Kevin & Joy!!

A few weeks ago, the last of Brad's single siblings got married.  Kevin & Joy met online on a Christian dating site.  It's honestly amazing to me how God brings people together.  She is from waaayyyy over the "pond", Kenya, Africa, and he hails from the teeny little town of Ephrata.

My friends and I used to argue about the question "Does God have 1 perfect person in mind for you to marrry?"  Brad and I still discuss it.  He says there is not a doubt in his mind that I am the one and only for him.  I agree and know he is "the one" for me too. 

It makes any love story amazing.  Brad and I lived within miles of each other all of our lives even though it took a while to find each other!  Kevin & Joy know they were meant for each other and I think it's so neat that no matter how far apart geographically people are, God can still bring them together! 

Beach 2010

So I know that our family vacation was over a month ago, but it's been one of those blogs spinning around in my head.  One of the main reasons I blog is so that I can look back on those memories or times in my life.  Family vacation is most certainly something I want to archive!

For years now, my family has been going to the beach for our summer vacation.  We started out camping, and then when the grandkids started coming along, we found that getting a house was just a lot easier.  I think we finally found a house now that will accomodate us in years to come.  Each family/couple/single person has their own bedroom and the closets are big enough to be a bedroom so the children slept in closets in their parents rooms!

I loved every minute of this vacation.  Ok, almost every minute.  There was the 15 minutes that Gracie was lost.  I didn't like that so much.  It was absolutely terrifying.  We had been at the beach about 15 minutes and realized Gracie was no where around us.  We scattered, looking for her.  Jim told the lifeguards and they messaged her name and age down the line using their little orange flag thingys.  Some ladies found her and brought her to me.  When I found her she was 4 or 5 lifeguard stands down.  That was the longest walk in my life.  We were all crying when she was safely in her momma's arms.  We talked about it a few times over the week about how different our vaction and lives would've been if things would've been different.  It definitely gave me more of a heart for missing children and for what their families must go through.

Last year over vacation I had just had surgery after my miscarriage and was an emotional wreck!  I couldn't go in the water so sitting on the beach wasn't very fun for me.  I remember thinking last year, that maybe I would have a baby by next vacation.  Little did I know that I would have another miscarriage before next vacation.  The thing I loved the most about vacation was having my man around 24/7!  We even took an evening and went out on a date...just the 2 of us...and ice cream, with sprinkles thank you very much!

One thing I love about our family vacation is how we are each on our own and yet do everything together.  We usually all drive out to the beach separate and whoever gets out first finds a spot big enough for all of us.  Some of us stay on the beach all day, some for an hour or so.  We often hit the pool when we got back and then it was naps and games while the children slept!

Babies ate the sand, the rest of us played in it.  The waves were perfect so we spent a lot of time in the water.  There is nothing like some sun and sand and water and family. 

I am so blessed...

Parents for a Coupla Days

Is it seriously August already?  Where does the time go?!  

A few weeks ago I told my nieces and nephews that they should come to my house for the night sometime.  I usually like to have them at least once over summer vacation.  They promptly informed their mom and I that they want to be here LONG, not just one night! 

Without even a second thought I said oh yeah, that would be so much fun! Maybe you guys should come for a whole week!!

Well, till all was said and done, they ended up coming for 2 nights and 3 days.  Ummm...can I just say that looking back, I'm so glad it didn't work out to have them longer?!

 Don't get me wrong, I love children, and these especially!  But I so was not prepared for the changes it would bring!  3 days without facebook, reading story after story, watching Diego and Dora and shouting along ( I think I have the map song memorized!), playing games, a constantly cluttered house, and stuff everywhere!

It was fun though and I enjoyed most of it.  The games, stories and videos I was prepared for.  The clutter and exhaustion...not so much!   One night I dropped into bed and asked Brad if this was how it was going to be when we have children!  We laughed and talked about how our lives will definitely change, but at least they will come one at a time!

