Lucky #13

Thirteen years ago tonight, in the middle of one of Memphis' finest fall thunderstorms, I said I do to the mainbain. I should have known that it was going to be a ride full twists and turns and ups and downs, but I've found out along the way.

Crazy love: our first year saw us sell a company, get pregnant, and travel around the world.

While the subsequent 12 years may not have been as packed with activity, we've learned how to love each other.....more. When things were great, and when there didn't seem to be one single thing to be grateful for. I'm certain there's not one single prepositional phrase from our wedding vows that we haven't tested.

Sickness and health, check.
Richer or poorer, check.
Better or worse, check.

We've done the entire up and down, twisty ride of life. Together. And the best is yet to come...

Lib

These little lights of mine

Surely you've had a moment in the last 5 days (or weeks or years) when you wonder about how in the world you can teach your children that everyone in the world doesn't enjoy the benefits of 21st century Western largesse.

I don't believe it's possible to raise children with character without exposing them to some of the bigger world. We are blessed that we know people who actually go out and do those things to change the world, so we do experience some exposure.

As a child, my pediatrician worked with World Vision and helped broaden my horizon of the wider world and what we can do to help. We are blessed to know people who work on Mercy Ships.

One the way home from our alternate reality we heard and interview about the Lost Boys of Sudan with John Bul Dau and we all listened intently. Thanks to 21st century largesse, I whipped out my Blackberry and ordered the movie on Netflix. If you feel the burden to broaden, I encourage you to watch the movie about these kids with yours. As we watched it, each bain was glued and had quite a few pertinent questions.

I can only hope as they grow they remain as aware as they are right now of the need to help change the world. I hope they realize the ways they can help change the world. I hope they will be part of the light in an often dark world.

Isn't that what this little light of mine is all about?

Lib

Alternate Reality

We left on Saturday and arrived at our private island paradise on Sunday afternoon. When I say we I mean the whole.entire.family. The last time we were together in such a horde for vacation was before any in-laws or kids.

It took us about 5 minutes to unload all the gear and get changed and out to the beach. No need to beg the boys to help get all their stuff unpacked - they were ready for the waves!

I am always thankful for adventurous boys who jump right in. Literally.

And for boys who know how to utilize a game room and are happy in their new alternate reality.

Since it's only 6 miles long, you just take golf carts everywhere. Including late night crab searches.

About a minute after this pic was taken stringbain stripped his boxers off in order catch the crab. It worked until we got it back and the poor thing was so scared it went into attack mode. Not in the mood for the possibility of injury, we released crab from his boxer jail.

We did enjoy some his relatives for our birthday I supper the next night, though.

Since we are smack in the middle of "birthday season" the mainbain and I got to celebrate together! Yep, we have the same birthday, just several years apart....

But we didn't just party the whole time..we had work to do! And just the excavatators to do it! I think just about everybody in the family took a turn at constructing this sand fortress.

Have you had the pleasure of skim boarding? Harder than it looks I'll admit!

Speaking of hard, have you ever tried feeding an oyster to a three-year-old? Harder than skim boarding, no doubt!

Thanks to some unexpected rain, we got to "take a break" from the beach and go see the lighthouse on Hunting Island. We called it our history lesson for the week.

After the rain, we did make it back out to the grand strand for a family picture. That's everybody and yes, the house was big enough to accomodate us all.

I will admit I was a bit depressed leaving such a perfect place. After looking forward to the trip for 4 1/2 months, a week just was not long enough. Once home, I attempted to regain my beach-groove with the fairy-god-mother and a glass of wine on the front porch. I looked through the storm to see this perfect rainbow, which looks like it rests on our house.

I took it as proof that regular life is filled with promises of good things to come.

Lib

** The whole family pictures is missing one of my brothers and his wife and 2 more boys. They couldn't make it this trip...but hopefully next time!

Happy Birthday

Number 3

History in the Making

I'm fairly certain this has never, ever happened before.

I was downstairs watching something really educational on TV and heard
an extra-loud-bang-thump followed by not-the-usual-sounding wailing
upstairs followed immediately by "Oh no...oh no...oh no!!!" (they
never admit wrongdoing so quickly).

I flew up the stairs to find Numbers 1 and 3 in varying states of
distress. Number 3, injured and crying. Number 1, sorry and crying.

It's simple really. Both were in the bathroom. Number 1 was about to
brush his teeth and in true first-born-big-brother form, reached over
to lift the lid for his little brother just as he was leaning down to
WHAM!!! right in the mouth.

Good thing no stitches were needed (minimal blood actually). "Well,
Mr. ER doctor....this is how it happened..."

Another day, another story,
Em

Age is Just a Number

If you are Number 3 of 4 boys, you just might:

Ask for an iPod Touch for your 4th birthday (and know how to use it).

