The week that was ... thank goodness!

Last week is behind me, and life is soon to become like a well-orchestrated Olympic Closing Ceremony. Or something close to that anyway!

I began the week with a sense of anticipation, truly excited about everything that would be happening. It's just too bad that exhaustion soon took over my body, and by Thursday I went through the motions in a stupor.

Exactly one week ago, volleyball overtook our home with a vengeance! We welcomed two college volleyball players into our home for one week. Local GC players hosted players who traveled from a distance. They enjoyed day-long practices and conditioning all week. Wednesday night I provided a cook-out at the lake for the team. All 12 players spent the night at the cabin and then met me at the Essenhaus for breakfast buffet. Had to introduce some of them to good ol' amish cooking! :) In the meantime, I began middle school volleyball practice on Monday. So each day I attempt to capture the attention of 10 middle school, high energy girls, and teach them the finer points of the awesome sport of volleyball!

Friday evening Alli invited about 20 kids to our house for a cookout. She did a great job of taking care of almost everything for the evening. I only had to help her put out a wonderful little grease fire on the grill! A few singed arm hairs later, and the burgers were well-done! All evening I waged an inner-battle ... do those two bushel of apples sitting in my garage, or find some quiet day next week to complete the task? To do or not to do, that was the question! Finally at 8:00pm, I carried those apples inside and started to make applesauce. By 12:30am I was putting the last clean dish away, and was looking through my tired eyes at 36 qt. of the best applesauce I think I've ever made! Last year my Aunt Lydia Ann told me I should try Ginger Gold. What a great piece of advice! It is so thick and a pretty color (much prettier than the pic shows)!


Of course my good friend that moved to Iowa called and was coming into town for a wedding, and said she could squeeze me in for a 7:00am breakfast on Saturday! I couldn't pass up this chance to catch up with her, so after a long 5 hours of sleep I drug my rear out of bed and headed to town! Thank goodness she's a good friend and doesn't really care what I look like or how many cups of coffee I drink! After a short morning nap, I headed outside to give some attention to my poor neglected flower beds and garden, mowed the lawn, and then "crabbed" at my hubby when he got home later in the afternoon. You know ... "where have you been all day????" He is such a loving a patient man! He scampered away with the two youngest and several of their friends to spend the evening at the lake tubing and having fun! Awwww, some nice quiet moments for this woman!

And on to Sunday, the day of rest, thus saith the Lord! Another cookout/swimming party for the college volleyball team, at our house. Followed in the evening with an impromptu popcorn party for 10 of Alli's friends. During all of this chaos, we were attempting to help Mitch pack his big red truck, Clifford, for his long-distance move to college. No need to hurry on this one, classes don't start 'til Monday morning. And sometime he'll need to pay a visit to the bookstore for his books. I say textbooks are overrated, just listen to lectures! Also on this blessed Lord's day, Alli wanted her college comforter washed and hung on the line in preparation for moving the next day. Do you think our Amish neighborhood will ever be the same again?

Did I mention that for the last two weeks I have been staying up into the weeee hours of the morning watching the Olympics? Why do they always save the best events and finals for after 11:00pm? Last night I celebrated the closing ceremonies! I twirled and cartwheeled my old and tired body, because I figured that I would finally be able to go to bed at 11:00! But you'll never believe what I found after the 11 o'clock news ... a Special Edition Olympic highlight show. Here's the punch line ... it was sponsored by Ambien! Huh??? (for those of you who don't know, Ambien is a drug for people who can't sleep) I say forget the Ambien, just quit showing anything to do with Olympics already!!! And I'll sleep just fine!

Today I'm busy helping the last of our college students move back to school. Our two volleyball guests left this morning, and Alli & I are loading our vehicles as I post. I will drop her stuff off on the way to my first volleyball game.

Those of you with the busy life of small people ... Hang On Tight!!! It only gets more exciting! But you know what? I wouldn't trade my life for anything! Everyone is healthy and happy, most of the time. Oh yeah, the healthy part ... on Friday I found out I will have elbow surgery later this fall. Maybe that's how I'll finally capture my rest!

Life with almost grownups!

A glimpse of what happens when your kids begin to grow up.

Thursday night, late because Mitch had to finish something on his truck, Dave & him left for his first official college visit. And this happened only because we forced the issue. Mitch is thinking he has at least until next August to visit and decide on a college! Anyway, they headed south to Vincennes to check out the "college of choice" on Mitch's very short list. Vincennes is the university where Mitch received a one-year paid scholarship, because of his first place finish at the state level, at Skills USA last spring. He competed in a Small Engine Technology contest. So ... anyway, off they went, about a 5 hour drive. Spent several hours on campus, and then had to hurry back home so Mitch could go to bed early. Yeah right! Remember he's 17! He said he needed to sleep so he wouldn't fall asleep in his tree stand this morning. Don't all of you know that today was a Deer Hunter's Holiday???? It is the opening day of shotgun season! WooHoo! I'm really not sure what time he went to bed, but it wasn't before midnight, thanks to the company of Tucker and making food, banging pots and pans in my kitchen! He was up bright and early at 6:00am to hit the tree stand. I texted him (the only way to communicate with him) about 10:00am and asked if he was OK. His reply - "No, I'm dead"! I know I've got to quit worrying so much. So what if he's all alone in a big woods with a huge powerful shotgun. Why should I worry, I put him in God's hands many years ago! Today he didn't get anything, but there's still many weeks left! Tonight, as Mitch was leaving for a rodeo, he asked/told me he's going to ride a bull! I, as any loving Mother would do, hit the roof! He laughed and told me he couldn't anyway, since he's not 18 yet. So, I've only got until February to NOT worry about bull riding!

Then our other adult, Alli, came to our house tonight with her wonderful friend, Kyle. (see, I said I'd use your name) We had promised her a double date to Olive Garden for her birthday, which was on October 31. Olive Garden is her favorite spot! So off we went, and her wonderful roomie, Jocelyn, stayed with Kevin & Abbi. There is something so rewarding, when as parents you can sit and have adult conversation that has meaning, with your very own child. Yes, I remember the days when we couldn't even "reason" with her ... but that was a long time ago! We actually reminisced about the dreaded wooden spoon. And Alli told Dad about the time that her and Mitch took the spoon to the fire pit and burned it! I knew about this, but obviously Dad didn't. We had a good laugh about that one. When we got home, Abbi & Jocelyn had made brownies and had Abbi's bunnies in the house and were just having a great time!

So that was life for our Big kids this week. Oh and I almost forgot ... ND won! wow!