Summertime Playtime

We did playgroup again this year with the same families from last summer, except there was only ONE Wednesday all summer long that all 5 of our families were together. It was spent downtown in the Children's Garden, attempting to play in the fountains by the river (they were turned off for maintenance), picnicking by the water, and finishing at Spill the Beans for ice cream. There are 13 kids and 5 moms; actually, now there are 14 since the T family added their number 4 on July 27! We love our friends and are so thankful for them!

Yes, Sender is shirtless. Much easier with ice cream!

Nan checking out Evan. Hee! When I cut Nancy's bangs too short at the beginning of the summer, Kate told me her hair looked liked Evan's. Bows it is for our little one, then!

We also picnicked with the Osborns; this is Belle, keeping her suit clean with her giant bib on.

100 Holes for EJ Golf Marathon

June 22 was the 100 Holes for EJ Golf Marathon. Check out the post on EJ and her family if you don't know what I'm talking about! We met Ryan at the golf course at 9. I was thinking we'd ride around with him for an hour and then head out. I was not considering the reality of the word "marathon"; Ryan had to play an average of 8 holes an hour to finish 100 by the end of the day, and there was not time for us to stop and him drive us to our car to leave until Noon!

Ryan played with coworkers Derrick B. and Chris T. We devised a plan for me to drive the cart and watch him on his tee off. He'd sometimes grab 2 or 3 clubs and a putter, and just run down the fairway to meet his ball, drop his clubs on the ground, and hit. We'd pick him up on the green and then go on to the next hole. The girls had fun riding the carts and eating an entire box of cheese crackers, but most of all it was fun to see everyone that came out to support EJ and the Mullikin family. Ryan raised $680! Hopefully EJ will make it to Arizona soon!

Riding the cart

Blogging is a Luxury

I now see that having not only the means, but the time, to blog is certainly a luxury. Click on the link to see why I'm so behind on posts.

Grace Church Children's Ministry

Elora's Birthday Party

Our friends Jenny & Mike Talbott have two little girls, and Nancy and Kate were invited to Elora's 3rd birthday party. The girls hang out on Sundays at the Taylors house while we have small group, and Jenny and Mike go to church Saturday nights with us. Jenny did such a good job making the party fun for the kids - she had water balloon fights and mud pie making, a pinata, and a pool for the kids to play in while the grown ups hung out in the shade. Jenny also has an amazing little veggie garden, and I'll admit I just stood around and peeked under all the leaves at the growing squashes and cucs and things I didn't even recognize! We'll need Jenny's gardening tips if we start our own vegetable garden in the fall! Thanks for inviting us!

Nancy likes to eat the icing straight off the top of the "Cake cake".

Water balloon fight!

Mud Pies.

Jenny also keeps chickens. These are the chickens we get our eggs from, and it was so nice to meet them and say thank you!

Just for Fun

My dad (Poppa) & Nancy

Nancy likes to swing on her belly. She just squeals and laughs and laughs! I love how much she loves life, it's contagious.

I also love to watch Nancy mimmick big kids, especially Kate.

They really do like each other!

She's getting so big. We're on the way to gymnastics, and that day she wore Daddy's Kenya necklace.

Kate and Mommy Graduate Kindergarten

We had a sweet party time at the Fowler's home on June 10 for Kate, Ella & Abby's Kindergarten graduation. We had hats (obviously) and certificates and a little ceremony where parents told their daughter how proud they are of finishing well. I even got a little congratulations from Ryan for hanging in there.

And no, we're not doing it next year. Kate starts Brushy Creek on August 19!

Graduation Cookie Cake

It was a fun, different, challenging year. The thing that made it a blessing was watching Kate choose to obey happily about staying home; neither one of us was crazy about what God had led us to do! But we got through it together, and I know our relationship is closer because of it. I love that each of these soon to be First Graders are big sisters to little sisters; they have much in common but are all very different little girls, but I hope they will be friends for a long, long time.

Who's EJ?

Some of you may have noticed our new friend at the top of our blog (look to your right). This is EJ, daughter of Jami and Beth Mullikin. We go to church with the Mullikins, and Ryan happens to work for Jami, and we happen to be friends, so any way you look at it we are in this thing with them, and happy to be.

This "thing" is what has been a struggle for the past 8 years for Jami, Beth and EJ's brothers, N and O. EJ, who just turned 9, is diagnosed with Sensory Integration Disorder and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.  These disorders manifest themselves in her eating, and to this point outpatient treatment and therapy have been the way they've tried to help EJ. The Mullikins and doctors now agree that it is time for EJ to have some inpatient therapy, which for her means being away from her family for 60 days, and for her family, means missing her for the entire summer, maybe longer, all in the desperate hope that God will heal EJ while she is away and return healthy and healed. 

Remuda Ranch is their destination for her, and you can click the link to read more about it. Thankfully, financial aid has brought the cost for the Mullikins from a heart-stopping $175,000 to $40,000. Their goal is to raise this money as fast as possible in order to pay the first payment (of half the cost) up front so they can send EJ this summer, so that she doesn't have to miss school in the fall. If she misses school, she may have to be held back a grade, and with a twin brother, that would entirely change their relationship and mark this period in her life in an even greater way. 

Will you consider helping? Ryan is participating in the 100 Holes for EJ Golf Marathon on June 22, so if you want to give $1 a hole, or go in with friends and each give $1 or $5 a hole for every hole to 100 Ryan can complete (have you seen him play golf? no? me neither! because he doesn't - $100 a hole would mean you give a total of $100. Love you, Babe!)

Or you can click on EJ's link to the right and donate straight up, and especially learn more about her story. 

I have always thought it interesting the challenge we as parents face. Our job once we bring our little ones home for the first time is keep them alive and healthy by feeding them and getting them to sleep; two things you cannot, for the life of you, make anyone do. I try to put myself in Jami and Beth's shoes, as parents of a daughter who won't and can't eat, wondering and hoping and praying that this would not be the rest of her life, or ours. Please pray for EJ and for the Mullikins, and please consider supporting them as they try to get healing for their daughter and their entire family. 

I've posted a video of EJ's twin brother N talking a little about how he feels about his sister's disorder. It is precious.

N talking about EJ going to Remuda Ranch from jami mullikin on Vimeo.