A Memorable Memorial - Part 2

The saga continues....

Friday night after the birthday road trip, we learned that my youngest brother, Joe, and his girlfriend, Carly, had gotten engaged! There's no date set yet, but I am beyond excited! What a day, I thought, tomorrow should be calmer. We stayed up late that night watching Netflix to squeeze the most out of the day. I always seem to regret staying up late! I should have known better, since we had plans to head to a cousin's graduation party the next afternoon.

Carly and Joe

Around 1am I was startled off the couch by cries coming from the boy's room. It was Liam. I spent the next three hours trying to figure out what was wrong and comforting him. I thought at first it was a bad dream, but he kept jumping awake like something hurt. I then suspected it was his belly until he started holding his ear and his throat. Ah, he's probably getting a cold, I thought. He screamed bloody murder when I got out the throat spray, so I poured a little in a medicine cup and had him sip it. Nothing seemed to help. Ian woke up around 4am crying, also needing me. In desperation I warmed up some olive oil, dropped it in Liam's ear, and gave him some Tylenol. He finally slept.

My poor baby!

Saturday morning I was up around 8am with Ian again. I hadn't got the chance to pick up Eli's gift the day before, and it was the last day of the grill sale. I decided to run out with Ian before everyone woke and grab a Weber grill quick. Who grabs a Weber quickly, you ask? Crazy, slightly addled, sleep deprived mamas do! I also picked up some flowers for by the back door, a couple hanging baskets for the front porch, and then decided to pick up a prescription from the pharmacy that I hadn't been able to get the day before. I was able to make it home and assemble the grill before anyone else woke up.

Ready to plant!

 I've already seen hummingbirds drinking from these flowers!

When Liam woke I noticed he had blood crusted on the side of his face and blood trickling out of his ear. I couldn't see anything inside and called my Mom to see if something had happened the day before. No, he had been fine. Maybe I just hadn't seen it in the night? Eli woke shortly after, and his grill surprise was muted by me running Liam to the emergency room. Liam was such a good, brave boy, though he never spoke above a whisper while the nurses or doctor were around. We found out he has swimmer's ear (external ear infection) and acute pharyngitis. We headed back to the pharmacy to get more medicine. And then I decided to plant some flowers while Eli got ready to head out. In hindsight, I probably should have waited since we were supposed to be leaving for a graduation party soon. I think I was trying to inject some sanity into the day. Digging in the dirt is like therapy for me.

I can't wait for the alyssum to fill in!

We loaded up the van for another long road trip to the graduation party. It was about the same distance away as the Amana Colonies was. They live on a farm, and the boys had a blast running, checking out the pigs and sheep, terrorizing cats, and disappearing into machine sheds they weren't supposed to be in. We left around 8pm amid protests and cries that they wanted to live there forever. It cemented more firmly in our minds the conviction that it is an acreage that we're on the hunt for, even though we may have to wait a little bit longer and be patient with this tiny little house. Just a little bit longer.

On the road!

Boys! Four are ours, two are cousins.

What are you looking at?

Does he bite?

 Grandpa Bucky and Ian

Ian staring down cousin Jenna. They really love each other!

 I don't know about all this...

 Cake!

Today (Monday) after the rain had passed, I went out and finished planting the garden (zucchini, squash, beans, and cucumbers). I planted a couple hanging baskets for the deck (alyssum that will withstand the scorching summer sun that the deck gets). I also planted some basil by the back door. Eli came out and helped me get half the chicken wire fencing around the garden. Tomorrow we'll have to get more fence posts. My favorite time of year is upon us and it's shaping up to be a great summer!

And a gorgeous sunset to end the day!

While I don't personally know anyone who has lost their life in service to our country, our families are studded with veterans, including my own husband and father. Never take the sacrifices of others for granted!