivan and his 3 year-old cousin, Caroline, attended a fantastic Vacation Bible School this week at our church. It was called God's Big Backyard and it focused on teaching the children how they could influence the world around them through their Christian love and generosity. They made care kits for children in the hospital, as well as hygiene kits for the homeless. They also collected canned goods for a local rescue mission.

Ivan really enjoyed his week and seemed to love singing the songs from the take home cd. He listens so well and seems to take so much of it in. I love seeing my child love God and his friends in such a loving and gentle manor.

A morning in the park...

Today Ivan and I went to the park after his speech therapy session. It was a clear fall day with a hint of warmth in the air. Ivan walked around the brick edge holding my hand. Then he played with the stationary "digger" in the sand. Next he rode on all of the little bobbing animals, finally riding the seal with his feet thrown over the back so that his little legs formed a V and his body was pressed against the seat. There were many "LOOK Mommy!"(s) and I obliged every time exclaiming about how cool whatever he was doing was. Finally, Ivan made his way over to the swings (his favorite activity at the park). He climbed in and I started to push him. We swung in silence for a few minutes and then we started to sing our ABC's and count to 10. As I stood there singing with my beautiful boy, it hit me like a ton of bricks. It's moments like this that make being a stay at home mom one of the most wonderful blessings that God has graced me with.

Sisterly Love...

One afternoon last week at the beach my sister and I spent some much needed time away from the kids et al. We sat on the beach and went swimming while the kids napped inside the house. That hour and a half was the most relaxing time of the whole trip for me. We sat on the beach chatting and exchanged thoughts on life as it is today. Then we took a nice, long, leisurely swim in the ocean. The only reason that we got out was we heard thunder rumbling in the distance. So we had to head back inside and return to "the real world" once again. I really loved the time that I got to spend with my sister at the beach last week.


This past Monday morning the unexplained rash that appeared on my thighs and the backs of my arms while we were at the beach became unbearable. I wanted to scratch myself raw I was itching so much. So I called the Dr's office to see when they could fit me in and then I called my sister. She was more than happy to look after Ivan for me while I went into the office. Once I returned to her house, her oldest child needed to go to the Dr to have her ankle looked at by her Dr. My sister's youngest was still napping upstairs so Ivan and I just made ourselves at home downstairs and had lunch while she took my niece to the Dr. It's days like these two that make me so happy that I have my sister in my life.

It also makes me want to give Ivan a sibling...

Home Again...

We are back safe and sound from our excursion at the beach. Everyone had a wonderful time, but it is always good to come home again.

More later...yawn. I need a nap.

Let Them Eat Sand!

We are off to the beach tomorrow. We will be gone for a week. It won't be relaxing with three kids (5, 2, and 1) but it should be interesting! Thankfully there are two adults for each child so no one should get lost.

TTFN!