So Busy

How do people do it? I make it a point not to sign up for anything. No sports or lessons for the boys, no volunteering in the classroom, no committees, (less proudly) no community service, no specific ministry involvement at church.

And yet. We are very busy, even without the extras. Just the basics of preschool and kindergarten require a lot more of my close attention than I ever could have imagined. And it can only get more complicated from here on out. Right?

All that to say that if the many blog posts floating around in my head never see the light of day it's just because we've been so busy.

I already told you about our weather, but I thought you might appreciate a visual aid. Here you see our rhododendrons in full bloom alongside a big old heap of hail. There was one week where the weather changed every five minutes. Pounding hail, blazing sun, buckets of rain, thunder and lightning, fog, more sun...you get the idea. Then it settled into rain, rain, and more rain. It's gotten to be a thing, even for here.

Because when you live in the Portland metro area and you complain about the rain, you get a big "duh" and an eye roll in return, because, DUH, it's PORTLAND! But despite the fact that we all know better, many folks (including old-timers) have started getting crabby about it. Because, even if it's Portland, it shouldn't rain every single day. Forever. Things are looking up, though. It's supposed to be sunny and in the 80's tomorrow. Heaven help the meteorologists if they're wrong; I think the normally pacific Pacific Northwesterners could get ugly if the promised warmth doesn't materialize.

Moving right along, I share with you an historic moment. Nels is reading a book to his brother for the first time. Oh, happy day.

And here is Willem performing in his recital for school. He almost cried when he saw the shirt he had to wear. I don't blame him.

For Memorial Day weekend, the Hamiltons drove over from Idaho, which was mighty kind of them. We had ourselves some real good times. There was good eating at home, book-buying at Powells, reubens at Kenny & Zuke's, and tough kids playing at the river on a gray cloudy day.

Oh. There was also an LCD Soundsystem concert at the Roseland Theater, and it rocked, no two ways about it. Afterwards we went to Clyde Common for food and drink; by the time we got home it was 2:40 in the morning. Way to break in the new babysitter.

On Memorial Day the Hamiltons bravely headed home (long car rides with little ones require courage and fortitude) and we met up with Shaun's family for a service at the cemetery in Vernonia. The American Legion really does it up every year. The setting is just beautiful, even in the rain.

Twenty-one gun salutes are noisy.

Visiting Grandpa Chick's grave.

Shaun's sister and her family were out for the week, so we had lots of fun visiting with them. Cousin Heidi just turned one year old, and Nels is particularly taken with her. He asked if he could hold her on his lap, and he was just tickled to death the entire time.

See? Tickled.

The day the Macks flew back to California, Willem had his end-of-the-year program. It seemed superfluous after the long recital we had been subjected to less than two weeks before, but Willem so dearly loves to be on stage that I could hardly begrudge him another opportunity.

"Did I do a good job, mom?"

"You did great!"

And I promise that you never have to wear that shirt again.

We were lucky enough to have Grandma along for the program. Here is Nels trying on her glasses.

Aw. My sweet, heartbreakingly sensitive nerd. My soon-to-be first grader. What a fellow. He keeps me busy.