Fire!

First fire of the summer.  Above our house.

Brothers

Jack started swimming lessons today.  He threw a fit and said he never wants to swim.  This stems from his near drowning 4 years ago and his fear of water, without a life jacket.

It is private lessons from a neighbor and after much coercing, I told him I would stay with him the whole time and we would say a prayer before we left.

He agreed.

His lesson was at 3:10.  We left before 3:00 to find where the lesson would be held (the teachers pool is being renovated this week so lessons are being held at another pool).  We searched for 30 minutes for the place.  We used teo different phones with GPS, both giving wrong directions.  After searching and searching, I finally found the place.  At the Pitt's.  She was gone, the pool was closed.  Had I known it was at the Pitts, we would have been there in 3 minutes tops but because it is a newly constructed area, the maps couldn't find it.

I woke up one morning to this.  Jack climbed into bed with Sam and it must have been comforting for both of them.

I was driving with Sam and Leah to pick up Emily from a volleyball camp when I called Jack at home to tell him about swimming lessons.  Sam could hear that Jack was not happy about it and  my 5 year old Sam kept asking to talk to his 8 year old brother Jack.  I gave the phone to Sam and he sweetly talked through it with Jack.  He told him that it is not scary and that he was going to learn how to swim too and it will be good to learn how to swim and that Jack would be okay.  It was adorable.

This Sam of mine scares me sometimes.  He is so full of life and he is so good at finding joy in life and making the most of life.  He smiles almost always and is very sweet.  He is smart and athletic and loves our family in a very sweet way.  When he does sweet things like he did today with Jack, it scares me a little more.

But I won't live in fear (at least try not to).  I will continue to enjoy every little bit of him and the rest of my kids.  I'm grateful for sweet kids and that the good in them far outweighs the hard parts about each of them. (usually.  Heaven help me when I'm in the thick of it and feel like I'll never be able to get through it.)

Update:
So we went to Jack's baseball teams swim party tonight at the coaches parents house.  It was fun and for the first time in four years, Jack got in the pool without his lifejacket and was braver than ever.  Thank goodness.  I was scared but he did it.  Sam got brave too which i didn't like but I kept a hawkeye on all six kids so there wasn't much of a chance for something to go wrong.  I just hoped every parent was doing the same for their children too.

John is out of town and Jack has stepped up to the plate.  Anything I ask, he is the first to volunteer from helping clean, helping with kids, getting things for me, and even playing with my hair (my favorite thing ever).  He has been so sweet and cute.  I love my kids.

We drove home watching a fire on our mountain right above our house.  We drove around a bit and checked in on the Pitts and Robisons.  Looks like they'll be okay.  Kind of cool.  Kind of scary.

The cabin from my phone

We had a great first trip to the cabin over memorial day weekend.   Leslie and Aaron came with.  It rained the first two days but we fit in 4 Wheeler rides as much as we could.  We played games, watched movies, and had a great time.
Can't wait to go back!

Cool

Thomas is wearing a star that goes on a light from IKEA.  He wears it often.  Jack started it!

Flag Ceremony

On the last day of school, Thomas got to lead the flag ceremony for the school.  His scout troop folded the flag.  I got teary eyed, as usual. 
The entire student body stood in silence for over five minutes while the Utah flag and the US flag were folded.  It was touching.  I don't want to miss it again. 
The students were then dismissed and summer officially began.
WoooooHooooooo!!!

Leah's well check

24 lbs. - 25%
35.5" - 90%
Estimated to be 5'11"

She would only take a picture if she was right next to Sam.  She's getting very nervous and afraid of a lot of things.  Funny for being such a tough little girl.  But still , a little girl.  And we adore her!