Summer? Where did you go?

Here are our lovely school age girls ready for the first day back to school. Anna ready for.....HIGH SCHOOL!!! Yikes-o-rama, I said high school.

And our second oldest, ever so ready for 7th grade, goodness me.

Officially our summer is over and though I have kept busy, where did it go? After David injured his left foot, bloggy time was to a minimum. He still did a lot of engineering work, but was at home for a month (worked via computer) and needed quite a bit of help for a while, understandably. I can now thankfully report that after a few scares (infection and mobilitywise) he can bear weight on the foot without crutches or medical boot and his toe is looking closer to normal. Praise the Lord!

We fully intended a low key family vacation (camping in the New Mexico mountains, near where my David grew up) this year, but canceled at the last minute as we found out that Anna's summer was shortened by her new volleyball schedule. She is an involved high schooler, whose school schedule will now take over the whole of August for the next few years.

Here is a brief (I will try) recap of our summer's doings:

How much wet family fun can you have for $35?

Well my week-before-school-was-out-purchase of this water slide (not truly made for bigger than 10 year olds) was worth it even though we only got 3 uses out of it before some mondo super jumps from the kiddos over the height and weight limit broke its seams and caused some holes I could not repair.  A couple of weekends we had my sister's kids out to also test it's limits....good clean fun was had by all.

Sophia, and her cousins, Sam and Katie enjoy some cool treats

 But I was thankful as it made for some close to home cheap family fun (I would have spent more on this gang in three trips at our local water park). And I got to hang out with my mom and mom-in-law. I am blessed with these two loving ladies in my life...thus we casually celebrated Memorial Day weekend.

PAR-TAY!!!! Sara turned 12 in May but in order to have our group of family and friends at the right time PLUS a huge water slide, we partied in June.

Where's the party people?

Oh, here's the party!

Tho' we did a lot pre-party planning, it is funny how my shindigs still turn in to a haphazard affair. No pretty picture Martha Stewart-y results for me, no way. But bellies were fed, treats were abundant, guests hung out comfortably, fun was had and above all, Sara was thoroughly pleased with the day and my sand castle cake came out close enough to picture pretty and was quickly devoured.

Sara in some kinda birthday getup with the cake

Fourth of July weekend. We traveled to the Texas coast with Lou (David's mom) to celebrate with extended family from David side. Now talk about hot. Yes, I have lived in Texas all my life but humidity plus heat are still tough to deal with. Sorry for the whining...anyway, David hobbled around, show and telling with his injury, Sophia and I swam, we ate and ate and ate, and I chatted up some delightful new family acquaintances.

Sophia meets a talkative new cousin, Addison..note David in the background telling his toe tale to Uncle Bob

We left the next day and day tripped it in San Antonio (one of my fave Texas cities). The riverwalk is typically a must visit on my list, but day two of travel for David was proving difficult, so we walked through the Spanish Governor's Palace preserved in downtown SA (hearkens back to the 1700s).

Sophia's conquistador stance

Lou and Sophia take in the pretty courtyard

David camps out near the well

We chilled at our hotel, watching the fireworks in air conditioning from our 20th floor window. The next morning we headed back home but not before David treated me, Sophia and we introduced Lou to our favorite SA breakfast/brunch spot. The Guenther House. The former mansion home to the Pioneer Flour Mills family from the 1860s.  It now houses a charming and friendly breakfast/lunch spot on the river.

I could only finish off one of those monster-sized, yet delicious biscuits

Here's my biscuit and sausage breakfast, and Lou decided on a taste testing of the generous servings of homemade pastries.

Yums! I can't recommend this place enough if you ever have a hankering for a tasty brunch near downtown SA.

For most of July we kept to home (after the holiday weekend David's toe flared up for a couple of weeks during which he visited about 5 different specialists).

Anna turned 14! in July and we promised her the guest room as her OWN room. Her gift was outfitting her space with some new items and I thought that called for a trip to IKEA.

No, Waco is not so hip, we traveled to Round Rock, TX

I enjoy this place far too much. But I am pleased to say our most typically indecisive of kids found all that she needed to make the space her own......
like this, for reading contendedly...

and this lovely print...

and this fun groovy colorful shag rug.

