This summer

Tomorrow will be Aug. 1 and in 13 days my boys will go back to school.  My heart is heavy!  Yes, you read that correctly.  There were so many summers where by Aug. 1 I was ready to lose my ever loving mind!  I didn't think I could take another episode on the Disney Channel, the Popsicle wrappers all over the house, the fighting between the boys, the money I hemorrhaged, and the mounds of laundry!  But this summer was the summer of absolute sweetness!  Granted it was not the greatest summer for my mom but for my boys.....it was pure joy!  Let me start with Jay.  His job was a such a blessing!  He worked full time the entire summer and even got a raise.  It built confidence in him, taught him a skill and I saw him grow leaps and bounds in so many areas of his life.  People, you have to understand this is my boy who I wondered if I would ever get him raised!  My mom had to consistently remind me that Jay was "under construction."  Mike had to remind me that boys are built, and girls are "raised."  The best part of all of this is that because Jay is working full time there is no time to argue with Nick.  At night I hear the boys laughing from the cat walk.  I hear them sharing things between the two of them.  I literally have to pinch myself.  Tomorrow Jay leaves for the Ozarks to take a trip with "his boys."  His boys are is his people!  As he left tonight I told him to be careful, have fun and to use his brain (my favorite line)!  But really, what a great way for these boys to start their senior year!
As for Nick....once he settled into his summer schedule I got to see the Nick I know and love.  Stress plays a huge part in Nick's reactions to things and school stresses him out.  I am really hoping and praying he can learn how to better handle stress and school.  I really don't want a repeat of 7th grade again!  Ugh.  Nick has spent hours on the lake, working with Mike and hanging with his friend, Mason, our neighbor.  When Mason was over today I told him I didn't know what Nick would have done without him this summer.  Mason will be a freshman and is going to a different school.  Thankfully the boys live across the street from each other so I don't anticipate their friendship changing.
Truly as this summer comes to an end I am more sad than anything.  I would pay money to make it last just a bit longer but then I'd come to the end and only want more.  It's hard to wrap my head around my first born being a senior.  But then I have to remind myself this is why Mike and I worked so hard.  It has always been my goal to see Jay flourish and now that I'm so close to it, it's hard to accept.  That is the bittersweet part of parenting.  I remember when I was entering my senior year of high school.  In August, right before school started, my parents marriage was a disaster and by October my dad had moved out.  Talk about a derailment.  But I know my mom was so proud of Kim and I during that time.  Perhaps it was clouded by her sadness but what a joy it is regardless of your circumstance (and in my case, my mom's stroke and fall this summer and in her case 30 some years ago, her divorce) to see them slowly (but surely) turn into the adults you have desired them to be!  

