Africa Bags

This is Kora Landers
 
And, this is Zeke Landers
 
These are the children, waiting in Sierra Leone, Africa, of my good friends Jody and Andy Landers.
I am sure most of you know their story, but if you don't, I encourage you to read up on it here.
Yesterday they received news that their visas COULD be ready any time in the next couple of weeks, which would put travel dates around three weeks from now. This is INCREDIBLE news. We are all so excited we can barely stand it! But, the price of tickets, like everything else, has gone up, and this time, there are FOUR to purchase. So, we decided to do a little fundraiser for the trip. Jody and a few of us, are "crafting" bags with Africa on them, and a little heart on Sierra Leone. They are VERY cute, and well worth the money! Jody has a link to Pay Pal on her family blog here. And you can read more about the bags there as well. Feel free to e-mail me or leave a comment if you have any questions!
Without further ado, here are the bags!
 

A nice night for baseball

 
(And yes, they won. Their record so far, in leauge play, is 2 wins, and 0 losses)

M & M's

Micah: Mom, if you had one wish, what would you wish for?
Me: I would wish that every kid in the world would have a family that loved them. What would you wish for?
Micah: I would wish that I had your brain, and you had mine.
Me: Why?
Micah: Because then I would be smarter than you.

What do I say?

Having one of those days where I feel like no matter what I get done, it's not enough. Doing laundry and dirty dishes does nothing to solve world hunger. Buying one pair of shoes doesn't end poverty, and one t-shirt doesn't cure AIDS. Me loving my own kids, and reading them stories, giving them snacks ALL day, does nothing but remind me of the children who have no snacks, no books, and no hugs and kisses. And sometimes the reality of all of that just sucks.

Our Emily...

Last weekend while we were having a great time at the pond with the snapping turtle, Emily nonchalantly came up where a friend and I were talking, and said, "Hey Mom, do you care if I get baptized next Saturday night?" I know I should have had a really spiritual response, or something, but I am pretty sure my answer was, "Uh, no, I don't care." Later that evening I did have the great revelation to ask her if I was supposed to call somebody or something to set it up, and she informed me that she had already taken the baptism class, and they were going to send HER an e-mail with everything she needed to wear and bring. She never ceases to amaze me. So independent. I am so proud of her, for having faith on her own, and never doing anything just because she thinks we want her to.
 

Friday Afternoon

So many things happened this weekend, that it is taking me a while to process all of them, and therefore, the easy ones get blogged first, thus screwing up the chronological order of the events. So I apologize if the blog seems a bit hard to follow for a while. Friday afternoon we had a tornado warning shortly before the kids were to get out of school. The schools kept them until the all clear was given, and they didn't make it to the bus stop until 5:40pm. It was a very long day. These are some photos of our yard after the big storm came through. Typically we don't have a river, or a pond on our property!
 
 
 
 

more from the floodwaters...

 
 
 
 

The Chart House

You have to click on the first picture to read what the sign says. At least they have a sense of humor about all of this! 
 
 
 

The Mighty Mississippi... She's Out Of Her Banks!

 
 
 
 

Kindergarten visit.

Today was the day Micah spent the morning at kindergarten.
 
After watching the other kids, I no longer have any doubts as to whether he is ready.
 
He sat VERY still, and followed all the directions. Learned a song, and cut out a perfect yellow balloon.
 
I do still have my doubts though, as to whether the world is ready for Micah.
 

My day.

 

 

 

 

"Mom, you smell like sherbet ice cream and rainbow flowers all mixed together."
-Micah

This is too funny...

I was looking at a campground, and was on the OFFICIAL website of a county that shall remain nameless, and came across the "Rules for Campers". About halfway through, I read this... and had to share:

"Keggers" are not allowed.

Only in Iowa people, only in Iowa.

What?

Lately, when Micah asks me a question, he IMMEDIATELY says, "What?" before I even get a chance to respond. It drives me crazy. Like nails on a chalkboard crazy. I realize it has become a habit, and yesterday, I was bent on breaking it. Weary by the end of the day, he once again said, "What?" I said, "Micah, PLEASE do not say what before I even finish my answer!" He looked at me with those big blue eyes, and said, "Well, speak up."

I Would Gather Children

Some would gather money
Along the path of life,
Some would gather roses,
And rest from worldly strife;
But, I would gather children,
From among the thorns of sin,
I would seek a dark brown curl,
And a gorgeous, toothless grin.
For money cannot enter,
In that land of endless day,
And roses that are gathered,
Soon will wilt along the way.
But, oh, the laughing children,
As I cross the sunset sea,
As the gates swing wide to heaven,
I can take them in with me.
-unknown

HAPPY EARTH DAY!

 

Another trip to the pond

In hopes of spotting the great turtle, the little boys and I headed back to the ponds today. No luck though. We saw a few baby turtles poking their little heads out of the water, but no big one.
These tadpoles made me think of my blogging friend, Natalie.
 
