Steps2Hope and Team Andrew

Many of you know the story.  Many of you have seen the story on my blog.  Andrew Smith, a boy in our church that I used to babysit, lost his legs in the explosion from a roadside bomb in Afghanistan.  We have all cried, prayed, watched God work miracles and prayed some more.

 

Steps2Hope, an organization in our community, has put together an incredible opportunity to build Andrew, and his wife, Tori, a home - in a week!

 

I woke up at 5:30 this morning and headed to the site to help with breakfast

I helped serve breakfast and clean up.  And then continued to carry drinks and food to all the people that came out to work.  You become really popular when you are always walking around with sausage biscuits and doughnuts. 

You also realize how out-of-shape you are when you walk up this driveway from the food tent to the house about 30 times.

I had a blast working this morning.  I loved helping out for such a great couple and family!

Around the property they have flags placed in honor of different people that have served in the military.  I found this very special one:

I got home around 2:00, absolutely exhausted.  About 2:30 Jason got a call and was asked if he could come work on the trim at 5:00.  His tools were all at his most recent jobsite - on the opposite side of the world from this site.  Since I hadn't seen him yet, I rode with him to get all of his stuff. 

We took the kids to Papa and I went with Jason back to the site.  I wanted to be where Jason was and I figured I could continue to serve food while he worked.  We got to the site a little after 5:00 and they were still mudding the drywall, and even still hanging it in some places.  You can't put up trim until mud is dry.  They told him it would probably be closer to 10:00. 

The delay was not that surprising, it just meant that Jason will be working the night shift.  So, we ate dinner with the crowd, Jason took me home and then headed back.  I'm sitting at home, exhausted and trying to blog...

Added later: Jason didn't get home until 4 AM.  Unfortunately, he was not able to work on much trim, but he did work on the tongue-and-groove ceiling.

No real blog entries

It has come to my attention that I have not blogged very much lately.  I've blogged some, but most of my blogs lately have been a few pictures and minor details about an activity.

That about sums up life right now.

I take a few pictures with my phone, which isn't that great.  I don't have the time or energy to take my camera with me for the perfect picture.  But, in all honesty, we just haven't been doing much lately.  This is not going to go down in history as the Summer To Remember.  It is the Summer of Survival. 

Work is crazy busy.  I work with two real estate agents.  TWO.  We have just recently added one ore who is training to just show houses.  We are only half-way thru the year and I have completed 53 closed sides.  I usually am working with about 15 contracts at a time and that keeps me busy.  The past six weeks I have consistently had about 25 files on my desk.  I'm exhausted just thinking about it.

I am thankful for my job, but unfortunately, this produces a lot of mommy-guilt and, actually, a lot of wife-guilt.  The activities are few (remember Fun Mom Fridays?) and the planned meals are a distant memory.  And a clean house?  HA - that is a good one! 

The guys I work for have sensed my stress level and told me to pick one afternoon a week that I don't have to answer my phone or look at e-mails, so I can do some fun activities with the kids.  Gotta get some things scheduled....

Festive Flowers and Flags

I finally potted some plants for my front steps.  Red, White and Blue.

 And I lined the sidewalk with flags.  I love flags!

 And I painted my toes for the Fourth!

The Edge

A few pics from Mollee's week at camp.....

Seriously?

I have no other way to title this.  

I often put my flower pot in the sink and water it really good and then the kids put the base back into the decorative flower pot.  Tonight, being only Capps and Mac (and not Daegan who takes care of everything), they just spit "around" the flower pot when they brushed their teeth.

A Family of Four

Mollee is at camp and Tavis and Daegan went to the Harris' for the evening.  So, as a family of four, we went to Cracker Barrel.  

Low-key Father's Day

Tatoos with Daddy (1960's photo style)

(polaroid style)

We ate lunch with Mom and Dad (just Subway to make it easy), and then celebrated in Dad's office, aka. the garage!

 Crude/Funny card from the boys - Jase got two Duck Dynasty t-shirts.

 Subway for lunch, Fruity Pebbles for dinner - but all Jase cares about is a litte quiet time to read on the deck.  While wearing my favorite T-shirt that says "I'd rather be with Greta".  :)

Please note our recently pressure washed and repainted deck!!!

The kids never know what color my hair will be in the morning...

Happy Birthday, Pops!

A wonderful grandparent, indeed!

Where are the butterfly bandaids?

That is the text I got from Jason while I was out this morning.  Seriously?  You think you can leave it at that and not explain?

I was already on my way home and I called.  Apparently, Capps had busted his knee open.  Mollee had cleaned it up and Jason was just finding out about it. 

I got back to the house and I knew it was deep.  And it was on his knee - the most active joint in my opinion.  So, we headed to the doctor. 

Five stitches later....

 

Capps did well.  He did not appreciate the cleaning, but he didn't move a muscle.  Then the lidocaine helped the stitches go better. 

 

Dr. said no swimming for ten days.  The knee is the number one place for stitches infection and you have to keep it dry and protected.  Not an easy task for such an active kid!

 

One the way home, my monkey told me that we still could go to the pool and he would just sit and watch.  He didn't want everyone else to suffer even though he couldn't swim.  I love that kid!!!

It's Cool In The Furnace

Mac and Capps were my two Music Campers this year - and they loved it!  Mollee was also a helper, so it was just me with Tavis and Daegan all week. 

 (Mac - second row, toward middle of this picture)

 (Capps - near top, toward middle)

This year they did "It's Cool In The Furnace" about Daniel, Shadrach, Mescach and Obednigo. 

They had a blast and I am so glad we got to participate this year!

As a side story - usually, after Music Camp, they have an ice cream social.  This year, they did not, so we went to Burger King to partake of their 50 cent ice cream cones.  We went to one Burger King and they were out of ice cream ("truck is comin' tomorrow sir").  So, we went to another Burger King.  They were out of cones, so we got cups - but after we ordered they told us they had no more spoons.  Way to plan for your 50 cent sale BK!!

A quick Saturday Swim

Dog Walking

We are walking/feeding GranMary and Bill's dogs this weekend.  You would think now that we have our own dog, this wouldn't be ask exciting, but the kids fight over who is going to go with me.

 Itty and Toe, you are well loved!

It also helps that GranMary has every variety of candy sitting out for the kids.  Along with Sunny D's in the frig for them to get each time. 

Which, from this experience, here is my new favorite candy:

This is how I get to eat Breakfast in Bed on a Saturday Morning

..at 10 AM. 

It is so nice the kids can fend for themselves now when they first wake up.

Mollee gets braces

I think they look very cute!

Can you say cha-ching?!

Mac's New Bible

Our church gives kids a bible when they graduate to the 1st grade class.  Mac got his today!

Mollee's Clubhouse

Mollee is always creating something in the backyard.  (remember the library in the garage?).  I found this today - her newest clubhouse.  I have to admit, it is set up nicely.

 

The "kitchen":

 The den:

 And the "living" room: