Market Day

We haven't been to the Zionsville market for 2 years.
And I am having big cravings for a tomato, basil and mozzarella salad.
So, it was time.
To market, to market we went.

The market is filled with children, homemade pies, fresh cut flowers,organic meats and fresh veggies and fruits.
And dogs.

The dogs might be my favorite part.
One HAPPY place.

Clearly, Wrigley is not  welcome at the market.
For so many reasons.
On so many levels.

I will be sampling this honey before the summer is over.

I gotta give this to the kid- she sure can pick out some tasty sweet corn- leotard and all.

And then the sweat began to run down our legs.
And my market buddy began to complain even though I bought her a cold orange drink she didn't like.
And I ran out of money.
So it was home again, home again
jiggity jig.

5 year old bliss

Oh to be 5 years old again....

Just for one more day.

Busyness

I win the worst blogger award for this past week.
Between VBS, a toe emergency, ultrasound appt. and catching up with friends, I have been M.I.A.
But this is a new week
A nice lazy slow one
Just the way I like it.
One of the highlights of my week was being able to spend time with my friend Rachel.
She drove from Iowa, with her two sweet boys, to visit all her friends in the Hoosier state.
For the record, that's 8 hours.
And I did mention she did it by herself with 2 little ones in tow, right?
That's one of the many things I love about Rach-she doesn't let fear stop her.
She doesn't take the easy way out.
She lives life to the fullest.
And she is a great listener.
She asks lots of questions. And she is so honest.
I could tell her I was pen pals with Charles Manson and she wouldn't judge me.
In fact, she would probably say, "Oh really?  He is an unique fellow. I could see how he would be an interesting pen pal."
And I won't even talk about her Carrie Underwood hair that is the envy of all who meet her.
Everyone needs a Rachel in their life.
I know I am glad I have mine.

Sat night we were able to spend the evening with the Thawleys and their 3 boys.
Our family loves spending time with theirs.
Barefoot kids.
Lightening bugs flickering in jars.
Ice cream sandwiches and lemonade.
Treehouses and swingsets.
Childrens giggles.
Big Dipper and Little Dipper sightings.
Will Hollis remember any of these moments?
These moments filled of innocence and beauty and friendship  and sweetness?
Will she recall them after she is grown and smile when she thinks about the perfection of this night?
Will she know that Jason and I did our best to gift her with a childhood full of goodness and love?
I hope so.
It was a night that would've made Harper Lee smile.
That I know for sure.

Nothing could be finer than to be in Carolina...

The laundry has been washed.
The emails have been answered.
The voice mails checked.
Jason has been fed a couple of home cooked meals.

We are home.
We are home and we have hit the ground running.
Who started the rumors that summer was supposed to be lazy and slow?
Not at this house, I'm tellin ' you.
Anyway, here are some of my favorite pics of time spent in one of my favorite places with my favorite people.
Thanks, Mom and Dad for sharing your vacation with us.
We wouldn't have missed it for the world.

The List

Hello Summer.

Where have you been?

We've been waiting for you for a long time.

The smells, the tastes, the sights, the memories only you can bring.

Welcome.

I sure hope you can stay a long spell

'Cause we've got some plans for you.

A preschooler no more

This is Hollis on her first day of preschool..and today after her last.

To be honest, I've been so busy getting ready for the trip, I haven't had time to feel real emotional about it.

Until...

She got in the car and started singing, "I'm off to kindergarten" song.

And then I got home and discovered the container of purple playdoh they gave her the first day of school in her bookbag.

Then the lump in the throat emerged.

She told me today,"I just love Mrs. Ann so much I could cry."

Mrs. Ann is her teacher and I can see why she loves her so much.

I don't think she has any sort of temper and when she gets flustered she just says,"I need prayers,prayers prayers."

I could take a parenting class from Miss Ann.

We always celebrate the last day of school.

I gave Hollis what any God-fearing patriot should give their young.

 A brand new water gun.

And for the record, she's a darn good  shot.

Watch out kids, this Mama packs heat too.

I know you are mistaking me for Jacquelin Smith right now, aren't you? :)

Look at Hollis' face, do you think I should be worried??

Ice cream with sprinkles is called for on a day like this.

And now folks...

summer has officially begun.

The Secret

Does this dress make me look fat?
Go ahead-you can say YES!!
It would make my day.
I have been keeping a big secret from you for 14 weeks now. I'm Sorry.
I'm on the nest.
I'm in the family way.
I'm expecting.
I'm preggers.
Yes, our new little "turkey" will be arriving just in time to watch us carve the bird for Thanksgiving.
And I have never been so happy in my life.
Some of you that read my blog know our journey to get here has not been easy.
For two and a half years we have struggled for this second chance at parenthood.
We have lost one sweet life along the way.
We have gone through several series of failed fertility treatments.
There were days when I was  broken soul. I was unlovable. I was angry. Sometimes bitter. I was heartbroken.  I felt entitled. And hopeless. And at times, undeservedly selfish.
Defective.
And the worst part?
I sometimes doubted God's presence in my life.
I'm embarrassed to admit that the most.

Everyday life was sometimes a struggle for me.
Baby announcements.
Library times with Moms and their multiple little ones in tow.
Birthday parties.
Expecting Mamas.
Walking past the maternity section in Target.
Innocent questions of when we were going to have a second one. Why we are waiting so long.
Watching the news at night with reports of abused, abandoned unloved children.
Hearing Jason say month after month,"This is the month, I know good things will happen for us."
I felt like I let him down so many times.

But God redeems and restores.
And His plans are great.
He was with me when my friends found out about our loss and showed up at our door with casseroles, tears in their eyes and offers to watch Hollis.
He was with me when family members drove ten hours or flew just so they could give me a hug and tell me they loved me and cry with me.
He was with me when countless friends and family put me on their prayer lists and sometimes daily calls of concern.
He was there with me the moments I could hardly breathe I was crying so hard- with Jason as he loved me through it all and vowed we would come through it better or worse-and stronger because of it.And we have.

It was all part of God's great plan.
He never left my side, even on the darkest of days.
It took going through all this pain and brokenness for me to realize it for the first time in my entire life.
He was with me.
Yes, He was with me the whole time.
And I'm so thankful He was.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts,neither are your ways my ways." declares the Lord
Isaiah 55:8