a day of joy

Today I went to a baptism...my sister's daughter, J., who is graduating from high school, and two friends, D. and E., who are both in college...they got baptised. It is so exciting and fulfilling to witness these young ones make commitments to live for God. They are such unselfish young people. All three of them already work regularly with the kids and younger youth kids. Just for them to stand there in the water and proclaim they will follow Jesus, no matter what....I just cried in joy and thankfulness, and awe that God has already done such a work in them.

In this day and age for young ones to decide to live in purity is a beautiful thing.

We came home, had some lunch, and went in the pool....then I was sitting in the sun, the little girls were swinging, and Sonja fell off the swing and hit her forhead on a wooden baseball bat that was for some reason laying on the ground near the swingset....she is okay, but man I was scared....almost afraid to look....I just happened to see her fall....Kathryn had a freezepop, which I put on Sonja's forehead immediately, then took her in the house to have Paul help me evaluate her....we put an ice pack on her forehead, and cuddled her, and she seems fine. I am keeping an eye on her, but there isn't even a mark....She was pretty hysterical, and I, the calm and lovely mom, was freaking....I tend to do that....

My nice brother might hook up the hot-tub tomorrow or Tuesday. Abigail is looking forward to it, her back doesn't take too kindly to the berry picking. And Emily: her schedule as a nurse is crazy - she worked 3 12 hr. shifts, an eight hr shift, had a day off, then 3 more twelves....she gets a bit sore, and mentions sometimes how nice that hot tub is gonna feel.

My kids are so excited that it's almost summer vacation! Every year we make a list of all the things we want to do, and do about 10% of them....with gas so expensive this year, we will have to be creative.....we will probably go to Lake Ontario on the first day of vacation, it's tradition, then at least one trip to the zoo, we have a membership, then hopefully 2 trips to the east shore of Lake Ontario, where the beach is wide and sandy and the waves are big and ocean-like. And a few playground trips for the younger ones, and hopefully a camping trip sometime.....we haven't gone in a few years...last year I was too pregnant....camping is no fun when you have to get up to use the bathroom so often in the night....we have a huge camper, 35 ft. We bought it when Aaron was a baby....it seemed so huge when we had six kids....now, we need a slew of tents in addition...and when our camper is hitched to our huge van, it is as long as a tractor-trailer.....or almost. Talk about guzzlin' the gas! So anyway, summer is great fun here. I like the absence of schedule, the promise of spontaneity (did I spell that right? I was in the spelling bee in 5th grade, and I have a horror of spelling words incorrectly)(not for other people, just me).....waking up in the morning with no particular plans, taking a vote, who wants to go to the beach, for example....being spontaneous is something that I really treasure, and it sure is hard with so many kids....we will have a fun summer though...I am going to try to keep the dr.dentist ect. appointments to a minimum.......


It is Father's Day, and my dear husband is going over to visit his dad....I am trying not to miss my dad too much..it really stinks....I notice I am thinking of them a little less, and that is sad too.