FFF # 8: Summer Lovin'

This weeks theme: Summer Lovin'. Here are some pictures of the things I love about summer.

                                                                         Sun Bathing!

Sand play: especially for the first time!

Playing in nothin' but your skivies!

Being able to see Mt. Rainier driving S. and Mt. Baker driving N. on I-5 and really the whole Cascade mountain range intermittently. 

One thing we don't love: Bee stings: Especially the first one!

Popsicles

Playing on the slip n' slide

Baby Duckeroo's: Apparently having such a cold spring in Wa. put off ducking season until summer time.

Long walks to the park, and 4th of July gear!

Swim suits and playing in the kiddie pool

Sun Hats

Sun Dresses

Sun glasses

Lots of friends at the off leash dog park: Kalika is the dog behind.

LOTS of butterflies at the zoo! Over 50 species! Not to mention all the hatching chrysallis's

Auntie's lullaby and a letter to my nephew.

I took the boys to the library today and picked up a C.D. of lullabies. I love lullabies and want to learn more to sing to the kids I nanny and my future kiddos. Even though my voice sucks, they don't mind, and it seems to sooth them when I sing to them if they are sad.

I picked this one because it had some classics and it had one called "Aunties Lullaby". I was curious. When I listened to it I couldn't believe how perfect it was! It's like it was written for my nephew! Here are the lyrics:

I am your mama's sister,
I sound a lot like her
When we were kids people
always thought we looked alike
and you may think so too.
I am your grandma' daughter,
I seem a bit like her.
When I was small we would laugh
and dance and sing a lot just like I do with you.

I will sing a song of long ago
and far away
you can sing along but with
new words just for today.

You are my little nephew
you are a special friend,
I know you've come to teach
us all what love's about
and we will learn from you.
I am your uncles sister,
he was my baby bro.
Don't be confused,
it's only me, your auntie,
and I see all of us in you.

I will sing a song of long ago
and far away
you can sing along but with
new words just for today

I love it. I love to dance and sing with Zackery. When we were little, my sister and I did look a lot a like. My Brother is my baby bro. and Z. has taught us all so much about love!

It made me want to cry though. I miss going to my parents house and being able to sing him to sleep. I miss dancing with him. It doesn't happen nearly often enough with my mom having to sneak him to me for a visit. I miss my sister too. I wish I could just go over to her for a visit or ask her over for dinner. I wish she wasn't so angry, bitter, and full of hate.

The line that says "Don't be confused, it's only me, your Auntie". At the wedding a couple weeks ago, I could tell Z. was really confused. It's like he senses he should know my Dad, brother and me, like he knows he's safe with us, and vaguely remembers we love him, but he doesn't know exactly who we are or why he remembers us. He gets nervous if we go out of sight of my mom with him, especially if their are others around who are strangers. At the wedding I'd go across the room to talk with a group of the guests, he'd get scared and cry until I took him over to where my mom was. He was ok with me though, and 1 or 2 other people. He just go overwhelmed if their were 4 or 5 people he didn't know. He just seemed so confused. I wanted to tell him, "it's ok, its just me, your Auntie! I'm your mommies sister, I love you sooooo much!". The precious boy did fall asleep in my arms thought with me rocking him and singing to him in the hall. My arms ache to hold him, and to hug my sister.

Z. know I always love you and want to be a major part of my life. I pray for you and your Mama all the time. I pray their will be reconciliation in our family! I pray God will protect you from the damage the choices your mama is making. I pray that you will know me. I pray your Mom comes to Jesus again and will forgive us for our mistakes, and ask forgiveness for hers. I love your big beautiful eyes, and your soft skin. I love your buddha belly, and the soft and sweet features you have of your Mommy. I love your long eyelashes, just like mine. I love how big and round your eyes are, a definite Williams trait.
Your always in my heart.

All my love,
Auntie.

Feeling the burn.

