From Twig to Branch

Ranne is growing up too fast, faster than I can blink. Lately when looking at him, I have a strange overwhelming urge to just sit on him to make him stop.

Here the boys are on Ranne's first day of school. Yes, his pants are rolled up. Being the mother I am, I was not going to buy him new pants for school and have him grow out of them in the first week. I tried getting a serious picture as well, without his brothers, but the sprinkler soaked my backhalf as I tried to edge further from the house into the yard, all as the neighbor came up to talk. We were late.

And then, what does he go and do but loose his first tooth, on his first day of school! The nerve. Scott took him to the dentist the day before so he could have that experience. The hygentist discovered his tooth was loose. Why did he never mention it? Perhaps it's similar to when I was his age and discovered my hair fell out; I thought I had cancer and was dying. I saw it happen in a movie and assumed I was a gonner but didn't tell Mom for months, sure it would crush her. Ranne was pretty giggly over his tooth discovery, though.

To add to the tooth story, he submitted to the 'Tooth Fairy" game, knowing it's a game and who the fairy is. He and I put the tooth under the pillow and had a big conversation about it to be playful. Well, the fairy is new to this business in the Free House, having just graduated (or been forced into the job). She FORGOT to put the prize under the pillow and woke to find a teary son staring at her as she slept. He tossed the tooth on the bedside table and said, "THIS is what she left me." AHHHHHHH. The pain. The sadness and disappointment. Why did I have to forget the first time! I made up for it the next night with the quarter and a note written in tiny fairy print.

Lastly, here are the new wheels--and gas tank. It, as the man who sold it told us, is not a sipper. But, it will get our people around, as well as a couple extras. It also keeps us, me, sober when deciding whether a trip across town really has to happen. Most often it's "no", though cabin fever has set in. We do have the Fiat for commuting around town when it's just Scott or myself. We hope to get that going fairly soon. Yet the Suburban is a 99 so has some work to be done first, like getting the doors to open from the INSIDE. We are blessed to have it. So blessed!

Otherwise, baby is active and progressing. We expect her arrival any day, hoping is sooner rather than later. Due date is, again, September 7th but she's already big and healthy.

God bless you.

Buying Bourbon

We have gratefully been borrowing some friends' Suburban until we can find a vehicle. It's strange to be a family without any wheels at all, to say the least. A friend and I talked in Chick-Fil-A today about working toward an attitude of gratitude while purposefully living with less. It's hard to train a child's heart toward contentment we ourselves struggle while making sacrifices and trying to shuffle important things like modes of transportation. The urgency combined with desire to be wise with God's provisions can be a difficult mixture. I'm glad the search is over.

Since we've been driving our friends' vehicle, our two-year-old talks about going to get in the Bourbon. We've been a little amused by this. Well today we bought Bourbon, a 99 Suburban with 140,... miles on it. We've been praying that God help us find a dependable way to move our four little people around. Today we found the first reasonable option and our offer was accepted. We were able to purchase it and purchase a couple things like tires and brake pads for what we sold our two cars for minus what we've spent on vin number checking and mechanic checks on a couple other cars. This one has some work needed, but nothing we're intimidated by or can't do personally. We're thanking God and will continue to even when things break. At least we have a way to get to the doctor to have a baby!

Which reminds me, the church threw a beautiful duel shower for the babies coming. My cousin did the decorating for it and it was so pretty! Yellow, white, black and gray colors with a tea-like theme. The ladies made wonderful treats and the church was beyond generous. We're going through all the clothes and blankets with much anticipation ('I' would be more appropriate; Scott's tolerating the mess as I try to organize). The other woman is Marin. She's due about a week-and-a-half before ours.

Otherwise, Ranne begins first grade on the 16th. We take him in for registration on the 11th. I am very jittery about this and worry about whether or not he's ready. They've said NOTHING about our home schooling him or asked to check and see where he's at academically. I worry a bit with his dyslexia as well as wonder whether the fact that some letters he hasn't figured out how to write properly will be a problem. But I'm sure he'll catch up fine. He reads well. I know he'll be a precious boy in class. It will be good for this silly mom to see the school and meet some people. Sigh. I feel like such a nerd.

Here are some pictures from the shower:

Seriously?

We just tried to read this night out of a book by Barbara Park. It centers on a kindergartner named Junie B. Jones. My reaction to the book: SERIOUSLY? Even Ranne became wide-eyed when he heard her treatment of adults in the book and her whinning. Nice.

Aside from that, Trey is sick today. I put him to bed last night with a fever of 99.0 that developed on our drive home from bible classes. He woke at that temperature but it is now 102 with Tylenol. Lord willing it's a quick passing ordeal. He has no other symptoms other than not being hungry. I asked him, "Where did you get this bug?" He just said, "It was on my shoulder." He's been sleeping or slowly creeping through the house while wearing a greet hat, diaper and nightshirt. Very pitiful.

