11 years ago....

It was actually 11 years ago yesterday. I'm quite ashamed that I forgot.... Yesterday was Sarah's birthday. I remembered earlier in the week and thought about doing a cake in remembrance. I thought about starting a tradition to give my kids some way of knowing her and giving her a "place" in our family. I was having trouble with figuring out a good way of introducing the whole thing... then I mentally put it down... and promptly forgot. I'm so ashamed of myself, I forgot my Sarah's birthday. I know that it is a good sign that I'm not caught up in the past and that I'm fully living here. I'm just having a hard time with the feeling that I let her down. No, that's not quite right. That I let myself down in remembering her and what she, and what she brought to my life, means to me. I don't want to forget her or the wonderful closeness that she ushered in between me and my heavenly Father. I don't want to forget.... but I did.

Petit Jean 2008

For those that don't know what Petit Jean is, it is a mountain in Arkansas on which is a state park where Ben's grandparents host a family reunion every year in June. We try to make it every year, but last year we weren't able to go because Ben was graduating from seminary. That made it all the more important and exciting to go this year! However, with flight prices skyhigh and three tickets to buy, we decided that we would drive instead of fly. This would be our first roadtrip with two kiddos in the minivan. It would be four 7-hour days on the road round trip. I spent 3 months before the trip just mentally preparing for it! AND the kids did great! I had been told by numerous people to be prepared with a DVD player but had decided that we would only pull out the laptop and a DVD only in a dire emergency scenario, and we didn't need it! I was very impressed at how well they did. The first day, Ben and I were very strict about having a quiet time from after lunch until 3pm (that is their normal nap time). Madelyn didn't have a problem with that, but Greyson woke up early and we made sure that he knew that he was supposed to be quiet and then at 3 gave him a big snack and lots of attention. He caught right on and didn't have a problem the rest of the drive days! (That is MY smart boy!)

Another treat was being able to stop and spend time with the White Family on the way down and back. Thanks White Family for taking us in! We loved seeing you and the kids had so much fun with Charlie! And I LOVE the mohawk!

Every time we go to Petit Jean, there is a hike down to a waterfall the first morning we are there. It is a pretty hefty hike but a cool tradition. The last couple of times we've been to Petit Jean, the falls has been pretty puny. This year it was much better. (I'm sure that is much to the dismay of the Midwest, who were being flooded at the same time.) It is so fun to hang out around the falls and visit. We are thinking that Madelyn may be ready to hike it next year, or maybe the following year. We'll have to see.

Living in Minnesota, it is hard for me to remember how hot and muggy it can be in the south. It hit me like a brick on this trip. In the cabin we were in, the AC was running non-stop it seemed. the first dinner (which was a "birthday dinner" for everyone), Aunt Lou handed out these kiddie windmill toys. When Mike got back to the cabin, he set one up to spin in the AC breeze. If only we could have harnessed the power generated! Because it was so hot, we took the kids to the pool to go swimming - the first time this year due to the cooler weather in MN. Madelyn absolutely loved it. Greyson not so much. I'm not sure what he didn't like. He likes his baths. Maybe because the water was on the cooler side...

It was great seeing Stephanie prego too. She is having trouble with swelling in her legs and feet but otherwise seems to be holding up well. The rest of the family is great too. I love seeing them and I especially love seeing them interacting with my kids.... It is always such a blessing to experience family loving on them. This trip was the first one that I really felt able to just stand back and let Madelyn venture out and interact on her own and it was wonderful to watch! I especially loved meeting the new members of the family - babies Anna, David, and Logan and new cousin-in-law Josh. They all seem to fit into this eccentric family well!

On the second night, we have a family talent show. We had a great time this year cutting up and having a good time. Madelyn dressed up in her dancing outfit and danced to Ben's 5 aunts singing "I Love Being a Girl". She also insisted on getting up and singing songs to the crowd - of course, "Twinkle, Twinkle" and "A,B,C's". I think she could have sung to us all night. I told her that we will have to work up a special song for next year!

