Year 2, Day 134: Mother's Day 2017

7 years.  7 Mother's Days without my mom.  Sigh.  I wasn't overly emotional today.  I had to take it easier yesterday and today to catch up from the busy week, so I didn't set the bar too high for accomplishing stuff.  Yesterday, the kids did a bunch of cleaning for me to earn their TV time.  It's surprisingly going very well now that they are a bit older and can handle instructions better.  They are actually begging for more jobs.  I rounded up the amount of TV time they earned so they could have a full hour because I didn't know what else to give them.  Yesterday, they went way over their hour, but today, they stuck much better to the clock because Justin set his alarm clock to go off.  Jared was gone yesterday morning to help with a 5K event for Benaiah's school.  I caught up on laundry and dishes.  And of course church.  And everybody knows, we don't make a big deal of holidays at the J6 home.  So, for Mother's Day, Jared's "gift" was to remove the boxes sitting in the living room and put them in the garage.  Then, because I rested a lot yesterday, I puttered around with a few boxes from my next hotspot, my desk.  But I didn't push them or myself.

Other parts of being a mom: I heard Justin and Keturah giggling playing a Monopoly game and Abishai ran up and down the hallway with an orange bucket on his head.  Benaiah had volunteered as always, at church, to do video switching.  You should have heard how proud he is that he's working hard at church, and he's going to sing and play drums at chapel at school this week!  He's right where I had hoped he would be - volunteering in ministry, learning leadership skills from other guys, and learning how to work with adults.

We had family dinner, plus 3 guests, this evening for Mother's Day at Gary and Leah's.  It was beautiful weather, perfect for grilling and sitting outside talking, laughing, and playing Nerts!  Dan and Karen Hamell, the new teaching minister, came and we were officially introduced.  And a long time friend of Gary and Leah's who lead or leads a ministry in Austria (I don't know the full current story on that one), Jim Poer also came this evening.  His wife is still in Austria working in the ministry and will join him later this summer here in the states, if I'm not mistaken.  I'm pretty sure they moved back here, but still go over to Austria for several months of time to work at the ministry.  We had a tremendous time with all 3 of our guests!  I didn't mind the "intruders" because I'm so used to having guests at Sunday dinners and it always makes for more interesting conversations.  Plus, Leah asked me first if it was ok since it was Mother's Day.  Yup, the more the merrier!  I can't wait to do more hosting and cookouts in our new backyard!

Oh the best mommy moments of the day!  When you see all your people riding bikes together and YOU can sit in a chair and NOT chase the 2 year old around!

My mother's day gift!

Abishai got a lift!

One..two..three..go!

I put away the knick knacks from my desk today, and this was on of them.  Very appropriate for Mother's Day and Father's Day.

The very definition of having 4 kids, 1 in each major stage of the growing up years, all very different in personality and style, and all different sizes.  My favorite contrast of course is being Benaiah vs Abishai.  Benaiah's feet used to be that small.

It's Mother's Day, so the dessert has to be fancy!  Of course, I had something different because this was ice cream and whipped cream and brownies.  But the raspberry sorbet was yummy AND the chocolate covered strawberries that Leah made by hand!  Actually, Leah did make a wonderful, wonderful meal and really did slave all afternoon to prepare it.  I know she doesn't mind because she's so hospitable and loves the fact that this Mother's Day, we are actually with her!  She was able to FaceTime the New Orleans crew as well.  Mr. Jim did most of the clean up though, which is something Gary usually does after a big meal.  Lots of serving hearts all in the same room!

Abishai LOVED the chocolate covered strawberries, as did I! But I'll probably pay for it tomorrow.

My desk looks naked!  And now when I walk across the floor, however lightly, you an hear it shaking more.  I'm not sure if we will be able to find a home for this piece of furniture in the new house because it's so large, but, I like it!  Especially having all the fun knick knacks on the top.  And yes, I haven't changed my wreath since the fall.  Whoops!

I let Justin pick up the camera to take pictures of his spinner he made and he randomly took one of me.  I didn't mind because we don't have many of me.  And I do have to lay down sometimes to let my back relax and rest.  It's been making a huge difference, especially after having to bend over to pack things.  So, just like we have pictures of my mom making her handicrafts, why not have pictures of me resting? It is Mother's Day after all!

Shauna sent me a video of how to make a spinner out of Legos and I let Justin watch it of course. Well, he came up with his own version!

And we finally found the original spinner I bought two months ago!  It's a little annoying that the spinners have now become the new "thing" that everyone is obsessed with when there are kids that really do have a diagnosis that it helps with.  I will not allow it to be played with during church or funeral services or at any other event.  My kids do NOT need it.  They just need their new backyard to run off their energy.  I think there's an epidemic that kids need to keep their hands busy like they do on video games or on the TV remote but it should be guided to things like handicrafts like woodworking and sewing, which are more productive than video games.  However, Abishai loves playing with it, too.  

Weeee!!!!!

Grilling season has begun!  The grill master needs an apprentice though - Benaiah, are you up for it?

When I told Abishai that we were going to Grandma's house, he immediately said, "Doggie!"  He loves being near Socks, even if he doesn't play with him for more than 1 minute.  I'm realizing that we all are missing Socks a ton, especially since we are so excited to get him back!  We are grateful that he's had a home this past year, but it's time to get him back!  Run, run, run, Doggie!

Go get' em, Justin!

Your turn, Keturah!

Aw, 3 of my kids with my fifth "kid."

But that "fifth" kid is now 7, and an old man in dog years, so the fun and games doesn't last as long as it once did.

I'm too tired to keep going!  But can you pet me instead?  I'll even get in your face until you do!  (And Socks did just that, even to Karen, who is allergic to dogs, poor thing!)

Beef and pork steak!  Plus brats!  I LOVE beef steak!  I'm mostly tired of the pork steak though.

Grill master doing his thing.

Cutie.

Always board games, always.

Gorgeous beast.

Introducing our new friends to Nerts!  Which, I think they smoke the pros!

The "pros" went easy on the newcomers at first, but had to step up their game a few hands later.

Nerts!

Lots of hand flying!

Abishai spent the evening moving his cars and bus around to different spots in the house and outside.  I guess he gravitated to the yellow ones tonight.  He is starting to try and and recognize colors though!

Will they catch me turning the light on and off?  Um, yes, we did catch him and told him to get done, which he did obey immediately, and was praised for it.

Grandma told our new friends that I love taking pictures of Abishai because he's so cute, and it's so true!  I think Abishai is playing a card game with his bus friend.  Just imitating the big people.

Poor baby fell like 4 times today, busting up his knees, toes, and head multiple times.  He was so filthy when we got home, that we had to thoroughly had to wipe him down head to toe before we could put boo boo lotion on his scrapes.  I'm sure it's not the end of the boo boos this kid will have.  Meanwhile, Justin fell off his bike yesterday, so he has some scrapes and bruises.  Yesterday, his stomach kept hurting when he would laugh, so, the good momma I am (not), kept making him laugh.  It was an interesting experiment.

Quick learners, Karen and Dan.

Bus, always bus.  Even when a real bus has been sitting in one spot for a couple of weeks, Abishai noticed it was gone and said, "bye bye bus."  And he only has to see a flash of the color to know there's one way out in the distance!

The rest of the week is very quiet until Thursday when we close on the house!  Slow and steady packing.  Keep on cleaning in case there is as showing.  Maybe a little school after I reorganize what's left.  We will see!  Good night!