Maybe a Nappy

This little family of mine is heading into the busy month of May with big endings on the horizon.  It's hard to remember all the big things and the little things happening daily.

Eddie put a giantic mail label on Austin's back without him knowing.  At bed time Austin surmised, "This sticker has probably been on me a long time."  He then conlcuded, "Eddie did it."  Immediately he covered Eddie's face.  Eddie finally noticed it two days later -- he laughed and laughed.

Again and again I come back to the study of "and" imbedded in the atonement of Jesus Christ.I found this gem.

A bit of an errand ending in french fries -- $4.71 for a medium fry these days.  Incredible.

The entire week we watched Maddie come home from practice with all the feels.  One night she was stoked, one night she was defeated, one night she was completely deflated, and one night she could have held up the world.  Not only did she take the APUSH test, but she also raced in the AIA state track meet.  We spent all of Friday in melting in 100* weather as she raced in the 100m, 200m and 4x400m prelims.

She missed the 100m final by .06.  Boo.

(As soon as she made the finals for the other two races, Ryan and Eddie bemoaned their fate, forced to face another day at the races.)

We're really proud of her.

We spent the first part of Saturday in the Verde Valley at Ryan's football game.  He caught two touchdowns passes and pulled several flags.

Molly and Eddie decided that it was a good day to swim in the unheated pool.  They lasted seven minutes.  

Good times, though.

Austin and I headed back down to Phoenix for Maddie's finals' races.  But first, we stopped and went Mother's Day shopping in the Scottdale mall.  A few new fits for this mother and a couple for the father -- we had a mighty fine time shopping.  Back to the track to watch Maddie's final races.  She worked so hard, training all season without a coach and pleasing all the adults who tried to help her.  We missed Engler something fierce, but all things do work out.

Then another setback, one member of her 4x400m team decided to ditch them!  What a stinker.  They had to beg a jumper to fill in the fourth spot on their relay.  This forced Maddie to run the first leg in lane eight.  She was so mad and cried a good long time before her race began.  BUT!  She won her leg.  She was the first one to cross the finish line and didn't let the other girls make up the distance.

SO proud of this girl.

The poor jumper-girl cramped something fierce after her leg -- she hadn't trained one day for the 400m sprint.

The proud parents.  We counted that this was our 10th time at the AIA state track finals.  Our little runner girls are pretty incredible.

Mother's Day Sunday.  I put together a second verse of the #203 for the seminary youth to sing.  Their mothers were not aware of their participation.  Several of the moms came up and were so happy to hear their teens sing to them.  Ha.  Clever me.

My resident lovelies.  The three eldest spent the afternoon together, and I'm sure Elder Nick will call tomorrow.

Nick is still the cutest missionary in Brazil.  He told me that he makes a lot of phone calls in the evenings, works hard all day in water, and his infected toe is finally healed.
 

Maisie plans and carries out functions most evenings (I called her at 11:30pm last night on our way home from Maddie's meet, and she answered as if it was noon, "Hi, MOM!"  She was busy putting up pictures on her walls and cleaning her pantry.  We yapped for 40 minutes, then I called it because I needed to shower and get to bed.  So funny.).

Two dates with good bros this week.  

Meg is the loveliest little mommy.  Her girls yap and yap and yap at her.  She helps them obey and learn about Jesus.  Winnie sings all the time.  While we were chatting Bea walked up and asked her, "Mom, do you want to build a snowman?"  We both started laughing so hard.  They are watching FROZEN so hard over there.

Quinn-bin the cat is very nice and drinks her milk and is fat-fat-fat.

Andy and Becca are home from their Korean adventure.  I can't even handle how good they are for each other.  So much happiness and joy.

"I have so much direction and purpose as a daughter of God, and there is so much joy in my life because you lead by example."

So blessed to be a mother. So blessed to love and be loved.  God's plan is so real and me makes so happy.

May

These father-son duo booked a cruise.  Fun.

School days

I got help with the cipher.  Thanks, Ed.

Each year we head to the fair for a day.  We walk through all the barns and check out the animals grown by our friends.  Two hours of "animal fun" equals an entire year's worth.

Another two medals for Miss Maddie.  She's fast.

Five huge cabbages harvested.

These boys lost their device privileges.  Back Flips were inevitable.

We made it to the temple!  Molly stayed with a friend, and we were able to worship in the house of the Lord.  Maddie was excited when she saw a "baddie" in the baptistry.    

Soldier's Subway was our rappelling adventure.  We cleaned the church and went to Ryan's football game before heading our, so we basically melted.

 

Austin's #50, Nick's #19

Our very nice daddy-bear is now 50 years old!  We love him so much.

The children stayed up really late and decorated the living space and the gym to surprise him.  So sweet.

Maddie left for football practice, so we were low on numbers, but not on gifts nor intensity.

Oh!  They also filled his car up as well.  All day he worked, but the nice office ladies

Loved this picture of Austin and his mom.

Yum.  Dinner.

And, our birthday twin missionary called -- they sang to each other.  When all the big kids hopped on the chat, the laughter intensified, the grins broadened and the glazing via insults increased to full capacity.

THEN!  Meg and Maisie helped me throw a surprise 50th party for Austin.  All the Utah kids drove in, Whitni flew in, and so many friends came to his Killer's party.  I told him I needed him to sit in the chapel while I practiced the organ, but as soon as I started playing, the curtains opened, and a whole host of people were there to celebrate him.  YAY!  He had no idea, and was so gracious to be the center of attention.  So many people love this guy of mine, and he loves so many people.  God's plan of happiness anchored in Jesus Christ is at the center of all that is enturing relationship.

Couldn't be more happy he's ours.  Forever.

Twofer

Maisie, home for a month, has now left us forever.  Perhaps that's a bit dramatic, but it feels like she's gone forever.  M

(She's wearing Ed's name -- he's so proud.)

This very young adult drove herself to Provo.

Her stuff fit the back.  I didn't.

Lots of yummy food this week.  

Oh!  I'm growing sprouts, and I'm eating sprouts.

Zucchini fries

Greek yogurt, strawberry, dark chocolate bites.

My legs are tight!  Molly and I stretch during history read-a-louds.

Water color RS activity

These mathematicians need me to sit beside them.

Tried out more water coloring.

Austin took us to the Phoenix symphony Saturday afternoon.  

We loved it.  Probably because we were off devices and listening to live music.  Real-time instruments and professional musicians make us so happy.  Simply being together makes us happy, too.

Intermission's snacks

Dinner at Red Robin

Games every evening and every Sunday afternoon.

Piles of wrestlers every evening and often Sunday evenings when the sun goes down (we reverence the Mosaic Law on that detail)

Maddie had her home track meet.  She raced in the 100m and 200m.  She took first in both.  Goat.


Molly was our photographer.

100m 200m




Austin and I are a Trek Ma and Pa this summer.  I sewed myself some fancy skirts and aprons made from Goodwil sheets.

Maddie also went to Prom.  Nice Grandma came and we put fresh flowers in her hair.

She liked it.  Phew.

Maddie and James.

James and Maddie.

Her group.  All went to an after party, so she came home.

AI pics.