Max Graduated!

What an eventful weekend! Max graduated with his BS in Information Technology Management! I am so proud of him! He managed to do this while having a full time job, family, living overseas, deployments, a move, and more deployments. He broke the chain and beat the odds. Max is the FIRST person in his family to obtain education beyond high school and if I remember correctly he was the first to get a high school diploma as well.

His graduation ceremony was held at the National Harbor and I talked him into walking since he didn't in High School due to graduating early to go in the Navy. I thought it was important for our children to see what it was all about and why Dad spent time on the computer doing "school". Fortunately he agreed and his crazy Aunt Angie also came out from Missouri for this exciting event. Renee, our high school friend and her husband Ryan joined as well, in which we were thankful they were able to attend because both of them also value education. Max doesn't have intentions of stopping here. :) He is already planning out the direction he wants to go for his Masters. The crazy part, he "hates" school...but obviously that doesn't stop him. I'm very proud! :)

That trip pooped me out! No, traffic wasn't the issue....c'mon, I'm from CA...it was getting lost 12 times and lack of sleep. I have decided I don't like driving in the DC area. At all! We did manage to see the National Archives during our trip but three days later I am STILL sleeping to play catch up. Wshew!

*I'll edit post with a picture as soon as we get them off the camera*

FAQ About Being "Full of Life"

Don't try to wipe the crusty sleep out of your eyes. You are seeing this right. So why am I blogging again? Well, in the past it was the quickest and easiest way to get information out to family and close friends. My blog address is not the easiest to find and is not shared on Facebook, so unless you already have it, asked me for it, or have been given it by someone like my biggest fan my Mom, you're clueless as to the real happenings and the why....which is what I'm about to explain. :)

I was not feeling well the first of April so I went to my PCM. I explained that Kalee just had Mono in January, told him my medical history and also that there was a chance I could be pregnant but based on my experience with urine tests, it was going to come out negative as it did until I was 9 weeks with Kalee and 7 with Bear. I, the bulldog that I am, demanded blood work. He put in for a pregnancy test, mono, CBC...and a few other things to determine the cause of my tiredness and not feeling normal. You know, the normal that constantly changes in my life?! Well, the results came back in our favor and I found out that I am in fact "full of life"!

Now that the announcement went out on Easter, I seem to be getting a lot of the same question. Can you take a wild guess? The nice wording is along the lines of "Was it a surprise?" but I also get the blunt "Was it planned?" Follow along, I might just be kind enough to answer that politely...this time.

Before I got diagnosed with cancer we were praying about when to have another child. I got diagnosed and clearly I could not justify having any more children. What if...? How...? I couldn't imagine! I just couldn't! We were done, until....last Fall. I was standing at the sink doing dishes thinking about our family, how it felt incomplete. Granted, Max was deployed, but I got to thinking which led into praying and it hit me! Wait a minute, am I letting my history of cancer control my life? I had soooo much faith when I was going through cancer why was I not leaving this in God's hands too? I got reminded once again that I was a control freak. Yes, I try to control what I can instead of giving it ALL to God...including our family size. Was this an internal battle with just my own brain? Well, shortly after, Max said something to me while he was deployed. It was weighing on him too! We agreed to start trying not knowing if I was sterile or not from chemo. Our thoughts -if it was meant to be it was going to happen...not just because we wanted another...but because it was in God's hands.

To answer another FAQ...my Oncologist knew we were trying and when I told him I was pregnant he got a huge smile. He will continue to follow me through the pregnancy and scan me after the delivery. Yes, this one was planned just like Kalee and Bear, not just because we consciously got off birth control and tried, but because it was in God's plan. Were we surprised? Absolutely! :)

For the record, we will have 3 children with birthdays within a 3 week period. I will keep blogging to either entertain you when I start talking about unmedicated deliveries, homebirths and lactating, or cause you to freak out and shake your head. Either way....I'm baaaack! :)

The things that make me giggle...

B: "Mom, what color shirt is this?" (holding Max's shirt that he likes to wear to bed)
Me: "Brown."
K: "Daddy calls it green, but it's not."
B: "Green is Daddys favorite color"
K: "Yeah but that's not green, it's brown."
B: "Then why hes call it brown?"
K: "Because he's colorblind. Not every ones perfect Bear. He doesn't know brown and green."

Buahahahahaha! I love my kids.
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As Kalee comes out of the shower I asked "Did you condition your hair?" Bear answered for her by saying "Yeah, she subtractioned it too."

Fortunately all her hair was in tact and I didn't even have to add it together.

Listen and Learn

It's amazing how much can be learned by listening.

Yesterday I attended a Life Group Leader Retreat...definitely a treat. The speaker, a Pastor of Discipleship, talked about how small groups are messy. So true. As a leader myself I was somewhat successful at acknowledging and identifying messes, but didn't always have the perspective or equipment needed to clean them up. As a Mom, that's my job. I kiss boo-boos and wipe the water juicefall off the side of the table. So was I a failing leader? Quite honestly, I was drained. So soon though? Only 2.5 years into it? Well, after listening, and reading, and listening more online, and thinking, and reviewing my notes...I discovered some of my problems. One that jumped out, I'm not journaling. Do you have any idea how much blogging helps me see more than what on the surface? It gets me way down into the roots. As a result, the more I journal, the more I see. The more I see, the more I realize how I need to step back and look at the masterpiece that God is creating.

