Joel was right...

Well, Joel is right. His mother is amazing when it comes to rearranging a house. She was a bit deceitful as I thought she was just going to help clean while I finished painting my room. I knew something was going on when I heard from the other room, "Do you mind if I satisfy my curiosity about some things?"

Now, I am smart enough to defer to those who have a gift that I do not. So after much, much, much (I really can't say that enough) rearranging - my house has metamorphosed into a house ready to show to the two prospects coming to see it tomorrow.

I told my sister that I would post pictures that will only impress you if you knew what our house looked like originally.

This is our living room.

Our kitchen.

Our old dining room - now family room.

Please pray that the house sales in God's timing and that I will relax in His perfect peace while waiting for His perfect plan.

Charlotte, thank you so very, very much. I love you!

Moving

No - we are not moving yet, but some things in my life are. I just got a phone call from Jill (which I missed). I tried her back on her cell, but to no avail, so I called the house. My mom answered - she is over helping Jill do some cleaning and straightening - trying to get our house ready to show as we try to sell it. For those that know my mom, you know very well what that means. It means that I will go home tonight to a a completely differnt home. Rooms will be moved around, furniture rearranged, some pieces may even be missing and nothing will look the same. These are the times I wish I had taken 'before' shots, so you could see the 'after.' I'll let ya'll know how it turns out.

The one that got away

We had a wonderful little get away this past weekend. Joel's parents went with us to Lake Bridgeport, a little over an hour away. We went fishing, boating, playing, and fishing some more. Everyone caught a fish or a couple of fish. Dara actually caught 6! She would just dangle her poor little worm (some of them she named) in front of them and they would gobble it up.

Dade's technique was quite a bit different. He wanted to catch the fast fish so as soon as he cast out his line he would real it back in as quickly as possible. I am not lying when I say that he cast as well as any of us out there - except that he would often fail to look and nearly caught his mother on several occasions. It was hard for him to slow down enough to catch a fish, but he finally did it. He wanted to throw the fish back into the water, but he didn't want to touch it while it was on the hook.

Charlotte (Joel's mom) caught a fish too!

She caught it right down there!

We think Weldon's fish was a bass...pretty isn't it?

About the one that got away...I really did catch 2 little bass - about the same size as Weldon's, but we never had the camera with us when I caught them. I know that you're thinking "Oh yeah, right!" but I am telling the truth! Note how my precious son is tempting gravity by swinging around the pole. The water around the dock was 20 feet deep (thus the mandatory life jackets for those under 12). I feel the gray hairs popping up!

The love of my life was so busy helping everyone keep worms on their hooks and safely on the dock that he didn't get a chance to enjoy the fishing. Besides, the pole that was defaulted to him was in pretty sad shape - it wouldn't cast past the edge of the dock. He unselfishly sacrificed his fun to make sure the rest of us had some. What a great man!

If you try and don't succeed...

try, try, and try again. This is exactly what Dade and Papa did last week. My dad bought Dara and Dade each a small, thin, wooden airplane.

Apparently my dad has found memories of having one of these planes that flew great! You may have had one too. You twist the propeller that is attached to a rubber band. Once the rubber band is wound as tightly as possible without breaking (which did happen), you release the propeller. Somehow the force that is created when the rubber band unwinds should be enough to lift the airplane off the ground and soaring through the air.

Dara was at school and Dade was gnawing at the bit so with visions of grandeur the flying began.

Amazing really...or is it. :)

Not to be misleading - it did get off the ground a couple of times. Overall, I think that I had more fun watching and laughing than the two boys did flying.

Dade kept trying long after Papa had gone and I have a funny idea that one day he will buy his son a small, wooden airplane that "flies great". Maybe there will even be a story about how he and his Papa flew it over and over outside in the street - you just never know.

Sisters

I just want to say a huge "THANK YOU" to my sister Robin. She came to help me paint the kids room and support us as we get the house ready to sale. There are people who have the gift of organization and planning and who can just get the job done quickly and efficiently. Robin is that type of person. She is such a blessing to us. I am sad to say that I don't have any pictures of her painting, but I do have one of her getting Dade to work (which she took while I was picking Dara up from school - just in case you think that I wasn't working while she was.) :)

After Dade finished his task, he and Allyson (our sweet little 22 month old niece) ran around the house in capes - so cute.

Well, we finished the room and then celebrated at the park. It was hard to get good pictures of the kids as they ran around so I had them all go down the slide for a posed picture (that's why they are all smiling so beautifully). Dara kept making silly faces and had to go down 3 times (she gets her silliness from Joel).

For a brief note on Joel, the doctor said the rest of the healing process will just take time. Please pray that it will go quickly. He was cleared to lift Dade which is a huge blessing and adds more laughter to bedtime!