Hey! July 4th marked the 8th time Brant has drawn caricatures for our huge festival in Highlands Ranch. While he drew the crowds, the kids and my parents and I trolled the rides and booths for fun. Booker got a cool "flames" tattoo and Brooklyn and Bella rode ponies after munching on some cotton candy. The train was the biggest hit -- I think they rode it 5 times! Fire works with the neighbors in our cul-de-sac were awesome to watch through the eyes of our newest kiddos -- they loved it! And then we bundled up in the back yard for the big Highlands Ranch spectacular, the day completed with the Booker tradition of homemade oreo ice cream.
The Schelhaas Seven made their first-ever road trip to North Dakota to visit all of Brant's family. We were shocked with how well the children did on the long ride... over 13 hours... 3 movies, millions of books, art projects, and road games later, we arrived in Bismarck (after one tiny little "Mom and Dad almost ran out of gas but someone in a small town gave us their gas" episode). We enjoyed a week of family time, with special highlights at Brant's parents' lake cabin. Booker loved tubing with his cousin, Dawson, and our brave Bella even gave it a whirl with her daddy. Brock caught his first fish, and Bode had fun throwing rocks. Brooklyn loved playing with her cousin, Brynn, and the American Girl Dolls were a hit -- we even took all the girls to the new movie! Brant and I enjoyed hanging out with his parents and two sisters and their families, as well as some extended relatives. Our ride home was another 13 hours, and surprisingly, it went well. I think the younger kids watch the older kids for behavior cues -- and when they do well, we ALL do well! Smile.
Unfortunately, a day after we arrived home, we discovered that Brooklyn's head was FULL of lice!!!! YUCK! And Bella had them, too, but not nearly as badly as Brooklyn... I spent over 8 hours combing nits out of her LONG hair, and I hope to never do that again as long as I live! She had been itching her head for a week, but I just figured she had a heat rash or something. Oops -- won't make that mistake again! We medicated the whole family to be safe, and 7 bottles of Nix and 14 loads of laundry later, I think it's safe to say we're a lice-free family. I got them, too... it is AWFUL!!!! No idea where we picked them up... could've been anywhere.
Am simmering a giant pot of homemade minestrone at the moment, and the little boys are napping. My older three kids are reading books in their rooms, and I am enjoying my first quiet moment in a while. Smile. How I love this family God has given me. The blessings practically choke me with gratitude. I'm tearing up just thinking about it, actually.
Kiddos start school in 2 weeks. Bella is devouring all the kindergarten books and flash cards we picked up for her... and Brooklyn, of course, loves playing the role of teacher. She's actually quite good at it, bless her heart. I've enjoyed watching my girls spend hours at the kitchen table working together... the "sister dynamic" is new for me, and I love watching them interact.
Booker is really growing up. He stays up late with us every night talking and laughing and discussing... I will remember these meaningful nights when my kids are grown and gone, for sure. Truly, you have to marvel at each day, as you just don't know what tomorrow will bring. That's a sermon to myself... but hopefully a good reminder to all of us. I'm bringing a meal to one of Booker's classmates tomorrow night -- his mother, who is my age, has breast cancer -- and it doesn't look good. We've been given today, and perhaps today only -- and its marrow we must suckle and savor...
My house is a mess and, strangely, always smells like a poopy diaper, Brock refuses to be potty-trained, there are dishes to be washed, and I will have a bad hair WEEK due to the nasty shampoo we have to use, but I celebrate the mess, GLADLY. Joy has a way of coating even the craziest of circumstances... and I thank God for that. Karen
