Showers of blessing

Here is a picture of three-quarters of one of the best families I know. We had a Baby Shower for Joylynn today. It was really nice to sit and visit and to introduce Genevieve to friends. She got some nice little outfits and a few other little things. She is still so small. But there is such a lot of sweet wrapped up in that little package. She is following in the footsteps of her big brother in stealing hearts. He is a darling. Joylynn and Jess are very blessed, not only in having wonderful & healthy children, but in their relationship together. We are very proud of the job they are doing with the kids.

My thanks to all those that were able to share tha afternoon with us.

Zoo

We went for a little outing to the zoo today. It was nice to walk around with Joylynn and her little ones. Cell phones are awesome in some ways. The past few times I've taken the family to the zoo we have been able to split up and go at our own pace. We then phone each other and hook up for snacks or to head home. It was a nice day. Krystle, Courtney, Hayden and Cameron along with Krystle's friend Derek took off and did the zoo while Joylynn and I and the little ones took a more leisurely pace. Such fun.

Aunty Lita Loves Genevieve

I was out of town for the weekend. It was a very nice relaxing Ladies Retreat. But I missed my Genevieve and Wyatt! I also missed my Cherise and Lita ;O( But someone did take a picture of Lita with Genevieve. So here is is.
I need to catch that little cutie with her eyes open more often. Here is one the day that they came home from the hospital.

Wyatt loves Genevieve

I think this picture is adorable. I also believe that an 18 month spacing between children is pretty much a minimum. We had the following spacing between our 8 FYI : 25 months, 19 months, 19 months, 16 months, 59 months (yes almost 5 years), 30 months, and 48 months. Sixteen was a little too short but the 19 month spacings were great. The hardest the 5 and 4 year gaps. Just so far out of the swing of things baby wise. It's like learning all over again.

We are surely enjoying getting into the swing of things with this Grandparent thing. Both of these little cuties are soooooo precious. Wyatt has been with us for 3 days and has been visiting his baby at the hospital. So cute. Hope he still likes her when they get home :o)

She's Here!

Genevieve Kay Marie arrived at 2:56 p.m. on October 11th, 2005. She weighed 6 lbs 12 oz and is 18 1/2 inches long. She is a sweetie.

Update

I told Rylan that I wouldn't update until after Joylynn had her baby, but it's been so long since I posted.
Our lives are needing to be very flexible but ordered. School is going to be a long learning curve for me. I have been way too much of a free agent in recent years. Time to be making responsible decisions and being accountable to a schedule. I'm trying to convince myself that this is a good thing. The kids too are slowly adjusting to this more regimented life.
In the mean time. It's great partnering with Harlan in this endeavor. He is spending a lot of time with the kids and their studies.
I was hoping to put a new baby picture in this post but I'll put a picture of Wyatt "The Big Brother" instead.

School Daze

Well we wait no more for curriculum. It arrived yesterday and the day before. The kids are excited. My brain feels like it's going to explode. There is a lot of stuff that needs to be done ahead of time. We had no ahead of time. So we jumped in with both feet. So far so good. We have had to communicate with the teachers a couple of times. Courtney's teacher lives in West Linn. He will probably be able to come over sometime a couple of months from now. The boys' teacher is in Scio. We may be assigned a different one before all is said and done. Oregon Connections Academy was hoping to have between 500-700 students. They had only 300 some and then they did a news story and newspaper story on it. They now have over 1100 students and are scrambling to get more teachers. I nice problem to have. Anyway. We are an official Connections Academy family and proud of it. Notice the difference between last year's (ghetto homeschool) and this year's pictures.

Waiting

We wait. For curriculum for our first year of Public School for Courtney, Hayden and Cameron.

We wait. For Jess and Joylynn to have their baby. Actually only Joylynn is having the baby. But it should be within the next month.

We wait. For direction for the year ahead. I'd like to get some more fellowship time in. Adam, Start that home group we could visit and see if we like it.

We wait. For any kind of news from the army as to where and when Logan will be deployed again. Wedding plans have to be pretty flexible at this point. So far they are still a go for June 3rd, 2006.

There are a whole lot of things that we can be doing while waiting though. Given the motivation and financial resources that is. The kids are starting to want me to decorate for Fall. Christmas stuff is in the stores already!

It sure is weird having only 3 kids at home that are needing direction. The other two of them are only needing guidance and encouragement. Seasons are changing. I need to embrace and welcome the change.

Happy Birthday JOYLYNN!

Hope your birthday is extra special. You have been a "source of joy" in our lives for the past 23 years. Now that you are a wife and mom we can see even more what a wonderful woman you are. We are looking forward to sharing the day you bring that second little grandbaby into the world and making memories with your family for years to come.
We love you LPSM! Mom and Dad

Travels

I have been driving a great deal lately. Up and down the Columbia River Gorge. To Spokane and back to Walla Walla and back twice. I think I'd like to slow down a little here. We need to get into school mode. Routines, bedtimes, schedules. Never thought I'd be looking forward to any of those but I am. I'm looking forward to more rain too. Yay for FALL!

With this ring...