I almost wish I were sunburned. But, I haven't done any long term sun sitting with out protection so, while I'm gaining a good tan, sun is not the kind of burn I'm feeling. Instead, it's heart burn. Which is weird since it has nothing to do with your heart. I'm currently very aware of my esophagus. Ugh. I use to get heart burn really bad when I was about 13 or so. It went away but, lately I've had a lot more of it. Today is the third night in the row, and it's confirmed my worst fear.....brownies give me heart burn. I LOVE brownies! In fact, I hate cake and have brownies on my birthday. But, I made brownies for my brother and Dad on Monday, and that nigth I got heart burn after I ate one.. Same thing when I ate one last night, and tonight. It's been bad heart burn too. My mom suffered from it for years, ended up with a hiatal hernia and had surgery which fixed that problem, I hope I never get to that point.

In other news.... I am officially moved back to my Dads house but, not officially unpacked.

This next month is busy:
July 1st: my 22nd birthday
July 3rd: Dad has surgery
July 4th: Big American celebration!
July 9th: Paigies birthday SHe is the first little girl I ever babysat and she is turning 15! I can't believe it!!!
July 14th: Best friends little sisters birthday
July 16th: Best friends birthday
July 18-20: Family Reunion camping trip

plus working and school....busy busy!
July 23rd: Best friends other little sisters birthday

FFF # 7 Daddy and Me.

I just got home from a math tutoring session. I need a little play time before I start writing my last 4 papers. So, since tomorrow is babysitting for 2 separate families from 9 am to 5 pm, and then homework, I will post my FFF today!

This week, in Honor of Fathers Day, we are posting Daddy and me pictures. Here are some pictures of My Daddy and I when we were little, and some of my Dad with my other siblings.

I love my Dad so much! We haven't always gotten along but, I've grown to respect him and understand him more than I ever thought I would. We are actually a lot alike. He has sacrificed so much to make sure we always had what we needed. He has worked hard is whole life. I know many men who would have walked away for far less than what my Dad has put up with. I'm proud to call him my dad

I wanted to honor my Uncle Scott in this post too. He lived with me off and on in my early years, and has been a father figure. He always spoke of Christ, and encouraged my relationship with Him. He wrestled with us a lot, and in the process taught his nieces to be strong and be able to defend themselves. I'm very excited he will get to Father his own child very soon! I love you Uncle Scott! 
This is my Daddy and I. I was about 3 here. We were at a petting zoo. 
This is my Other Uncle, Steve. Here he is with my 2 cousins when they were young. They love him so much. He was a great Father and a great Uncle. I don't know how he managed to become such and important part of my life when he lived in another state. He managed to make each of us (my siblings and I) feel special and loved via visits every couple of years, and phone calls. He was the ultimate jokester and made everyone laugh. His kids have the utmost respect for him. He went to be with Jesus in April of 01. We miss him. 
I was such a daddies girl. I loved snuggling up with him on the couch. I can't believe that we both fit on it together at one time! 
My Dad and all his girls.
This is a recent picture of my Dad with my Nephew. We all got to spend time with Z. at a wedding. My Dad loves this little guy. I can't wait to see him with my kids.
Daddy and me....this was taken near the place I was conceived....so I've been told.
My Dad, Cousin and I on my first birthday.
Daddy Chasing me around on my 1st birthday.
This is my parent wedding. My Dad is holding me, I'm the baby. My sister is in front of my Mom. 

Fears become reality and we need prayers.

Please pray for my Moms cousin. She is one of the family members my Mom and I went to visit in Florida last February. I just found out that she discovered her boyfriends body in the lake outside his home this week. He had been in the water at least 3 days. When she couldn't contact him she went by the house and out back, where she found him floating in the water. I know she is devastated. They had been together for several years. Her boyfriend had not been healthy. It is speculated he had a heart attack while out on the doc and fell in the water. My moms cousin was too upset to share the autopsy report with anyone today. She is a Christian woman so I know their is comfort with our Lord but, I know this is a devastating blow. He had been doing better lately. I know she loved this man greatly.  

