Grad Party

We had Josh's graduation open house this weekend. 

It was a great opportunity to celebrate Josh's hard work and accomplishments.  

He officially has his Masters degree in Educational Leadership.

Family joined us, and we enjoyed visiting,

riding bikes,

reading, playing,

and, of course, eating cake!!!

Josh, I've said it before, and I'll say it again:

Our boys are so lucky to have you to look up to.  

Our family is beyond blessed and it's thanks to your hard work!

You make me so proud.

*

Love Is In The Air

 This weekend Josh and I got away on our first date sans children.  His mom and dad came to stay with our boys and we headed to the Tigard balloon festival with some of our favorite people.

{Josh & Shelly}

{Tiffanie & Samuel}

{Julie & Conrad}

Josh's sister Laura (in addition to his sister Julie & his brother Samuel) also joined us.  

The balloons were beautiful, and they had elephant ears!

***

 As the night came to a close, Samuel & Tiffanie went off to supposedly go in the carnival haunted house.  But when they came back, something more exciting had happened!

{Julie hugging Tiffanie in congratulations}

 Samuel had proposed.

 Tiffanie was breathless, her eyes welling with tears as she relayed the proposal and showed us her {incredible} ring.

We are so happy for them, and I feel so lucky to have been part of the night!!!

My Sunshines

These boys.  

Oh these boys.  

This summer they are sharing not only a bedroom, but also a bed.  I love going in each night to check on them and seeing how they're sprawled across the mattress.  Tonight I am feeling especially blessed to be the mother of my three boys.  I love them.

Oh how I love them.

*

The Happiness Project :: FRIENDSHIP :: June

June's Resolution for my Happiness Project is Friendship. I wanted to focus on Friendship during the summer when I have access to most my friends.  This month is about spending time with friends, but it's also about organizing my life so staying in touch the rest of the year is easier.

REACH OUT:

This will include reaching out for big moments (birthdays, graduations, times of excitement and times of mourning) and calling or writing more regularly.  To simplify I will be adding friends' birthdays to my online calendar, which will remind me to drop them a line or give them a call.  I also plan on saying a "quick hello" any time someone is on my mind.  Either with a call or text message or a card in the mail.  Whatever feels appropriate.  And while I'm in town, I will be making dates to see as many friends as possible in person!

MINIMIZE EXPECTATIONS:

Reading The Happiness Project has taught me so much about happiness and unhappiness.  (Obviously!) But one of the most surprising things is that I really am in charge of my own happiness.  If my expectations are appropriate and/or made clear, I am less likely to be let down and therefore upset.  A large part of happiness is minimizing expectations and accepting things as they come.

INCREASE PERSONAL FLEXIBILITY:

In addition to minimizing expectations, I want to increase my personal flexibility.  This mostly means for me being flexible with my schedule. I tend to be what my mom refers to as a "Schedule Nazi", which is sadly quite appropriate.  :)  But this summer I have decided "happiness trumps timeliness" (think we can stitch that on a pillow?) and if we're having fun, I am going to do my best to ignore the clock and let life happen.  It's a little scary, but mostly it's freeing!!!

PRACTICE GRACE:

Practicing grace means giving my friends the benefit of the doubt.  Something they said hurt my feelings? What was their intent? Would they hurt me on purpose? No. Let it go!  They were late to our date?  Do they hate me and not value my friendship? No. Let it go!  Practice grace, forgive and move on.  After all, there is only love.

PRACTICE ACCEPTANCE:

Of all the goals for improving my friendships, I believe this will prove most challenging.  Accepting help, accepting love, accepting gratitude and accepting compliments are all very difficult for me.  I know how much I love helping my friends, but I struggle to let them help me.  I know how beautiful my loved ones are, but I struggle to accept when they tell me that I'm beautiful.  Accepting compliments, help and love with grace is something I am going to work on, though, because I know how much joy being part of a friendship can bring.

BE PART OF THE COMMUNITY:

This is particularly of value in my friendships in Alaska.  We need each other up there unlike I have ever needed a friend.  The sense of community we have is so beautiful.  Contributing however I can and being helpful is an important part of being a friend, and an important part of life in a rural village.  This is something I will work on during the rest of the year, when I am up there.

***

Third Birthday for my Third Boy

Today is Wyatt Nathanial's birthday.

Today he turns three.

Say it ain't so!!!

Having him in my life makes me happy.

VERY HAPPY!

But time going fast makes me grumpy.

VERY GRUMPY.

He is my funny, sassy, smart little man who obviously has older brothers (who teach him awesome things like sticking out his tongue and calling me "fancy pants" as an insult) and is often sometimes overindulged by his parents.

He is tender, has impeccable manners, and can throw a tantrum in Walmart the likes of which you have never seen (full on floor-melting, leg-kicking, eye-rolling, demand-screaming tantrum).  

He can do puzzles, add numbers and will pretend to sign when he's with his Aunt Andrea who is deaf.  But he also tells me daily, "I hate going potty" and "You always make me do that!"

He is equal parts sweet and temperamental.  

Luckily the amount of "cute" throws the balance in his direction.

*

Goofy Boy!

Wyatt, 

you are our little buddy, 

and we're all so glad you're ours.

We love you so, so, so much.

We hope you have the best, best, best, best, best, best, 

best, best, best, best day ever!

Love~ 

Mommy, Daddy, Logan & Jack

Friend Isaac

We have a lot of Isaac's in our life.

Teacher Isaac in Marshall,

Cousin Isaac in Washington,

and now Friend Isaac in Vancouver.

We had a playdate with Friend Isaac on Thursday.

{Isaac, Jack, Logan, Ferris, Wyatt & Milo}

I swear in my life, I am SURROUNDED by nothing but boys!!!

But when they are as sweet as Isaac is, it's alright!

He is seriously so generous and adorable and kind.

The boys had such a great time together!

The whole morning warmed my heart!

***

Our Daddy Is Smart

Last Sunday Josh left to go to Montana for the week to finish his masters degree.

All but two weeks (the first week & the last week) of the program was distance learning.

This was his chance to be on campus again, do presentations in person, and wrap up what has been 11 months of hard work.

 ***

 I am so crazy proud of him.

 At 30 years old he is a tenured teacher, with his masters degree, a wife & three kids.

A Masters of Educational Leadership in less than one year...

He is one busy, AMAZING guy!

 These two are BOTH busy, amazing guys.

Josh and his friend Joe (who has been in Marshall for eight-- or is it nine?-- years) are the best dads/husbands/providers in the world.  It was a crazy ride, but I am so glad that Joe, Krista, Josh, Leah and I were in it together.  They are my Marshall family, and without them, I surely would have lost my mind this year.  

Congratulations Joe, Leah & Josh.

You guys are awesome!!!