And besides me going OCD about a tube of hydrocortizone cream, it really was a great time!!

a special treat - 4 generations of Rhodes boys

Quick update on stitches

Madelyn is unstoppable! She jumped right back up on her bike yesterday for our after-dinner walk with NO hesitiation! Then we had to warn her to be more careful! I don't know what to think... [Sidenote: Ben says that it is "brain damage" (to quote Bill Cosby's "all children have brain damage" - hilarious!)] Her chin is healing up fine and she barely even acts like it is there. Thanks for your prayers - they are definitely working!

First stitches!

It has begun... might as well keep with the HMO now. I have a feeling that our kids are daring enough to keep the co-pays flowing. Tonight, we went for our after-dinner walk (such a gorgeous evening!) and Madelyn was speeding along on her bike and fell into a curb. Don't ask us how, we didn't see it all. All I saw was the bike careening out-of-control toward the curb and Madelyn chin-planting into it.... talk about pitter-pattering of my heart! Madelyn wasn't liking the idea of blood coming out of her chin but was able to calm down pretty quickly, especially when the nice elderly woman that lived in the house whose curb Madelyn chin-planted in came out with a wad of paper towels for us (of whom Madelyn later asks, "Was that girl a nice stranger?" :) ) and then used one of her own wet washclothes to clean her hands and face - so nice! Once we got a look at it though Ben and I knew that stitches were in order. :( So, I carried Madelyn home and on the way we talked about how the doctor needed to tell us how we should take care of it. She seemed okay with that, so we headed out to the urgent care clinic right away. She was a little sad because it hurt but did really well on the way to the clinic and decided on her own to ask Jesus to help her feel better and heal her owie. She then did an AMAZING job at the clinic - Thank you, God! I am truly proud of my BIG GIRL too! The nurses numbed up her chin and then rinsed it out. The doctor said she was going to put two stitches in, but then decided, when Madelyn was doing such a wonderful job of staying calm, to put four in to get it shut nicely. Madelyn is now saying, "The doctor made my owie smaller, so that it will heal up faster." :) Now we'll see how she wakes up in the morning! Hopefully her spirits will be as good as they were tonight about the whole thing! If you think about, say a quick prayer for her and the biggest owie she's had yet.... Thanks!

I love you, Dad!

Dear Dad,

I feel so privileged to be the daughter of Michael Alan Cobb. You were (and are) such a terrific dad and grandpa. You always took an interested in what I was doing but was always careful to give enough freedom to allow me to find myself. However, you were also stern when stern was needed! (I'm specificly remembering the late night outing that I wanted to take!) During our last trip to Grant, I loved watching you with your grandchildren. I can tell that you are little out of practice, but that you loved having them around too. I wish we lived closer to you and Mom... it would be such a blessing to see you and kids interact more often! I would also just love to sit and talk and be with you.... I love you, Dad.

Well, Dad, I had this great idea about putting together a picture collage and having it printed and framed and sent to you - something you could put by your computer and I could update every so often with recent pictures. It really was (and maybe is) a great idea.... in theory. So, I got the collage done, no problem. However, the project got stuck there until it was too late. :( I am still planning to follow through, I promise. Let's plan on me having it for you at Christmas, okay?

May 2008 Pics and Videos

I have new pics and video for May 2008 available. Here is the link to the pictures (the videos are below). We had a great time in May. We started the month in Grant and had a great time visiting with my family. After we got home, the kids and I were really getting into the warmer weather (albeit only in the upper 60*s to mid 70*s). We took a trip to Como Zoo and Conservatory. Both kids got something new to ride on; Greyson got a trike and Madelyn got a tag-along bike (that Ben attaches and pulls behind his bike and Madelyn absolutely loves! [Note to self: remember, "Dad, this new bike is SO FUN!"]) The flowers started blooming and the garden was planted. The Klocke Family came by to visit (thank you for stopping, Klocke's!). Madelyn discovered sprinklers and how fun they are to run in. Lastly, the kids "helped" wash the van to get it ready for our upcoming roadtrip to Petit Jean (which will have its own post soon! Promise!).

Como Conservatory - beautiful boy with beautiful flowers!

running in the sprinkler - new found fun

Madelyn's works of art - a dancer & an angel (yeah right!)

And a few videos for your viewing pleasure: