Where I'm from in Ohio, we have an annual festival that's one of the best in the state.  It's such a unique tradition, but I never knew to appreciate it until I moved away.  I didn't know how much I would miss that comfort and warmth of my hometown.
     Fast forward to several years later and I've grown to miss it for my children too.  Where we now live in North Carolina, we don't have a town square or a summer festival.  We love our church, neighborhood and the school our kids attend...and they've become our community.  I never thought our kids would get to experience certain things like being in a parade though.  The fun of what it's like to throw candy to people lining the streets with smiling waves.
     That's when we found a local baseball program.  It's from a small town that's close by and sure enough, on opening day, they have a parade for all of the kids and their teams.
     Our older two boys are on the same baseball team this year and as luck would have it, our younger son and daughter got on the same t-ball team too.  Four kids on two teams.  The odds of that will never...happen...again.
     They were so excited to get their uniforms and bags of candy.  The younger two even got to ride through the parade being pulled by (six year old dropped jaw) "the BIGGEST TRACTOR EVER".           

     When the parade ended, little Preston and Lauren Elizabeth had their first game of the season. 

    It was a great time for the kids to have a day of good old fashioned fun.  It's hard to beat the excitement of a parade with the hint of summer and baseball in the air.
    I'll always miss my hometown, but it was nice to get a reminder of it through the eyes of my children.
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    When my husband Adam wakes up in the morning, he does devotions.  I see him reading from his devotional book, then watch as he opens the Bible for the verses of that day.  I love that he does this.   
     I never make the time to do it though.  I'm always running past him, getting ready for work, getting the kids ready, taking the puppy out...
     The same goes in the evenings.  Adam prays with each one of the kids while I'm doing a thousand other things.  I go in and sing with the kids later, which is part of our routine.  Adam and I each have our own "thing" and it works.  I always think of what a good example he is for the kids.   
    What hit me though, is what a good example he is for me.
    Anyone who knows me, knows that I love to talk.  A lot.  There is nothing more fun for me than to be with someone or a great group of friends to laugh and chat the day away.  In establishments such as...oh, I don't know, say church for instance...this usually doesn't go over very well. 
     My Gram would always put her hand on my knee during a church service and whisper, "Be still and know that I am God".  What she meant by this was to stop talking with your friends and pay attention.  Pay attention to what God is saying.  Stop doing what you're doing and listen to what He wants.  
     This would drive me crazy.  So much so that throughout the years, it almost became a running joke.  When I was older and sat in a different (cool) section with my friends, all Gram would have to do was give me that "look" and the words came through. 
     She's been gone for a couple of years now but I still feel her with me everyday.  Yesterday in particular, was unbelievable. 
     Adam sat and did his devotions as I got up to get ready.  For whatever reason, I stopped and sat beside him. 
    "Read out loud."
    "What?"
    "Read what you're reading out loud so I can hear."
    As he went back to the beginning, the subject for the day was...you guessed it..."Be still and know that I am God".  I got the biggest smile and shook my head.  The verse was, Psalm 46:10.
    Getting up to take a shower, I turned some music on.  Imagine how much I freaked out when this played first thing, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHlbnNUHQGI&feature=kp
    I literally just stood there.  
    The kicker was, when I got to work, a patient's wife walked straight up to me in the hall and just handed me a devotional book.  Totally random...just handed it to me.  The craziest part?  Her husband is staying in the exact same room my Gram used to be in when she was there.  I'm not even kidding.
    Needless to say.  Tomorrow morning, I will wake up beside Adam and stop before I start the day.  I'll take the simple few minutes to focus on what's really important.  Tomorrow night I'll stop doing chores for five minutes to go in and pray with Adam and the kids before I go in for "my turn". 
    I'll remember that it's not all about the hustle and bustle in life, but instead, for what God wants us to do with the life He's given us while we're here.
    I will be still - and know that He is God.  (Insert smile remembering Gram.) 

