Family is awesome (and sometimes scary) .
Sometimes I look at Dave across the room and wonder if he is feeling as overwhelmed with awe and wonder as I am. There is noise and mess and laughter and teasing and general uproariousness – and we did this – on purpose. Dave and I created this crazy, wonderful mess. This is the fruit of hot passion and true love. This is the grace of God.
(pictured above, l to r: Stormie’s thoughtfully-wrapped gift for Tara; Averi pretending to be drawing on the chalkboard so she can get a taste of the chalk; deep fried pickles! Yes. Deep-fried pickles…and some homemade onion rings)
Bowling for Tara.
Saturday: Tara is not a birthday-cake-and-ice-cream-and-let’s-open-presents kind of birthday girl. No, no. She wants activity. Physical activity. And if there can be competition in there, all the better. Her birthday dreams are made of beach-ball volleyball tournaments or tetherball challenges or something with tennis racquets.
Because the forecast said “rain,” (which, btw – God, seeing on His calendar “Tara’s birthday,” sent a brilliantly dazzling and sunny day – the rain came after dark very beautifully), we opted to bowl for Tara’s birthday. We gathered for an early lunch. We bowled a couple of games. I found out Gemma (almost 2) is a better bowler than me and Hunter-the-informative (4), gave me tips to bowling better, along with a demonstration of how I was turning my wrist all wrong.
We came back to the house for strawberry shortcake and presents and blessings. Dave and I read our love letters to Tara out loud and we cried. That is hard to do, but it is good for your children to hear your love straight from your own mouth. It will keep them long after we are gone.
It was hours and hours of love and celebration. In the evening, DP pulled out the romance ticket and whisked Tara off to the Melting Pot where he had flowers delivered to the same booth they sat in 6 years ago on her birthday as they were madly falling in love. One of the gifts he is giving her is time in a recording studio to do some of their songs. Then, while we hung out with Hunter, they went to the new Star Trek movie (a must-see in our family!).
A couple of months ago I was worried about Tara turning 30 because she seemed so alarmed by it. But she ended up actually enjoying it. She felt honored and loved. She is THE most gorgeous (inside and out) 30-year old I know!
5 kids + their 3 loves + 5 grandkids (throw in a niece and nephew) = a blessed Mother’s Day!
Sunday evening: I had these 2 bamboo/cane stools for the breakfast bar we bought at Gordman’s when we moved in almost 7 years ago. The grand-bebes love sitting there during big family meals. But we have 5 of bebes now. We have been using an extra stool we have had for years, but still-it has become a scramble to see who will get to sit where. A few weeks ago I spotted some sturdy wooden stools at a very-very nice reduced price* at Target. I tossed the idea out to Dave and Stormie: Hmmm…maybe we should get these and just paint them black? They were very nonchalent and less-than-enthusiastic about the response. “Oh, yeah. Maybe.”
After the kids had fixed a great big BLT (the lettuce is welcome to come along, but the stars are the bacon and the Tomatoes…swine flu be darned!), fruit and veggies-with-dip meal for me, I was asked to leave the room momentarily. I came back in to my 5 little grand-bebes seated, with big, colorful bows atop their heads, on 5 matching (recently painted black) breakfast-bar stools. Oh yes! Less work for me! More space for my joys. I LOVE it!
I have now been informed that there is plenty of room for one more stool there should I get a 2010 grand-bebe, but after that I will have to move to have a bigger breakfast bar.
There was some very crazy card-playing (Pitch) where Rocky aggressively won by bull-crapping his entire way through. How we have not broken the Rocky code all these years, I do not know. He keeps us laughing!
SIDE NOTE: I stopped by youtube to re-watch my Mother’s Day present from last year (my kids singing my favorite Patridge Family song) and it seems the public wants more. There are comments saying they should sing and post some more and one person even suggested getting in on a family singing contest on an early morning news show where David Cassidy himself is one of the judges! Haha! Just in case you missed it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpDzazacUEw
Weekend over. Heart Full.
Stormie painted me a representation of the original 5 who made me a mom (and wow-three of those have brought me amazing “new” kids!). It is hard to see in the photo, but all of their names are on there with 3-d lettering. Stephanie bought me a gorgeous “little black dress” and the house, thanks to all the kiddos (including niece-Elise), looks like a flower shop – for all the flowers they brought me and each other to celebrate mommyhood. Loving the fragrant lilacs!
We are real people. We do NOT do everything right. We’re not even always that nice. In fact, we struggle, and fail and do it wrong at times, crying out to God for mercy, just like any other family…But we are a zealous bunch. We are loud. We are committed. And there is love. And you can’t get too much of that.
Until next time…Jeanie
NOTE TO SELF: I am so glad Dave chose me to be the mother of his children and that he is the father of mine. It is working for us.
*$15.89 each…told you it was a nice price!
I’m loving your family! I have to agree, there is nothing like a bacon and tomato sandwich! Lettuce? Is there suppose to be lettuce? ;o)
Love those new bar stools and the fact that they tucked away your idea and did it for you! Awesome!! I love that you are real and don’t do everything right, otherwise, how could I look to you for inspiration in my own life? Happy belated Mother’s Day to you!
Sounds like Tara’s birthday was a blast! As all the birthday in your family are. I just love the bar stools. Mostly because you/they painted them black!
Can’t wait to try those fried pickles!
I thought that I would love fried pickles, but sadly I did not.
Bowling was fun, but next time let’s do the $1 games in Arvada!
I love the stools! I am so excited that all of the kids will be able to sit up there – Gemma is too;o)
You are an awesome example of a family who walks in the light, knowing where you are going. You believe in the light, becoming sons and daughters of light. Darkness and gloom are dispelled…love, joy, and happiness are present. John 12:35-36,46
I have just spent some time looking around your blog and I am always impressed with your wit and wisdom. I also enjoy the pictures of family. Your family is a very special one. May God Bless and Keep you and yours ALWAYS. With Love from an old Uncle!