It’s been a doozy of a couple weeks.
Father’s Day was also Blaine’s birthday. The three oldest left that morning for rodeo Bible camp.
Father’s Day 2020
Sterling won the steer riding champion belt buckle. Liberty and Eden came home scraped up, bruised, and sore. Eden had a bull hook her with his horn and toss her across the arena. The video (linked below) is appalling and gasp worthy. She later got stepped on behind the ear. I saw that one in person. That gave her the most grief. The scrape has healed. The headaches continue. Liberty had her leg kicked sideways and she limped for a few days. She’s back to normal expect for the scrapes now.
Rodeo Bible Camp Mt Vernon, MO 2020
I can’t find the draw in any of it. It just looks like guaranteed pain. Eden bought Liberty and herself ropes. They plan to do team roping next year. I’m thankful. Sterling can’t get enough of the steer riding but he seems to be better built at it. Or he’s small enough he just bounces. I’m not sure.
Link to video of Eden’s bull hook.
The kids got back Wednesday night. Friday Liberty turned 17. That one is still the hardest to comprehend. Not sure how she got so old.
My parents came Friday afternoon for the weekend. Saturday Liberty finally got to celebrate her much-delayed graduation. Our co-op had a lovely outdoor ceremony. Afterward we all went out for lunch at a fun restaurant. Last time we did that was a few kids ago. I won’t tell how much that cost us, but it was staggering. It won’t happen again anytime soon. Maybe by the time Eden graduates.
Graduation Day June 27, 2020
Sunday was Creed’s baptism. I’m glad my parents got to be here for it. They left Monday morning. It was a far easier goodbye than normal because we plan to head to South Dakota to visit them and the four older kids get to go to church camp there in a few weeks.
Tuesday (yesterday) was Elliot’s kindergarten graduation. The co-op did a little park celebration. It was sweet and fun and then it rained. We sat under our canopy that I bought for Liberty’s graduation fearing the sun that never was that day and stayed dry visiting with friends. It was a nice time. All the photos of that are on Blaine’s camera. I’ll try to add one when I get them.
Now, I sit and reflect on it all with a newborn on my lap. Life is so strange. I’m thankful for arms full of baby as I look at one fairly adult child, so many middles, and not so many littles. The end of homeschooling my oldest is an accomplishment, and it passed so very fast. I wonder if I did enough, and contemplate what should change with the others. We are wading through transcripts and a college application to the tech college she’s been dual enrolled with, and wonder what the future holds. Parenting teens is no joke. I’d take the toddler years over the ache of watching my teens grow up any day.
Photo taken by Sterling at Liberty’s graduation.
The days are often so slow, but the years pass by incredibly fast.
Oh my, that was a bit too much excitement. Eden must be pretty tough to get back up there and keep going. OUCH!!
Congratulations to Liberty on her graduation. Congratulations to Sterling on his win also.
Wow! Miss Ellie has also graduated Kindergarten. Congratulations to Ellie as well.
You all have had some nice celebrating.
How did Eden manage to stand right up afterwards? That’s amazing…it’s her youth, I guess. Wow, so many milestones for your family. I think you must be right about toddlers vs teens. At least it’s enjoyable to be with the littles, whereas with teens they don’t even want to be with you… Well, that’s how it is for my sister with her 14 and 13 yr old. But you’re talking about something else and I can only try to imagine what it must be like to let your grown baby go. Oh, but whatever comes next, I’m sure you’ll find the blessing in it. Glad for the happiness of your family!