Weddings. We rarely get invited to weddings. This summer has been an exception. We have been invited to 9! Each one we've attended has been unique but very lovely. It has given us many new ideas for future events that we will be directly involved with.

Thank you Stacey & Josh, Christy & Justin, Tiffany & Jeff, Karyn & Brandon (all pictured) along with Brooke & Jason, Eric & Kisha. It's been fun being a part of your day. We look forward to celebrating with Lita & Bob, Katie & Brad, and Kristel & Brent.

Traveling again.

The younger 3 children and I are heading to Spokane for a wedding tomorrow. "Home Fries" is going to add a few miles to it's odometer but I enjoy the drive up there.

Haydenwill be celebrating his birthday on Wednesday. I'm including a few pictures of him taken in the past couple of monts. A self photo, a "Good Uncle" photo and a freaky photo from his trip to the lagoon. HAPPY BIRTHDAY HAYDEN! It's been a fun 11 years.

We are hoping to be back in the area in order to take him out to lunch. He has been talking about going to Olive Garden for months and months. I'll have to double check with him to see if that is still where he wants to go. I know if I asked Cam he'd like The Old Spaghetti Factory. Either that or his new fav Taco Del Mar.

It's hot and we're heading to the pool.

The Wallas!

Our trip was lots of fun. Cam had a wonderful birthday. Hayden even got in some of the present action since Cherise and Adam and Lyssa and Logan won't be here on the 17th for his 11th birthday. The Robinson's dogs even got into the party mood.

As I said Hayden will be 11 on the 17th. Rylan turned 25 on the 1st and with Cam's on the 7th we have all the boys celebrating in the same month. Whew August is one hefty hit in the old pocketbook.

This summer has been so eventful it seems. With kids camp being in the middle of July instead of the end of June it has made the summer just fly by. Back to school pretty soon. We are looking into an online public charter school. Would be a lot of record keeping for me but I think it would be good for our kids. Lys and Krys will both be at PCC.

My sister and her husband and kids are coming this weekend. Their daughter is getting married next week in Spokane. It will be another fun trip for the kids and me at least. Har will be home holding down the fort. Then Cherise will be home for Lita and Bob's wedding! That will be a great day. Lots to still look forward to but lots to get accomplished too. I'm trying to enjoy each day as it comes and not be too focused on future events or looking back on what I could, shoulda, woulda....

Enjoy the wonderful weather this coming week. Yay for a week in the 80s!

Walla Walla Walla Walla Walla

Do you wonder what turkeys say in Walla Walla? I like that some people we know just call it the Wallas. Anyway you say it we are going there!!!! It's never been high on my list of destinations but now that we've been there a couple of times and experienced some of their wonderfully laid back town, it's real nice. Besides our CHERISE is there and her fabulous boyfriend ADAM and that makes all the difference in the world. It's spectacular & wonderous & we are going to be there tonight. I wish the whole family could be together but some people have to work and some people have to work and shouldn't travel that far by car because they are going to have a baby and some people live in Korea and don't swim that well to get here in time. So CHERISE is going to have to settle for just those of us who can make it. And CAMERON is going to celebrate his 7th birthday on Sunday. Seven on the seventh! Yay for golden birthdays! CAM you are quite a kid! Yay for summer!

I'll Blog back at ya when we return.

New Pool

The pool was actually purchased and enjoyed in Michigan last summer. We had a lot of help from the kids doing prep work. BOY is it refreshing!
Notice the blue ring. It is the same one that Wyatt is wearing in the previous water picture.

Camp

Summer camp, Day camp, Bible Camp, ... Summer time! I have been to camps where the kids are soooo tired that, in my opinion, a big part of their "spiritual" breakthroughs are pretty much emotional exhaustion.

Not this camp. Our fire time and opening our hearts and minds to the things of God happened just after supper. Six-thirty. It was powerful. And usually more "decisions" are made on the final night of camp. Not this camp. Day one on through the final night. I found myself drawing near to God. It was an awesome ( in every sense of the Word) Kid's Camp!!

Water Fun

Kids love water. This is our little splash pool. Wyatt's first time playing in it. He isn't too sure about the spraying. I'll have to post another picture when we get our other pool set up.

In the mean time stay cool. Especially you Walla Wallaians.

A yummy looking pic

This is one of my favorite pictures I took in Michigan last summer. Those berries were soooo yummy.

I think I need to get out and see if there are any berries still left in this neck of the woods.

I have enjoyed a few basketfuls from a farmer's market. But there is something about picking them yourself that adds to the enjoyment.

Grandson's are Special too!

This is Wyatt Earl Martin and he is 15 months old. He has a multitude of nick-names. Cherise calls him Googie. He is a cutie and lots of fun. Most of it is on his terms though. He is in for a rude awakening in a couple of months when his brother or sister comes along.

Lys and Logan

We are having fun watching those two develop their relationship. They are good kids. The time that he was deployed wasn't easy but it seems to have deepened their commitment to keep each other in prayer and heightened their awareness of where their strength comes from.

It is nice to know that our girls are finding men that seem tailor made for them. Yay for the best son-in-law, fiance and boyfriend ever!!!!