So I'm home

unfortunately the rest of the kids were not here to be in the picture.
I miss them!!

Here I am, up here in Idaho. I love my house here, the fields ..which, to our dismay, are slowly developing into apartment complexes.. all the fun childhood memories that come back when I pull up into the driveway... my dog, my siblings, and my parents. This is home.

Mike and I came up for one of my cousins weddings and because of everything that is going on here now, and the fact that I wanted to see my Dad..because I love him and never get to see him. I stayed.

Let me just say that my parents are amazing people. My parents have always raised us the very best. Accepting of others, easy going with changes, very well rounded, always had exchange students growing up, traveled, just wherever we were with whoever we were around, we made it work!
We are far from normal, but we love each other a lot.

Recently my parents have opened there hearts up even more and are fostering two children.
The situation is difficult. Very hard.
My parents have already raised children, they were not expecting to have two more, with so many problems, at there age.

Things are pretty exciting around the house these days. Bite marks, bruises, screaming and running. Up at the crack of dawn making school lunch and doing little girls hair before leaving for school. And it wouldn't be a normal day if someone didn't poop in their pants or we didn't learn something exciting! .... like learning that little boy prefers to pee under the bed instead of in the toilet! Oh yeah, life is a party.

My parents are around the age of 60, and I am positive that they are the best, most caring, most loving parents in the world. They have had a lot of hard things in their lives, and a lot of good too, don't get me wrong! I mean, c'mon, I was born! Seriously though, to look at how strong and in love they are, and how they have made it through everything TOGETHER, just makes me smile every day. They are wonderful examples.
But my Mom, She is a wonder woman. I don't know how I will be as good of a mother as she is, but if I am half that, I will be happy. She is such a good person.

So here I am. I am home.
Home that now has little kids getting ready for school early in the morning.
Home that is full of kids doing homework in the evenings, and everyone pitching in to help out.
Home with kids screaming and fighting.
Home with loving parents making everything okay and loving everyone.
My home, that has always been full of happy kids, and grand kids.

So, for the past 2 weeks my Mom has had the two foster kids, and 4 of her 7 grand kids here visiting her. Which, my dear sisters, if you are reading this, made her happy every single day!

But my parents are at the age that they should be thinking about retiring one day, about serving a couples mission, about relaxing and having grandchildren over to visit for a while at a time and then sending home until time for another visit.
Bottom line, they should be acting like grandparents, not parents! But here they are, the amazing, wonderful, selfless, loving people that they are. making everyone happy.

I hope they are able to make themselves happy. All of this stress they have had on their shoulders for well over 7 years, has been difficult for them! My parents have been through a lot, and that is why it is important to me that they know how much I love and appreciate them, and how much I look up to them.

because they honestly are amazing. and, would beat your mom and dad in, the best mom and dad competition. Just saying.


So here are some shots of this weekend while Mikey was up here with us. He is seriously the greatest, aaand I'm such a lucky girl.
it's ok to envy me... I would!

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