This morning Michelle and I met for a walk around Molalla River State Park (she'd been there before, I hadn't), did some shopping at The Book Nook (first visit for both of us), and enjoyed a delicious lunch outside at Wayward Sandwiches (I'd been there before, she hadn't). It was a perfect way to spend a few hours!
Sidenote: The book and puzzle were bought used from The Book Nook. I'd read The Eleventh Trade before (it's great!) and we love Dowdle puzzles, so Plymouth (never done it before) came home with me.
Silas and Natie came over later in the afternoon because he wanted to split firewood and we just happened to have plenty that needed to be split. The two of us spent a chunk of time working together, him splitting and me stacking. So thankful for the help!
Devon quietly finished high school two months ago, but we hadn't done anything to celebrate yet. He didn't care about having a party and a family dinner was challenging to coordinate with four different work schedules, one of which is for a person living out of town most of the time. So it just didn't happen.
Last night we had a bit of a texting frenzy to figure something out and we were able to all meet up for dinner at Olive Garden this evening. Success! Plenty of food, conversation, and laughter as our family marked this milestone in Devon's life.
This boy of ours is smart as a whip and hates formal schooling, so he's weighing options for long-term career goals that don't require a college degree and working in the meantime. I'm excited to see what's in store for him!
I walked upstairs at church tonight and saw all four little Ws together. And they were all dressed in black. So I made them pose. Which they thought was ridiculous. But I didn't care. The end.
Not the end. They actually wear black a lot or always, depending on the kid, but it struck me as funny to see them all together that way. It's like a sibling uniform or something.
Tyler had some friends come over for a few hours on Sunday and they all decided to play Uno with college rules for a while.
After dinner they made oobleck and had lots of fun playing with it. Well, they tried to make it in the individual bowls I gave them, but that quickly proved to be impractical. Devon and Naomi swooped in and saved the day. They dumped each boy's oobleck into a larger bowl, added a bunch more cornstarch and water, mixed it all up, then refilled each boy's bowl with their own portion of oobleck. I was thankful for their help!
One of Tyler's friends happens to be one of Natie's brothers, so the two siblings were able to spend a little time together at the party. I snapped a picture for their mom's benefit, but it's cute and I'm including it here.
I asked them to all strike a pose after Tyler opened cards and gifts they'd brought. One smiling.
And one silly, of course.
Next up was an indoor snowball fight, which was a huge hit. No pun intended. They pelted each other for an hour, right up until they left for home.
It was a fun time with tons of laughter!
Today was about celebrating with family. (The exception being reading all sorts of birthday messages posted on my Facebook page and getting a text from a man at church he's friends with.) He got a text from an aunt, started a birthday greeting text exchange with a cousin who was born on the same date a decade earlier, answered a video call from some bonus Ws, talked on the phone with grandparents in two states, ate the dinner of his choice with me and the sibs, was taken to pick up his free birthday drink at Dutch by a brother and sister-in-law, and spent time opening gifts and cards from various relatives with the Ws.
This is how Silas hauled Tyler out to the car when they left for a birthday drink. There are some things that only big brothers do. This is one of them.
Tim had to unexpectedly work late, which made a whole family picture unattainable, but I made sure to get one of all the sibs. They have their share of conflict and they drive me crazy at times, but they also laugh together a lot and put thought into gifts they choose for each other. I love that.
And that was that. The end of birthday fun for Tyler.
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It's been a while since we took a group picture with our Thanksgiving crew of bonus in-laws. I asked for one this year and everyone played along. There are two kids and a spouse from my generation that weren't at the gathering, but I'm grateful for this whole family. So many years of Thanksgiving memories, including yesterday!
Natie recently suggested we all get together for some pumpkin fun, so she and Silas came over yesterday. Tim and Devon were at work, but the rest of us headed to Al's for some $.99 pumpkins. We got busy as soon as we came home - carving up various designs, eating salad and pizza, then finishing off the night with some pumpkin pie and whipped cream.
Naomi carved Charlie Brown.
Silas wrote the word "home".
Natie created Snoopy and Woodstock.
Tyler designed the Mandalorian.
I made a W.
Devon and Tim both got home from work in time to visit with Silas and Natie for a bit before they went home, which was great. Tim opted not to carve this year, but Devon cut Elmo into his pumpkin after Silas and Natie left.
We lined up the first five and lit them for a picture, but we had to do it inside because it was too windy outside.
We were in Medford over the weekend and had a great time. Here's a recap.
FRIDAY
Naomi, Tyler, and I hit the road first thing Friday morning. But not before laughing because we'd set the timer for way too long on the camera and were hitting the awkward smile phase. (And I mean even more awkward than my brackets and rubber bands smile already is these days.)
Last year Devon challenged Tyler and a friend to keep their fingers touching the roof for as long as possible on a road trip. They lasted about forty-five minutes. Winner got a pack of gum. Naomi did a modified version for Tyler this time, asking if he could do it for the last twenty minutes of the trip. He did. She gave him candy.
It's been almost a year since Dad and Debra lost everything they owned in the Almeda Fire. Having a rental to live in for the past nine months or so is a privilege that many who lost their homes haven't had, so I'm incredibly thankful a home was available and that their insurance paid for it. However, being able to settle in a permanent place is a huge blessing and I was super excited to visit their new home with two of my kids. It's a fantastic place, filled with lots of natural light. I'm so happy for them as they move into this next season of life.
Our weekend was dedicated to family stuff, but Carol, who I'd invited to stop by the gallery, asked if we could meet for a meal. We couldn't, but we did happen to have a little block of time to squeeze her into. We met up for ice cream at Sweet Cream and had time to visit, both with and without the kids. I've only known her for ten months, but she's one of those people I loved right from the start. She's kind, gentle, a wonderful encourager, and truly cares about everyone who crosses her path. I appreciated being able to share some of my life with her and hear her words of wisdom.
Sidenote: I found out at Dad's that he and Debra know Carol. And they met her eight years ago! I guess I'd never mentioned her name to them and she never made the connection because she didn't know my maiden name. I love small world moments.
My sister, Belinda, is such a talented artist! To spend the evening with her at Art du Jour Gallery during the Third Friday Art Walk was a huge treat. There was a steady stream of relatives both local and from out of town (I hadn't seen some of my brother-in-law's relatives in several years, but we're all from the same town), friends from different parts of her life (it was fun for me to meet them), and people she'd never met before who came and supported her as this month's featured artist at the gallery. I think I'd previously seen all twenty paintings either in her home or on her professional social media pages, but it was pretty impressive to see them all on display at once. I'm so glad I was able to be there for her big night!
She took the next three pictures and passed them along to me because they have me or my kids in them. First, sisters.
Second, my sister with her son, her niece, and one of her nephews.
Finally, the three Perkins girls.
Some of my friends came to the gallery (two who'd never met my sister, two who met her at Silas and Natie's wedding, and one she's spent some one-on-one time with) and it was good to see them. It was special to see Don and Katy. We'd had a few minutes to visit at my church when they were in town a few weeks ago and thought that was the last time we'd probably ever be in the same place. To see them again for another few minutes was great. I also appreciated Carol hanging out downtown for a while in order to come and Nicole and Brittney rearranging their evening to allow for a gallery visit.
Sidenote: I found out Katy and Ashley recently met, but neither of them knew about the other's connection to me. Now they know! Have I mentioned I love small world moments?
SATURDAY
Ashley, one of my step-sisters, lost the home she shared with roommates in the Almeda Fire last September. It was a horrible experience that turned out to be the catalyst for buying her own home. She's lived there for several months now, but this was my first time visiting.I also got to bring two kids who were seeing it for the first time and another who saw it in the bare bones days right after she got keys. It's perfect for her! It was really cool to see such a huge blessing come from such a huge tragedy.
Tim wasn't expecting to be able to join us for the weekend, but plans changed and he arrived mid-day, and Silas had come down separately. The temperature was perfect and the smoke cleared, so my family, my sister's family, Dad, Debra, and Ashley enjoyed hanging out in the back yard for lunch, floats, games, swimming, a contagious case of the giggles, conversation, and even a haircut. It was a perfect way to spend an afternoon! I'm so very thankful we live close enough to make these family gatherings possible from time to time and that Beep took this group shot of the whole crew.
