Karma Got Me

I have suffered from debilitating migrains since I was eight. I can remember missing recess in the third grade because my head was throbbing. They were the worst about eight years ago when we lived in Kansas, and in the past year they have returned. This past week I had one for almost four days straight. On Friday it was horrible; probably one of the worst I have ever experienced.

After downing four Advils on the way to church (I was preparing myself for the all boy Sunday School class I was about to teach), I rubbed my temples and complained, "What have I done to deserve this pain?"

Evan looked at me and asked, "Mom, have you done anything bad lately?" Oh great! I thought. My son is going to suggest that my migrains are a result of my sins. He looked at me and said in all seriousness, "I was just going to say it might be Karma."

Thank you, Wise One.

Church Couches

On our way to church on Sunday we drove by the huge church on Highway 234 that hosts the Gospel Service and has hundreds of people attending the late morning service. Evan commented on all the cars pulling into the parking lot of the huge church.
Keep in mind we attend a small church plant of maybe 60 attendees that meet in the cafetorium of an elementary school. Every week we convert the room into a sanctuary with a sound table, some plastic chairs, a podium, and a communion table. The differences between the two churches couldn't be greater. As we drove by the big church last Sunday Evan wondered aloud, "That is a really big church. I wonder if it has couches like Opa and Oma's church."
I sat through three stop lights before I realized "couches" meant pews. He wanted to know if the big church on the highway had cushioned seats as opposed to the uncomfortable blue plastic chairs that we use. I started to explain to him that most churches do have "couches", but he is already confused enough with the praise band at our church and the lack of instruments at the Church of Christ service in Texas so I let it go. 

Decisions, Decisions

Is it that time already? Oh, I almost cringed when I saw it in the mail when we got back from Texas. I thought, I hoped, this year might be different; that Keagan would have an easier time making the BIGGEST decision of the year. And I was almost in luck until the second copy of the same magazine arrived today. What caused the tears, the stomping around the living room, the whines, the sighs? Why what to wear for Halloween of course!

Keagan decided on August 12 he would be Wolverine. The sharp claws were obviously the reason for this choice. And when I heard nothing else about it for an entire week, I thought God had looked on me with favor and the decision was final. And then on August 20 he decided Indiana Jones was a better pick. Who wouldn't want to wear a cool hat and throw a whip at anything that moves? But that was not to remain the permanent choice. On August 25 he decided he would be a Special Forces, head-to-toe black-carrying-a-gun soldier. And when Wes vetoed that idea, he came up with Duke from GI Joe. However, he quickly debated this decision when he remembered that Duke "jumps farther and runs faster" and Keagan can "only run faster."

Some people might wonder why this is such a major ordeal. I wonder this myself - especially since I never liked Halloween or costumes as a kid. However, my boys have a costume collection that would rival any theatre's collection. And even though the boys have a multitude of costumes to wear, all of them, due to daily costume changes, are ripped, torn, missing a leg, or missing a crotch and just can't be worn in public. And so I must, as you can clearly see, purchase a new costume for Halloween. I have a coupon that must be used soon so Keagan's decision time is drawing near. I wonder how many more tears of frustration and indecisiveness will fall before the final decision is made.

Shenadoah Valley Hike

My parents arrived on Friday only to leave again on Monday. With only one full free day in our schedule, we decided to take a day trip to the Shenadoah Valley to hike. A friend of a friend wrote a guide book to hiking in the Valley, and we found a scenic, child friendly hike that seemed perfect for us. On the trail we found creepy crawlies, we picked blackberries, and we observed two deer. 

After 1.5 hours and 2.5 miles later, we made it to our goal. This is what we found.

The boys splashed in the very cold water while the adults sat back to watch. It was a very beautiful place.

And then it was time to hike the 2.5 miles, almost all uphill, back to the car. We only sufferred a couple of melt-downs, one insect bite, and one blister. However, even with all of this, the boys did remarkably well with such a difficult hike. 

Let's Celebrate!

Today we celebrated Keagan's fifth birthday with a soccer themed party.

Party Goers - Evan looks especially thrilled to be in attendance

A girl I knew in Germany told me August was the worst month to have a birthday if you are a military child. One, most people are on vacation this month. And two, most families PCS in July and kids have no time to make new friends before it is time to celebrate. Thus far it has not posed too many problems for us because we have lived an unusually long time at one duty station. With many of the same friends in attendance as the last three parties, we celebrated Keagan's 5th birthday with a soccer party at an indoor soccer facility. The kids learned a few soccer skills, played a few games, and ate cake. In Keagan's eyes, it was the perfect way to celebrate. Thanks to all who came out on a rainy day to make it such a great day for Keagan!

Just Because

Wes was at home today while I was at work. He captured these photos of the boys' fun adventures. Love them!

Silent Drill

After flying home yesterday afternoon, we drove to the Iowa Jima Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery to watch the Marine Corp's Silent Drill. The boys were restless, and understandably so after a two hour drive to the Dallas airport, a two hour wait in the airport due to our plane's mechanical failure, and a two and a half hour plane ride. However, the "dual" between the Sergeant and the Private peaked their interest, and Keagan determined that "the boss" won with the best rifle tricks. (There is no dual, contest, or boss, but with little boys battles of supremacy always make for a more interesting story.) This was one more event I can cross off of my list of must-sees before we leave next summer.

God's Country

We have now been in Texas for a week, and for anyone that is a native of the state of Texas, you know it is often referred to as God's country. As much as I like Texas, I must admit I am a bit partial to a state that has four seasons. Texas does not. Here there is hot and even hotter. We left Virginia looking forward to the heat, as all summer it has been too cool in Virginia to swim outdoors. We got what we wished for, and we have spent every day in the water.

Texas Top Five:
5 - Driving a motorized kid-sized John Deere tractor and fishing in a backyard pond with our friends Henry and Max.

4 - Teaching Oma and Opa to play Pokemon and Ben10.

3 - Watching Mallory, my 11 month old niece, squawk like a macaw on her first visit to the zoo and petting the pygmy goats.

2 - Eating peach icecream at a Peach Farm in Pittsburg and bringing home a bushel of peaches for cobbler. The Texas flag out front was the perfect backdrop for another picture.

1. Swimming in Oma's pool with friends and family