sundays

Saturday used to be my favorite day of the week.  No early wake up call, no early bedtime; the perfect sandwich of sleeping and waking freedoms, if you ask me.  But kids came and my night owl tendency morphed into early bird survival and I soon fell prey to a comfy place to fall around 10 PM, Saturday or not.  Now my favorite day is Sunday.

My childhood may not be chock full of Leave it to Beaver simple, happy days, but it was good in its own way.  One memory that I replay often, or that I've stitched together from a few different ones lodged in my mind, involves Sunday nights.  I remember staying in after dinner, following long, hot summer days.  We'd each take our turn getting showered or bathed and don our PJ's.  Then we'd settle in on our butts around the coffee table and eat ice cream.  We might still be able to hear the neighbor kids outside making the most of warm weather and late nights, but we didn't care.  We enjoyed our treat and got to eat in front of the TV.  And if I'm right, I think we watched 60 Minutes.  We must have really liked that ice cream, because it fails to occur to me how four kids sat for an hour and happily watched that show.  I still love it.

Thirty years later, I ache for Sunday nights all week long.  I'm hesitant to ever plan anything, as I know an endless, busy week will be taking its toll by then and I'll just want Dove soap-scented, fresh-air-filled, rosy-cheeked kids snuggled up to us on the couch.  I look forward to the sore muscles from lots of yard work and a nearly accomplished to-do list.

This Sunday night we did just that, and we added couch-eaten ice cream. I flashed back thirty years as I looked at my kids' faces, with chocolate smudges and laps balancing big bowls of our favorite treat.  We didn't watch 60 Minutes, but we did hear the neighbor kids' happy young voices stretching out the weekend to its fullest extent.  There was not one complaint.

These are my favorite kind of moments.  Laughs, love and ice cream goodness with those you love.  I breathed in their youth as we sat there, focusing for a moment on each of their beautiful faces and holding tight to my patience as Riley and Finn argued about who would sit next to me on the couch.

"Tomorrow we'll have a 1st, 3rd and 5th grader," I thought.  Amazing.

And then, after my last spoonful of the most delicious ice cream ever made, Oberweis' Blueberry Pie, I promptly fell asleep on the couch.

Life is good.

helping haiti

What started with a short story read to the class resulted in a big surprise for Logan's teacher.  After taking the next day off, she returned to school to find that her class was so inspired by the hardship and turmoil so many Haitians deal with daily, that they started their own impromptu fundraiser and on the first day, while at school, they collected $87!

Logan came home daily toting huge bags of change and cash, counted it and returned it to the principal the next day.  Within a few days, the halls of the school were lined with promotional posters, collection jars had been delivered to all the classrooms and the kids even stood outside school bathrooms to ask for pennies.  With no direction, operating on pure desire to help, these kids were accomplishing their goals!

As this evolved, I thought of only one person:  Dr. Sylvia Campbell.  I worked for her in Tampa during the mid to late '90's when she began traveling to Haiti annually to perform surgeries and give medical care to those in need.  That was before the natural disasters that completely ripped this third world country apart.  Nearly twenty years later, Dr. Campbell has gone to help up to four times per year with her organization, Village Partners International.  In Mombin Crochu, they've now built a small clinic to take care of patients.  They've expanded to visit other countries in need as well.

We keep in touch and I knew that she was currently in Haiti at the clinic on one of her trips.  After getting the okay from Logan's teacher, I reached out to her to find out if the class could make their donation to Village Partners International.  In my message, delivered to this small clinic across the world in real-time via Facebook, I reminded Dr. Campbell of a handmade, light blue paper rosary she gave me after her first trip there so many years ago, that still sits in my jewelry box today.  Who would've imagined that I'd someday have a daughter whose giving spirit would lead us back together, who would be inspired to help Haiti, too.

Through tears, Dr. Campbell responded, saying she'd be "proud and honored to be part of the children's beautiful hearts and spirits!"  The $300 earned by the kids in two short weeks will go to the organization's Food for Healing program, which provides meals for patients who typically don't receive any food. Not only does it promote healing, but it supports the local economy and provides jobs, too.

