Home Alone

I am home alone today...ALL DAY...

Kevin is on a staff retreat, C and E are at Zeke and Granna's...

I am not sure what to do with myself...

But I am committed to SAVORING every moment.

Our Ship Has Come In

Us.

The Whole Williams Family

So, before you mistakenly assume that anyone in our family owns a sailboat...let me tell you the story.

Winters at Mom and Dad's place are long and stormy. It is not uncommon for things to wash ashore on their beachfront...large timbers, neighbors rafts that came loose from their anchor during a storm...

But this past winter THIS is what washed ashore...a fully intact sailboat.

Now Mom and Dad, being the wonderful people that they are, and with the help of a few other people, tried to do the 'right' thing.

SAVE THE BOAT FOR THIS POOR PERSON WHO LOST IT!

First problem...

it has not been registered in any one's name for the past 2 years = Abandoned.

Second problem...

the 'powers that be' when called to report the abandoned sailboat said that they have 100+ boats throughout the county with the same problem = "Good luck with that."

Third problem...

the day that the boat was 'rescued,' tide was particularly high...and has not been as high since.

= Beached and impossible to move (because sailboats are HEAVY!)

Fourth problem...

the hull of the boat is buried in the sand...the weight of the boat has caused a crack in the side of it...

= Moldy and gross boat

SOOOOO...

Mom and Dad now have a sailboat...correction...a BROKEN sailboat on their beachfront.

Many discussions being had about what to do...

Kevin, once again our eternal optimist, would like to make a bunk house out of it...but it is broken and taking on water...and is REALLY moldy and GROSS inside.

Some have said to burn it...but apparently boats are made out of toxic materials that would be harmful to humans and the environment.

Some have said to sink it...again, toxic.

Some have said, saw it into pieces and take it to the dump...that sounds like A LOT of work.

So what we decided to do was...TAKE OUR FAMILY PICTURE ON IT!

Making lemonade out of lemons...

So, technically, our ship has come in...

Only it doesn't float and is not inhabitable.

Eli, I Don't Want to Forget...

...when I come to your room...

...sweep you up from your crib to my shoulder and comfort your tears...

...how it feels to hold you in my arms and to feel your arms holding me...

...to hear your pacie squeaking...

...to see your fingers rubbing your blanket...

...that deep sigh you breathe when you are finally asleep...

...so precious it brings tears to my eyes and I sway back and forth for a few seconds more...

...to breathe you in...

...to remember...

The Funny Things She Says...

Chloe said a couple adorable things today.

When she asked if she could eat a piece of candy (at 9:30 AM!), I replied with a kind "no."
To which she replied, "Well, SOMEONE has to eat it!"

Dressed in her Belle costume, and having asked me if I want to play "Princess and Servant"...
(give you one guess who was who in THAT game)
I ask her to pick up her markers and paper off of the kitchen floor...
She replies, "Princesses don't have to."
To which I replied,
"But girls named Chloe, DO."

Some Days...

Some days are like this...

You stay up into tomorrow praying and catching up with friends...

Your youngest wakes up earlier than the sun...

All you want to do is sleep...

You tag team with your husband, one watches little one, while the other sleeps...

Wake up to a discouraging visit from the housing authority who informs us that we should have had a permit for the fence handsome, hardworking, husband just built...

AND we should have built it 3 feet in from the property line...

Feeling defeated by ANOTHER thing being added to husband's never ending list of things to do in and around this old house...

Go to say goodbye to a friend and show support for grieving wife and daughters who are also friends...

Knowing that he is healed and whole...enjoying his new body in the presence of our Savior...

But grieving for those still here...left to live without him...

These things bring the previous trivial trials into focus...

But still...

Some days...

You repeat the Truth to yourself over and over...

God is good.

He is on our side.

Is it possible to post too many pictures???

I think not.

GrandBob and Boppi with the kids on Eli's 2nd Birthday

Eli loving God's creation

Chloe, posing


Together.

Both sets of Grandparents at the Beach....SO COOL!

On the Kingston Ferry with our nieces, McKenna and Jordan

Kevin and the kids

The Boys

Us

Me and E

The view of Mt. Rainier from GrandBob and Boppi's

Showing Mommy his dead fish...so. proud.

All 4 Grandkids

Us on a cooler day at the beach

Kevin and Michael

Me and E on the Hanson's ski boat

Chloe before her first tubing experience

(just a little excited!)

Kevin, Chloe and Uncle Rob

(notice the thumbs up...as if to say, 'Don't worry, Mom!')

During...Kevin is completely over-exagerating...they were not going THAT fast! :)

and I quote:

"MOMMY, I HAD A BLAST!!!!!!!!!!!"

The girls having a seashell tea party

Chatting it up with Uncle Michael

Building Sandcastles

(Main thing on Chloe's to-do list...check.)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ELI!!!

While we were in Washington, Eli turned 2 and became a 'big boy' overnight! His vocabulary grew exponentially, he spoke his first complete sentence and fell in love with Thomas the Tank Engine.

(a.k.a. Choo-choo Thomas)

His first complete sentence was; "I caught a fish!"

Which he said to Boppi after his first fishing trip in the sound.

He also mastered the art of getting out of his crib. I blogged about this awhile ago...and then he stopped climbing out. (with much praise and thanksgiving!!) Well...it is officially official...this guy will no longer stay in his crib.

One of our first nights home after WA, he crawled out of his crib at least 6 times as we tried to put him to bed. I think he is starting to understand the cause and effect relationship of his disobedience at bedtime...so the climbing out is becoming less frequent...HOWEVER...let's just say we have an adorable visitor in our bed every morning now...at a completely unacceptable time of day.

With all that said, we continue to fall more and more in love with you E and are so enjoying you joining in on the conversations around here!

2 suits you!

Would love to post some pictures from our time in WA...

...if only I could find the cord thingy that attaches to the camera and the computer...

LOVE THIS

Chloe just came up to me in the kitchen and said,

"Mommy, God was just talking to my heart and He told me we need more kids in our family. A boy and a girl. And we should adopt them."

Adoption is a very common topic in our home...we are getting ready to start the process.

But what I love is that my daughter is expecting to and hearing God talk to her heart.

She asked me if she can "feel" Him talking...I said,

"Well, yeah, I guess you can...Sometimes He gives you a kinda warm feeling in your heart and then you hear His voice in your head."

She smiled wide and said, "I DID feel him in my heart!"

Love that.

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity Jig

We are home safe and sound. We had a fantastic time in Seattle.

Hoping to post some pics soon...

And to get back into the blog world...

But first...sleep...cleaning...unpacking...cleaning...sleep...