Insanity Squared 9-5

Good morning campers and how are we doing today? Happy it's Friday? I know I am!!

Life likes to hand us all those little ups and downs. The twists and dips that make it so completely unpredictable that we finally throw up our hands and say 

For us here at the Adams household, it has been no different!

Catching up from last week....

We had back to school night at the small one's school and it was great! The PTA did a terrific job, the new principal is awesome....overall, it was a good time, which is saying something because usually it is a "try not to tear my hair out as I pen Moose in for 30 minutes while they talk about things he neither cares about nor understands and the microphone doesn't work so I can't hear them anyway but I need to listen because we may have to vote on something important" time. Their teachers are awesome. The PTA is up and running and best of all, Big Daddy got A LOT of interested Fathers at the "All Pro Dad" table! One even wants to co-lead! (Yay!!!) 

If you've never heard of "All Pro Dad" it's a terrific program to help open lines of communication between fathers and their children, at all age levels, that focuses on life lessons, fun and positive reinforcement. It's really wonderful! Big Daddy has been involved with them for about 7 years now and those Dad's (Uncles, Granddads, step Dads and even single Moms!) who come LOVE the program. If you don't know, check it out! allprodad.com/

Moving on....

Saturday was RACE DAY!!

 It was our first 5K and we absolutely loved it! I am WAY slower than Big Daddy, but that's OK. He loves me enough to go at my pace, which I appreciate because I didn't bring my headphones ;7)        I had been sick for a full two weeks before race day and the air quality here has been really poor lately because of the heat and low clouds so I was huffing and puffing before half a mile, however, we made decent time. 17 minute miles on average with a finish time of 53 minutes.         Honestly...my biggest goal was to not be the last one over the finish line and I hit that squared! (In case of a zombie apocalypse you don't have to be fastest, just faster than the slowest person :)        Big Daddy is now completely addicted and wanted to try and get another one in before November when we go pick up our Boyo from Basic. That is not going to happen, but only because other crazy things have happened this week, like him getting his identity stolen and the thief emptying our bank account. (yes, I'm serious....this is our lives folks...a constantly swirling vortex of WTF...*where's the food?*) Anyway, here are some pictures from the day.

 

The kids all came with us. They had bounce houses, water games, tons of street food and vendors, face painting....you name it, it was there. Just a fabulous, small town street fair! Gawd how I miss those! Everything now a days is about lights and rides and lines and loudness! This was so fun and relaxed. The kids had a great time. the atmosphere of the racers and the vendors who supported us was so encouraging that Bubba wants to do the next one with us. I'm excited about that! And Zabo, who has done a 5K before, can't wait for the Girls on the Run program to start at school so she can start training for her next one :)

Next up was Zabo's "American Ninja Warrior" Party. Which was fabulous!!

We did 6 different obstacles in the back yard, red white and blue themed EVERYTHING and only healthy foods (Except for the cupcakes...because there HAS to be cake at a birthday party.)

The kids went through the course at least 6 times. They stopped for water breaks, came to the front porch for turkey and veggie wraps, fruit kabbobs and koolaid then went right back to the obstacle course! Most important, Zabo had a blast!

The rest of this week has been something of a blur. I miss our Boyo SO much. It's been hard to hold back the tears lately. I have another 2 whole months before I see him and it's so hard. I cannot imagine the sadness that family's of deployed soldiers face. I am so grateful for those people, the ones who serve and the ones who support them. Choosing to be a soldier is choosing a hard life. I pray for all of our Soldiers and their families for peace in their souls, strength in their hearts and protection surrounding them always. If you get the chance, send a Soldier a card, a note, something to let them know they are important to us here at home and hug their Momma for them....she might just need it, really bad.

That's about it for me. The Bubba is working hard at rehearsals with his show being the second week in October. Tabby is full on into the middle school social arena (blech!) and is doing just fine. The small ones are enjoying school so far and loving the warm weather to play in when they get home. I'm steady working to be stronger and healthier for the next race, a Turkey Trot that hopefully both of my strong young men will be running with me this time! And Big Daddy is keeping his cool in the face of more than his fair share of trials. Life goes on. The world turns. God is on the throne. The sun continues to rise and we will always have victory because of Him who set it in motion from the beginning. 

Be well my friends. Enjoy your weekend. Hug your kids. Thank a soldier. Have some fun!!!

