We Lived

Rae and her crew are all moved in to their new place and we came through a month of togetherness relatively unscathed.

A fenced yard, praise the Lord! I pray mighty angels around this little house to protect sweet boys who love, love, love to be outside.

A visit from a little friend girl.

 I am a people person, especially my own people.  I come by that honest. My mom has not spent one day since Auntie G-Lou died without Terri, a kid or  a grand kid showing up and lives in fear of a day without us.  I'm just a better me in a village, so I enjoyed having so much company this past month.  I don't really have a great house for multi-family living, so my usual chaos was increased about three fold, but we all knew it was short lived and just moved and stepped over it.  That Mr. Smiley is the cutest, funnest, grabbiest little one I know, and he left whatever might have been straightened, completely disassembled in his wake.
I can honestly say I didn't do much other than cook, empty and fill and dishwasher and play with wee folk. For the most part, their wish was my command.
They were always ready to see Pappy and for him to sit so they could maul him awhile.

 It seems collecting eggs never gets old. An egg hunt every day.

 "Hode you," with upraised arms I can't resist.  I hadn't actually planned for pepper in this mango salad, but my plans frequently morphed into whatever grabby hands plans were.

 Mr. Smiley was in a fever induced slump on Easter Sunday, but looked just as adorable the following Sunday with his handsome brother.

 This boy loves some crafts and was excited to see how to make his own bed buddy sock warmer.  Here he is stirring his choice of essential oils into rice.

 So cute and functional too.

 Every warm day found us at the creek where rock skipping is practiced.

 While here,  he joined preschool where I work and will finish the year there.  I will love getting to see them twice a week.

 I was never a Pez fan until Bean came along.  The little figures are awfully cute and I would tuck one in my pocket when I visited him.  Needless to say he's long outgrown checking my pockets, and the little figures wound up in my kitchen window and all the wee ones since have enjoyed playing with them.

When I pulled away Sunday, with Giddy-Up waving on the porch, knowing he'd be heading out to his new place when his brother got up from his nap, I cried all the way to church.  You would think they were moving to Botswana.  

Any of my three kids would move to Botswana or wherever I think.  They don't have that same love of all their extra people being close.  They get that from the Handy Man.  Me.  I want them all under my feet.  Even when it is craziness all around, inside me is calm.  I am seriously in the minority in my own family and have never quite been able to adjust.   Of course, this is on mind since that is most and longest  time I've ever had kids back home.  It makes me understand my Mom a bit better.  She has lived in lots of chaos in many forms, but she preferred whatever was happening to nothing happening. She had seven kids and has often said she would have been happy to have seven more. Trust me, there are some days I wish there a few more of us.

So, the move left me and Pap with colds and spring cleaning to do.  I was glad for this week off and while I hate cleaning all day by myself, I appreciate it being done.  I've enjoyed some good times with friends for lunch and have read and read and slept in a bit. 

I've inherited Rae's moving boxes, as I learned that I have to pack up my entire classroom and move it out and then move it back in before I'm back in  the class at the end of July- blek. 

Our spring break will end with another (hopefully) last winter interlude.   Good thing I didn't pack all the warm clothes away just yet.