Strawberries!

Last year Peter and I planted strawberry plants on the side of our house. We had all of the ivy removed and decided to use the space to actually grow something we like. It has been fun seeing them grow. We've been picking a few ripe berries over the past week, but today there were a whole bunch of bigger, ripe berries. They're not as sweet as we'd like, so we just add a little bit of sugar :). I have also been picking strawberries at the field near our house - I picked almost 20 pounds this week. I wish I could get the kids to pick more berries with me, but they spend most of the time being freaked out if they see a bug or complaining that it is too hot or time to go. It kind of ruins the relaxing atmosphere of berry picking. Conner and Marisa helped me pick one day this week which was nice to have help. Last year the berries we picked lasted us about 6 months, so I'm hoping to pick a little bit more this year. Kelsey loves having frozen strawberries for snack (which is better than the Cheez-its, Lays potato chips, and heavily buttered popcorn that she usually eats!)

Last Day of School!

Today is Kelsey's last day of 6th grade. Several weeks ago she planned out everything that she was going to do this morning, including what time she would be straightening her hair :). She went over to her friend's house to get ready, and then I took them to Starbucks for a treat for their last day. Sixth grade has been quite a year for year - she is definitely growing up and becoming her own person. This year she has become very organized in her school work (maybe some day this will carry over to keeping her room organized :). We rarely had to ask her about homework, and she was very driven to get projects done ahead of time which has been great. She now has her own opinions about lots of things and continues to be a very sensitive, kind, and thoughtful girl.

Conner and McKenzie's last day was Thursday - Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture. McKenzie had a great first year of high school. She made some very good friends and really enjoyed playing soccer. She is happy that the school work is over but will definitely miss seeing everyone at school each day. This year's learning experience for her was balancing having fun and leaving enough time to get school work done.

This year Conner became better friends with several kids and really enjoyed spending time with them on the golf team. The highlight of Conner's golf season this year was winning the 9-hole tournament at Quail Valley. He also loved playing ping pong during lunch with his friends. Balancing school work, sports, and a girlfriend has been a learning experience for him!

So here comes summer! So far we have a camping trip planned to Scout Lake the beginning of July, a Sunriver trip the beginning of August, and Family Camp with our church the middle of August. Kelsey is also going to summer camp with her youth group and is very excited - she's the first of our kids to want to go to a summer camp. Conner will be spending lots of time driving this summer, to get his 100 hours in so that he can get his license. He would like to get a job this summer (actually, all of us would like for him to do this :) - he is taking a class so that he can become a soccer referee in the fall. McKenzie is hoping to do lots of babysitting to earn money for the things she wants to do this summer and will also be doing some fitness training to be in shape for soccer.

I only work 15 days during the summer, so I'll have lots of time off with the kids. Peter and I have planned to go out on dates every Friday afternoon since he only works half days on Friday. We're looking forward to eating at some new restaurants, finding new walking trails, and discovering new coffee shops.

There will be lots of things going on this summer! I will do my best to start each day by reading my Bible, so that I can always be aware of what God sees as important for my day and to be reminded that everything he created is for our enjoyment.

Conner is 16!

I don't know how it happened - I feel like Conner was born about 8 years ago, and all of a sudden he is 16. He is really growing up into an amazing person - he has a kind heart, loves his sisters (most of the time), is responsible, doesn't take things too seriously, is trustworthy, and enjoys being with our family. We are so grateful for him and had fun celebrating his birthday. He had a couple of friends stay the night for lots of video game playing and snack eating. We made a big breakfast in the morning, baked his favorite chocolate cake, and then we all went out for dinner with his girlfriend Marisa joining us. He received some very nice gifts and cards from our Portland and Midwest families. As soon as he takes a drivers education class, he will be able to get his license!

Banquet 2012

Conner and McKenzie both had a great time at their high school banquet. It is like a prom, but all grades get to attend. Their school offered a couple of ballroom dancing classes before the event, so McKenzie decided to do one of the classes. To her surprise, she loved it. Conner was not planning on dancing, so he didn't take the classes. He ended up dancing, though, and even asked McKenzie to dance. I love the pictures of them dancing together. They both planned activities afterwards, so Peter and I did lots and lots of driving - Peter was kind enough to do the midnight drive! I know we won't be driving them around for much longer, so we're trying to appreciate it. Conner went golfing yesterday with a friend, and then his friend drove him home (only a couple miles) - that is the first time he has been in a car without a parent....!

Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

Mom,

Here are only a few reasons why I love you....

1. Your heart is full of love for so many people.

2. You are kind.

3. You make "little things" a celebration.

4. You make family gatherings special.

5. You always know what to say during hard times.

6. You are always there for me.

7. You plan the best family getaways.

8. You create wonderful memories for our family.

9. You listen.

10. You love Dad.

11. You take care of people.

12. You always support the kids with their fundraisers.

13. You like to golf with Conner.

14. You hire McKenzie to "help" you with a job when she needs to earn some money.

15. You take Kelsey out for special time.

16. You cry when you hear good news.

17. You volunteer your time at Head Start.

18. You are generous with your money, heart, and time.

19. You are never too busy.

20. You love, and then you love, and then you love some more.

What a Week!

This week was quite an adventure for me. Last week I had my annual exam, and the doctor found a lump. She didn't think it felt like cancer but thought I should get a mammogram to make sure. I was pretty calm in the doctor's office and called to schedule the follow up appointment when I got in the car. They didn't have any appointments for a week. They said to check back to see if they had any cancellations (which I did) but did not have any luck. Looking back, I think it was really good for me to have to wait for a week, even though it felt like a month. I want to be in control, and I want answers quickly! As much as I don't like it in the moment, God continues to allow situations in my life that require waiting and trusting. Looking back over the week (and the past 6 months), God has definitely been refining me as I am becoming much more trusting and confident in His plans for me. For the first time, I didn't worry excessively over the possibility of having something seriously wrong with my health. Sure, I thought about being diagnosed with breast cancer and imagined what our lives would be like if I had it, but I was completely convinced that God would work for the good, no matter the outcome. Peter came with me to my appointment and was a huge help to me, as I was definitely nervous. When they saw something "suspicious" on my mammogram last year, my follow up appointment was super fast - I was in and out of there in 10 minutes! This time, the appointment took a full hour, so I had much longer to wait before I found out the results. The nurse who did my mammogram said that they may or may not have me do an ultrasound. She was gone for about 10 minutes, while the doctor reviewed the results. She came back in and said that I needed to have an ultrasound.... Then I went for the ultrasound, and the technician said that she would either come back with the results or the doctor would come in. I thought if the doctor came in, that would be a bad sign, so I was really hoping to just see the technician. When the door was opened, both the doctor and the technician were there, so I really thought they were going to give me some challenging news. However, the doctor sat down, and the first words out of his mouth were, "Good News! - There is no sign of cancer!" I felt so relieved and definitely teared up when they left the room. As I saw Peter in the waiting room, I gave him a "thumbs up" as I walked across the lobby, and he gave me a big hug :). I called my parents to let them know, and my dad invited me over to their house on my way home. We had wine and appetizers to celebrate the great news. Since getting the good news, I'm reminded once again how fragile life is, how health is not something to take for granted, how special the little things are, and how much I need people in my life. My sister Mary gave me the sign in the picture that we have hanging in our family room. The more I live life, I'm learning that the message on this sign is so, so true.

Enjoying the Sun

We are loving the sunny weather! This is a random post of the past couple weeks...we have had shishkabobs on the grill the past two weekends. The other night the girls were gone, so we got to have dinner just with Conner. We bought some new lanterns for the deck, so it's been fun to sit out there at night. Last weekend Kelsey had a soccer game in Forest Grove, so we just had to stop by Maggie's Buns, our favorite place to get cinnamon rolls. Unlike last time, they actually had some for us :). Peter and I devoured one on the way to Kelsey's game which was only five minutes away from the restaurant. Kelsey also had tryouts for a new soccer league that is more competitive than recreational soccer. She is wanting more of a challenge which will benefit her when she gets to high school. Conner finished up golf last week, golfing his first 18-hole match of his career. He had a great time during golf this season. Tonight the kids are going to their formal banquet, so more pictures will be coming soon!