Senior year

My handsome son and his killer hick truck heading off for his first day as a senior! I almost
cried! He kept saying, "What are you going to do when I go to college?" CRY!! What a great young man!

Bubbles

Aren't they adorable! Ignore the dirty grout, someone needs to do something about that! (Has anyone had any luck with a certain product?)

You fail

"You fail." This is one of Jake's new lines. Not sure where it is from. Sometimes he even says, "You fail at life." You have to know him to know that it is not as bad as it sounds. But some days I do feel as if I fail. I feel as if I am stretched so thin as a parent that I am failing each one of my children in at least one way. How on earth do parents of larger families connect with each of their children?? I feel as if my role as a mom is taking so much of me right now that I am not a very good wife. I am asking a lot and not giving very much. I know that (or hope that) this is just a season. Our marriage (almost 22 years) has weathered many seasons. God has really thrown me (us) a curve ball this year. The challenges that we have faced have been so much different than I expected. My life is so much different than I expected.

Please, God. Fill me with your peace. Help me to communicate to each of my children how much I love them and more importantly how much You love them! Sustain Scott and I during this time when time alone is hard to find. Encourage us with unity in our decision making. (So many decisions to make!) Thank you for this terrific family that you have blessed us with. May each one of us grow to want to please You only!
Amen (so be it!)

Summer fun!

This is just silly. Our front step collects water, and, yes, she is lapping it up like a puppy.

Don't worry, I stopped her shortly after the picture!

You have to love her strap on sunglasses. We call them her goggles.

The band aid on her arm is covering a lone freckle that she insists is an owie!

She loves the pool!

Sabrina and cousins Emilee and Christian. (My sister Karen's youngest two.)

She and Christian are less than 2 weeks apart age wise!

Sabrina, Noelle and cousin Elizabeth.
My sister, Kathryn's daughter.

Talulah

I cannot even believe that I am typing this. We have a new dog. She is supposed to be Noelle's dog, but after a great day and a half Noelle quickly tired of the responsibility. Fortunately, she is a good dog (no accidents and no chewing) and Scott loves her. She could chase balls all day and can catch a Frisbee on the fly. Her name is Talulah, which is my niece Naomi's middle name.