Trust...

...well I learned a valuable lesson today...

to trust more...

Truth be known, I have been a bit of an emotional roller coaster knowing my 15 year old will be leaving our home in about a month (thus part of my blog hiatus...I just needed some time to process this and other things). I know this is normal...but I haven't really admitted any of this to even myself.  While I am overwhelmed with happiness for her that she has been blessed with this opportunity...this a huge commitment for her and our family--a lot of sacrifices.....and a huge part of our uncertainty this week and last week was finances.  We were waiting for our financial package to be reviewed. Waiting, waiting, waiting.

Finally today we got the official word...or so we thought...

I am not on email much this summer, but I happened to be on when our new TADS-financial agreement came through. I clicked on it, not thinking much. What I saw put a pit in my stomach.  They were giving us some aid, but nothing near what we needed.  I immediately jumped to the conclusion that they didn't want Hailey that much, that maybe this door was closing for her/us...that maybe this was a sign that it wasn't meant to happen.  I was honestly a mess. Kev came home from work so we could call the financial lady together.  My mom was so sweet....I know she was upset too, but all I remember her saying was "just pray".  I am not even sure I said anything more in my head than, "please Lord let this happen"...

We couldn't get a hold of the financial lady...and I had to just move on with the day.  I took Ash to gymnastics camp...I was almost there when my cell rang.  Kev was on the other end...he was mumbling something about new financials.  I was not optimistic.  He honestly had to repeat himself a few times til I understood what he was saying....we got all the money we asked for to send Hailey to NYC. No way.  If my knees could have hit the ground in thankful prayer, they would have. I was speechless.  In a matter of hours God has provided--the door had opened--wide.  And in that moment I learned a valuable lesson in trust. :) 

One of these days we will unpack...but for now...

 ...we are busy just living life :)  It was back to swimming today...and boy was it HOT!  Loggy was so sweet....he sure wanted candy, but mommy brought nothing...so he had to play with his newfound sea toys...lining them all up by species (sorta) :)

 Nice, Shelb!  She has made a lot of progress in just a week!

 Umm...not sure what to label this one...but I do love the funny factor of dive photos! :)

 I was really impressed with D today...he can swim the whole length of the pool now with proper strokes.  That takes a lot of endurance.  Maybe he will be a swimmer like his daddy was :)

 Ashley showing her teacher she can "do it all" :)  She is one confident girl!  Her teacher did say today she is a very strong swimmer :)

 She even got to dive in the diving well....D did too, but I forgot to download the pic :)

 ???  Not sure what she's doing here either?

 No words for the height of that jump...

 LOL!  Coolest kid around with his purple one-lensed glasses :)

 Best part of the morning...ice cream on the way out of swimming...thx, Nina!

 I think we had orange push pop all over by the time we got home....

 Beyblade time again!

 For Shelb it was sewing time....gotta get the AG dress done by Wed for the fair!

 Sue Sue is an awesome sewing mentor!

 Someone started Gymnastics camp today at the other YMCA...she was pretty smiley about it :)

 Wow...a lot of kids....very different from Shelb's tennis camp of 6 kids!  Can you even spot Ash in the front line on the end?

 Trying to get Loggy to settle down for a nap....she'd make a great babysitter :)

 The dress is all done and fits Kit!  YAY!

 Then time for French Macaroon baking...yikes, no idea this recipe was so complicated!

 Thankfully Nina helped...and did all our dishes (my least fav. thing!)

 Soooo many steps to this recipe....

 Really...we had to drop the pan on the counter a couple times.  Crazy macaroons!

 Someone was very excited about double ovens of macaroons!

 We had a bit of cardboard clone abuse...Loggy came downstairs carrying her by the head and then threw her in the hallway and against the hall.  I think he was mad Hailey didn't send us any pics today...

 Logan got the news today (at violin) that his Sissy (Hays) is going away for a long time.  I am not sure he was excited about this concept...

 All he did over and over again was ask, "Why??" :) 

 Daddy ended up having more work probs and working late...so we went beyblade shopping at TJMaxx...Loggy found his and sat right down...

 Time to taste the macaroon!

 Double crazy Shelby's....yikes....singing to us in the mirror....she is a nutty gal!

