The Excitement Is Palpable

In AWANA the kids are divided into groups.  Cubbies are 3-4 years old.  Sparks are kingergarden through 2nd grade.  T&T clubs are 3rd through 6th grade and there is a boys group and a girls group.

D & E are in T&T Girls.  They LOVE it.  Zoe is in Cubbies and LOVES it too. 

Each group has what's called a starting book.  It's basically an introduction to the program and there are memory verses.  You have to pass the starting book before you can get your club's shirt (a vest for the Cubbies and one for Sparks and a polo shirt for the T&T group).  It's a big deal for our girls to say all the verses in their starting book to get their vest or shirts.  A certain mommy may have used that as leverage to help her Cubbie learn her verses.

That Cubbie may have gone to AWANA last night and said all her verses to her teacher.  When N picked her up last night Zoe's teacher told him she could now get a book and a vest.  As Zoe and N waited in the foyer, I ran to the office to buy a book, bag and vest for Zoe.  I didn't even make it back up the stairs before I was tackled by Zoe as she screamed, "MY VEST!  MY VEST!  CAN I SEE IT?  OH BOY!  CAN I WEAR IT?"  She jumped and hopped in excitement.  I don't think she's ever been this excited in her life.  She could not contain it.

That smile makes this mamma's excitement just as palpable.

I have a feeling next week, we're going to have another girl who is just as excited.  D will likely be getting her shirt next week. 

It's a good week at our house.

A Family of Five

Tonight is AWANA at our church.  It's a children's ministry for kids up to 6th grade to learn verses, play games and hear some story about Jesus.  I attended AWANA at our church when I was little.  At 8 years old, it's where I heard the story of salvation in a way that made sense.  It was because of my AWANA leaders that I went home, verified the story with my mom and accepted Christ as my savior.  This ministry is near and dear to my heart. 

For the first time ever, this is a family event.  I'm co-directing the younger kiddos, N is leading the older boys, Zoe is in the Cubbies program and D and E get to come this year.  Tonight will be the first week we're all going together. 

Two years ago I never would've thought this day would come.  I never would've believed we would have D and E during the week and that N would agree to be a leader.  Today it is that way.  I love to see how God has worked in the lives of my family.  To Him be the glory.  May each of us grow in Him this year through AWANA. 

I Heart Sleep

This weekend was the first week N was home to stay.  It's been gloriously wonderful.  I got home for work on Friday to a spotless house.  He didn't just clean, he organized, threw out old food and deep cleaned the house.  I know flowers are what most girls like, but a man who cleans so I don't have to speaks my love language. 

My mom offered to watch Zoe that night so we could go to dinner.  We ate Chinese food, bought a movie and lounged at home. 

I think I left the house only once more all weekend.  We ate home cooked food, sat in sweat pants and just relaxed.  I think I finally caught up on sleep since before Zoe was born. 

I think I'm really going to like having N home in the evenings. 

We're a Whole Hand Now

If you would've told me in high school that I would marry the guy with the mullet, I wouldn't have believed you.  In fact I didn't believe people when they told me that. 

I'm so glad they were right. 

N,

Five years ago you made me your wife.  I'm so blessed that you picked me in high school and years later.  I love you with everything that I am.  Thank you for being God's greatest blessing in my life.  Thank you for blessing me with three beautiful girls. 

Thank you for introducing me to the Marvel Comic movies.  Thank you for making me BBQ'd food.  Thank you for letting me always be right, even when you know I'm not.  Thank you for never making me learn how to use the lawn mower.  Thank you for cleaning up your shaving bits in the bathroom after you shave.  Thank you for giving me rides on your motorcycle.  Thank you for not making me feel guilty when I eat two doughnuts and you only eat one. 

I have learned so much from you these past five years and it makes me excited for the next fifty.

I love you with all that I am. 
Killer

A New Routine

I'm not sure where the blog posts have been this week.  When I don't have pictures to tell the story, I forget I can still blog.

This past week we've been getting into a new routine.  Zoe started preschool and LOVES! it.  She's still tight-lipped about what they do during the day.  If there weren't two Graces in her class, I don't think I'd know there was even a first one.  They do color because I got one assignment sent home and she had marker on her hand on Monday.  She won't really tell me anything more than "yep" or "no" answers.  It's so frustrating.  I thought this was supposed to start when they were teenagers.  I get more out of D and E about school and they're tweens.