What do you suppose made this hole?
 
You can tell when it is baseball season...
 

Lame Mom.

I was a totally lame Mom this weekend. Hannah had her very first soccer game ever, and I didn't remember my camera. Isaiah had a double header today, and I took no pictures. Lame, lame Mom. So, I had to make up for it by taking lots of pictures this afternoon at the pond, which was perfect.... and made me long for summer.

Seriouly cute neighbor
 
Snapping turtle that almost ate Micah
 
getting out of town... i am sure it had nothing to do with the 12 kids yelling at it.
 

Watching the turtle go back into the water
 
contemplating the view
 
there was this dead fish, you see, and it smelled really bad
 
this is the boys, well, mostly Micah, begging for just a few more minutes
 

OH SNAP!

 
Snapping turtle at the pond this afternoon! More pictures of our great afternoon later, but I had to get this one up!

M & M's

Micah: Mom, guess what?
Me: What?
Micah: I love you SO much, I would never sell you at a garage sale!

He feels a little hot.

Most of the day Brody was in a bad mood. He has had a cough for a few days, but he is always SO dramatic, I kinda blew him off. Tonight, I said to Emily, "He feels a little hot." She agreed, and I pulled out the battery operated ear thermometer that hasn't been used in about four years. No kidding. I don't take my kid's temperature, really ever. It read 105.6 in one ear, and 105.4 in the other. What? That has to be wrong. So I called Micah over, and checked his. It read 100.4 and 97.9. So, I figure it must be a little off. Check Brody again. Same results. So I did something else I almost never do, I gave him Tylenol - for the first time in his life. He fell asleep in my bed, twitching and moaning and groaning for about a half an hour. I waited until he no longer felt hot, and moved him to his bed. Poor little guy. Uh, yeah, he feels a little hot.

Park - Day 2

The little boys had so much fun at the park yesterday, they begged me to take them back this afternoon with the big kids. Who am I to deny little people their fun?
 
 
 
It's always funny to me how other kids are drawn to our family... notice the one extra adorable little girl! She saw me passing out snacks, and came and sat down! Very cute!

Bad Luck?

So, do you think it is bad luck to pack away every pair of gloves, every hat, scarf, winter coat, and pair of boots the kid's own? Winter is over, right?
 
And, yes, there are six bags, and one tub. AND, I already took out the stuff that won't fit anybody ever again.

Another one from yesterday

 

Windy day

Although the temperatures climbed into the 60's today, the wind kept everyone away from the park, except us. These boys needed to run. When we got there we saw the tug and barge, right next to a train, pretty much couldn't get any better than that for these two.
 
 
 
 

A long time ago

there was a fast food restaurant in New Orleans called "Sister's Catfish". THE BEST fast food catfish ever. Hush puppies to die for, and amazing popcorn shrimp. Craving it today... wish it was still around.

And yet again...

Steve has hit the road, or air in this case. This time it is Costa Rica. Jealous, you ask? Uh, yah.

He got the memo

So, I guess he does remember me. Yesterday around 2:30pm, he showed up with a HUGE fountain pop, and a Skor bar. It doesn't get much better than that.
Well, maybe speaking more than ten words to each other in a week... but we gotta start somewhere.

An E-Mail to Steve

Hello,
My name is Amy. I have been your wife for the past thirteen years. Wasn't sure if you'd remember me, given your recent work schedule. If you are interested in meeting with me anytime in the near future, feel free to call me, at home, to schedule a time.
Thanks, and have a nice day.
Amy

Signs that Spring is here...

 Beautiful clouds
 and more clouds
 some blue thrown in for a tease
 and this. Seriously. May and June look to be worse...

This is hysterical...

Stuff Christians Like:
#81. Disguising gossip as a prayer.

"I have a prayer request I need to share. You know Tim and Nancy? They are having some marital problems right now and need some prayer. Turns out Nancy put a filter on their computer because Tim has been staying up late on the computer. Well after a week of secretly monitoring all his online activity she found pornography on it. So she told Tim and her told her to stay out of his business. And you know their daughter isn't going to graduate high school. She drinks so much and runs with that goth crowd. She's a mess, but bless her heart. I think they're going to go to counseling but money is tight because of Nancy's shopping habit. Their credit debt is just out of control. I'm really concerned and as a close friend I just want to lift them up in prayer."
--Prodigal Jon

The Perfect Shot

 
Okay, I admit, I am an espresso snob. What would you expect, really? Growing up in the birthplace of Starbucks and all. My kids love it, even BEG me to make them Iced Mocha's. When we go to an ice cream shop, they are the ones asking for the coffee flavored ice cream. So, it goes without saying, being the snob that I am, it was hard for me to get used to making my own espresso. However, after two years, many different blends and grinds, three tampers, numerous tamping pressures, and one great machine, I can now officially say, I can make the perfect shot. It is a glorious day indeed.

