The First Night

We're back together again. After a fun-filled week in Illinois, Braylen and Kaleb are home. My parents and I met in the middle--less driving for everyone. We stayed overnight in a motel and enjoyed being together. Parting ways after lunch today was strange. Mom and Dad headed one direction and I drove the other direction. With a lump in my throat I thought to myself, "just keep driving, just keep driving."

When we got home, the boys were excited to see their new rooms. They unpacked, I threw together a simple supper, and we all thanked God for air conditioning. With a heat index of 115, I'm once again thankful I wasn't born a pioneer woman! If you know me at all, I think of this a lot. :)

Braylen was quiet after supper. I assumed he was tired--I sure was! When I asked him if anything was wrong, he looked down at his feet and then up at me with big crocodile tears in his eyes. "I'm just going to miss being with Kaleb. Having my own room is going to take some getting used to." Wow, I did not see this coming. Or maybe I just didn't think about it. I was so focused on the painting, the furniture, and moving the belongings all week long. I never thought about how my boys might feel.

As I pondered this, Braylen's reaction made perfect sense. He's always been with Kaleb. He can't remember being alone. Those two boys could fight all day, but put them to bed in the same room and they were best buddies. They've had years of "pillow talk" to fall asleep to, and I ripped that away when I changed their rooms. If only Derek was home...

So as I put my boys to bed tonight, Kaleb is sleeping with Aaron. Braylen is sleeping alone. But tucked beneath Braylen's pillow is a walkie-talkie. And tucked beneath Kaleb's pillow is the other walkie-talkie. They are "together" in the only way they can be. Did I move them too soon? Should I move them back? I love them so much I'd do anything for them. Aaron can enjoy the newly painted room, since it's been his all along. Or I can do something really crazy like put all three beds in one room, and the dressers and desks in the other room.

Kaleb had tears of his own tonight. He wrote a letter to Braylen, telling him how much he's going to miss sharing a room with him. My boys love each other after all! :) So until we figure out what to do, there are no before & after pictures to post. I think we'll give it a few nights and we'll see how it goes.

Good night!

While the big brothers were gone...

Aaron's been our "only child" for 8 days now. What an experience this has been! One child to feed. One child to keep track of. One child to entertain. I've loved this one-on-one time with him so much! True to my word, Aaron enjoyed a friend's birthday party, a playdate with his buddy Carson, a sleepover with his cousin, an entire afternoon to play with his friend Aidan, and 5 evenings of Kid's Camp at church. Quite a lot of fun packed into these 8 days.

While Aaron had fun, I worked and worked and worked on our gigantic project of the summer. On the eve of getting my boys back, I'm happy to say my project is 90% completed. Wanna sneak a peek of what we've been doing while Braylen and Kaleb have been gone?

Yep, we made major changes in our boys' bedrooms, including who has his own room and who shares a room. More on this to come...

swimming with Dad--a HUGE highlight of Aaron's week

fun with Star Wars cookies and good friends :)

At the end of Kid's Camp tonight, Aaron brought home this green balloon and it brought him so much joy.

We're ready for our boys to come home. We have so many things to show them. And we can't wait to hear about their week. Times with their grandparents, uncle and aunt that they will remember always. Such blessings!

Snap Crackle Pop

Ah, the 4th of July. More and more it seems like all things summer start to dry up after the 4th, so I've learned to enjoy this week while we have it.

Fireworks, fireworks, and more fireworks! My parents here with us. Lightening bugs. Bike rides. Grandpa's birthday. Aunt Sarena's (early) birthday. The pool. Ice cream. Playing marbles. Lots of love and laughter between family and friends.

fun times with Rebekah

at the pool with my parents

my dad loves my dog

my mom taught Kaleb how to knit, and he was pretty proud

Aaron and I went out for ice cream with my dad, just the 3 of us

celebrating Grandpa's birthday

Braylen teaches his grandpa how to use his birthday gift: an iPod

celebrating with Aunt Sarena

This year we extended my parents' time with our boys by sending our oldest two boys home with them! Aaron already misses them, and so do I. But I know this will create some special memories for my boys to share with their grandparents. And with their uncle and aunt, who will be joining them from Ohio for a few days. So for one week we are parenting an only child. It is quiet here. Strange.

So I'm off to spend some time with my boy who is without his playmates. Happy Summer!

Life Everlasting

Our son Kaleb is 10 months old in this picture, but I choose to post this today because it says more than my words can say. The man holding Kaleb is our friend Roger. Roger went home to be with the Lord last week, and we celebrated his life today. You know how some people come into your life and you're better because of it? That's how it is with Roger and his wife Lois. They are such dear people to Derek and me.

Through life's ups and downs and twists and turns, Roger and Lois embraced us with Christ's love. Living states away from my own parents, Roger and Lois filled in at times. With a gleam in his eye Roger would always say, "How's Sarah doing today?" He frequently asked if my folks were coming out for a visit, or how my boys were doing. The last time we spoke was on Father's Day. I was rushing through the church to gather my children from their classrooms, but stopped when I saw Roger standing by the library. He shook my hand and I wished him a happy Father's day, thinking of my own dad and wishing I could be with him on that Sunday. I walked away from Roger that afternoon thinking of his smile and that gleam in his eye. No one could have known he would die just four days later.

A man who loved his Lord, Roger is now walking with God. I can imagine him there. I think if he could talk to us today he would tell us this journey on earth is worth it. Jesus, our only Way, Truth, and Life, is worth everything. Life must just explode in eternity, like a flower bursting forth in full bloom. What was once a struggle is now seen in view of everlasting life. "For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known." 1 Corinthians 13:12