Open Book...

I've been thinking...


My life is an open book, except for what I can't put on my blog.

Traveling...

Tomorrow morning will find us on the road to Minnesota. It was a decision made only days ago when we learned that Tim father was scheduled for a biopsy of a mass they saw in his lung.

Tim's brother, Jeff, is flying in from Arizona (arriving Thursday) and Tim and Jeff's half brother, Ron, and half sister, Peggy, are also going to be there over the weekend. Tim's half sister, Pam, who lives near by in Minnesota that has graciously taken on the challenge of us staying at her home during the time we are there. It will be a short trip -- arriving late Thursday night and leaving Sunday morning -- but it will be worth the miles covered in a short time for everyone to be together right now.

Joshua 1:9
"Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest."


*This picture is of Tim's Dad and step mom taken October 2009 when we traveled there just before Jordan left for his mission to Brazil.

Kentucky Morn...

"...but joy cometh in the morning"

(Proverbs 30:5)

Clean Sweeping...

In the Valenta household we are still slowly, but surely, paring down the things that we no longer need or love. While we haven't made quite as many trips to Goodwill as we did several weeks ago we are still finding things that we can let go of. We've made good strides in our decluttering process and it feels so good!

Okay, here's the proof that I promised that even Tim got in on the clean sweep...

Yup, even HE decided to clean out the middle section of his dresser. What an amazing day this was as he rarely ventures into that black hole! But it is no longer a black hole but rather a greatly pared down, nicely organized space with only a fraction of what he had in there! YAY Tim! :)

And oh the treasures he found.....

I am pretty sure I am that someday I am going to be able to black mail him with this picture! :) (maybe today?)

*For the record, he kept his bronzed baby shoe but parted with the boy's old Scout neckerchief, the no longer used phone, the very outdated headphones and the wig. WHEW! Thank goodness. :)

What I Did On My Summer Vacation

School started for the kids last week. I don't know where the summer went but it is gone and now we are clock watchers once again. I loved the freedom summer brings and I will miss it terribly.

As summer bids goodbye I thought I would share a few of my favorite moments....

Admission of Guilt...

Abigail had some friends spend the night last night. This morning afternoon when they got up they began foraging for food after passing on my offer to make them something. They found Nutella in the pantry.

Abigail: Oh I found the Nutella! Jacob hid it!

Jacob (turning to me in the other room): I DIDN'T HIDE IT! I hate it when she assumes things! *I* didn't even put it away the last time I used it!!!

BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

I don't know WHY that struck me so funny other than it was just so funny to hear that admission of guilt from his own lips!

Happy 13th Birthday, Abigail!

ABS...

ABIGIRL...

ABBYSTRACT...

ABBY...

BEEBEEGAIL...

Officially a teenager....Yup, 13 years ago today our Miss Abigail came to join our family. What a thrill after having 4 boys! I can't believe that the once small baby (okay, she was never THAT small being born weighing 11 lbs. 11 oz.!) is now officially a teenager!

Watch out world, here she comes!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ABIGAIL! We love you so much and are wishing a day that is as beautiful as you are!

Mr. Mom

While I was recovering form my surgery in June Tim took Annah shopping for some shorts (and other unmentionables) that she needed for going to 4-H camp. That is usually my job but being that I wasn't up to the task Tim became Mr. Mom and fought his natural instinct to flee in the opposite direction of any store that isn't computer or hardware related. He even ended up going to more than one store with her! What a great dad he is!

As Annah was picking out shorts Tim wasn't sure what was "acceptable" in length. If he had his way she'd be wearing nothing but jeans but the fact was she needed something cooler than full length denim!

We love modern technology....Tim simply took a picture of the shorts with his iPhone and sent them to me where I, from the comfort of our home, could say yay or nay. :)

In this case I had to say, "She needs a smaller size!" (something every girl loves to hear!)

I am thinking that we should do all the back to school shopping this way.... What do you think, Mr. Mom?