They've been asking since November to visit Iowa to see Pastor Johnson. I promised that once school was out we would go, today we finally took that road trip ... it was a beautiful morning at Gilbert Lutheran Church made so memorable with the excitement and smiles from my little ones upon seeing Pastor Johnson once again, a beautiful church service and the welcoming kindness of so many people we met today.
Reyna was finally old enough to be able to attend bible camp. She did a half blast, sunday-tuesday and had absolutely the best time. She cried when I picked her up she didnt want to leave...loved hearing her talk about her experience and love hearing her sing the songs she learned.
She reluctantly cleaned her room this weekend.... every few months her orderly thinking mother insists the task has to be done. The girl is a keeper of anything and everything. Oh the battles that have been waged over papers, and wrappers, and broken bits of toys. She is a child who see's no purpose in putting clothes away, and seems puzzled by her momma's reaction upon seeing clean clothes jumbled with dirty ones. She brings the outdoors in with her and there is a constant stream of rocks and sticks, leaves and found treasures that join the the rest of the chaos in her room. To navigate into her room requires focus and a steady foot. I often think a lifeline would be helpful when trying to find your way back out. She of course is quite content amongst the disorder and piles of stuff. There comes a time when the room just has to be cleaned... in our house it falls with the changing seasons and the need to assess just what clothing the child will need for the approaching season.... as we cleaned I heard many
"Oh! I wondered where that went"
"Why did I keep all these papers"
"This is still my favorite!" This favorite found buried under layers of stuff.
And my favorite .... as she sorted clothes into clean and dirty piles, she smelled a sock and then said "here you smell it i can't tell" "No thank you" was my reply "just throw it in the dirty pile "
Today after rearranging furniture and hanging a picture she received for her birthday she settled into a nook and started reading her book. "I really like my room like this" she said when she saw me standing there. I laughed because the girl says that every single time...it won't be long and the disorder and chaos will return. The girl really likes that look too.
Getting a ticket from a police officer for the best reason ever ....wearing his helmet. He received a coupon for an ice cream cone from Dairy Queen.
When the key for the lock box has been missing for months and you have searched everywhere again and again. You have asked every person in the house to search at least twice and you finally have to admit the key is gone, so you Google locksmiths in your town and then realize when you find one that it's too late in the day to call so you make a note to call tomorrow and then because you just don't want to give up you check a few more places and then say to the passing 13 year old "could you look for that key again" and she rolls her eyes and says I've done that twice. "Well go for three" you say and she walks away grumbling. A bit later you turn as you hear her approaching carrying the lock box and exclaiming "I did it!!" You glance at the box and sure enough it's open.
"You found the key?!! I ask excitedly. "No, I picked the lock" she says holding a bobby pin and I stare at her in shocked awe not quite certain if I should be horrified that my 13 year old has mad lock picking skills or if I should be impressed that she has mad lock picking skills. "You amaze me" I said. She grins and says "I thought that only worked in movies"
Her aunt found these and sent them with grandpa to deliver. I'm not sure who was more excited the child because light up shoes! Or grandpa who showed her how to use them.
All three girls played Godahl softball this year. Three nights a week we traveled to small towns and ball diamonds amongst corn fields. And just like that the season came to an end. The end of season celebration included the most favorite activity of watching a movie behind homeplate in the dark star filled night.....
Held each summer in New Ulm. Grandpa and Beckie have attended often this year Yahaira and Pedro joined them ....
We attended a performance of MSU summer theater production of the Little Mermaid. It is simply her all time favorite story.
She plays with these often, sorting them by color lining them up. Hours can pass while she is lost in play. I've been gifted to watch several children discover and learn by playing with little ponies....
This girl....has been defining life her way since her first breath. No ordinary path taken when adventure waited off the path. No following the traditional or expected course instead choosing to follow her dreams. Simple rather than fussy. She has wrote her story in the way that beautifully reflects who she is.
Therefore it was no surprise to me when she announced awhile back that she was going to run in the Warrior Dash which happened to land on the same day as her wedding day. Because why not run through a mud filled course hours before you say I Do? I simply can't imagine a better reflection of who she is then to look at these pictures from yesterday.... mud covered at the end of the race where she challenged herself doing something she loves and a few hours later standing with the one she loves as they began their life together as husband and wife.
There are some life moments when the absence of a loved one is just so real, so hard.
There was a moment today while preparing for Cassandra's wedding that I glanced her way and watched all my girls in the midst of wedding preparation and thought I wish my mom was here, she would have loved this moment.
Later as I snapped this photo of Cassandra's gown I glanced at the photo and noticed the photo within the photo.... my mom on her wedding day. And there in that unexpected moment came a simple little reminder of one no longer here but always in our hearts.
