Week 7

The blog has been neglected and I'm hopelessly behind.  My apologies to all five of my faithful readers!  I've been utterly consumed with Passion this season.  Under normal circumstances, this is a full, busy, challenging show to produce, but because this is a launch year of the *new* rendition...basically a new show...it's been all-consuming.  New props, new costumes, new scripts, new teams of people, learning songs, cues, transitions.  It's been a challenge to say the least and my days are filled with back-office admin type stuff, endless runs to the fabric store, building teams, training new leaders, online searching of props, drafting and answering endless emails, etc. and my weekends and evening are filled with rehearsals.  I also think this was a little extra difficult coming right on the heels of Christmas because Easter is early this year.

On top of the show, I'm trying to maintain homeschool, continued work / painting on the master bath, and all the other 'things' I do like overnight dance competitions, state hockey tournaments.  Phoebe is a total distraction because all I want to do is sit and hold the newborn "baby" who is the sweetest, sleepiest, snuggle bug!  As a result, the fridge is empty, the house is a mess, and the blog is behind!  BUT the good news is we are halfway through a wildly successful and fruitful run of The Passion and the Cross and in just a few days I'll have all my discretionary time back!

Monday, Feb. 12th

For better or for worse, I've maintained my gym attendance through the crazy.  I've held onto that tightly.  My morning faithfuls and I all dressed black and blue, unplanned.

Cole on Mondays is always a sweet way to start the week.

Tuesday, Feb. 13th

Two more boys with perfect vision.

Wednesday, Feb. 14th

Valentine's Day is pretty chill around here.  A hand-written love note on the back of a Pinterest printout and a few of their favorite treats is about all I can pull off.  It seems to be just enough, though.  They enjoyed waking up to the surprise on the counter.

That evening, Colombo and I had the honor of speaking at the church.  We agreed to speak to the 40 couples attending so long as we could be open, honest, candid about our journey.  Because ours is painted more with commitment than bliss.  We kept it casual and chose to go back and forth, bouncing off one another.  We just pray that ONE couple was encouraged by our story.

The three main resources we referenced were:
What Did You Expect by Paul David Tripp
Loveology by John Mark Comer
You and Me Forever by Francis and Lisa Chan

Our three points were:
Love Is a choice
Love Is a commitment
Love Is a calling

Thursday, Feb. 15th

The morning routine.

OMGoodness!  Alberto giving to Renna and Renna receiving was THE cutest little Valentine's surprise.

Friday, Feb. 16th

Maddy got another visit with the twins.

She also helped with announcements and offering at youth group.

She also snapped this one of the boys praying together across the room.  Heart melted!

Daddy and the littles and I did our newish Friday routine of eating at Rocco's and then I caught just a few seconds of this very normal scene at home.  My thoughts:
So much time is spent around this island.
I'm so grateful Colombo is often part of it, both morning and night.
He has instilled a love of many genres of music.
We are currently slightly obsessed with The Greatest Showman!  They've seen it twice and know EVERY lyric.

Saturday, Feb. 17th

Nathanael had his last home youth hockey game.  Last time playing in South Windsor.  The ending of  an era...next stop: high school hockey.  The whole fam made it to his game.

Sunday, Feb. 18th

 Just 80 kids practicing their scene.  Thank God for THE BEST kids' team ever!  I told Brent that what the kids have gotten as far as time and training, parents would normally spend hundreds of dollars for this type of program and opportunity.

Week 6

Monday, Feb.5th
The eve of demo on our master bath, I had to clean out 9 years worth of closet.  Amongst my finds was this positive pregnancy test.  NO idea why I ever kept it or how it had gone unnoticed all these years- and quite gross, I realize- but this one was from Dec. 2nd, 2010 when I was elated to find out we were expecting, only to learn 6 weeks later that the baby had no heartbeat.

Finding the stick definitely brought back a flood of heartbreak and sting, but I was also able to reflect on the healing since and God's faithfulness and goodness that saw us through.

Tuesday, Feb. 7th

Demo Day!  Our first hired house project.  We feel so grown up!

Wednesday, Feb. 7th
Two of my morning buds; we all dressed the same accidentally.

This was a snowy day, so both Nathanael and C4's schools cancelled.  We all escaped to the basement to get away from day two of demo noise.  Homeschool and video games all happening simultaneously.