We also started dance classes one day a week.  Fortunately they have a two-way window so I can watch her.  If not I don't think I'd get any information out of her there either.

Tonight we start AWANA at our church.  D and E also get to come.  It'll be like a family date night in the middle of the week!  Zoe will LOVE seeing her sisters.  She tells them all about school and dancing.  I guess I could get the information second hand from them.

This has been a week of firsts and a new routine.  Tomorrow N comes home from his summer internship for good.  He'll be home for 9 months and be at home in the evenings.  In Zoe's entire life, he's not been home during the week.  I'm excited to have a glimpse of what our future holds with him being home in the evenings and I'm ecstatic that he'll get to do things with all the girls during the week. 

In some really great news, he passed all his testing this summer and was officially invited back once he graduates in the spring.  That means he'll be guaranteed a job.  It's an answer to prayer.  That also means I can continue to make dam jokes.  Which is one of the highlights of this week considering that's really all I've got since my three year old is like Fort Knox.

Party Tricks and The Zoo

You can only sit in a hotel room so long before you come up with new things to do.  By day three Zoe was ready for something new.  N, being the coolest daddy ever, decided to teach her how to arm wrestle.  She took to the arm wrestling like a penguin takes to water.

She shut daddy out.  She took all three games.  Daddy's a good sport and still offered to do a celebratory "show me your muscles" pose.

After all the wrestling, it was time to give the muscles a rest and check out some animals.  The first stop at the Oregon Zoo was the ever wild, never before seen...cows.  That's right.  They have cows at the zoo.  Zoe wasn't totally impressed by a couple cows laying in a pen.  She wanted to see the giraffes.  I think she's been watching too much Dora because she's tell us to "vamanos."

We left the cows and headed toward the giraffes.  I was quickly distracted by the new orangutan area.  Those are some huge apes!  Zoe quickly made friends with the female.  They stopped for some girl talk before we headed on.

It wasn't long before we made it to the giraffes.  We got there just in time for feeding so both the parent (I'm not sure if it's a daddy or a mommy) and the baby were out eating.  Zoe loved it and could've stayed there all day just watching the giraffes.  They are her favorite new animal. 

I could only look at them for so long before we told her we needed to head to the train station!  Riding the train was the second coolest thing at the zoo right after the giraffes.

She loved seeing all of Washington Park and feeling the breeze on her face and we rode the tracks.

My favorite part came later, on the way back through the zoo.  The elephants were out back and I got to see the baby elephant.  Although technically I'm not sure it's a baby elephant anymore.  It's probably more of a toddler now.  Either way, it was totally awesome and adorable.

That sums up our vacation.  Baby animals, sand in our toes, a fall at the waterfall, a small injury and great fellowship with friends.  It was busy, but it filled our memories and our hearts.  We can't wait for the next long weekend.

Sand on Our Toes

This past weekend I had the privilege of introducing the two loves of my life to the Oregon coast.  N has no recollection of going there ever in the history of ever.  I know Zoe has never been.  I was excited to show them the town of Cannon Beach where I spent many a weeks during summer vacations growing up.  It's one of my absolute favorite places to go.  I think I've successfully converted N and Zoe too. 

N's first question was, "how crowded do you think the beach is?  I don't want to spend time on a crowded beach."  His imagination took him to Waikiki beach.  I agree, that's too crowded.  He was pleasantly surprised to see so much room on the beach despite the many people.  Immediately he started thinking of bringing the trailer down next summer for some time just at the beach.  With that my heart started to sing.  He is my soul mate!

Zoe could care less about crowds or future plans, she needed to get her feet in that sand and in the water now.  It's the beach!

I have to say this trip to the beach was a little sad for me.  Since I had a minor toe injury at Multnomah Falls the day before, I could walk barefoot in the sand.  I was so sad.  We didn't let that stop us from all the fun!

My two converts:

In search of the perfect place to build a sand castle:

Instead of a sand castle, we decided to bury Zoe's toes.  She LOVED it.

You can only bury your toes for so long before you have a deep need to fly something.  We pulled out our dollar store kite and let the wind take it away.

Zoe had a blast flying her kite.  I think this girl would spend all her time on the beach with a kite in each hand if she could.  When we went shopping she was amazed at stores that just sold kites.  She would've taken one of each if she could. 

It's always fun going back to someplace that holds special memories from your childhood.  What's more fun is creating memories for my child.  Here's to many more summers spent at Cannon Beach.