A Seattle kind of day

Woke up this morning to all kinds of rain. There are times in my days here in Iowa, that I smell a familiar smell, or see a familiar bird, or flower, that brings back fond memories of Seattle. This is not one of those days. Somehow rain on the roof just makes me want to crawl back in bed and close my eyes. I even had to make a HOT Mocha this morning. Depressing really. Praying for sunshine soon.
 
 

"I was born a long way from home. I have spent my whole life just trying to get back."
- Janis Joplin

If I have a desire which no experience in the world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.
-- C.S. Lewis

I thought I was faster...

55 words

http://speedtest.10-fast-fingers.com">Speed test

Neighbors, old and new....

We have been so blessed to live next to the best boys in the world for the past two and a half years. Two weeks ago we were blessed again. We now have the two best girls living next to us on the other side! The kids are thrilled, and can't wait for summer now!

more weekend shots

pretty sure this is not the proper use for soccer shoes and shin guards.

farm boy photo

major air off the swing

another farm boy.

The Big Comfy Couch

Ever seen it? The PBS show called "The Big Comfy Couch"? If you have, you will recognize my son as Major Bedhead. Seriously, he is such a dork. It is a good thing no one can catch him, or he might get beat up or something.

Opening Day

Well, Saturday was opening day at the ballpark. The boys were a little rusty, but came around by the end of the first game. Game two was MUCH better, and they were tired, fed, happy, and sunburned. Hard to ask for more than that on a beautiful weekend in April.
P.S. That is the hottest umpire I have ever seen. Seriously.

M & M's

This morning, like all Friday mornings, Micah was running around the house, trying to find an item to bring for show and tell. We were running a bit behind schedule, so I was buckling Brody in to the car when Micah arrived with his selection.
Micah: Okay Mom, I got it. I'm gonna bring this turtle that the head goes back in on, you know like a peeking turtle when you have to poop.
Me: WHAT? WHERE DID YOU HEAR THAT FROM??
Micah: Dad told me. You know, when you have to poop, but only a little comes out and then goes back in... it's called a peeking turtle.
Me: Micah that is GROSS, and you can't talk about that at preschool.
Micah: (sounding defeated) Okay. But can I at least tell them his name?
Me: Sure, wait, what IS his name?
Micah: Lard Butt.
Me: WHAT? WHERE DID YOU HEAR THAT FROM??
Micah: Isaiah. He said that's his name.
Me: NO. You absolutely cannot tell your friends at preschool that name. You will have to come up with a new name.
Micah: (sounding defeated again) Okay. His name is Micah McDonald's Trailer.
Me: What? Why trailer?
Micah: You know, the place poor people live.
Me: Okay, please don't go into detail about the turtle. Just say it is your toy turtle, okay?
Micah: (still defeated) Okay Mom.

Thoughts this Friday...

Next week I will register Micah for kindergarten. I have done this three times already, yet none has bothered me the way this has. I go back and forth on, is he ready? will the teacher "get" him? can he possibly stop talking long enough to listen?
This morning in the car I heard the tail end of a poem, written by a Dad, who was sending his little girl off on the bus for the very first time, and it hit me. Why it is that this time is so very different.
I am terrified of Micah finding out that not everyone who smiles at him is his friend.
It will undoubtedly change him, and for that, I will never be ready.

life and stuff.

Recently someone was sharing their views on my christian life, and it went something like this: you used to be a really liberal christian, then, when you went to college, and the first few years of your marriage, you were a super conservative christian, and now, you are just a really tolerant christian. This totally bothered me. And here's why:
Pretty much my whole life I have worn clothes. Not news to anyone. Through the years the style of clothing I have worn has changed quite a bit. It changes daily, in fact. It has never really mattered what I have on, as long as I am covered.
I think of Christianity much the same way. It shouldn't really matter whether someone is a liberal, or conservative, a protestant or a Jew, a baptist, or a catholic.
The style in which I choose to "clothe" my relationship is not the issue, but whether I have on the clothes to begin with.

What really goes on in my house.

This afternoon I heard a scream from Brody like never before. He cried out, "You shot me Micah!" In the saddest voice you will ever hear. My heart broke for poor little Brody, who's big brother had broken his little heart by hurting him in such a violent way....
Then I heard a snicker from Micah, "And I'm gonna shoot you again!" he said.
Are you kidding me?
They are now both napping in my bed together, after having to hold hands and tell each other they love one another. :)
Seriously, where do they come up with this stuff?

Heard this today...

Depression is anger without enthusiasm.

So, does that mean I am depressed every evening between the hours of five and nine?

kind of sad

that i only got two responses to my HYSTERICAL april fool's joke. i was cracking up when i wrote it.... apparently i am not as funny as i thought.

BIG NEWS!

Okay, so we have some big, and really, unexpected news. We never thought this could happen, given the surgery Steve had last year. But, here it is....
I'm pregnant.