Later in the evening we had the kids find something to do while Beep, Josh, Tim, and I played Drawful 2 and Fibbage via a TV screen and our phones. Both games were new to me and Tim, but they were easy to learn and made me laugh. I love laughing, but don't do it enough, so ending a fun day by playing funny games was pretty awesome.
SUNDAY
We joined my sister's family at their church. I cried a bit. I'm thankful for people who are vulnerable about their struggles. I also got to meet more people my sister knows and ran into Loren and Melindsa, a couple I've been acquainted with for probably twenty-five years because we knew a lot of the same people, but haven't seen in at least sixteen.
Sidenote: Melinda recently met my sister, but didn't know we were related because we have different last names. Another small world moment this weekend!
We'd planned on stopping by to see Shon, Devry, and Michael on our way out of town, which turned into meeting them for lunch. The plan was to head home once we were done, but our family traveling in two cars meant the W guys were able to make a spontaneous decision to stay longer. Naomi and I headed out after lunch, but the guys spent the rest of the afternoon together.
I was able to say a quick hello and give a hug to Cindy and Betty after we gassed up for the drive home. Less than five minutes together, but it was still good to see them.
Three days of important milestones, special people, and positive experiences filled up my emotional tank!
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We lucked out and saw Silas as soon as we arrived at church this morning, so we were able to take a couple quick Father's Day pictures before we all went our separate ways during the service. I know we're not guaranteed pictures with all our kids on these parenting holidays as they start to move out, but it's cool that it worked out for this first year of only three kids living at home. Tim and the original little Ws huddled for one shot.
And then another with Natie, the very first holiday picture where she's officially part of our family. So cool!
Although Mother's Day and Father's Day aren't about Tim and I as a couple, I decided to take a picture of us together on Mother's Day because I wouldn't be a mom without him. So I also got one of us today, as he wouldn't be a dad without me.
Tim's always taken fatherhood seriously. Not that he's always serious (plenty of goofball evidence to the contrary), but he understands the significance of the role and strives to do the best he can. I really appreciate his commitment to the little Ws!
Silas and Natie chose an apartment to share after their wedding, but Silas is the one who moved in right away. During the two months he's living there alone he's had each sib and parent spend a night with him.
Naomi was the first. It was a double parenting milestone for me - first kid to have an overnight guest in their own home, first kid to spend the night with a sib in the sib's home. So, me being me, I asked them to snap a picture to document the occasion. And they complied.
Then all the guys took turns, but there's no picture proof. I was the last. Tonight's my turn.
We don't make a habit of taking a picture on days we have appointments at Senestraro Family Orthodontics. Three kids and I also don't schedule appointments at the same time as Silas or Tim. But today our appointments were coincidentally synced up and it just so happened to be the day our family's very first set of #BracesOnFaces came off. So we took pictures, of course.
Three years, one month, and nineteen days since his braces went on, Silas now has a mouth full of straight teeth.
My friend Tammy was also in the office today and noticed Silas' name on the "Braces Off" list, which I hadn't paid any attention to at all. Here's the picture she took and sent to me.
The miraculous way this whole braces thing has gone down for our family will always amaze me. So, so, so grateful!
Because Kit and I always sit together at church and people often assume we're mother and daughter, I decided we should get a Mother's Day picture together this year. I'm thankful for the way church family can become like actual family.
Parenting can be exhausting on every level and I often feel totally inadequate as a mom, but I love these little Ws and enjoy watching them grow up. One is super funny. One gives the best hugs. One is helpful. One is encouraging.
She's not an official W yet, but her engagement to a little W meant I wanted to get a Mother's Day picture with Natie in it this year.
Families are built in various ways, but I wouldn't be the mom of Silas, Devon, Naomi, and Tyler if it weren't for Tim. So here's a picture of the original Ws on this Mother's Day.
