birds are singing, everything is good

Is that a better title than yesterday? The thing is, my mother-in-law never stopped over, but my father-in-law came in the afternoon, when things were REALLY crazy, to give me some mail that went to his house. Rosie was convinced he was a burgler, Jonathan thought Grampa wanted to see all his trucks quick (he didn't), and since the kids had just come in from school, there were shoes everywhere over by the door. Shoes and backpacks. (My kids think "Put your shoes on the shelf" means just leave them where ever they want to ....) My father-in-law is a wonderful guy, I have always liked him. He does think I am slightly-to-mostly crazy, though. He shakes his head and says, "I don't know about you, Della. I just don't know."

Our microwave broke. The first thing I said was that I wanted a chrome one, to match the stove and refridgerator, and blender. No, I have not learned yet that the chrome finish is not kind to fingerprints or water splashes. So when I got home from the theme park on Saturday night, there was a new microwave here, a chrome-front one. (I remember getting our first microwave, when Paul and I were expecting Emily, our first Christmas of being married...it had the dial instead of the buttons, and it was ...well, we didn't quite know what to do with it. I had a book of microwave recipes, and actually made cakes and cookies in it...)(how did they become necessities in the kitchen? We cook our veggies in ours every night....) Is our old microwave taken out to the garbage yet? No, it is sitting on the counter, looking pretty. Now if our toaster would just break...

We had a party last night. Well, not officially. But Miss Emily Anne was here for a visit, and she works nights, so she was not going home to go to bed, she has to stay up all night on her nights off, so after midnight when I dragged myself away from the fun with those others who were still up, but get to sleep this morning, it was difficult.

Emily, Benjamin, Mirielle, Joseph, and Margaret are going to Ohio for the funeral/remembrace for our friend Joe. Abigail has to work and Aaron has a Regents test, and Sam has a final exam....Benjamin actually postponed his Army entrance exam in order to go. They are going to drive there on Thursday morning, early, and come home late Thursday night, Friday morning. I am glad they are going, it is the least we can do, to let the family know how much we care. We know that God knows what He is doing, but it still hurts.

Here in the great state of New York, it is required to take a five-hour course of driving instruction before signing up for the driver's test. Joseph is taking it tonight. It is in the mall in the suburbs. He asked me to take him. How can I pass five hours over there with all those stores, ha? But I have already told Jonathan it is going to be a nice day,and I would be waiting in the pool for them when they get off the bus. So Mirielle is going to take Joseph, and she is going to go in the huge book store and drink Chai tea and read books. wah. hmm. Maybe Aaron will wait in the pool...nah, he has to work. I will have fun in the pool though.

This weekend is the youth conference weekend. All the older kids are going, except for Benjamin. We will only have him here, and the six youngest. Paul said, "We are going to be alone this weekend, dear...." Yes, we consider that "alone".....because they actually might go to bed before we do!

Charlotte Claire is up, she is playing in her room. She is enjoying her new Barbie.

Camille is up now. She came hobbling down the hall into the living room saying, "Mommy, I took a nice nap!" She walks on her cast now like a pro. I know I am biased, but she is the cutest thing ever. Oh, Aaron dreamt I had a tiny little newborn baby boy, the other night. And he told me that Mirielle had the same dream. The way he told it was so hopeful. They would LOVE a new baby around here. Aaron also told me that he saw a lady with a newborn baby in the McDonalds he works in, and she was holding it without supporting his head at all, his head was wobbling all over, and Aaron wanted to say something but didn't know if he should.....

Camille wants go to the bank....(they give away lollipops to children)....there is a downside to these little two year olds who know how to talk and get these ideas. She has said, " I want to go to the bank.", at least ten times this morning, and she has only been up for five minutes.

She has a little pink sweater on that my mother knit for one of the other girls. Light pink and soft and fuzzy.

Tomorrow is the birthday/death of little Robert William, seven years ago tomorrow. In some ways it seems like yesterday. It was Friday, the thirteenth of June when I went in for that regular appointment, not realizing that anything was wrong. I did notice that baby wasn't that active, but he still bumped around....anyway, that was a tough day. And a tough weekend. I had to wait until Monday to be induced. That Saturday, my sister-in-law Kim and my mother came over to visit me, and we sat out in the yard. I know it was hard for them to come over, yet they did, and I appreciated it. It is much better to just be natural and not to try to avoid people because you don't know what to say or what to do.....I know when I have experienced loss, I wanted to talk about it. I want my parents and my brother and my baby to be remembered. Not swept under the rug and forgotten about. Anyway, tomorrow will be a sad day, maybe Mirielle and I can go to the cemetary and have a proper cry.....