Brad and I took them to a Reading Phillies game.  What fun!  They loved it.  We stayed to watch the fireworks at the end. 

During a pitcher change a clip from the old TV show He-Haw came on and we all sang along at the top of our lungs!  Mom and Dad have a bunch of the videos and the kids like watching them.

They also went to work with me on Friday.  I am a caregiver for an elderly couple.  The couple I work for enjoyed having some "life" around there and I think it's always good for children to be around the older generation!  They did get a little bored till the end of the morning but had a great time.

Children bring so much joy to my life and I hope and pray that one day Brad and  I will be parents to our own children.  They are exhausting, full of energy, make the bathroom all messy when they take baths, want drinks in the middle of the night, and love hearing the same story over and over.  But when they throw their arms around you and give you a hug, or whisper prayers with you at night time, it makes everything else disappear.  Who needs facebook time and a few moments of silence when a child calls your name?  I would give anything to be able to feel my little girls arms around my neck, and have a feeling I wouldn't even see the clutter on the floor.

Make some memories and cherish your kids....

Birthday Surprises

My parents have a birthday a week apart.  My siblings and I don't usually do anything too crazy for their birthdays but we usually do get together for cake and stuff.  Often one of their birthdays falls on family vacation time but this year we are going later.  I thought it would be nice to take them out to eat.  Out to eat with no grandkids.  Not that I don't love my neices and nephews but thought it might be kinda special to go somewhere nice.  And kids don't really do "nice".  I mentioned it to my siblings and they were all on board.  Then one of my brothers thought it would be kinda neat to go without the spouses.  Guess that takes care of babysitting!  The rest of us thought that sounded like fun so the plan was on. 

I called Mom and Dad separately that morning and told them that someone wanted me to call them and tell then that they want to take them out to eat tonight but don't want them to know who it is.  All I know is they are supposed to be at Country Gardens at 5:00.  Mom begged and pleaded for me to tell her who it was.  "Well....well....who in the world is it"?? was more like her exact words.  And then..."Is it....." and starts rattling off a bunch of their friends.  I told her I'm not telling her and hung up midst her stuttering!  Then I called Dad and he was all business...."Welllllllll....I'll have to see if I can be home by then".  "Maybe you should just tell me who it is".  Our conversation lasted all of 1 minute.  Found out later from my brothers that he was all in a tizzy trying to figure out who it was, and told them about it immediately after hanging up with me.

Thanks to my youngest brother who is at home alot during the week, we found out that indeed they were both in a tizzy so to speak.  He eavesdropped on them getting ready and I'm told the conversation went something like this..."Do you think it's OP's?.  Maybe it's someone from our small group".  Do you think it's Dennis and Linda.  What about Mommie Petersheim"..and on and on.  So glad I wasn't there cuz I woulda been giggling.

They left their house 1/2 hour before they needed too.  So they were there in PLENTY of time.  That's my dad though.  Love that about him.  Somehow I didn't get that part of all he passed on though....!

Meanwhile the siblings phones were all going crazy....Brad and I were stuck in traffic.  There was an accident on 340.  Because of the accidnet, my brother Jim was late too as was my brother in law who was supposed to get home so his wife could leave.  We ended up getting there about 15 minutes late.  It was raining as we went dashing in.  When we walked in the door...you should've seen their faces.  We heard the usual " I thought it might be you guys"!!!

We had such a good time.  It seemed weird to be back in the pre inlaw and grandkid stage.  Funny how those things change a family dynamics. 

After supper we said our good-byes and headed home.  NOT!  We all went back to Dad's and pretty soon the rest of the family joined us!  We celebrated with cake and ice cream.  After all, what's a party without the whole family!  The kids had so much fun singing to Ma-Ma and Pa-Pa!

It was so much fun to do this for my parents.  Mom told us later that when they left the restaurant dad told her "Now that was special!" 

I am so blessed that God put me in such a wonderful family.  Yeah, things come up that are tough to work through but there is nothing like having each other and loving each other no matter what!