Church Picnic & Visit

Tonight was our church picnic. Of course I brought my camera! Of course I forgot to charge the batteries in the camera so I didn't get any pictures! Bummer!! I wasn't at the picnic very long as I got a call from my cousin Sigrid and her husband Tony that they were passing through DM and did I want to meet up with them. Of course I did!! So, I left and met them at Bosselman's where we ate dinner and visited. Wish it could have been a longer visit but I'm glad I got to see them. After visiting I headed back to the picnic where it was winding down and people were leaving. From what Kevin said and what I could see in the beginning of the picnic it was a great turnout!!

More than a conquerer

Why do we let ourselves get hurt feelings so easily? Sometimes it's over silly little things. Things that are very small in comparison. What really are hurt feelings? Wouldn't they be our own insecurities? I think so. Sometimes we can be so insecure of ourselves that when the slightest thing happens we get hurt feelings. I am speaking to myself because I am WAY guilty of this. I should have confidence in who I am in Christ that when things happen they wouldn't bother or hurt my feelings. When someone hurts me I should be woman enough to go to that person and let them know. Not hide behind those hurt feelings and let them fester. Fester to the point where you either start to ignore that person or blow up and they have no idea why your so upset. I'm working on this. It's not easy. I hide behind the hurt feelings because I'm afraid of confrontation at times. It even brings me back to my childhood where at times I was afraid to confront when I was upset because I knew it wouldn't have a good outcome. So, what to do? Keep it inside. However, that's not what the Lord would have us do. The Lord will help us as long as we confront in a Godly manner. I don't want to get hurt feelings so easily so I'm trying to work on this with the Lord's help. It's a day to day process. I'm believing that with the Lord's help I'm going to be more than a conquerer!!

Back to School

Today was the boys first day at school. Zayvn actually went just for an hour, to meet his teacher, Mrs. Crady, and put away his school supplies. Renn told me this morning that he didn't want any hugs and kisses while at school so I grabbed him in a bear hug while at the house and planted big kisses all over him. My Renny is growing up!! I was lucky enough to get these pics out of him as he didn't want any taken at school. Zayvn was all fired up to have pictures taken of course!! Renn's teacher is nice and he had a couple friends in his class which he was happy about. I was happy about the desk. It opens top up so all his supplies are contained in one area, not all over the floor! LOL I worry about Zayvn a little starting school but believing that the plan Kev and I put in place for him is going to work and help that little guy out. We've got him on some naturopathic vitamins as well that we believe will help as well. That's another blog for another day!

ADHD

ADHD ~ Attention Deficit, Hyperactive Disorder. Not a word I wanted my child diagnosed with. However, Kevin and I made the decision to send Zayvn in for some diagnostic testing. Some issues that have come up at home have led us to go this route. We've already been the route with him going to a specialist's office and them talking to me and they watching him and putting a label already on him as ADHD. What I want now is for him to go and do some testing so we can see exactly what it is we need to help him with. I have a friend that led me to Blank Children's Adult and Psychiatry Clinic. They will do testing on him and give us the right info, not just watch him for 20 minutes and label him. I know Zayvn's got some issues. Issues I was hoping with prayer would go away. However, there's something more and I can't just sit back and let it go anymore. I'm the only advocate my child has. I'm the only one that can get him the help he needs and it needs to be now. Don't get me wrong. I believe in the power of prayer. However, God gives us people that can assist us as well.
When/If Zayvn is officially diagnosed with ADHD we will not put him on medication. We are checking out herbal remedies and diets. We will do everything in our power so that our little guy will have peace within himself. He's a very sweet, sweet boy and to not help him would be a disservice to him. I have a peace in my heart that God has given me about the route we have chosen for Zay. Believe me, I've been torn up more than once over this. I can't imagine doing this without the help of the Lord.

John 14:27 says " Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. *Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

Thank you Jesus for giving me the peace about Zayvn.

Summer Ends & School Begins

In just a few days Renn and Zayvn will walk through the doors of Four Mile Elementary where they will begin their 4th and Kindergarten years. I'm filled with a mix of emotions as they go. I've enjoyed them home over the summer, yet as summer comes to an end it's time for them to get back into school. This year they will be in school all day which in turn leaves me by myself all day. As people find out that the boys will be in school all day they ask me what I will do with myself. I got to thinking about that. What will I do? Well, three of those mornings I will work. I'm sure I'll be doing some volunteering at the boys school. I'm hoping Tuesday morning Bible Study will begin so I can go to that. Then there's the Altoona Campus www.altoonacampus.com which Kevin and I decided to join as a family. I'll go there after work and work out. I'm pretty excited about that one. I was going to Curves when we lived in OR and since moving back here haven't gone anywhere. We've been kicking it around for months but decided just this week to sign up. Then there's always the possiblity of visiting with all my wonderful friends here. Oh, and Kevin has Thursday off so for the first time in 7 years we'll be able to spend every Thursday together without the children!! Now that will be weird!! So, I think I'll find plenty to do while the boys are in school!!

