Project 365, Week 23

Ahhh...what a week!  We're wrapping up with school and all the end-of-year stuff that entails, we are neck-deep in house remodeling and, as an added bonus, we are riding that roller coaster that is DCF.

One thing I can say about the foster care scene is that there is a LOT of drama.  If you know me or have read here long enough, then you know I am a lover of NO drama.  I seek peace, I seek a simple life and yet, God thought it fitting to place us in the middle of this crazy government department that deals with people who know only drama as a way of life.

More weeks than not we have major news on "the case".  For the most part, we've learned to take it all in stride...put our heads down and just do the work of the everyday.  Still....some weeks are harder than others.

And yet...this I know.  God is sovereign over ALL, He has been faithful to me and I can trust Him.  Always.

We also had a fun little raccoon diversion.  More on that later.

June 2

I was culling (choosing) and editing pictures from Saturday's wedding.  I was also nursing a nasty headache from dehydration and lack of sleep.

June 3

My buddy and I did some shopping so our summer employee could have a bedroom and a bathroom setup in the new house so he has the option to stay during the summer.

 June 4
The girls were very excited about their second field trip of the year (and also the second bus ride of their lives) to the aquarium.

When they'd finally gotten out the door, after much debate and even an online look at the student handbook (dress code section), I was thanking the good Lord for uniforms!

 A tough day made better by Aiden asking me to read The Grinch to him.

After the girls had been tucked in bed, Avery came downstairs in a tizzy.  She'd been laying in bed and peeked out her bedroom window and found herself face to face with a raccoon sitting on the porch roof.  As you might imagine, this caused quite a stir in the house.

Shaun and the kids went outside to investigate and then Shaun nailed a board over the hole in the roof, once he knew the raccoon was gone.

June 5

Aiden is constantly getting pulled from a sound sleep or missing a nap and he's been such a trooper!  This was first thing in the morning, on our way to school.

 Graduation night!  Goodbye 5th grade, hello 6th (and maybe middle school).

 After the ceremony we had dinner out to celebrate and when we came home, we spotted Mr. Raccoon on the roof again!  He'd dug himself another hole!

 June 6
Salon time started out with just hair and eventually ended up being backstage makeup for "Jesus" for the crucifixion scene.  Clearly, our kids have spent one too many hours in the theater.  :)

 June 7
Mom...do you want to play blocks with me?  We can build a tomb and this little block can be Jesus.  Like I said...

 June 8
The kids really wanted to be a part of the VBS Dance Team this year, and rehearsals have begun.  An extra month to have those blasted wonderful songs stuck in my head.  :)

 One of our favorite summertime activities is to hang out with cousins, poolside.  Renna and Uncle Shaun snuggled for a long time...and she's a tough woman to keep down!

As you might imagine, this raccoon thing has been a BIG deal around here.  For the kids, it really doesn't get much better.  When it came up at dinner, Shaun lobbied for ideas about what to do about the problem.  So wish I'd gotten it on video!  Among the ideas:

*Thomas (the summer guy) could dress up like a girl raccoon and lure it out and take it on a date to the river.

*Z could put on camouflage and climb through the hole and fight him.  He would bring a sharp knife or a beebee gun to defend himself, in case the "hand to hand" combat thing wasn't working out.

*Aiden suggested cutting him up into pieces.  (I swear we don't promote violence in our home!)

*Shaun's suggestion to put a big piece of plywood over the roof was shot down and deemed "boring".

In the end, we went with Shaun's idea and so far, we haven't seen him again.  I'll keep you posted!