      Okay, so like, today - at school - I gave my BFFs the friendship pins and bracelets I made last night.  They were the prettiest colors, just like Punky Brewster would want.  I love that show.  I also love The Facts of Life and Silver Spoons.  Ricky Schroder is dreamy.  Growing Pains is also good because Kirk Cameron is so cute. 
     I think my new favorite cute boy though is the one from a movie I just saw with Kristie.  It was called "The Goonies".  The boy's name was Mikey and he was totally the cutest.  Goonies never say die.
     Later in school today, I heard we're going to practice for our class recital.  We get to sing the most awesome song called "We Are the World" and we're so excited.  We really wanted a Madonna song or one from Michael Jackson, but our music teacher said we should just stick with this one. 
     After that, for recess, our homeroom teacher said we could take our Cabbage Patch Kids outside to play.  My mom says that people got into fights at the store over them and that's like, crazy.  I think Tricia brought her Care Bear today too and maybe even her My Little Pony.  Nothing beats how many Strawberry Shortcake dolls she has though...or stickers.  She's awesome.
     I'm actually just glad that I get to go outside for recess today, because I thought I would totally have detention after getting caught writing a note to Sissy.  I wish I could like, invent some way to just zap messages to my friends.  That would be so cool.
     After school, my brother David and I are probably going to play some Atari.  I love Pac Man and he's good at Donkey Kong and Frogger. 
     I like to watch TV too.  My favorite show is "You Can't Do that on Television".  I love it when they get slimed. 
     My big brother and I always fight over the remote control though.  It's so cool now that we don't have to get up to change the channels.
     Anyway.  David always wants to watch Mtv because he says the music videos are so gnarly.  He thinks he's so rad in his parachute pants, but he totally needs to take a chill pill, because it's not like they're ever going to stop playing the videos. duh.
     At least today is Thursday, so no matter what, my family will get together tonight to watch "The Cosby Show" and "Family Ties".  We might even talk mom and dad into getting a pizza and trying out the new pop they call "New Coke".  I'll bet that's going to do great and last forever.
    Well, I guess I'd better get going for now.  There's a lot to do today.  I can't imagine life ever getting more hectic than this.       

Editor's Note - A special THANK YOU to my BFF for life Tricia, who (totally) helped me with memories for this post.  
I can't remember a time in life without you Trit, and I would never, ever want to.  Miss and Love You! 

