previously unpublished pictures from my phone

I am always taking pictures on my phone.  I post about half of what I take, usually, maybe even less.  I thought I'd share about those today, because it's Wednesday, it's hot, I'm tired still, and I don't know what else to write about.

Last Wednesday was a rough parenting day.  All the kids at my house that day were fighting over stupid things (x box), and I might have kicked them all out.  As in, I made them turn the game off and go outside to play basketball.  Graham was about to be going to the church, and I made him take them all with him.  Jonah stayed here to decompress a bit, then Drew came home and joined us.

Later on I took him and Drew to the church (Drew didn't want to drive his truck), dropped them off, then pulled around to the shade in back of the church and sat in quiet.  In those moments, I prayed, asking God to show me if it was ME, or if it was the kids, and He did reveal to me a few things.  After about fifteen minutes of quiet, I drove back around to my normal side that I park on, and went in for a meeting.  I felt much better.

Meanwhile, this was where I sat and how I felt about my mom skills that day.

Not my best day.  #keepingitreal

I am thankful it got a lot better, and after some of that quiet, I realized I was in a bad mood.  I have to say here that there are always kids in and out of my home during the summer, and sometimes, I just need it to be us.  I love having their friends here all the time, but sometimes that can be a LOT of testosterone in the house, and words fly, and moods can change really fast.  We've actually had this happen in the past and two times, it resulted in fighting.  (Physical fighting, between one or two of mine and one extra.)  I try to be observant and catch it quick, so that doesn't happen again.

My friend Marissa posted this a couple days ago.  This is part of my family on the Navajo reservation.  I love these people and really wish I was there with them.

Next year.

I've resorted to taking screen shots of the boys Snapchats.

(Drew in the bus with some of the kids on their bus route.)

I caught this perfectly amazing picture of Crash yesterday when I was talking to one of girls from church.  He's twinning with the dog in the background.

I went outside to read for a while on Monday.  I was so cold, and it was a beautiful day.  Right after this, I thought I felt a spider on me, and started itching and went back inside.  It was nice while it lasted.

Todd and Noah went to some yard sales Saturday morning and found this cross for me.  Isn't it pretty?  Well, I ended up using it yesterday, to bury a cat for our neighbors, whose three cats Jonah and Noah are watching.  My stepdad came to town to bury her, and we used this as a grave marker to show them where she was.

It's been a week!  From multiple leaks and repairs in our house, and hundreds of dollars spent on repairs, to the unexpected death of a neighbor's elderly kitty, I feel we have run the gamut of emotions this week.  I am looking forward to an easy going day, a good dinner, and another family night at home.

Also, I miss my older boys.  I finally talked to both of them yesterday and after last night's conversation with Drew, I almost cried.  It is still really weird and strangely quiet minus them and their ever-present friends.

Thanks for reading!  Love to all.