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good,

to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. -Genesis 50:20

Just like Joseph learned, I too understand that God brings good from evil for those who trust Him. I also realize that when messes cause drainage, I have in front of me an environment to allow growth. :) Now I have to commit to the process.

Starting simple. 5 things I'm grateful for today:

1. Waking up to a call from my husband. It's amazing how a simple 30 seconds of hearing his voice brightens my day.

2. The speaker yesterday who filled my brain and paper with applicable information and scripture to assist in equipping me to get out of this "drained" spell.

3. My working washer and dryer for making my life easier.

4. Power House (Childrens Church) and the AWANAS program for helping Max and I "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." -Prov. 22:6

5. The beautiful weather and fresh breeze that flows through my house.

Pee-nitz?

B: Mom, why do I have a pee-nitz?
Me: Um, (think quick Averi because "to keep you entertained" is not a good answer) so you can pee.
B: Why you not have one?
Me: Because I'm a girl and God didn't make us that way.

...and thankfully that is how the conversation ended.

Today we saw what leftover Capri-Sun from the after Soccer game snack mixed with baby powder looked like. Beautiful sticky art on my kitchen table courtesy of.....guess who? Yes, my boy. The one that keeps me on my toes.

Kalee is just my doll. While laminating 160 flash cards this afternoon, she was telling me about what age King Tut got married, had a child, and died. I was amazed that she retained 99.9% of our Ancient Egypt studies last year and asked her how she remembered it. Her response, "I read it in the library book. Mom, sometimes I know more than an almost teenager or a 18 year old, and sometimes I know more than a 28 year old." Ugggh! My little stinker!

These two children have completely different ways of how to keep me on my toes. I love being a Mom. :)

Think, sit and update!

"It's been a month...do you think anymore?"

LOL! Yes, I do. I think all the time when I'm sleeping, showering, driving running. ;) I remind myself daily to put one foot in front of the other, or I'll trip. I miss blogging but honestly the only time I actually sit for more then 30 seconds is when I'm in the car. I put it on schedule to sit this weekend but strangely enough I'm learning that there are only 7 days in a week, 24 hours in a day, and one of me. The busier the kids and I stay, the faster time will go. Not that I'm rushing my life. I'm just rushing the next ___ weeks.

So much to update. Here is the short version.

Kalee went to Camp Rudolph and by what she has told me the Lord moved during those few days. (BTW, the only reason Kalee was allowed to go was because one of my besties was the cabin Mom, her Childrens Minister was the Dean, 3 of her friends were with her, countless teenage girls from the church were junior counselors, and she was a short drive away...but it was her first time away from me.)

I caught cooties. Thought it was poison ivy at first but went to ER and immediately they said it was shingles. Yes shingles, no I'm not old. Well, I guess I am old(er) because....

I turned 28. Max sent me roses, which was a shock. How did I celebrate? Took the kiddos to the pool, soccer pictures, rushed home for the A/C man to come remove my old air conditioning unit. Why?

My A/C went out...the hot week of my birthday and while I had shingles. Reading 90* on the thermostat made me....a grump to say the least! Well, maybe it was the fact we had to replace it. $,$$$ = OUCH!

We signed up to be a part of a home school group called Classical Conversations. All of us are extremely excited! This is the first year I am doing something 'structured' with Bear too. I love the Classical approach and Kalee did great with it this past year. I'm glad that through prayer we were led this direction.

Max is doing well. This time around sure is different. His quality of life. Communication. Strange care package requests. I will say that NO normal (boat on/in water) Navy deployment could ever prepare one for an IA deployment.

AND...last but not least, you know I'm going to talk about Zumba. :) Well, last week I ventured out to a different Y and took a different Zumba instructor. I have favorites but I need to observe cueing and prepare my brain. :)

Sigh....boring blog, I know, but now that your caught up....

I came to my senses...

I love when I invite someone over with little time to prep. Unless it's mi amiga Nikkie from across the street...who gets what she gets when she comes over whenever. Any one else I pretty much go through the same cycle:

panic...ask myself "what was I thinking?"...yell loudly encourage the kiddos while I'm tangled in the vacuum cord and using my left foot to push the coffee table around to get under it, that they need to relocate the 12 pairs of flip-flops, 2 pairs of cleats form last nights practice, the single pink crock by the stairs while I put my yoga skills to use and gracefully look under the sofa for the matching shoe while maintaining deep breathing and vacuum pattern. Remind Kalee to hang a clean towel in the bathroom, Bear to wipe the sink and toilet down-in that order, get disgusted when I step in the tray of 'bug goop' that my Dad and Step-Mom sent them in the most recent package, salsa my way into the kitchen and throw the 3 dirty cups in the dishwasher, drag the nearest towel over the counter, light a candle for a welcoming scent...

...and I came to my senses...

She is a stay-at-home-mom of 3 and has baby #4 on the way. Who am I tryin' to fool?!?!

So I put the vacuum away, kicked the hot wheels to the corner, cranked the A/C cooler and decided to concentrate on finding that Martha/Mary balance because I long to be more like both of them.

Balance. Yes, I said the "B" word...