Just a quick note as we head out on a family vacation, with a stop at our family reunion on the way. Through friends we met at AHOPE, we were invited to take a much needed rest at a home on Whidbey Island. We are so thankful!

Russ and I have great plans to spend lots of down time with our kids, especially the youngest six who have not had much time with us these last weeks. Even our three big boys are able to come along; and Sweet Pea will join us on the weekend.

I hope to do some writing and blogging while we’re gone, but most of all, I plan to rest and enjoy my family.

Thank you for all of your prayers and good wishes for Andrew and Mimi. They are off on a glorious honeymoon —  and quite happy.

~Lisa

The wedding has come and gone and now Andrew and Mimi’s marriage begins. The ceremony and reception were everything we hoped for. I grabbed a few pictures off of Sweet Pea’s camera just so I could give you a quick glimpse. There will be more, many more, to come.

Thank you for your prayers! I wish you all could have joined us.

~Lisa

Eby drew this picture yesterday. As he explained it to me, the person on the bottom is Jordan, the Best Man. He is holding Andrew, the groom. Andrew is holding Mimi, the bride, and she has a crown of hearts on her head.

I love it.

This is completely random, but our kids always get a big kick out of the crop dusters who fly low over the house. This one was flying back and forth over the field west of us and was looping around over our house at the end of each pass. Always exciting. The wheat is beginning to turn golden and before long it will be harvest. The hills will be filled with the hugest combines you can imagine.

Today is our last big day of wedding prep. I hope to rope my brother-in-law into grilling 40 lbs. of chicken. Russ is already outside mowing the parking area in our pasture. The weather is warming up, so there will be tubs of bottled water for people to drink as they walk up the path to the house. We’ll reward them at the top with raspberry lemonade, Chardonnay, and delicious food.

I’ll post pictures as I can!

~Lisa

I can hear the little boys rattling around in their room and my moment of quiet is just about to end.  Here are a few quick thoughts as Mimi’s wedding day approaches.

Yesterday I wrote a check to Mimi and got all teared up realizing it is most likely the last time I will write her name with the last name we’ve shared for 21 years.  It is a small thing — I know, but still, it is a big change.  I remember when my name changed and it was bittersweet for me, but in time I grew to love my last name and that will be true for Mimi too.  She won’t have my name any more, but she will always be my girl.

Mimi tried her dress on last night and she was stunning!  I called my sister and Kathy (Andrew’s mom) to come upstairs and see my beautiful daughter.  We stood around her, just marveling at how gorgeous she looked. There is something so amazing about a bride – the white dress, the veil, the hopeful expression.  I can’t quite get over it.

Russ finished up some projects late last night.   It has added a huge amount of work to host the reception here, but I have to tell you, we have finally gotten some things done that have been on our “List” for years.  There is something about having 300 people at your home that is motivating.

Andrew hung more lights in the yard and it is looking magical. I try to envision the entire scene of our friends and family gathered together under the lights as Mimi and Andrew dance, cut their cake, and enjoy the evening.

Our families are rolling in!  My sister, Laura, arrived with my nephew yesterday and my other sister (with her family) arrived in the wee hours of the night.  We’ll see them later this morning.  Andrew’s parents, sister, and grandfather are here; we had a great time sharing dinner last night.  You should all be proud of me.  I set up a buffet of sandwich breads, meats, cheeses, lettuce, etc. which I served along with chips and melon.  It was a perfectly fine dinner and I was able to work on projects right up until everyone arrived.

Tonight the guys are having a party with Andrew and the girls are having a party at Mimi’s apartment.  The rehearsal is tomorrow at 5:00 followed by an elegant rehearsal dinner at a French restaurant.   It is going to be lovely.

Call me crazy, but in the midst of the preparation, I decided we needed new sand in our sandbox.  I completely forgot how dirty it would be.

I’ll post more when I can!  Have a happy Thursday.

~Lisa

Lights are going up, flowers are growing, and plans for the reception are coming together. Andrew’s family arrives tonight. My sisters and their families arrive tomorrow night. Russ’ family will begin arriving shortly after that. I want to get the work behind me so I can enjoy everyone. Fortunately I have lots of food in the house and simple meals planned.

Wish you all were here.

~Lisa

My children are growing up at a crazy pace!  While I’ve been wrapping up details for Mimi and Andrew’s wedding, Eby lost his first two  teeth, Sweet Pea started her third year of med school, and Little Man learned to jump off the side of the pool.  The middle seven are working full-time or part-time, taking swimming lessons, reading books, and doing the things kids do in the summer.

It’s an unbelievable mental stretch some days.  I go from warming milk in sippy cups for bedtime, to talking over the challenges of getting to know new roommates.

I love it all — and I am stretched by it.

As my friend Signe says, “So many needs, so little Mom.”

In wedding news — only eight more days!  Seven of us got haircuts today, the front porch got one last coat of paint,  tux rentals were confirmed, and I’m working on a schedule for the next week.  It feels a little unbelievable, but Mimi and Andrew seem to look happier every day.

Thank you for sharing my life.

~Lisa

Two weeks from today my baby will walk down the aisle to her sweetheart, Andrew.  Some days I am so busy with wedding plans and life that I nearly miss how significant this is!  There are many details still to be covered, but the day is drawing close and we are excited.

The yard is looking more beautiful every day, with flowers blooming, weeds pulled, edges trimmed, etc.  We need to mow a section of our pasture where guests will be parking and figure out how to get everybody safely parked and as far up the hill as possible.  We don’t want our guests to feel that they had to hike to the reception.

Tuxes have been ordered, my dress is hanging in the closet, the six youngest all have their outfits, and braiding appointments are being arranged.  Mimi is squeezing in final dental, eye, and doctor appointments while she is still on our insurance.  Even Andrew made it to the dentist!

We have one more trip to Seattle before  the wedding (!), but we’ve had a long break, so I can’t complain.  It will be good for the girls to see their therapist and we are looking forward to seeing friends.

Don’t forget to add your thoughts to this week’s Tuesday Topic: Preparing Children. I’ll post your responses Monday morning.

Have a wonderful Fourth of July!

~Lisa

The phone woke me at 3:00 this morning.   The nurse from Dimples’ and Honeybee’s camp needed me to come get Dimples. Dimples’ fever, which had been low grade earlier in the evening, was now 102.6. Unfortunately, the camp was nearly three hours away and it was the middle of the night.  Soon I was in the car with the heat on and the radio blaring as I headed north.