All displaying her sweetly feminine taste.

Last weekend my sister and I had my MIL (mom in law), our families, my aunt, cousins and their kids (all from out of town) over to my house to celebrate my mom's 6? birthday.

As I do, I was scattered here there and everywhere, and only took a couple of not great photos of some great ladies. My mom is doing well but of course she still misses Pete as we all do. There was so much laughter this evening though, as my mom is at such ease with her sister and family all around.

My mom and aunt Beta, kids in background playing Wii

Now here we are staring a busy school fall schedule in the face and I want a vacation. But I will hold out hope for some type of family fun trip in the spring, as we are about to get more bustling on the ranch and I am sure Christmas will be around the corner soon enough. I hope to be a better bloggy friend and catch up with anyone that stops by for a chat. I will get the coffee on....talk to you later.

IN CHRIST,

Frenchy is having another giveaway and party...

I have posted a link on her blog about our last day in Paris (back in June of '08).  I do have to confess that I am seriously nostalgic about this lovely trip.  Here's hoping we will be able to travel abroad again.  Frenchy's blog is choc-full of good crafty ideas and her love of homemaking, family, and her French roots is evident.  I hope to be back to blogging soon.  This summer has had a few unexpected challenges/turns but we are all thankfully doing fine and simply getting busy as school comes on.  Happy summer to my dear bloggy buddies and I do get encouraged reading y'all's posts and thoughts.  Keep them coming.

Irish Finale (Aug. 17, 2009) Finally!

Well I started this telling of our August 2009, 7 day London/Dublin trip a respectable couple of weeks after it happened and now 9 months later I am tying up its loose ends.  Thank you, if you have been reading along (at all) and excuse me for this indulgence of re-living a delightful, maybe all too jam packed family journey.  Here goes....

"Up and at'em people" this was our last day.  And what was the breakfast of champions that got us ready to face the city-filled day?  Voila....

The wonderfully provided FULL IRISH BREAKFAST by the B&B. 

Our B&B was very basic, but close to one of Dublin's main thoroughfares, O'Connell St., and that along with it's helpful staff and generous (heart stopping) breakfasts included, made it a plus for our stay.  I liked eavesdropping and hearing the mostly non-Irish accents of the customers surrounding us (Italian, German, Czech, and yes, also American) in the mornings, typically reviewing the plans of the day and looking much like us...tourists.  Lou (mother-in-law, MIL)generally chatted along with one of the other lodgers each morning, and after breakfast would have a tale to tell of who she'd just met and I would marvel at her powers of conversation and how easily people would divulge so much in just meeting her. 

On our last day I just wanted us to take things as they came.  Did I have an agenda?....well, of course!....but I hoped that we would tromp along and happen upon a place, some music wafting from within a family friendly pub, or find a charming spot to linger.  But by golly, I know I am being repetitious, a family of six, ages 2-62, that is a bit travel weary, does not a spontaneous happy group make.  I laid out some suggestions for our day and not counting Sophia (2yo), 4 blank faces stared back at me, saying "whatever".  AHHHHH! The dreaded "whatever" of vacation travel is on equal terms with "Are we there yet?" and "How long is this going to be?". 

First order of the day: SHOPPING.  Lou and the girls perked up and we hit a popular touristy souvenir shop that seems to be on almost every other corner of Dublin: Carrolls. We happily, and easily found Irish trinkets with the right amount of local flavor and fun for family back home and once done we were ready to walk across the River Liffey on Ha'Penny bridge to check out some more shopping on Grafton street.

I thoroughly enjoyed walking through Temple Bar again, along old cobblestone roads and pedestrian walkways to Grafton street (again, no buses for us). 

Once we arrived I realized that our group was hungry AGAIN.  The shops and eateries around us were a bit out of our budget.  As I pondered where to direct us next, I heard the beautiful strains of the violin being played nearby and lead my family to its source.  A young violinist, and a few other musicians were playing and drawing a small crowd.  I paused to enjoy how the dreamy music fit my delight in being in Dublin and having this lovely day. 
Then a tap on my shoulder....
SARA: "What are we doing now?" 
ME: "Well, we are looking at this cool shopping area and listening to this neat music..dontcha think?" 
SARA:" I guess, but where are we going to eat?"
ME: "Well, we will find a place. Don't you want to look around here some?" 
SARA: " Can we go eat first?" 
So guess what we did?

We had an even lovelier walk BACK to the Temple Bar area to Gallagher's Boxty House (recommended by both our B&B manager and Rick Steves)...(oh, how I wanted to stop every few moments and peek into the interesting and whimsical local shops....but people were hungry!). 

After this longish walk, I was even hungry and the restaurant was very inviting with its timbered pub-like interior and long tables and benches. 

We ordered the obligatory Boxty, a savory potato pancake that is folded, taco-like around the filling of your choice (mostly meaty) with a gravy/sauce accompaniment,

ummm...this was so much tastier than it looks, I promise

and David and I each enjoyed an Irish pint of Murphys. 

Uh, and Lou enjoyed two (hehe just kidding LouLou).

Anna caught in the act of savoring her Irish soda bread....yums.

I know, we are awful parents.

The lunch was a triumph of Irish cuisine again, and the family was ready to join in a historical walking tour that covered Dublin's world renowned Trinity College down to Dublin Castle.

Trinity College

Once the group was assembled outside the main college entrance with our professor-ly Irish tour guide, we set off.....ah, and the rest is a blur.

Sophia and I walking into Dublin Castle

I remember a pretty day, the guide's wonderful Irish accent telling of times of struggle/oppression for the hardy Irish, mass immigration to the hope of America, and rebuilding. 

I love history people, but watching a 2 year old, and plain ol' tiredness set in and the man might as well been Charlie Brown's teacher..wha,wha, wha, wa, wha, wha.  And the girls were so good, but I am sure if I would mention "historical walking tour" to them now, they would start glazing over. 

So this was the state of us after the 2 hour tour as we hoofed it back to the bed and breakfast.  And then another dreaded decision....where to eat?...da, dum!   I remained silent.  I had trooped this group up, down and all around and I guess I just acted out by keeping shut.  The response....10 sad minutes of a suggestion and general moodiness and silence.  I did not want to pull out the guide book again, and I knew Lou and her still sore ankle would not want to deal with walking 20 minutes out of our way to a new eating spot and then possibly having to get on another dreaded bus (she dreaded them, not us). 

So guess where the family of 6, long in the tooth, decision weary American tourists decide to eat?.....Mickey D's naturally.  But oddly, our family, who probably eats at Mc Donald's back in the states about once a year was comforted by the familiar as we sat on the second level section of Mc Donald's overlooking O'Connell St.   

Then Lou, who I would have bet was mentally noting to herself "I will never travel with David and Jenny, AGAIN", offered a somewhat upbeat perspective, "You know, when we got to London, all I could think was it was so crowded, loud and busy....but after being here in Dublin, I realize that the Tube was actually really helpful, and London was surprisingly clean.  And in Ireland I am not as impressed with Dublin as I would hope to be, with the dirty streets and smell of people smoking everywhere, but the Irish countryside is gorgeous, the people are so friendly that I would come back." 

I was thankful that she shared something positive that caused us all to reflect a bit and give thanks.  We had safely, healthfully (mostly), sanely (yeah, I will stand by that), and with all our original luggage (minus some toilettries) traveled as a family of 6 from Dallas, London, Ireland and were happily ready to head back home.

Chillin' at the B&B

We tucked in early-ish, packed and got ready for our early and lengthy 2 connecting flights back home.  Honestly, we came home grouchy and ready for separate activities of home, work and school (remember this was last Aug. 2009)....but just the other day two things occurred...

1. Anna was staring out the window of the truck on the way home (at our pitifully dry, yellowed Texas landscape) and piped up that "I would love to go back to Ireland and just tour all the countryside again."  ME, "Sounds great, I hope we all get to do that again"

2. Lou, talking about hopes to travel again said, "You know, if I was able to travel overseas again, I think y'all's style of traveling is most like mine.  We should all do it again."  All I have to say to that is thank you Lou, and Wow. 

