in memory

He was 16.  It was June 6, 1944.  The day American troops landed in Normandy.  He was 16.  Parachuting behind the lines.  A medic.  Unarmed.  He was 16.  He was the first medic into Buchenwald Prison Camp.  He stayed with his unit through fire fights.  He bandaged the wounded.  He was brave.  He served.  He was 16.

My husband's father died five and a half years ago.  He was a veteran of WWII and the Korean War.  Today we went to the national cemetery in Kansas City to lay flowers on his grave.  What a humbling experience that really is.

I read newspapers.  I read a lot of blogs.  I know that American sentiment isn't high these days.  Some of that sentiment is well deserved.  Some is downright embarrassing.  But spending a day at a cemetery like this reminds me of an awful lot.  Reminds me of why a waving flag will make my heart jump.  Reminds me of what these brave men and women have given.  Without these soldiers we would never have been a free nation.  We saw markers from the Civil War.  We saw paper markers from 2008.  All the same.  Not one soldier greater or bigger than another.  Some dying in he line of duty.  Some dying as old men.  Some having served at 16.

corners of my home...sorta

Over the past few years I have done a few posts about the corners of my home.  About my favorite chair or my kitchen or my flowers or my sewing nook.  But you wanna know what my favorite part of my world is?  Just being here in Kansas.  It may be a bit harder to appreciate the beauty here.  Mountains...nope.  Oceans...nope.  Trees...okay maybe a few.  But where else can you looks across the prairie on a clear day and see the back of your head?  Hee hee just kidding!

Kansas has a serene beauty.  Peaceful rolling hills that are pure and untouched.  A few cows maybe, but there are miles and miles without towers or cities or pollution or congestion or cell phone service or mind numbing noise.  Just quiet.  Peace.  God.  Pure.  Simple.  Welcome to my home.

These pics were taken at a cattle pen in the Flint Hills of East Central Kansas.  There are a few more on Flickr if you click on the badge at your left!  Enjoy.

whoa

Over the past 5 days our lives have been a veritable whirlwind.  Lets start with the beginning of last week.  My dear dear husband suggested making a few lap quilts for my mother in law and her soon to be husband for their wedding...the wedding was yesterday.  Oh and he mentioned that a baby quilt would make a nice gift for his best friend from school who had a baby last week.  So three quilts in 4 days.  A trip to sarah's (my favorite fabric shop), some new Amy Butler, and a bit of Heather Ross later and we had finished quilts.  Totally a record for me.  

The rest of the weekend went something like this:

1. pick up sis and babe in KC

2. drive to Wichita (3 hours with 4 kids)

3. rehearsal and dinner for sunday's wedding (on thursday)

4. chalk and bubbles and whiffle ball oh my!!

5. sleep

6. garage sales

7. playing with babes

8. build a bear

9. lunch with my dad's twin brother

10. more babies and toddlers

11. a kansas bbq

12. beer and wine and laughing and stories

13. sleep

14. a walk with some boys in the family

15. a stop at the farmer's market (that's my kind of walk)

16. pinning on ceremony of my father (he is a colonel in the Air Force now)

17. bbq with the hubby's family 

18. decorating the church (couldn't start until after 8 since the groom is 7th day Adventist)

19. putting together flowers for the wedding party (this wasn't over until well after midnight)

20. sleep

21. clean the babes (they were about over this trip by now)

22. breakfast with uncle

23.  church with my dad

24. WEDDING (this wedding actually deserves a whole other post)

25. peeling Parker off of the floor in the middle of the reception - just fell asleep in the middle of everything and wasn't going to wake up for ANYTHING.

26. GO HOME

27. sleep

The sleep parts are a bit tongue in cheek.  I don't sleep well in hotels and the nights were long and the mornings were early.  I suppose I am off to start my laundry now and sort the pic from the wedding for the bride...errr...my mother in law.  Sighhhhhhhhhh.  I need a nap.

::33::

Another year. 32 was pretty good to me, so I won't complain. I have three amazing healthy children who have inspired, humored, and humbled me this year. I have a husband whom I adore and who is in good health for the first time in a few years. I have family, near and far, without whom my sanity would be sketchy at best! I have an amazing church and friends that one person should really never deserve. And I have you all. What a gift. Thanks for being a part of my life in a real and meaningful way. Here's to 33. May it be as full and blessed as 32.

good for twinkle toes

I swear I have been thinking about this bag and procrastinating (mostly procrastinating) for a few months.  Abby's teacher has a 6 year old in dance classes and she asked me to make miss E a dance bag.  Hmmmmmm.  It has to be durable (canvas) and big enough for little tap and ballet shoes (check).  And of course it had to be spunky like the blonde haired, blue eyed little sprite herself.  I'm glad I waited and didn't just crank one out.  

I'm enjoying the last few weeks of calm (this is a relative term) before our summer activities begin.  The gals only have a bit over a week and a half left.  Can't wait!

not a minivan

We added a new member to our family this week!  A new car for mama!  And for the first time in a decade, its not a minivan.  It gets reasonable gas mileage (whatever that means these days), has a sweet little sunroof, and all of the kids can still be hauled around to this and that and the other thing.  Its a crossover I think.  Not a big SUV, but has a bit of room.  And its not a minivan, did I mention that already?  I am just thrilled that it was in the garage last night!  We had 70 mph winds and hail the size of quarters.  I thought we were going to blow away altogether.  When the sirens went off for the tornado warning I thought my sweet oldest gal was going to come unglued!  The rest of the fam, never woke up.  Thunder, lightning, wind, hail, rain beating down like nails on the house.  Literally, a tornado could come through the house and they wouldn't wake up!  Through it all the only casualties were the plants on my front porch.  The geraniums and taller flowers were nearly ripped out by their roots.  This pic doesn't do it justice.  They were stunning yesterday.  Sigh.  Hope all the rest of you local gals fared as well!