lather...rinse...repeat

I wish I had been doing a better job blogging this summer. Hudson especially has done and said things that have made me cry from laughing so hard. But I've been a slacker and so those things are lost in the fog that once was my brain. Anyway...summer so far has mostly been days and days of about the same thing. While that sounds great to some and should be relaxing to me, I just have this feeling like I'm not accomplishing anything. Yes, I'm spending quality time with my kids. Yes, I am enjoying visiting with my friends and getting to know new ones. Yes, I love having Andy around to join in on most of the fun. But in a weird way it is stressing me out. Always on my mind is Andy's job search - the strain it is on him and on us. I'm anxious about my new position as a kindergarten teacher and always thinking about what needs to be made, the curriculum I need to review, the room that needs to be put together...Ok - enough of that. Jake went to day camp this year with our church and had a blast. He made a new friend which is a double benefit - friend at church and he lives in our neighborhood. He can't wait to go next year when they get to sleep there. The note that his counselor wrote to him on the last day made me so proud.

On Friday night we went to my dear sweet friend Betsy's house to cook out, drink margaritas, talk and catch up, and let the kids run wild. They had a blast, baby Madi is gorgeous, and as always my time with Betsy was just what I needed. Andy and Jeff played rock band and we got to talk (ok, I talked and she listened) but as usual, she knew this was exactly what I needed.sweet Madi after being the canvas for Ella and Abby's masterpiece
Abby turning the paint on herself
the boys

We had a great time and I hope we get to do it much more often.

Today we went to meet the newest DeArman...McKinley Grace. She is perfect! Jake and I got our baby fix - he's almost as much of a baby hog as I am. He even cried walking to the car because he did not like the answer that we aren't having any more babies in our house. (I know Jake...I cry sometimes too.)
And for those of you still here after this super long post...please continue to pray for our family and for Andy as he continues to look for a job. It's a difficult path God has us on and we are growing weary.

Until next time...

Daddy's Day

We started the day with a great sermon. Had a good lunch together - the 5 of us. Decided to join some neighbors at the pool (daddy's favorite summer activity). Had another great meal at Nana and Poppy's with my parents and Mark's family. Then Mum and Grandaddy took the kids back to our house while Andy and I ended a good day with a hilarious movie. I am blessed. My dad is the absolute best. I love my father in law. And I am married to the most incredible man...he is an incredible dad. Happy Father's Day!

absence

it really does make the heart grow fonder :)

abby and hudson went to my parents' house yesterday to attend vbs at their church. so from sunday to wednesday it's just me, andy and j-man. this is by far NOT the first time i have been without 1 or 2 or ALL of my kids, but i was just in bed trying to fall asleep and a feeling of peace just came over me. while i have totally enjoyed how easy it is to have only my oldest, most self-sufficient to care for, and the individual attention he gets from this time, i was reminded all at once how much i love my life. lately being in the middle of it all, and with all of the additional stresses life is handing us right now, i have been spending most of my days living minute to minute and chore to chore. it just hit me...i really really do love my life. the noise, the bickering, the wrestling, the crumbs and spilled drinks, the constant stuff everywhere, the laundry, the attitudes, the random "i love you"s, the every-five-minute request for a snack/drink/popcicle, the crying, the not enough time in the day to check off my to-do list, the bakugans and "little monsters" covering every square inch of floor, the inability to have a complete conversation with andy...

so here i am, out of bed at 1 am writing this down. because when wednesday rolls around i'll need this handy when it all starts again. i am blessed.

what's it to you?

So I guess telling Andy that I wanted Hudson's hair to be shorter for the summer was not descriptive enough. I know, I know...it will grow back. But mama's not happy.