Peace out

What happened in these parts on Father's day...

See these average looking work boots.  They are dirty, brown, and a Wal-mart special purchased on the fly one day when we were making a Wal-mart run in town (Waco) and hubby remembered he needed some replacements.  But here is their most important quality...

STEEL TOE.  Because of this feature my David still has his toes....thank the Lord.

Sunday, yes, Father's Day, there was no big celebration (we usually lay low on Sundays anyway), our oldest girls were spending the day with their mother's father and so David headed out for a few simple tasks in the pasture with our youngest cowgirl in training, Sophia.  They had been out for a few hours and I was just expecting them to get home when the phone rang.  As I picked it up, I could hear grunting, and then David yelling out "Jenny, my foot is pinned down by the trailer get Allen and come quick!!!"  I ran out our front door and saw Allen (David's brother) and my nephew Nick (16 yo) just heading into their home (our two homes share a driveway out here in the boonies) and I called out, "There is an emergency and David is hurt out in the pasture!" 

In no time we reached David, (Allen flew the mile and a half down our rutted dirt road)  And as we arrived I noticed that the part of the two wheeled trailer (loaded with a 500 gallon FULL water tank), the neck, that usually is attached to the ball hitch of the truck was pressed firmly to the ground pinning my husband's left foot so hard to the ground I couldn't make out his foot underneath it.  The three of us (well, mostly Allen, and Nick) started to try to heave the trailer neck off his foot, only to painfully budge it up before it pressed down again.  David howled, and next Allen took a steel bar (part of the jack that had given way and lead to the trailer on the foot) and dug it under the trailer neck as Nick, David and I, again lifted the trailer only about three inches up, but enough for David to pry his boot off the neck and out of the way. 

Only then did I notice our silent still Sophia, standing two feet away looking startled yet dry eyed.  Allen, the closest to her, grabbed her and handed her to me and Nick helped David into the truck and we were off again....to the small town ER only a few minutes away.

As Allen again flew down the highway into town to the ER, poor little Sophia let loose with bawling.  David grimaced and grabbed his boot in awful pain but was quiet.  When we arrived in the ER, and I signed papers (it must be done, you know), I finally was able to take in the state of us.  Allen, just before the emergency, had just come in from the pasture and had on his most breezy jeans (with more than 8 holes plus some patches) and his sweat and dirt covered ratty old work shirt,  Nick was in the midst of getting dressed and had on an old dirty t-shirt, new shorts and dirty dusty old work boots, and I with no make up, no comb through the hair, an old t-shirt, and shorts plus neon blue Crocs.....lovely. 

But thankfully for a small town ER, they got David back quickly, and then it was boot removal time.....For what we had seen in the pasture, we all felt that toes might be lost, but as the boot came off.....Hallelujah!  The sock was intact, and only a pencil sized dot of blood was to be seen.  Then the nurse cut off the sock and immediately we were faced with two deep purple near black toes (big toe and adjacent toe).  David, who rarely takes any type of medication, asked the nurse, "Please, can something be done for the pain?" But he had to wait as he was whisked off for x-rays, once he was in a room, the morphine came and helped some, but then the word was quickly in from the x-ray...his second toe was fractured and had to be reset...yikes.  It seemed the next moment the capable country doctor was putting in a local and in 1 minute it was set and immediately pinked up.  Ahhhh. 

David was thankful for the local, as it eased the sharpest of the pain, and then it was one more x-ray....which showed the toe to be nicely back in place.  During the times in between the x-rays David told his tale, and we looked over the boot that had been on the injured foot.  As you can see the boot is a bit mangled and torn, the thick sole on one side even showed that the impact had cut it somewhat, but the steel.....not bent one little bit.  Job well done boots!

So now, David is home for the week, foot less purplish, propped up and healing albeit painfully.  We have all reassessed the importance of safety in the pasture.  And even last night Sara and I got a good dose of hearty farm work in by pitchforking hay from the thankfully small section of pasture David had just cut before his accident, to the barn for winter. 