Think "School of Rock" is an awesome movie.

Take Pokemon and Bakugan toys for preschool show and tell.

Play Star Wars Battlefront on the Xbox.

Use air quotes for dramatic effect when telling a story.

Buried Treasure

Toys, stickers, cereal, crayons, unfortunately no money...

Note to beach lovers

Watch out for steam showers...they have the power to send your sweet baby to the ER with a second degree burn on his leg (not pictured).
Not exactly what I had in mind....
Lib
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Number 1 for President

If all our elected officials were as honest, trustworthy, responsible, polite (and handsome) as this Student Council representative, without a doubt America would be in much better hands.

Another day, another story,
Em

Safety patrol

I told you Butterbain was the sweetest....he just made sure his bear was buckled in for the last leg of our drive to the beach.

Lib

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Shoe Blues

How can a new pair of shoes make me feel so old?

When the giant shoes belong to my 10 year old "baby" ! ! !

You know you re blessed when...

You leave town for a few days and this sweet note is waiting when you return!

Lib

The art of UNO

If you've ever played UNO you know it's (as mexicanjumpingbain described) a game of revenge.

No matter how much I encourage use of the Golden Rule, when we sit down to play cards all bets are off. They all warehouse and stockpile card playing peccadillos like an art form. Seriously. You'd think it's just this game, but nooo in the game before last limabain played a draw 2 on mjb, or stringbain skipped lima...it's never ending. *

We played a quick game last night after supper. I tried again with the play-for-fun-and-not-for-revenge lesson. It seemed to be working until the limabain got a draw4 dealt to him by his own father. Oh, the agony! His shoulders slumped, but he was determined to continue playing. I will note, he did not start the fuming pout that's his personal i-do-not-like-this trademark - so that's progress.

He took it pretty well and waited. A few turns later it happened. The mainbain was on the receiving end of a draw4.

Limabain quietly said, "Justice is served!"

So much for the Golden Rule...

Liberty

* If I had more time to worry, I would be out of my mind over this type of self-defeating behavior...and while I was at it I would start a massive savings account for all their future therapy bills. *

Rough Day...Armed for Battle...Night Night

Number 3. Bless his heart.

$600 later...

And we have three sets of super clean shiny teeth (minus the two Dr.
Larry judiciously removed from Number 3's mouth) and three very pretty
sets of x-rays.

Another day, another story (and another dollar),
Em

Only in a small town

Could you start Labor day by running a 5K with three athletic boys...

Then watch your 2 oldest sons cram in a total of fourteen and a half donuts!

Could they place first and third in the donut-eating contest - competing against their Dr. and Uncle.

Only here would your kids pediatrician compete in a womanless beauty contest to raise money for one of the few private schools in town!

Fun from start to finish!

Lib

Eating my words

Pictured above is butterbain taking a break from his game. It's his favorite part of the soccer season so far: juice and graham crackers. Not much soccer, but he is super cute in the uniform.

Stringbain, Lima and Cousin E after winning their first game.

Mexicanjumpingbain getting ready to boot a corner kick.

As Em has noted, "If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans."

Two years ago, I vowed (a little too loudly) that I would never again have 3 children playing the same sport at the same time. That was my mistake, I used the n-word. Never.

I wake to the heavenly ha ha ha at least 3 days a week now as I organize 4 uniforms, 4 sets of cleats and shin guards. Yes - I have help, I am not a soccer maid. The Mainbain makes to-go suppers most game nights and my fairy godmother is always willing to help get them all dressed in time for 5:30 games. There are over 40 more games. Enough said.

I'm not saying never, but...

Lib

Just another Sunday afternoon

After a quick 20 hours in the car last weekend I wanted to get out and hike-walk-embrace nature with the boys. What better way than picking apples at our neighbors'? There's just something so perfect about a day with no time limits, no schedules and plenty of play time.

I love it that they think picking apples is as big of a treat as I do. We were all astounded at how many appels 4 smallish trees could produce. We even took home the rotten ones to play apple-schmear = rotten apples+2 tennis rackets in a semi-baseball game. FUN. (Note to self : no v-neck t-shirt next time...)

Yum!

Lib

Survivor: Destin

Good thing we were locked out on the balcony (Numbers 2 & 3 in boxers
and Number 4 in a diaper) for less than an hour. The battery on the
only Nintendo DS we had was running dangerously low. And I'm pretty
sure Number 3 was eyeing St. Joel for a desperation dinner.

Another day, another story,
Em

Life goes on.

Laundry
Homework
Haircuts
Bathtime
Diapers
Lunch Boxes
Doctor Appointments
Spelling Tests
Laughter
Tears

Another day, another story,
Em