John Reuben ~ Nuisance

Insanity Squared 8-29

So here's the deal: I have learned a lot over the past few years of blogging like a space cadet and I have come to the conclusion that, if I let it, blogging itself can be a good grounding resource for me. And boy, do I need grounding! So, here it is, Friday = Adams Family update day. (I will do my best to add pictures)

It's been an absolutely crazy week here at the Adams House, not that it is ever a calm, relaxing, chaos free week at the Adams house, but hey, it's a conversation starter :)

School started for us 2 weeks ago and it has been a rockin' and a rolin' ever since.

Starting with our oldest, Laurana (why am I the only one who calls her Laurana? it's such a beautiful name!) She has been working her behind off out there in the pacific northwest training for a half marathon. Her progress was awesome. Her determination, inspirational, her injury from over-use, painful! She had to take a step back and go a little easier on herself. She is an awesome health coach so she knows exactly what she has to do to get to her goal safely and I know she will do it. Her own DH (Darling Husband) is VERY supportive and they have been steadily changing their lifestyle together to create healthier, happier married people.

She is also my health coach and though that is no easy task, her perseverance has really inspired me. I still need a "buddy". I have one on one side of the country and one on the other, but none here in the middle. Such is the story of my life. I will find someone though, it will happen. In the mean time she has helped me to lose 10lbs in 2 months and I am jogging/walking in my first 5K tomorrow morning :) Big Daddy has been uber supportive, taking me to the gym and buying me little "prizes" when I stick to my struthers and "Just Do It!". He even, of his own accord, signed up to do the 5K with me! Talk about a great guy!


 I have also signed on to be an assistant coach for my Zabo's Girls on the Run team and will be her running buddy at her 5K in November (Yay us!). Moose will be joining us by default. He has no place else to go after school and enough energy to take more than a few laps around the gym!

Zabo has also had a milestone birthday this week; she turned 10 **Screams in maternal anguish!**
She is so smart and beautiful and creative. I am just amazed by the small human she has become. Her teacher absolutely adors her courage and opinionated nature. She says Zabo is engaging and confident in class and is her discussion starter during "Book Circles" pretty much every time. (You go girl!). We couldn't be more proud of who she is and that she's ours :) Another wonderful thing happed to Zabo; she has come to a personal knowledge of Jesus. Not that she "accepted" Jesus or said some parrot prayer in church. Rather, she came to me a couple weeks ago to tell me that now, when she prays or thinks about God, when she is singing in church or listening to the message, she feels God there. in her words "He moved me". Yay God!!

She has also become completely enamored of "American ninja Warrior" and has a "date" with Boyo to participate in one when she turns 21 (which is in 11 years, of course). She loves it so much she is actually having an "American Ninja Warriior" themed birthday party with a cool (but much safer) obstacle course in the back yard, healthy snacks and cupcakes decorated with the American flag :)


Moose is uber excited to be back in school. He has been somewhat bored with the routines of Summer. Not that we didn't do anything this year, but even the busyness of doing stuff every day has become mundane to him. He is a real challenge to keep occupied and engaged, but when you get it, man is he a lot of fun!! He has become an absolutely gifted toad hunter this Summer finding them everywhere and bringing them to his bat-cave to play with. He does not harm them....I promise. He just scares the snot out of them trying to get them to "play" on the miriad obstacle courses he has created in the front yard for them. He's still energetic, happy, intense, creative, thoughtful, out of the box 7yr old BOY. And we wouldn't have it any other way :)

Bubba is in his Senior year this year....ug! I've had it with the growing up thing! He looks almost identical to Big Daddy when he was that age. He's strong, handsome, funny, sarcastic, talented...I could go on and on. He has a beautiful girlfriend he is madly in love with and cannot wait to show off at prom. He just got a part in the fall play for the APA (Academy for Performing Arts) in which he has to kiss his best friend, which neither he or she likes at all. He is being courted by a million colleges and is actually looking into schools as far away as New York or Florida! I told him that Florida has alligators and New York has muggers...Indiana just has corn. No one has ever been injured in a random corn attack. Just sayin'.

 I don't know what I would do without him here. I know he will have to leave. Bubba is so very special. He has that look of something just waiting to happen. He was made for bigness. But he is also a rock I have been able to lean on in times of struggle. He doesn't do anything, he is just there, and being there has mattered so much to me these past few years. He has become a good man and I am going to miss him when he goes into the world to become the good man God has called him to be.

