If Home Is Where Your Heart Is. . . .

I was having a bad day the other day and I decided to sleep it off (napping with Gabby).  When I woke up these beautiful wild flowers were on a vase on my nightstand along with a note that said: Dear Mom, I know that you have a lot of stress during the summer.  These are to make you happy because they are just as beautiful as you!  I love you to death.  I wish I was around you more. Love, Maggie She's great!

Well, it is that time of year again. . .our annual family picture and Andrew's Lake. . .13th annual!  Yesterday was a beautiful day and I'm glad we got the summer family picture done because as of next weekend our entire family won't be together again until August 17th.  Boo hoo!

That has been my question for several years. . . about Tiki.  It's actually been my question since before Tiki.  I work in summer camping and I see thousands of teens who are medicated for one reason or another, so I've been thinking about over-medication for a long time.  Then God gave me Tiki and brought the question into my home. I think that ADD and ADHD is misdiagnosed and over-diagnosed and so on and so forth in this country.  I have many thoughts about this, but they'll remain inside my head for now. But I find myself with my wonderfully spirited Tiki.  And there is nothing wrong with his wonderfully spiritedness!  Nothing.  But I know for a fact that he is struggling with PTSD and through research and research, I am finding that his PTSD is presenting itself as ADD/ADHD.  He doesn't necessarily have those, but that is how the PTSD is presenting itself in Tiki.  So what do I do with that? I've tried several things and I've been ...

I wonder. . . how many moms out there ever feel just completely overwhelmed?  How many moms feel ever like they are at their Witt's end?  How many moms walk from the dish washer to the laundry room and just think, "I need a vacation"?  How many moms just want to pull the covers up over their heads and go back to sleep? Did my mom ever?  For some reason, I doubt it.  She is so all-together and calm and put together and on top of things.  That's my perception of her.  Did she ever crumple up in a ball on her bed and cry because she couldn't get her bra snapped?  (Yes, that happened to me today. . .the bra wasn't really what the tears were about, but it was the straw that broke this camel's back.)  I know she's a human and I would think that a human would have a moment or two like that, but I just can't imagine my mom ever doing that.  She's almost perfect.  (Do my kids think that about me?  NO!!) I can't imagine many people ...

Hays got his braces off yesterday and I think (know) that I was more excited than he was.  He asked my why that was so and I told him that I think that since he is my first that everything is also a first for me.  Hays was my first kid to get his braces off.  I was giddy!  (I'm sure I embarrassed him several times throughout the day.) We got to the orthodontist office and they were clearly as excited as I was. . .the whole office was Luau themed for the "braces off" day.  Hays got a lay and was escorted to his chair.  After the braces came off he got a bottle of sparkling cider and a bag of all the candy he wasn't supposed to eat with braces.  He also got a Rocky Mountain Chocolate gift certificate and we headed straight there for a chocolate covered caramel apple! The front door of the office. . . all the kids getting their braces off yesterday. Hays looks adorable!  He's so grown up and so handsome!  His gums are stil...

If you want something done right. . .then it isn't going to happen.  That's the kind of week I'll be having this week! Kivu opened its gates last Monday.  We had a few guy counselors roll in to help clean up.  Last night our entire staff (nearly 100 college kids) showed up for our Staff Training Week.  This morning we had a group of 65 high school Seniors show up from Phoenix for their Senior Trip.  And meanwhile, back in Durango, my kids are still in school for two more weeks.  So, I'm trying to live in two worlds and spinning plates are getting dropped all over the place!  I feel like I'm moving in four time speed fast forward (think DirectTV) and slow motion all at the same time.  I'm trying to be a good mom who doesn't drop the ball too much these last two weeks of school (trying to remember who has field trips when and which class I am supposed to bring snacks to when and so on and so forth) and I'm trying to make the retreat run smoothl...

Sixteen years is a long time to be married to the same person (and it has been nearly twenty years since I fell in love with him).  I'm not going to lie, it hasn't been easy or beautiful for the entire 5844 days, but even in the bad times, I know that I am with the man of my dreams!  He has learned to be patient with me and he still laughs with (and at) me.  We have fun together and we still dream together.  I love my husband! For me, it was practically love at first sight!  I knew I was going to marry that guy in my Old Testament class from the first or second week of Baylor.  I was so patiently persistent (is that possible) and finally he realized that I was the one for him!  We've been through tons of highs and lows together and I know that ultimately we have come out stronger!  I hope that our kids see us having fun together and not taking one another too seriously all the time.  I hope they see a mom and dad who are in love! Andy,...