 Not too shabby for her first macaroons...but boy are those things tricky to make...not sure they will be her fair entry...

 Trying his macaroon for the first time...not crazy about it...maybe it's bc Shelb gave him the poopy green one that she said looked like his poop :)

 I love our dining room....here's our light with shades on it....

 More beyblading...Nina apparently showed Loggy how to do it...

 Whohoooooo...she finally won!  Then he won the title back! :)  Oh the joy of beyblades!

I sure hope tomorrow is a more productive day...but ya' know what...it's life and ya' gotta have some fun too, right? :)

Not-accomplishing-much-Sunday...

Well, not much accomplished today.  I really thought we'd do unpacking and clearing out the garage to bring in more stuff from storage...but I think the heat and humidity did us in yesterday....we were feeling dead this morning before we even got out of bed.  So, instead of a big agenda, we just laid low.  We didn't relax at all, but we did get chores done around the house and got some things put up on the wall (finally!).  Hailey probably had a much more exciting day than us...going off to her fav. ballet shoe store--Freed of London (in NYC).   I should invest in their stock bc if other dancers are like our Hays, they are spending about $200 a week on pointe shoes....but that is a story for another day....

Proof of the kids doing their chores....and also I hope this makes me hold them accountable for keeping up with these on a weekly basis. We stunk at this in the old house.

Shelb was very proud of cleaning her whole bathroom by herself :)  I think that face is, "I told you I could do it...duh!" :)

Our least motivated cleaner actually did push a vacuum today :)

Kev put the kids to work helping him hang stuff on the walls...D helped with our new IKEA mirror in the dining room...

D found a spider on his bay blade.  Not a very smart spider if you ask me....who builds a web on a spinny top?!

Shelby working on her fair sewing project....totally her idea.  But daddy suggested she make a pattern than wing it.  Smart, daddy!

We have moved on from Legos to Bey Blades.  It's all D wants to do with Nina this weekend...and he taught Loggy too...very cute. :)  They have had lots of Bay Blade wars in the "arena" :)

YAY!  Our first thing up on the wall (only after being here 6 weeks!).  I love my new mirror...and I love the beautiful flowers on the table too...makes me want fresh roses here every day! ha!  We also added lamp shades to the light tonight....and now I need to look for a new orange-y rug...and something for the other wall...and maybe some curtains....
                                                 
Ash helping daddy hang our towel rings in the bathrooms....

Ash showing off their two new towel rings.  Nothing fancy, but they were super cheap and they will do the job til we find nicer accessories down the road. Still not sold on the blue in this bathroom...but the kids seem to like it.

Sue Sue came over for dinner....and got to watch the bey blade battles...oh joy!

The grill expert...he made a special marinaded Jack Daniels and Coke Chix tonight...yummy!  I thought it was great!

Eating our feast....and now people don't even have to look at me while I take the pic bc I can see them in my new mirror! :)

Someone fell asleep after dinner...holding tightly to his water bottle! :)

That cannot be comfortable!  That'll teach him to not poop during his nap. Falling asleep at dinner is too early!
                                                 
Our special drink for the night....in honor of my brother who graduated pilot's school back in 2001, I think?  A wine we got at his graduation oh-so-long-ago and have kept for over a decade....and believe it or not it was still drinkable :)

Not sure Loggy will remember this Facetime conversation with Pops in FL :)

Bless Sue Sue's heart...Shelb was having trouble with her fair creation and she was giving advice.  Goodness knows I am no help...but Susie is amazing with her knowledge.  I am impressed my Shelb wants to do this...she is very motivated and doing a great job doing this all on her own.

Nina's dessert masterpiece...yummy cheesecake!  I am not sure why the cheesecake was frowning...it was very good!  Kev didn't quite get those ears on Nina's head :)

We got to talk to our Hays tonight....I hope she looks better than this in NYC...oh wait...she does...we just saw her in the 1st pic...phew!  Might be the week to revamp cardboard-Hailey :)  Silly Ash...she wants to be just like her oldest sis. :)

So...not the most productive day as far as unpacking...but we did get the house spic-n-span and that felt good...and we didn't sweat much at all, which was also good and we did get some nice family time in and a good meal...all in all that is a good day.  One more week with Nina...gotta make it the best we can! :)