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   Who could pass up a $400.00 mall picture of the Easter Bunny when everyone's forcing such a natural smile?  (Are they in pain?) 
    On a good note, we're looking into ventriloquism school for little Preston who's sitting on his lap.  He's going to be a natural.   
   We hope you have a Wonderful Easter this year.  God Bless You on this day and always.
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Dear Kind Woman who sits at the front desk at school,
    I can't imagine what you must think when I run into school with the kids, gasping for breath at their untied shoes and dragging backpacks.  You've witnessed everything from their crazy hair and unzipped pants, to me in my scrubs for work - or pajamas.  It never seems to phase you.
    I don't know all that you probably see in a day...from the most beautifully put together parents and their proper children...to well...us.  Half the time we've forgotten a lunch box or a backpack, sometimes socks or a workbook.  The kids usually look unkempt and I'm almost always frazzled. 
    What I wish I could tell you, is that mornings like these...when I wake up only to sit on a soaked toilet seat from three boys with bad aim, to then take the fastest shower possible only to get out and step into a puddle of piddle from our new puppy...these are the mornings when it takes all that we have just to get out the door.  
     When breakfast is burnt and we ran out of bread for lunches...when it takes forever to find twelve shoes, six outfits or even the keys to the car...only to fly out of the garage and ram straight into an old TV...yes...it's smashed.  This is why we look the way that we do.
     One might suggest that we wake up earlier to avoid the rush.  Today I woke up at 4 am.  Not because I wanted to, mind you...but just because I did.  It didn't matter.  We still ended up as the crazy ball of chaos that you've come to know throughout the year. 
     Between the six of us, it seems to be somewhat of a statistical improbability to hope for anything less.
     So to you dear, kind woman who sits at the front desk at school, Thank You for never giving us a judgmental glance or looking at me with annoyed glare for our wild scurry of an entrance through your doors.  
     If I ever get the chance to have enough time to get breakfast for you...or even a cup of coffee...one day I will.  Just to show my appreciation, for your understanding.  
     Until tomorrow...yours truly,
     Beatty
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    We asked our son Ethan what he wanted to do for his birthday.  Bowling?  Swimming?  Bouncy castle?
    In years past, these have been his go to responses.  This year though...he was turning nine.  Not seven, not eight...but nine.  As much as I hated to admit it, he was growing older.
    You can imagine my heart palpitations then, when our sweet little angel exploded with,  "OH!  Do you know what would be SO COOL?!  That truck that shows up with video games in it!  It ROCKS!" 
     I worked hard on keeping a straight face.  "A truck with video games?"
     "Yea Mom.  It's Totally Awesome."
     "But...what about...oh I dunno...a bouncy castle?  Those are fun too!  Remember?"
     "MoooooooOOOoooooom.  Bouncy castles are for little kids.  The truck would be so cool.  I promise."
     And there it was.  Our soon to be nine (going on nineteen) year old, was hoping for a "cool" big kid party. 
     Shooting a glance towards my husband, I whispered, "I guess balloon animals would be out of the question?" 
     I went into work that morning with mixed emotions.  Telling my friends about it, they told me about a company called, "Games to You" or GAMES2U.  The girls explained how great the company was, so I broke down and gave them a call. 
     The woman I spoke with was so wonderful, it began to make me feel a little better about the whole thing.  It sounded like it actually could turn out to be (dare I say it?) more fun than a bouncy house.
     When it was time for the party, Games2U arrived and put everything up for laser-tag and then for the game truck. 
     Holy Moly.  It was amazing.

     The party was a blast.  The kids all seemed to have fun and Ethan had a smile as wide as the ocean. 
      When things began to wind down and everyone came in for cake, it was hard not to remember his very first one, not so long ago.  Our little man, so cute in blue...with wide eyes staring at a single candle. 
      How have eight more been added so quickly? 

      The party came to an end and Ethan came to us, still holding onto his grin.  "Thanks mom and dad.  That was my favorite birthday ever."
      That it was little man.  That it was.  Happy Birthday to our big nine year old.  We'll Love You Always and Forever.
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     It's been a little over a week that we've had our puppy...

    The kids named her Lilly Grace...Lilly for short.  She was properly introduced to our long time cat, Boo (who was none too happy).

    We took Lilly to the Vet for her check-up and the Dr. watched as one, two, three then four kids walked in carrying her.  He quickly looked at us like we were crazy then laughed saying, "Were you bored?  Didn't have enough to do?"

     Her check up went great.  It's so nice to finally have a family dog.  It's fun everyday to come home with her here waiting to play.

        She's ridiculously addicting.  Total.  Puppy.  Love.
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     I've always wondered what it would be like to take the kids to a cooking class.  Would they love it?  Hate it?  Develop a passion for cooking or simply end up catching something on fire?
     We heard about a free local cooking class for kids and decided to give it a try. 

      It was awesome.  A woman worked with the kids and kept their focus with the recipes.  They measured, peeled eggs, prepared sandwiches and got to sample their work. 

      It was so nice to see the kids eat it up.  (No pun intended.)  They had fun cooking, tasting and learning.  It gave us hope that they'll grow up having fun in the kitchen, while knowing how to make more than a bowl of cereal by the time they're in middle school. 
      99.9% of that is up to us as parents in having them in the kitchen with us.  This was a neat way to add some spice to their interest though.

     Good times were had by all...and as an added bonus...not one thing caught on fire.  : )
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