Thursday, Feb. 8th

Icy trees glistening in the sun.

Fancy hair for dance.

Friday, Feb. 9th

Maddy and I took some meals to our friends with new twins.  Perfect- we each had one to hold!

Callbacks for the kiddos.

Saturday, Feb. 10th

C4 was on a youth leaders' retreat Friday to Sunday.  Funny, he wouldn't let me take his picture at drop off.  Kidding...I didn't try.

CRAZY CRAZY excited to get this text from Maddy.  I was giddy for about 4 hours!!  She's on the cover for this 2018 National Tour.  Her headshot is also inside as the National Title Winner.

This is Liam.  (We know lots of Liams!)  He's a little bro of one of Rocco's teammates.  He is a gem and has the best personality.  Anyway, he brings his rollerblades to all the rinks and zooms around.  It's the cutest- he's barely 2!  This day was his 2nd time coming to open skate and he gets around the rink just fine and refuses to push any crates as an aid.  His skates were about 4 inches long.

Colombo and his brothers went up to visit / say "goodbye" to Grandpa in Bangor.  They had a great car ride up and a nice visit with Grandpa.  Two weeks later he passed, so the boys were so thankful they'd carved out the time to make the trip happen.

Andrea was sweet and invited us over for dinner and Olympics after church.  Lots of curling!

Sunday, Feb. 11th
We had a sweet hangout time around the fire with the teens upon C4's return from his retreat.  We knew he really enjoyed it because he talked to us about it!  These moments I want to seer into my heart and memory forever and ever.

 Maddy wasn't happy with her results from her 1st comp, so she self-induced a stricter regimen.

Week 5

Monday, Jan. 29th

In preparation for competition, all on her own, Renna put on her workout clothes and sneakers, found some headphones, borrowed my phone, and ran and ran around the cut-de-sac, up and down neighbors driveways.  For good measure, she ended with some pushups in the driveway.  It was so darn cute!

After nearly two weeks of no hot water, an epic battle with Sears, and me resorting to Facebook to be heard- FINALLY the plumber installed our new hot water heater!!!  Since we had hot water, and since the kids had skimped on showering for two weeks and since our jacuzzi tub was about to be demo-ed, we all took baths!  These three (in suits) enjoyed one last tub together.  They've gotten the most use out of tub in the last 9 years.  I enjoyed my bath as well.  I think I've used it about 5 times.  Twice in labor.  One time I'd just gotten settled in when I heard blood-curdling screams followed by Maddy bursting in to announce, "Dad needs to take Trevor to the emergency room!"  That was the lovely head laceration that C3 ended up butterflying himself.  So maybe I've had one or two nice baths.

Tuesday, Jan. 30th
This dude came to the house to fix C4's shattered screen.  For a $20 deductible!  Genius!  We were all fascinated.  Renna asked him way too many questions including, "How old are you?"  He was very sweet about it.

At least 4 of these posters have hung in our neighborhood for months!  Whichever way we go, there's a poster.  This was the progression of Renna's commentary:
All of November: Ohhh, that's so sad.  They lost their kitty.  Mom, we should help them look.
All of December: I don't like cats.  I'm gonna say a bad word- I know it's a bad word, but I hate cats.
January: That cat is dead.

Hilarious!  And I'm sure she's right.  And it would be really nice if dead cat's owner would take down their posters.

We took lunch to our workin' girl, Maddy.  She does Tuesdays at H&R Block.  Of course in our 5 minute visit we managed to knock over the entire tower of cups at the water cooler.  Time to go!

Wednesday, Jan. 31st
Nothing.

Thursday, Feb. 1st
I love February.  It feels like the off-ramp from winter.  It's a sweet little month with a bunch of love in the middle!  Historically, it's a particularly productive homeschool month.

I took the kids to see The Greatest Showman. My second time.  Couldn't get C4 to join us, but the kids LOVED it.  It's so good!

Friday, Feb. 2nd

My sweet and talented friend, Sue, custom made one of Maddy's costumes.  We had a ball with her!

First Competition weekend will post separately.  But on Sunday I got to sneak up to the hospital for an hour to visit a friend's new TWINS!  We also had a Super Bowl party at O'Bonks, but I came away with no pictures.