Both boys know who their teachers. Zayvn's is Mrs. Crady, who sent him a note in the mail today! He was very excited about that. Renn got a female teacher again, Mrs. Reichardt. He asked me the other day why he's always getting the female teachers. I told him God was teaching him a lesson somehow!! I'm not sure what that lesson is though! I told Renn he can make this year the best he can with having a great attitude. I'm believing it's going to be a great year for both boys!!

Iowa State Fair

Boys posing with the big pig

Big elk with HUGE horns

Miniture cow and baby

Boys next to the big cow

Zay getting his face painted.

Zayvn in a big tractor

As you can see Renn was throughly enjoying this picture!

Zayvn riding the horse

This goat tried to eat Zayvn's shirt

Zayvn and Clifford

His right arm tattooed

His face tattooed

Zayvn's left arm tattooed

We went to the Iowa State Fair tonight as a family http://iowastatefair.com/. We had a great time walking around looking at all the exhibits, animals and eating. There were specific things Kev and I wanted as far as food at the fair. Kev wanted a cheese dog ( it's like a corn dog except it has cheese in it) and I wanted a funnel cake. The boys are new to coming to the state fair so they really weren't wanting a specific thing. Renn did discover pork chops on a stick and loved it. We walked through the Varied Industries Building where all the exhibertors are and Zayvn decided he wanted to see how many tattoo's he could get. As you can see from the pictures he got quite a few. He even had some on his legs!!
As I was getting ready to take a picture of the boys with the flowered faces all of a sudden I hear "Ahhhhh, Trudy Kangas!!" I looked up to see my friend Kris Andre, clear from Estacada, OR standing there with her family. She has been in town the last couple of days visitng with her mom who lives in New Virginia. Boy, were we both surprised to see one another! We chatted for a few minutes and got caught up with each other's lives as fast as we could. She's heading home tomorrow so no chance on us visiting longer however I'm thankful the Lord planned that meeting for us. By the way Cousin, baby Beau is so handsome!! :)

We sat outside the grandstand and listened to Jeremy Camp for a bit and then decided it was time to get the boys home to bed. One of the things we missed while living in OR was the state fair. So glad we are able to go once again!!

Mom's in the Park

Tomorrow is the last Mom's in the Park that I've been doing all summer. I'm SO grateful for the mom's that have come every week. In fact, it made it easier for me to go to Kid's Camp and vacation knowing I had a mom that would be there in my place. Amber's been my faithful mom never missing one except when she was on vacation. It's been a joy to get to know her. I had a different idea on how many mom's would be there on a weekly basis but what you think and what God wants is sometimes different. God's idea was to have them small and that is what they were. God brought those that needed to be there and for that I'm grateful. To me success is not based on how many people are there. Success is based on how many lives I've reached and touched. I pray I've touched some lives this summer.

Back Home

This is what Zayvn does when he is bored!

We arrived home last night after spending a wondeful week in Branson, MO and Lake of the Ozarks in MO. When we got to Lamberts http://www.throwedrolls.com/ in Springfield the temperature gauge read 103 degrees. Our weather was pretty much like that the whole week. No temp was below 90 degrees. We had a wonderful place to stay thanks to Kev's mom and step dad. The time share in Branson http://www.worldmarktheclub.com/ was awesome. They had a pool and we used the pool alot. Tuesday we went into Silver Dollar City http://www.silverdollarcity.com/ . What fun that was! Renn was our little dare devil and rode the Wildfire, which is a roller coaster that has three UPSIDE loops! I got sick just standing on the platform watching the coasters go on them. Lots of water log rides (which Zayvn didn't like) and then we found the kiddie area. Wednesday we went to White Water www.bransonwhitewater.com which is where Kevin went off the 80 foot slide! Crazy, I tell you. We spent most of our time at the Lazy River in an inner tube just circling around. Thursday we went back to Silver Dollar City and rode everything the kids like and played in the water area again. The boys loved it! Friday we headed to Lake of the Ozarks. There is a wonderful couple in our church who let us stay in their cabin. We were able to ride the jet ski's and fish off the docks. Zayvn even decided to swim with the fish. He was casting his pole into the water and misjudged the dock and into the water he went, along with the pole. Thank goodness he had his life jacket on. It was a great week and a wonderful time to get away with the family.
Kevin is taking two extra days off. He wanted to spend one day each with Renn and Zayvn before they go back to school on the 24th. Today was Renn's day. Renn wanted to watch all five of the Rocky movies and stay in a motel. So we got a great deal on a motel room down the road and that is where Renn and Kev are. They will do a little swimming, a little watching, eating and back to swimming. Tomorrow morning I'll meet him to pick Renn up and he'll take Zayvn and do whatever Zayvn wants. Last thing I heard Zayvn want's to do is go fishing and go to Chuck E Cheese. That could change though by tomorrow morning!
I have more pictures on my facebook too. Enjoy!!

New Past Time

Kevin going up the tree to hang the tire

Working on hanging it up

The boys holding it for dad

Testing it out

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Kevin testing it out

Zoom Zone, the children's ministry department at church, is under going a renovation. With that change down comes the tire swing that hung outside of the Zoom Zone entrance. We brought the swing home and Kevin hung it on the tree out front. I wish we would have thought about this earlier!! The boys are having a blast with it!