Honestly, at times I am at odds with the demands of the livestock and the land.  David LOVES the land, the work, and the livestock.  The girls have grown up learning skills (putting up fences, clearing pastures, putting down seed for hay, running a tractor, shots for healthy cows, cutting calves for sale, putting out feed daily, etc) that are invaluable.  So, in light of the scare on Sunday I prayed and considered our priorities.  And I watched Monday as Sara, my niece Alyssa, Sophia, my sister-in-law Michelle and I moved cows from the waterless pasture (this is not my normal at all....I'm still learning here) under David's direction, to the area with a tank and was moved by the family teamwork.  Then last night I saw Sara put herself to some hard work, non complaining, sure of what she was doing and stepping up to help.  It is hard, there are ups and downs with cattle prices, feed cost, seed cost, and time invested but how special that we are in this together, learning as we go. 

Thoughts about Fatherhood

Yesterday morning on the Today Show they had a segment on a special "Fathers and kids" football/sports camp that works at encouraging men as fathers and leaders and providing a time for some Father-child activities.  All of a sudden I was tearing up watching the kids hugging their dads and tromping around playing with them and Sophia was looking at me so concernedly.  I hugged her and told her that "I'm just happy to see those daddies with their little kids" and she broke out in a smile. 

I grew up knowing I was loved and cared for by my mom, dad, and step dad and all the dear family that we were raised near.  My parents divorced when I was 9 years old and my sister was 4yo.  We saw my dad about 3 times a year, and talked to him about once a month.  Our step dad came into our lives when I was 13 going on 14 and was very good in caring for us and being a steady character in our lives.  I loved my step dad but the sense of easy affection was something that wasn't comfortable until I was in college and better appreciated the man he was (he just passed away this April).  And my dad does love on us, but again the everyday sense of Fatherly affection was not something I was accustomed to.  And this would seem to be a small matter until one weekend getaway in college.

I was a sophomore in college, and in our first weekend of Spring Break six of us from our Bible study group (we had met weekly for study since our first month of college the year before) decided to have a getaway at one of the girl's family ranch in Brenham, TX.  The weather was great, we got along so well, and my friend's family was completely welcoming and friendly.  We had been there the whole first afternoon when my friend's dad arrived from work to surprise his girl at our campsite in the pasture.  He called her name as he approached our group, with his arms open wide and she jumped up and jogged over to him and they embraced.  We all got up to meet him, yet I kept myself at the back of the group because I couldn't help that I was crying.  I composed myself enough to politely greet him and then he gallantly showed us around the property.  But I couldn't believe how overcome I became in that moment.  How that greeting resounded with me. 

We had a sweet time at the ranch with her family but I would get a catch in my throat when I thought of that moment.  Around this time of my life I prayed for the hope I had in my heart of being married, and the blessing of children.  And, I prayed for the Father my possible future husband would be and the mother I should be.  I would say around that time is when I offered hugs to my step dad more often.  I was urged by the Lord in my heart to call my dad more.  And God provided changes for good but I still hoped that I would see the same wonder of Fatherly love with my own little ones one day.

And, Praise God!, I have.  David is a wonder of a Father.  When I first met him he was already a dad (Anna was 5, Sara 3) and a serving, loving, strong, responsible one at that.  And we have been further blessed with another little one (well she is 3 yo now, maybe not so little) and I have been gifted again with seeing him father from "scratch". 

And I have seen him open arms wide to his girls and sweep them in a big embrace.  I have seen him take care of hurt hearts and scraped knees.  He has taught them truth, and the meaning of hard work.  He has held their hands in protection crossing the road, and clapped his hands cheering them on in all they try.  He has prayed alongside them and over them, even at times they do not know.   He strives to be the Father that God has called him to be with much grace, forgiveness and love. 

So I wish my David encouragement on Father's day to continue to be the protector/provider he is to our girls. And I pray that should a Father/child moment ever cause their heart to catch it's breath it would be because they know so well how their own Father (both earthly and heavenly) loved them full well.