I am so proud of Logan's involvement in this!  And thanks to Dr. Campbell, who has handwritten a letter for me to give to each student and will likely do a quick Skype with the class, these children will have a true personal connection to how their efforts will make a difference in Haiti.

How lucky we are for our kids to have this experience at such a young age! Logan and her class have inspired me to find more ways to give to others in need and hopefully someday, to travel to Haiti to help in person!  When Dr. Campbell first went all those years ago, I knew it was something I wanted to do someday; now I know it's something I want our whole family to do.

To learn more about Dr. Campbell's and VPI's efforts, watch this you tube video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-u6CkvxH9s

...fourteen...

How time flies!  It was a slightly less rainy day 14 years ago when this lucky girl married Superman at the Little White Church on the County Line with everyone we love squeezed in tightly around us.  It's unimaginable that it could possibly be 14 years later, but it is, and we've got the three kids, three houses, four dogs, numerous vehicles, multiple careers, umpteen trials and tribulations and countless blessings to prove it.  Happy, happy anniversary to the man of my dreams.

By the way, that's same man who signed his last name in the card he gave me this morning!  (Just in case I didn't know....)  Oh, how I love him so!!

forethought

Sometimes the maturity and forethought of my children amazes me. Today, when driving home from here and there, Finn asked, "Mom, when I get on the plane to go to Grandmom and Granddad's next summer with the girls, who will hug you at the airport?"

I caught my evading breath and answered, "No one, Finn. That's gonna be a rough day."

"I know Daddy will rush home from work that day," he answered back. "He'll give you a big hug."

And then he added, "'Cause you'll really need it."

He couldn't be more right.

good character

Of all the things to be known for, I'd say that good character might be the best. Today, Logan was surprised by being honored in front of the whole student body as one of two representatives from the 3rd grade class who best represent good character every day. I just wish we could've been in the crowd to watch!! Our little neighbor community cheered her on, as I'm sure Riley did, too. They were all so excited for her.

Proud doesn't even begin to cover how we feel! Take a look at her certificate. GREAT JOB LOGAN!

griff's trees

It's overwhelming how people come out of the woodwork and show how amazing they are when bad things happen. We're so blessed to have such wonderful folks in our lives who've shown their generosity and friendship by honoring Griff's memory through trees for yard.

From Tiffany, Jeni and Matt, a gorgeous prariefire crabapple that we can watch bloom a glorious pink each spring. Our high school coach, Brent Johnston and his son, Danny drove out to our place with the tree and did all the work planting it. It was just a little bit amusing to watch Mike "watch" as other folks did work around his house. This is not his comfort zone! It was great catching up with Coach and the good vibes continue to emanate from Griff's crabapple every time we look at it.From the Marienthal's, Sack's, VanGilder's and Ayers', a gift card to one of our favorite places on earth, The Growing Place, was used to purchase a lovely Bloodgood Japanese Maple that we planted right outside our dining room windows. It's leaves peeking in at every holiday meal will be the perfect reminder of Griff.


Words cannot express our gratitude for good friends and fond memories.

solo

At the age of nine, I would have never dreamed of auditioning for anything, much less for a solo singing part in the school musical. I am so proud of Logan for throwing caution to the wind, trying out this spring and snagging a part in this year's Third Grade Musical.

The kids were all so amazing, fearless, supportive of each other and excited about their performances alone and as a group. It was a perfectly-timed show that kept the crowd interested; even the youngest audience members. We had a great turnout, with Granddad and Grandmom here for the weekend, Nana and Tony, Grammy and Uncle Jim, Uncle Tom, Aunt Michelle and Ellie all up front and present to watch Logan's big moment. As I looked around, I thought how touching it had to be for Logan to know that her family just plain shows up, time and time again. I am thrilled that she will not know it any other way and will always look out to see a plethora of smiling, supportive faces in the crowd facing her. Gratitude beyond words to all that came in support of her big solo debut and have made this kind of family life the reality for our children!

Oh, and her lines weren't too shabby either.... she sang them beautifully!

"It's my own voice
It's my own choice
To do my best!"