Project 365, Week 28

Just a word of warning, this post comes with lots of pictures and words.  To be fair, I probably shouldn't even call it a P365 post, but that's what it is, just super-sized.

I feel like every week I say how insane it was....give me just a little bit more time as I come to grips with our new insanity.  :)

With all that you'll see pictured here, its also important to note that Shaun has been working about 90 hours a week getting the apartments ready.  Didn't know there were that many working hours in a week, didya?  It pretty much means we don't see him and he doesn't sleep a whole lot.

Some pretty major stuff happened this week and through it God's goodness and blessings were tangible...I'm so grateful for His presence that takes me through each day.  Life is good, God is amazing.

July 8

The kids and I crashed a birthday/baby party at my sister's house.  It was her husband's side of the family, but we pretty much consider them family as well.  I loved watching my BIL Colombo (middle) and his two brothers hanging out enjoying each other.  My nephew snuck in whenever he could, too....he's getting SO big.  :(

Always the promise of plenty of children when we go there.

Sweet Baby Renna is getting big, too.

We left there and headed over to the apartment house to help Shaun with the yard project.  Z took ownership of getting the walkway fixed and did a great job.

Aiden stayed busy as well. (Avery took these next four)

Amanda, well...

After her shower, Avery came down all bundled up and with her hair done, ready for bed (the house was 82 when I took this).

July 9
Daddy was on the porch talking Amanda through some of her concerns about school.

Back to the house to work.

We finished up!  I don't have a before picture, so you'll have to take my word for it that we did a lot of work....and Shaun rented one!

July 10
Fun at Uncle Nathan's.  The entire day is posted on 10 on 10

July 11
I hope to do a more detailed post very soon, but for now I'll just say that we have Z's sister for 5-6 days while her foster family is away at an out-of-state funeral.

I had training all morning, got home at 12:45 and 10 minutes later the social worker was dropping off this four year old, "A".

We had two hours to play and get to know each other before hopping in the car and going to voice lessons and dropping the kids off for the weekly visit with their mom.

July 12
Water fun at the river/splash park (and my personal favorite, free lunch for the kids :)  My sister Bethany met us there for a bit, so I got to be in a picture.  Its completely surreal to me that these five are my charges.  How did that happen??

Shaun took some time off so he could be with the kids while I did a (previously scheduled) photoshoot.  Shaun did dinner and bed with five kids, one who had only been in our (my) care for 24 hours and he didn't even flinch.  He is one in a million, that one!

Awesome night for a photoshoot....it did feel weird to be all by myself, though.

July 13
Aiden's birthday!

The agency we are with had an annual picnic with face painting, bouncy house, games, crafts, etc.  The kids were super excited about it and Aiden thought it was for his birthday.

The picnic was fun...it was beautiful to see all the families interacting.  When I look at us, I just see a family doing what they have been Divinely compelled to do.  When I saw the other families, I saw people who are putting it all out there everyday, who have willingly exchanged a sense of "normalcy" for a roller coaster ride of helping hurt kids.  It was emotional to see all of us together, knowing we are in this together, just doing our best everyday.  Hard to explain.

The face painter gets an A for quality but an F for efficiency...Avery and Z were the only ones who made it in before the line was cut off.

From there we went to cousins for a swim...

...and then Daddy met us for a fun time at the beloved C.E.C

July 14

I had a very mini high school reunion...these are the offspring (two babies are missing from this photo)

There were 37 (I learned today) in my graduating class.  During highschool I tried to be a friend to all, but this group tended to be a little closer than the others.  (we're missing two girls and a couple guys).

The one in the black, the one I'm standing next to and I went to school together all of K-12.  By chance, the one I'm standing next to, my closest in-school, girl, highschool friend is named Amanda.  :)  When I was with them I thought of this quote and how much of it applies...loved being 16 again today.  :)

To the outside world we all grow old.  But not to brothers and sisters classmates.  We know each other as we always were.  We know each other's hearts.  We share private family jokes.  We remember family feuds and secrets, family griefs and joys.  We live outside the touch of time.  ~Clara Ortega

And THAT is our week...hope yours is great!