When I had heard of his health problems in Feb. I was concerned and had this feeling he wouldn't be around much longer. My Great Aunt, my Mom, and I all felt this. My Aunt and i talked about it. I feared for her and what that loss would mean. I don't know why God gives me insight on these things. It's not the first time I've felt someone would die and they did. Once, God even gave me the age a person would die. It's morbid and creepy. 

Please pray for my Cousin I. and for her boyfriend T.'s family. 

Hikes and potty training

We've had some excitment yesterday and today. The boys, the girls (meaning both the boys dog, a chocolate lab, and my Dog) and I went for a walk that was well over a mile. Thankfully it was all down hill and we had a ride home. The sun actually came out and stayed out yesterday. We took advantage of the weather and packed a picnic dinner for the park. I put the food in an ice chest, and put the ice chest in a wagon for Ben to pull. He also walked my dog. I walked the lab, had Caleb in an Ergo Carrier on my back, and pushed Alex's wheel chair. I am sure we were a sight to see! The boy's mom met us at the park after work and we all played, ate, and headed home, being completely exhausted. 

Today marked Caleb peeing on the potty 2 days in a row for me!! Yesterday he sat on a little potty while he watched Dora. I let him sit for about 30 minutes so I could get some schooling done with Ben before nap time. Today he woke up from his 3 hr. nap dry. I put him right on the potty, watching Dora again. He went pee on the potty. Of course he got a treat. He likes taking the pee to the big potty and flushing. I don't actually think he is ready for real potty training yet. He rarely wakes up dry (never in the morning), and he just doesn't show any other signs of  being ready. Today he didn't realize he peed until I had him stand up and look.  I think it's good for him to see that he can put something in the potty though. It's a start. He may be ready to slowly work on peeing in the potty at least. The pooping is going to take time.

Other news, it's my last full week of this sessions summer classes. I worked Mon. /Tues, my Aunt is coming from out of state and spending all day Wed. with my portion of the family, Thurs. I have tutoring, and amidst that, I am moving. Busy Busy. My actually term ends next WEd. and the new classes begin thurs. I'm taking social Psychology, and Children and Violence. That second one should be depressing. It feels good to be back in school though!

Have a good week!

Violet 

Little African Princess

I have been wanting to sponsor a child for a long time and kept putting it off. 

I stumbled across a blog of a Nanny (just like me!) Who sponsor a child from the compassion ministry. I went to her link to their website to check it out. They have the option to choose a child or let them choose one for you. Hmmm....I looked at some 500+ of the 1000+ profiles. Each child tugged at my heart strings. I prayed about it. 

A friend of mine (and her family), sponsors a little boy from Africa who has 8 (I think that is right) siblings, and no father. I really felt I wanted to sponsor a little girl with 5 or more siblings, who had only 1 parents. At first I found several little girls with either both parents and 6 0r 7 siblings, or 1 parent and 2 siblings, or boys from other countries. I just prayed as I went through each child, wishing I could afford to sponsor each. I slowly realized I wanted to sponsor a child from Rwanda or Kenya. I've heard many heart wrenching stories or Rwanda, and their is a beautiful song about a little girl named Angelique from Rwanda. The country is war torn and dangerous. I just felt I wanted to help give a child in a devastated country, a little hope. As I browsed kids, the song kept flitting through my head. Finally, when I was about to go back two the 2 parent home with 7 kids, I came across little girl. She is 7 years old from, from Rwanda, lives with her Mom, and has 5 siblings. She is beautiful and so is her name. I can't wait to get my information in the mail!!!

I really think God was prompting me to look for this little girl. I almost decided to post pone so I could ask my friend which ministry she uses. I don't think I was suppose to.  I know God will provide each month for me to sponsor her. Please join me in prayer for her.

 I don't know the policies for sharing her name but I will call her "Sarah" because if you shorten her name, although it's not spelled that way, it would sound like that. 

I feel really good about this

Love,

     Violet