Ranne and Toby have been playing very well together this last week. Only today does it seem to be getting old. We need to get out and about, I think. Too much down time. I'm actually all caught up around here.

We're fairly certain camp sessions will all be closed this year due to fire danger and restrictions. The large burning outside of Los Alamos labs began five miles from the camp facilities. Unless a miracle occurs, Scott will not be able to teach this year. Everyone is praying it's God's will for it to open so we won't be surprise, though VERY pleased, if it does rain and camp is able to be held for the highschoolers, as well as other age brackets.

Baby seems to be doing well. She's violent at times. We are to have an ultrasound on Wednesday, our anniversary, to check out her progress. That should be a fun experience, if I can find a sitter so Scott can go.

Scott submitted plans to the city of Albuquerque today, the deadline, to change zoning and build an addition onto the Student Center. It is quite a feat to consider. The design that he and Garrett schemed up with the architect fits with all the neighborhood's goals, personality in design, and requirements. The addition is a second story, which the building was designed for years ago, so will take no additional property. Prayers for that to proceed without hangups would be appreciated. It would provide considerable funds for the facility so donations could be focused on outreach, at least more than building bills and upkeep. It would also provide a safe and affordable solution for housing to ministry students.

Brendan generously drew-up what the building would look like if built so it could be shown to the architects and others. The businesses who saw the drawings were very impressed with his talent. That was fun to hear!

Dad and Brenda are coming for a week or more beginning on the 8th. We're looking forward to that! Hopefully I remember to get out the camera and actually take some pictures! Remind me!

Prayers for the Neighbor

Scott went to ask about our little, missing neighbor. His grandmother and aunt, flustered and frustrated, said that a woman down the alley called them into CYFD. The grandmother said it was reported that the kids were out at all hours (true) and climbing over fences (ours, with permission, and the house next to us, with permission). So, the kids were taken about a week ago. I'm sure it was more than their being in our yard. No one ever came to question us about it; CYFD is fairly thorough in its investigations.

Before he disappeared, the boy mentioned being in a fight at school and his regret with the guilty feelings over it. There were also times he wasn't allowed in the apartment because things such as 'his aunt was getting a new tattoo'. So, we're super sad. We were given the phone numbers of the family who has them. Scott called to ask if we could take the boy to VBS. The new caretaker was not interested in that but took our names and number down. So, I'm feeling really bad for not investing more there and am praying that he and his sister can survive CYFD's intervention as well as their family. Ug.

Playing Catch (Up)

From latest to earliest this summer, you'll have a little glimps of our lives. The latest camera we have is by far of lesser quality than the one my dad gave us at Ranne's birth. Alas, that one wore out so when we bought this one, we were very saddened by the lack of quality. Taking pictures just hasn't been as rewarding so there are not as many.

Ranne at his cousin's ballet recital.

First Birthday Sleepover! Backpacks ready....

The party really happened the morning after the sleepover. When we went to pick up the boys, they were in the middle of sprinkler, slip-n-slide games. So, we went on a little hike in the foothillls where we found a rattler, after we stepped over him. Very exciting. Never hike to close to your partner or your feet will land in the same place before warning can be given!


Just sweetness. We play a lot here on Mountainside church's playground.


Once a year or so, ladies from the 'westside' get together for a fancy dinner out, or desserts, or whatever they can come up with. This time it was high tea at: St. James Tearoom. Very fun!

Here is Kristine and Rebekah:


The meal:


Tory, Leslie and Casey:


And of course, we wouldn't know our neighborhood nearly so well if we didn't have Ranne in our lives. Here are several friends he's aquired.


This is one special dude. We haven't seen him in a few weeks and intend to hunt him down here soon, hopefully tonight. Maybe he went to be with his Dad in TX? We miss him.

Ball games! Here the boys are watching a UNM softball game. A CSC student was playing on this team until recently.

Our dear neighbors' son and Ranne's good buddy. His Hulk seems to be the pillow for yard lounging and also seems to be the dummy for testing dangerous stunts they scheme up.

Scott and I were very blessed with a trip to CO. A ministry there allows ministers and their spouses to stay for free when the cabins are not in use. The couple who keeps the camp going even had us for dinner: elk burgers (that the wife shot), baked fries, salad,.... Amazingly good. Here are pics of the hike we went on and our cabin where we stayed. It was bigger than our house: three bedrooms, two baths, etc.

Yes, we gave the boys their birthday gifts at least a month late. The football Ranne is opening and adored was stolen the next day, while we were on that trip to CO and the boys were at a softball game with their friends. Bummer.

Oops. Somehow this got pushed to the end. Well, she's cute. It's a good ending.