Tabby is almost 14....14! Why? She's stunningly beautiful, crazy smart, annoyingly sarcastic....she's one of us :) Things got a little dicey for her last year in school, but this year it seems to be better. You know how Junior High is....catty, mean, frustrating, emotionally traumatizing....no? Maybe that was just me. Anyway, she is getting along better with her peers and has started intentionally trying to get over her social anxiety (which she did not suffer from before Junior High...just sayin'). She tried out for the volley ball team. She didn't make it, but trying out was such a success! I'm really proud of her.




Big daddy is off and running as the school year begins. He and I both have PTA and other commitments. He is the elementary school chess coach and the head of the All Pro Dad program at the school. I am looking forward to getting back into popcorn days and Girls on the Run as well as volunteering with the APA (if they let me...it's a strange group of hens in that coop!). Also our performance season will begin in 2 weeks! I am SO excited about this season. We learned a lot last season, have worked with some really talented kids and cannot wait to see who and what God brings together this year! Our first production will be, as always on October 31st and it is looking good so far :) Dance, human videos, hip hop, games.....so much fun! I think we have purchased every form of glow anything that there is to buy! Yep...I'm excited...

Boyo joined the military. He is now an Indiana National Guardsman. He is currently at Basic Training and it's killing us all! He has been gone for 5 weeks...5! and we miss him every day. I write to him at least 3 times a week. tabby does as well. The small ones send him pictures, Bubba sends him updates on whether he can sleep in the room without him there or not....we all just miss him. For his part, he writes to us regularly, he is bored stiff, misses home and skittles, has developed a serious hate for sand and has learned to really value jello as a "treat" because it's the only one they get. He gets lonely at night. He feels so different, being a Christian in the military. He says that some of the guys are starting to read the Bible because they are bored and homesick, but it's not the same as having Brothers and Sisters around you, supporting you, hanging out together just being yourselves. More than anything, he can't wait till he comes home. Neither can we.

So that's us....be well and blessed friends. And make sure, as the days get busy and the nights get shorter that you take time to hug those amazing people in your life that you KNOW would be so much less spectacular without...yep...I'm talking about your kids, your husband, your best friends, your brothers and sisters...and don't forget....The family pet :)

Frost Faries and Full Moons

I have taught my daughters to believe in

Faeries :)

I have taught them that Faeries dance in fairy rings when the moon is full

I have taught them to be careful when playing in the grass, they wouldn't want to ruin a fairy ring, because when the fairy's dance in our yard is brings them luck. You see they leave a bit of their magic behind.

After all, their dance is a tribute; a way to coerce the fairy King and Queen to come out and bless them with a special bit of magic. If they dance beautifully and with all of their heart we all might just see something magical.

I have taught them to be careful when they are playing in wilder places, like the forrest preserves, for fairy hills. Small hills we wouldn't give a second thought to usually, but they are where the fairy's build their houses. Especially in sun dappled meadows and forest floors soft with fresh pine needles.

(They especially like areas with mossy covered rocks.)

Right now, our little Zabo is enamored of frost faeries.

Whenever it's a full or new moon she gets all giddy and excitedly comes to me with her big brown eyes shining with possibility and says "Mommy! Maybe the frost faeries will come out!"

And in the morning, when the world is still quiet and the ground shines blue and sparkly in the moonlight, evidence of the frost faeries handiwork, she is no less excited,  no less amazed. Her heart is filled to overflowing with the possibility of magic.

Not the kind of magic that Pagans work.

Not the magic of technology that has robbed so many of their ability to imagine by displaying what is impossible on a 52" screen in our livings rooms.

The Magic of Childhood!

That thing inside of us that says even if I know it isn't true,

I'm going to believe in it because I like believing in it.

 Because it's fun.

Because it makes me happy.

No other reason, no deeper meaning.

Just an adorable, little, blond, cheerleader type with a handful of dandelion seeds whispering to them her biggest secrets and most impossible dreams before she dances around the yard in circles, hands open and raised to the sky, setting them free to carry her hearts desires to the four winds...

making them a part of something bigger than herself.

I have taught my daughters to believe in Fairies.

And as a woman who sometimes catches her own falling stars to wish on, lassos her own clouds for sweet dreams and holds tight to the magic in her daughters eyes so that I myself don't stop believing, I am grateful that they still do.