summer 2011

summer 2011

Paul and I, all 16 kids and Ashley, Benjamin's wife...Christmas 2012

Paul and I, all 16 kids and Ashley, Benjamin's wife...Christmas 2012
family

Thursday, March 22, 2012

and so life goes...

First of all...thank you for the kind comments and encouragement. I know that God has not given us a spirit of fear, as it is written in Timothy, but that doesn't mean we aren't tempted to worry.

Ashley is going to have quite a journey soon, she will be driving all the way across the U. S. of A.! From Washington state to New York state, with her brother and the dog. Their furniture is in storage, and she is coming here to be with friends and family, which I am really glad about.

So in keeping with the Never A Dull Moment theme, which is my life's mantra, yesterday the school nurse called and had me come pick Miss Charlotte Claire up. Seems she had been in the nurse's office twice for her eye, which was watering and red. Now, the weather here in the Northeast U.S. has been absolutely positively gorgeous. Eighty degrees yesterday, sunny and breezy...delicious! So I was already going to pick the elementary kids up at two o'clock, so they could have a few hours of fresh air and sunshine. Well...there I was at the school at eleven, so...I just asked if I could sign the other kids out too....

Kathryn is home this week because the eighth graders are going on their annual trip to Washington, D.C., which we don't send our kids on. Suze was home because of a bowling field trip (who would want to go bowling in a dark cool bowling alley when it is eighty degrees out?) So it was like a vacation day here. Lots of kids, college kids had later classes so they were here for a while. We sunned and Kathryn made iced tea...it was so nice.

Jonathan and I made a quick trip to the small town down the road for grill propane. Emily came over and we had steak on the grill, pasta salad which Kathryn and Suzanne had made ALL BY THEMSELVES. (they probably learn more at home most days than school, right?).

We already have some letters in the mail for Benjamin, and are planning to send a package tomorrow. Thank you for the good advice, Jennifer! When Ben was in medic training, Mirielle made him cookies every week, and those guys helped him devour them pretty fast. Anyway, it is nice to hear that I am not the only one, and it made me feel much better that feeling so overwhelmed and sad is rather normal.

Our Syracuse basketball team is in the Sweet 16! They play tonight. After working at the dome this season, and seeing parts and parcels of their games, I am more of a fan than ever, and they have only lost twice this whole year so far...

I have to make lots of cupcakes before Saturday for a surprise party for a friend. Like a hundred or so. Hmm, should I do it all on Saturday morning? I have to buy more cupcake wrappers, and perhaps some ribbon in the color scheme...I have a love/hate relationship with these things. I LOVE doing things like cakes and cupcakes, but when the time comes to actually get moving on it, I wish I hadn't committed to doing it. And I get afraid I will mess up. And and and...

Today....we have some places to go and things to do. We are going Library Hopping! Better late than never, getting all those books back. Three libraries are on our list. And we are taking the minivan to get the oil changed. Paul asked me if I could fit it in, and he was serious. Fit it in to what? I have been majorly feeling like a lazy bum, I am so tanned and sunburned...things have slid here, my friends. Majorly. Because I like being in the sun. Okay, it is a big job to run a house with so many people living in it...the shopping and laundry and just picking up and taking care of showers and baths and making sure there are clean towels and they do their homework, and the appointments and and and...but shh, it is the best job ever!!! I can let things slide for a while, then work my tail off to catch up...

I have been exercising in the morning out on the deck, in the sun. My walks have been totally wonderful lately in the nice weather, too. I know it isn't going to last, it is not normal for us to have such nice weather in March. We have been setting records for high temps all week.

Anyway, we have places to go today. Evelyn-The-Library-Book-Queen is home today, missing her bowling alley field trip, and Kathryn is here, and Miss Char too, since her eyes are both watering now, she is coming down with a cold perhaps...not sure. The nurse wouldn't want her in school with possible pink eye, even though her eye isn't pink, I am keeping her with me today...what fun! Seriously, off in the minivan with four daughters, who could ask for anything more?

1 comment:

Cindy @ Marriedtothemilitary {dot} net said...

If you are going to mail a package already I would give it a few days. It takes time for them to process in country and for them to get mail set up. It also takes times for things to get moving there. If you mail him a package make sure that there is nothing of vale that you don't care that gets lost. They always tell us to make sure that they have gotten a letter from us before we send any packages.

Also, you have to fill out customs forms for anything going to an APO. You can order free shipping supplies to ship stuff to soldiers from the post office. They will send you flat rate boxes, packing tape, customs forms, and labels. I suggest that you be as vague as possible if you are going to send him anything of value. If I sent Jim video games I put "game" on it. That way it says but is not specific so less likeley the package would turn up "missing" yes it happens :-(

I have lots of tips, so let me know what you want info on. Also, not that it would be safe to post it here, but if you want to email me and let me know where he is I can give you an idea of what he has at his base which will give you a better idea of what he has access too so you know more of what would be best to send.