Reflections on a busy week

What a boring blog title, eh?! Sorry about that. At least it wasn't "This and That" (I want to use that one like once a week).

This was a long and busy week! It really started last Friday when we went to my parents house (actually posted about that). Then we had a day at home before it was time to head out of town again on Tuesday for 4th of July celebrations with Eric's side of the family. It was the first time that they had gotten to meet Bright, and the first time that Grandparents had gotten to spend a good chunk of time with him. Bright did GREAT. He took it all like a trooper. We were surprised to find that he went to his Grandpa and Uncle Earle just fine, even though dad was still getting the cold shoulder. What is the deal with that?! We can't even say it's a man thing anymore! Urgh!

We got up on the 4th and headed over to my friend Linda's house. Linda has a quiver full of kiddos ("only" 9 at home right now though) and runs a small dairy goat farm. Let me just tell you...my kids think that Miss Linda's Farm is the BEST! Taevy got right in their and dealt with the goats--feeding the baby and milking an adult. [Samren wimpled out.] Then they had a great time playing in the loft of a small barn Linda has. The barn just happens to house a bevy of beautiful kittens that my kids wanted to take home so bad! [Samren said he would work on Linda's farm, but only with the kittens.] Then it was tree climbing time! Once again Taevy lead the way (from our group--Linda's kiddos are pros) and climbed high into the tree. Samren made it to the bottom brance once and then said, "Please put me down NOW!!!!" [Yep...he goes a little batty with heights.] It was a good way to start off the 4th!

After Linda's house we headed back to the family for a day of food, swimming, and playing card games. Bright surprised us all (except for me...I knew!) when he had absolutely no fear of the water. This kid! He is so funny. He was dunking his own head under the water and had no problem jumping off of the side of the pool, going under, and waiting for me to pick him out of the water once he had reammerged! Such a fish...but a boiant fish with all of that middriff fat!

Okay, so I didn't get the picture I wanted of him jumping off the side of the pool. Too busy catching him at that moment!

Taevy and Samren had a great time too. Samren could totally swim without his floaties, but he's convinced he can't. Taevy is convinced she will die if she even TRIES to do anything close to swimming actions. So it looks like another year (or more) before my kids learn to swim. Oh well. At least they look cute in their suits!

Taevy posing with some "awards" she won for fast water walking. ;-)

The last part of the week was busy with doctor's appointments--all day Thursday and 1/2 a day on Friday. Gotta get this kidney stuff done so that eventually...one day...maybe...if we do everything they say...Eric can get his kidney transplant! Highlight of those two days was when Bright ran to daddy with open arms in the hosptital! That was a HUGE step in the right direction, as attachment to dad continues to go slow (to everybody's great frustration because Eric is like THE guy that EVERY kid likes--except Bright)!

Even Eric and Bright have their moments--over food. Such typical guys!

We broke down a few weeks ago and hired someone to mow our lawn for us. Eric isn't supposed to do it anymore (20 lb work limit on dialysis) and there never seems to be time for me to get out there and get it done. PLUS, like everybody in our neighborhood has their yard "done" by somebody else and our yard looks way worse than everybody elses. Yes! We succombed to the 65 and older group's peer pressure!

Anyway, the guy was supposed to do our lawn twice a month--$35 a pop. Ouch. But fine. Last week we came home and the lawn had been mowed. Felt good, but maybe not quite $35 good? So this morning I hear "mmmmeeeeaaaa" in our front yard. You guessed it. The guy was here mowing our lawn. I told Eric he had to go talk to him beacuse we could NOT afford to have the lawn mowed every week! Then one of the kids says, "Look! He's in the backyard too!" No way. Uh-uh! I am not paying $70 for front and back service. That would be great! We've been working on and off in the jungle that is the back yard all weekend--but just can't afford that! So Eric goes to talk to the guy. Come to find out...the $35 pays for front and back (mow, weed, trim)! YEE-HA! And, he was doing a freebee this week beause he didn't like the job he did last week. What a blessing!!! The mowing guy just made the Christmas card list. =-)

See the jungle behind the kids? Ack!!!

Tonight has been nice because the fam has been low-maintenence. Everybody took a forever long nap, so I got some catch-up work done on the inbox. I still had over 350 emails to go through from when I was in Ghana. MAJOR guilt factor at some of the emails I need to respond to! Really! I'm not ignoring you! My life is in triage at the moment--most critical cases first! LOL! To top of this easy-going night I actually got to take time to fill the few people that still read this blog (now that Bright is home) in on our very ordinary life. =-)