Bungee Jumping

It seems fitting that today I will post a crazy Adam story. I'm writing this post, almost to the minute, 6 years after this monkey entered our lives. We have lots of nick-names for him and they all describe his spirit. He is fun loving, creative and really keeps us on our toes. If things get to peaceful at our house you will always hear one of us say "where's Adam?"

This past Friday I was home and Kyle was at work. Adam was playing with bugs in the backyard and I was enjoying some couch time. The next thing I know he is on our back deck soaked, muddy and crying. "I ripped my pants" he's saying over and over. After some love he tells me that he was clipping his belt loop to our dog run. This is a rope tied between two trees with a leash on it so our german shepherd can run the length of our yard. This long rope runs horizontally to our drop off that leads to our creek. Well that crazy kid was clipped to the leash and throwing himself backwards off the drop and letting the rope fling him back up, that's right bungee jumping. Well you can all guess what happened, the loop broke and he went flying down landing in our creek. Oh Adam, only you. Luckily all was well, but it could have been horrible. I wish I had seen it, but I know in the moment I would have been terrified. Really though, I have to laugh because it's just one more of those moments in life where God has put a bubble around that kid and kept him safe. I figure God is saving him for something special as an adult.

What a special gift Adam is in our lives. He is an original kid that gives his love so freely. He is known to do sneak attacks of love - in fact just last week as I was getting in the van he said "I just love you so much I have to kiss you right now." And he planted a big one right on the kisser! What a joy.

He is now cuddled down to watch a movie, he has a cold on his birthday so I get to stay home from work with the birthday boy. I think I better go cuddle in with him! Happy Birthday sweet boy.

Spring Break Is Not Almost Over!

Oh wait, it is. How did the time go so fast. I actually totally forgot I had a blog I was so busy. But now I have had a relaxing break and remembered I wanted to keep this thing updated.

Alex has finished up basketball season, Sarah is full-on into her piano lessons and getting ready to celebrate her 8th birthday and Adam is still busy being Adam, almost 6 (what?). It's been a couple weeks of regression for the birthday kiddos however. Adam had a day where he was on criminal act number 20 when after riding the laundry basket down the stairs, drawing my attention, I realized he had cut his hair! Again!! The boy had no idea that I would be upset, or so it seemed because when I asked him if he had cut his hair he very calmly looked at me and said "yeah". I found the hair all over my bathroom later to prove it. Now he sports an odd uneven look in the back, how did he not draw blood? Luckily the damage in the front just blended in.

Then just a couple of days after that I discovered Sarah's American Girl doll, which she has only had for three months, had been given a trim. When telling this story people react with, "oh how could Adam do that", before I get the pleasure of telling them that my sweet daughter did it herself. She however did know it was wrong and felt so bad she asked for no birthday gifts, "just please fix my doll". So of course we were so touched by her attitude about it we got her gifts and we will also fix the doll. Suckers! So every pair of scissors will now be locked up and they are never allowed to touch them again! Or at least until I forget or until Adam discovers where we are keeping them and gives the cat a trim or something.

blurry picture from Kyle's iPhone. It's the most recent one I have sadly. Don't they look sweet having fun together?! No cutting tools anywhere in sight.

Love is in the Air

It's so nice when I plan a little something special for the kids and family and it actually happens! This is rare, mostly due to my schedule right now. But we have recently been working with our kids on the true meaning of love and I really wanted to come in and support that with actually celebrating V Day!

So on Sunday night I made a pancake dinner, heart shaped of course and set the table with goodies and I had bought a few treats for the kids to enjoy. I made them go upstairs while I got everything decorated and ready, then had them come down for the big reveal. They were so excited, so funny how easy it is to please them. Why do I forget that so easily and not try more? Mental note - must do this more often!

While we ate dinner I asked the kids who they loved. Adam had the best answer - I love Jesus because He died on the cross for my sins and I love mom and I love dad. Wow. He paused for a bit and then kindly added his siblings to the list.

I am happy to say that currently no kiddo in our family wants a girlfriend or boyfriend. Alex is actually grossed out at the thought. I think secretly Sarah wouldn't mind, especially if it was one of the members of Big Time Rush, but her dad is gonna be pretty hard to convince that a boyfriend is a good idea until she is at least 25!

Alex got a microscope. Not a great one, but when your 9 you really don't care.
Sarah got a knitting craft and Adam got a craft set too.
Kyle got bacon!
Our table setting - even broke out the china!
And our dessert, provided by Suzanne Schmidt. They were oh so yummy!!!

Holy Cow! I have a blog...

What?! Oh I still have a blog, hard to believe after 8 months of silence. However a few nights ago I stumbled upon my printed out old blogs and realized I needed to get back on the blogging ride. Mostly because it's the only journal my kids will have of their young life. I read back over funny stories of how they started school and were living life almost a year ago and was kicking myself for taking such a long break. So I officially announce my return to storytelling my life for my kids enjoyment later.

It seems silly to update the last 8 months, so I will just say that almost nothing is the same as it was when I made my last blog update. I have a new job, Central Linn Choir/Music slave :) Kyle is the band director at Jefferson High - we are hoping for more hours for him and a few less for me. We are still running a private studio and we are still doing photography (LOVE) when we can fit it in. To say God has provided is really not justice to all he has given us. We are thriving and did for the entire year of unemployment. Our friends loved us, our family helped us out and everyone was praying. Now we have a new look to our life and that may change again in this season of budget crisis for schools. But we are enjoying having insurance, having enough to pay the bills and the extra cash to eat out a bit more as mommy can't figure out how to work and cook yet.

Adam is a kinder - Sarah a 2nd grader and Alex a 3rd grader. All are doing well although Adams teacher did say someone may offer drugs as an option for him down the road. Her funny way of saying the kid is full of energy. She then suggested the boys and girls club for a chance to get that energy out somewhere other then school. What she doesn't know is that he purposefully saves up all his energy for school. He thinks home = vacation.

Sarah is in gymnastics and started piano lessons last week. She's still a mystery to me, not sure where she will land. But I do know she's beautiful, funny and smart. Now to channel all that in a way that pleases the Lord.

Alex is playing basketball - played football in the fall - and loving it and wanting to start some kind of martial arts this spring - which means no baseball for us this year. I'm really ok with that. He also fancies himself a writer. He has been writing a book since the fall and when I ask him about it he says he plans to send it to a publisher - his words. I'm worried he'll get in trouble since at times it is word for word Diary of a Wimpy Kid. He, however, thinks he's gonna make a million dollars and get a movie deal.

So that is my fast version of a catch up and now I will try and update this baby with the memories that we all enjoy reading about down the road. Without my blog amazing stories about kids screaming their heads off at me down the street, with snot running from their nose and bare feet while I put other kids on the bus would be lost forever. And that would be a shame ;)