May-June-July (where does the time go?)

Nothing like a little tree hugging to get the summer rolling~

Since school was out in Mid May it's been go, go, go.. I was thrilled to have my foot surgery done on May 14, 2010 and then to have the last day of school on my birthday May 21st is always fun. We had a big Garage sale here at the house and that made for some fun, (albeit that the weather was already hot by then) days of setting up and selling. But good friends, made it worth it. And the Freecycle.org made getting rid of the remains easy as usual~

Derek arriving after 5 days of traveling~

Derek was home for his two weeks leave by Memorial day and we took off for a week in Indiana visiting family there. A hop over to Missouri to catch up with my brother, sister-in-law and my parents for a day or so and then back home. Derek had a few days in Minnesota to visit some of his friends from High School graduation 6 years ago... Then he was back here for a few days and finally flew out for Afg. again the first of June. Casey was able to meet us in Indiana so the 6 of us were together at Martha's for a nice visit. (and as it goes probably the only time this year that all our kids will be together)

Brian 15, Derek 25, Andrea 13, Casey 21, In Indiana June 2010

I worked at Summer school 3 weeks in June and that was an interesting time with 12 kiddos in the classroom and that many adults. But I love Summer school, it was just the weather that proved to be such a challenge with heat one day and all the rains that kept the humidity so high. Brian took off for Texas the third week in June, to help build a church in Beaumont. Andrea went back to Northern Mo. to spend time with my family there. So that left Donald and I alone for a week...(we managed to survive, LOL)

There is Brian in the gray shirt working on the church~

The trench from the house to the shed~

Brian and Casey laying the pipe~

Now the first of July and Casey surprised us with a weeks visit. My parents came for the long holiday weekend and we got tons of projects done. Donald has been waiting for years to get electric and water in his shed out back and that was the weekends biggest accomplishment!!! HE's so THRILLED!! Casey, Grandpa, Brian and Don worked outside for 2 days, laying waterline, electric and telephone poles to line the driveway. Casey hauled tons of old scrap wood to the burn pit and had two huge bonfires to clean up the drive way. There was a bit of fun with fireworks and some 4 wheeler riding~ Mom and I managed to keep everyone feed and happy and the kitchen somewhat clean. Derek also blessed us with a call on the 4th and we had fun passing the phone around at Breakfast for everyone to visit with him.


Casey having fun~

Now Casey has taken off to go back to North Carolina. And Monday Ann leaves for Church Camp. Brian goes the week after, and I will be done with my summer college classes... (((HURRAY))) and then the calender will say August. I have a long list of little house projects that I want to complete the first of August before work and school start again the middle of the month. I hope to complete them all of course... LOL...So that's how we've been spending our summer so far~ Where does the time go?

The end of many milestones in May~

The whole spring was wet and cold here in Kansas. It's seemed long and non-ending at times, we have even burned wood in the month of May. It was cold and damp and we could have turned on the furnace, but we have a fireplace that we love and so we had a few fires to take the chill off. It seemed strange to have them when we moved south almost 5 years ago to get out of the cold and now we are burning wood in May.. But hey, one does what one must.

Many things have ended in May, College classes for me are done this semester. It was a semester of the largest number of credit hours I have taken since I started back to college and work full time. I struggled at times this semester with too much work and wanting to get A's.. So the family has had to do with out me, or make do with less of me. Going to church was out the became at day for homework and housework to get done to survive the next week. One day rolled into another with little less than a few hours of sleep. I survied and they survived and I got the 5 "A's" that I wanted from the classes that I took. It all starts again in 2 weeks with 11 credit hours this summer and only part time work in June for me. So that will seem easy.. I sure hope~

Brian is done with 9th grade. He also managed to make good grades with A-B honor roll the whole year. And he's working alot of weekends to build fence or to assist the local farmer. He's taller than me and I'm not sure I'm ready for him to be so grown up...

Ann's done with 7th grade and she's also on the A-B honor roll all year. She's ready for the last step of middle school and excited about the fall cheerleading for football and basketball and playing some volleyball.. (another reason for me to have fewer classes this fall)

I'm also done with my 5th year in the most awesome room with the best co-workers and by far the greatest Preschool kids. I love my job and can't wait for each school year to begin again. Summer school will be fun with many new challenges and new adults to train and fun activities to work on.

May also marks what I hope is the middle of Derek's deployment. He's scheduled to be home soon for R and R and that is a HUGE relief for us. This is the 3rd year of a child in a war zone and I'm about DONE with that~

Casey is doing great and having a super time in Bragg. We hope to see him over Memorial day in Indiana.

May is a super month we are Thankful for the many rains and now glad to see them end. We are glad that May brings good things for our family. God is good to us and we appreciate that God watches out for us no matter what we do~