Life

It's been awhile since I blogged. July has been filled with ups, downs and some coasting along the way.  On July 1 my mom fell on her bad leg.  She did not break anything but she strained ligaments which was painful for her and as a result she became sedentary (rightfully so) which for someone who already has a weak leg, it did not bode well.  By July 6 she could no longer take care of Walker so we have inherited another dog, temporarily.  By July 8, she could no longer take care of herself.  On July 10 mom went to a short term care facility (she hates it when we call it a nursing home).  It is our hope she is able to go home sometime this week, but with going home we face another set of challenges.  Her walking is not good.  Her pain is gone but the leg is very weak.  All we can do is get a discharge date, try to be as proactive as we can (we do have help hired when she gets home) and pray.  For mom the month has been filled with disappointments.  We had a huge party planned to celebrate her recovery at the one year anniversary date of her stroke.  That party was cancelled.  Mom also had to miss her 50th high school class reunion.  As I write this there isn't much emotion involved and that isn't because I want to sound heartless.  If the past three years have taught me anything it's that this life is unpredictable.  It can change in a blink of an eye and there is no sense in wallowing.  You have to put one foot in front of the other and keep moving forward.  Mom demonstrates this everyday in what has been a year long struggle for her.  There are times I simply can't believe I have come full circle and Kim and I are witnessing the effects of a stroke with our other parent.  Wasn't one parent enough?  I quickly push these negative thoughts, which are certainly placed in my head by Satan himself, aside and ask Jesus for guidance.  Some days are better than others.  I recognize I'm human and I truly know nothing and I try to keep an eternal perspective.
Moving onto to my boys - a happier subject.  Mike is finishing a project he's been working on since April!  His deadline is Aug. 10.  It is my hope he can then catch up with other projects he committed to and "coast" the rest of the year, but we'll see.  Again, my idea of how things should or might go usually go the total opposite way.  Mary was over the other night and reminded me how much God has blessed Mike's business.  Although I know this to be true, the demands of daily life get the best of me and I can sometimes lose sight of this fact.
Jay is doing great this summer.  He is sun-kissed, gorgeous and a work horse.  He has even had a few dates with a girl!  He continues to work full time for a landscaper and that job has served him well.  He has plans to go to the Ozarks with "the boys" in a few weeks.  I simply cannot believe he will be a senior.  He's a typical soon to be senior.  He's gone all the time!  Ha.  He joked the other day he will actually be glad to get back to school because he can stop getting up at 6am every morning!
Nick is also doing great.  He looks like a surfer.  He is bleach blond, tan with his piercing blue eyes.  He went to track camp last week and enjoyed it.  He is spending hours fishing each week, his favorite past time.  The start of summer was rough for Nick and I, but when he got home from church camp in June, the tides turned and the Nick we know and love returned!  I'm hoping and praying for a smooth transition to school.

Our week.....in a nutshell

 I have loved every minute of this past week.  The only down side was my mom fell on Monday and thankfully she didn't break anything but she did hurt herself.  Her fall has really hindered her plans this week and its very frustrating.  Nick had his good friend, Chase, over this week.  They spent an entire day together, fishing and hanging out.  Nick went to fireworks with Chase on July 3!

 The best treat of the week was that Faith and Curt were in town.  Faith and her friends came out on Monday night. As I write this tonight Curt and Faith are coming back out tonight and they, along with Sieb have a flight to TX tomorrow morning.  How I miss these kids but it sure does my heart well to see them!

 Sarah was kind enough to drive the girls out on Monday night!

 Some thing never change.  Nick still loves to fish!  I took these pictures the night of July 3.  I adore these pictures.  I think they really reveal how much Nick loves to fish!  Fishing is his happy place.

As the week draws to a close I'm thankful for a lot of things.  One thing that has been on my mind a lot is my mom's year anniversary of her first stroke (July 9).  We are all thankful we can view that time from our rear view mirror but there have been struggles and this week was another reminder that mom's life is different.  Everything she does takes longer and requires more patience.  I'm very thankful she continues to live in her own home and who would have thought she would have a dog!  But Walker has been a huge blessing!
Mike is getting ready to spend a few days in TX.  I'm praying he can relax, enjoy his time with his dearest and oldest friend and come home refreshed!

Our 4th of July

 I love Fourth of July.  Thanksgiving and 4th of July are my favorite holidays!  I have such fond memories of the 4th from my childhood and the early years with my boys!  Time flies (more on that later).  This year I had my mom, sister and Mary out for bruch.  We laughed and enjoyed the morning together.

 Once again I am so thankful Mary lives close and I can see her and spend time with her!

 Mike and I have been doing the 4th of July shrimp boil with this group since 2016 (sadly the first year I was invited I broke my ankle).  Things have changed in four years.  Many of our kids eat and leave now but man do we have a good time!  I know all these people from Jay and I'm so thankful they came into our lives!

 This!  This picture is of our senior boys (Jay, Ayden, Aaron, Reece, Garrett, and Jeremy).  Time flies and it's bittersweet.

 And it begins!  The shrimp boil never disappoints.  It is always delish!

 This year the guys smoked an alligator.  They put the head right in the middle of the shrimp.  It was a conversation piece, for sure.

Ayden and Jay - senior boys!  Sometimes there just aren't words and this is one of those times.  Love them both.