The Haps

I consider summer officially here because A) It's been freaking HOT this whole week! Therefore we've broken out the kiddie pool and slip 'n slide. And B) Jeran celebrated (bittersweetly) his last day of preschool today. My dear, generous friend, Amy, drove on down with her girls to watch Ben and Gray so I could attend Jeran's last-day picnic. I sat watching him run around, all hot and sweaty, yelling and laughing and pretending with his friends, amazed that he has reached this milestone. Now, I grant you, it's no PhD in psychology (props to my bro-in-law, Keith, for that ENORMOUS milestone!), but it has been an important year of growth for him in all ways: physically, academically, developmentally, socially. We've seen a lot of incredible changes in him, and his teachers have been instrumental in that. So I was really sad to close this chapter and say good-bye. (Jeran was too, but I think it will hit him later. He was a little bit too anxious to get to D.Q. for his promised celebratory ice cream to really get sad in the moment.) Kindergarten looms, and as I use such an ominous-sounding word as looms to describe what really should be an exciting, as well as customary and not unexpected next step, I start to realize how averse to change I really am. And it would appear I am starting to project that onto my children as well. I want them to embrace where God is leading, not cower from it. But that's a tall order for me, so it can be difficult to teach my kids.
For now, we have an entire summer of fun, fun, fun to look forward to.

Ben, dear Ben. Still into everything and anything. Laughing all the time (except for those times he's screaming in that banshee-esque, two-year-old fashion when he is told no, is frustrated, isn't allowed to do things himself, or is pestered by his older brother). He displays more and more of Jeran's openness with people, even moreso than Jeran at times. He is not content to leave a store unless the sales clerk (and anyone else in a 10-foot radius) has given him an enthusiastic response to his "hi" and "bye". He is mischievous and curious and adorable with a capital A.

Grayson is dangerously and excitingly close to walking! Personally, I vote for the walking with this one. I just think summer will be SOOOO much easier if he's got that skill under his belt. JJ and Ben LOVE to be outdoors (and I've got the sunburn to prove it), and it would just make my life a tad easier not to have to concern myself with concrete burns on the knees or with what inedible object is going into his mouth next. Like his bros, he is a happy, carefree, generally social and smiling boy. I say boy, not baby. Despite his round, bald, adorably shiny head (challenged in the area of hair growth, also like his siblings) he seems less and less like a baby to me. His mannerisms, the way he tries to copycat, the almost-walking...it all points to a BOY. My joyful, kissable, active explorer of a boy. And yet, on some level, always my baby. :)

Oh yeah, and the adults in our household (I'm no dummy. People only ask about us out of sheer obligation). On top of being the social coordinator for my three men-about-town I have taken a very part-time administrative assistant position. It's something I do from home and has been a perfect way to turn my thoughts away from Legos, diapers, and PBS cartoons once in awhile. I'm very much looking forward to a summer filled with plans to hang out with family and friends, vacation a bit (camping and Colorado, to name a few), and soak up time with my beloved boys (all 4 of them).

James has been keeping extremely busy with work and his role as treasurer for our new church (which finally has a name other than just "church plant". And that would be CenterPointe). He also remains an incredible husband, dad, son, and brother. I know he'd like to see a little more fishing and golf enter into the picture, so we'll see what summer brings him.

That's the haps here! Happy summer to you and a safe and restful Memorial Day!