The New Look

May 11.  After attending Jacob's friend Josh's honors convocation yesterday, I got Fernando to take a few pictures of me by the blossoming trees.

Then, the next day, everyone got hair cuts.  Including me.  It started as a simple thing, with me cutting off a hunk of hair on one side and asking Danny to cut it straight all the way around.  Then it got complicated.  He cut some, I cut some, we traded again, and then it got desperate.  I ended up at the hair salon and asked the stylist to just even it out.  Fernando was not happy (at first), but once I showered and styled my hair, it was okay, if not a bit short.

Danny took the picture for me.  I quickly got used to it, and so did Fernando.  Welcome to the new me!  :)


Back to life,
Christine

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Dear Fernando

Dear Fernando,

Yep, it's your birthday today.  Not quite the big 5-0, and you're still looking young.  Well, except for the goatee, haha.  But I think it looks distinguished.   (You're welcome.)

I love you.  You know that, of course, but I'll keep on saying it anyway.  You are an amazing human being, and God did an incredible and unsearchable thing when He created you, unique among all His creation.  You are so special, to me and to our boys.  You are my treasure, and I continually thank the Lord for you.

Here are some things I love about you.

• You make me feel safe.
• You love me well.  I have never doubted your love for me.
• You are my rock--immovable once you've decided something.  (Okay, this sometimes causes me consternation, but I still love it about you.)
• You have your children's hearts.  They love you unconditionally.

I could go on, but those are the biggies.  I'm so glad you're the man of God you are.  Fernando--strong and courageous.  Happy birthday, sweetie!


Back to life,
Christine

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Home for the Summer

May 10.  Jacob came home for the summer!  Or, rather, we drove to WIU to bring Jacob home for the summer.  And, either way, we are a happy family.

So exciting to see Jacob's dorm in the distance!

That dorm building (above), Higgins Hall, will be imploded this summer.  It is leaning ever-so-slightly, and would be too costly for the school to shore up the foundation.  So, down it will come.

All packed up and ready to load the car.

After we loaded everything up, we stayed for the WIU Honors Convocation, since Jacob's friend Josh was being honored.

 Josh, with three out of the four honors he would receive.

Josh was specially honored for being the only student with four awards.

Jacob and Josh.

Then, it was time to go home.  We are so very happy to have our Jacob with us--I'm sure the summer will fly by!


Back to life,
Christine

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The Ducks Came Back

May 9.

Without fail, Mama and Papa Duck came back to their "pond" this year.  We never did find their nest, and apparently, there is another man involved.  Either Mama is cavorting with two men, or one is their teenage son from last year.  ;)

Either way, they were back for the spring.

Back to life,
Christine

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There's Something About...

There's just something about my bewhiskered baby making blueberry pancakes one morning in May.  :)

Back to life,
Christine

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Alpha Omega Goes to State!

Hey, there!  I've been absent from blogging, but busy (flooded, really) with life.  So I let life happen, swirl around me, and toss me about for just a bit.  Now it's officially summer, the days are longer, and it's starting to get HHH (that's hazy, hot, and humid for you non-Midwest folks).  That means the air goes on and I get some lazy down-time at my photography computer in our deliciously cool basement.  :)

And, therefore, it means I play "catch-up" with blogging.   Here goes...

May 4.

I never did blog about the regional ICTM math tournament a few months back.  Never mind, though, because the team did well and got to go to the University of Illinois for the ICTM state tournament!  This year, Thomas was on the calculator team, which made it to state.  So, for the first time, we got to go to state with the team.  It was pretty exciting--and I have the photos to prove it.  :)

Thomas, ready for the day.

There were a lot of people there--both students and parents.

Thomas goes over the schedule.

(Most of) the team!

Waiting was really hard!

Award time!

I don't think the following images get boring:  they're of all the Alpha Omega students receiving their awards!  Such a little team, and they did so well!

Now, here's a BIG DEAL photo.  The calculator team made some mistakes, and didn't think they'd placed.  At all.  So when they were called for the Fifth Place award, they were shocked!  Joel and Thomas went up together; Thomas just followed Joel right up on stage, then right down.  I think he was thrilled to walk across that stage.

Yep--he was pretty excited.

Way to go, Thomas, and way to go, Alpha Omega!


Back to life,
Christine

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Random Ketchup Post

I deliberately misspelled that so you'd read this.  It's really a catch-up post.  Got ya.  ;)

I've taken a (forced) break from blogging this past month--who says that the older you get, the more time you have to relax??  Not anyone I know.  I've been swamped with trying to live life while guys swirl around me with college and homeschooling.  Add in a huge photography project (and I haven't even posted about that yet!) and a homeschooling convention, and I'm thoroughly maxed out on time.

So, let's get on with it, mostly in pictures.  I really could type all day, but I've carved out 30 minutes this afternoon and want to feel accomplished that I got a post up, finally.

Late April Life

I had Thomas in the kitchen one afternoon putting a meatloaf together, then chopping potatoes to roast them.  He really loved the chopping part.

He really got into the chopping part.

I figured since he was in a chopping mood, I'd give him another chopping assignment.  But wait--I went outside to check out my neglected vegetable garden and took a few pictures.  (Told you this post would be random.)  I noticed the rhubarb finally coming up.

Most of the strawberry plants survived the winter.

I just can't kill the garlic--praise the Lord!

Okay, back to Thomas and chopping.  Here is my little front porch garden.  I love this garden; it's just starting to come out of hibernation, so it looks a little bare.

Notice the wishing well in the middle?  It's missing a chunk of roof.  I figured it finally had to go.  As in, get torn up and maybe replace it with something else.  Wait a minute--I don't have any extra money.  So--get torn up and let the garden grow up around it.  Yeah, that's a good solution.

Since Thomas' main career goal at this point in his teenage life is to blow things up, I figured he might not mind tearing something up.  The job was his.  Here's the photo documentary.

Sharpening the blade.

Chopping again.

Joseph helped Thomas clean up all the pieces.

Thomas really had fun doing a chore!  Too bad most of his chores don't involve destroying things. 

As I write this post a month late, I can say that my garden has indeed grown up and looks good even without the wishing well.  I'm really happy about that, and I'll show you more photos once I'm caught up, which I'm really good at doing if I could just find some time.

Talk to you soon!


Back to life,
Christine

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