Two Days

3 suitcases.
3 RedBox DVD's.
3 kids.
2000 miles.
First official family trip.



What's wrong with this picture?



I'm not sure which was more exciting--going to Wall Drug, or seeing a real Jackalope:



Nostalgia found. Minuteman missile station bunkers.




Door to underground missile control unit



A mere three inches of glass separates these three from an intercontinental ballistic missile.



The Badlands speak for themselves.





Crazy Horse



Reptile Gardens




Sturgis. The infamous Knuckle Saloon.



I have no idea.



Devil's Tower



And the boys admiring it while we took pictures



Random wildlife. The mountain goat was standing in an island in the road just outside Mt. Rushmore.
The longhorns were in a field just outside the Devil's Tower area.

Five Minutes

Then we shaved the 'hawks to match the rest of their #2 hair.

First Harvest

Made some rhubarb cake with these lovelies:




And combined these with shrimp, served over cheese grits:



These are the rhubarb plants, for those who wondered (the stalks are still fairly short-we're just starting around here):

Waterbed

Explains why our water pressure was lousy when we turned the sprinklers on for the summer.

Mama Bear

I sat in the car and waited for Kalvin to finish playing on the playground with his friends today. 

School was officially out for the day, and so was the sun. 

I read the mail. 

Soon a teacher was standing by my car, Kalvin at her side.

She said he couldn't play outside anymore if I sat in the car.

Evidently there was an attempted child abduction outside today. Yikes!!!

We sat down with the boys tonight.

Said a prayer.

And had a nice long talk with them about strangers.

I dreaded the talk. It makes me feel icky inside even thinking about stuff like that.

I love those three little boys so much. If anything ever happened to them...

Our three little musketeers were very attentive and really responded to what we were saying. They really seemed to grasp all that we talked about. 

If there was ever a time that I have prayed that they would really, really listen to their Dad and I, this was it.

I just hope that they never need to use this knowledge.

So anyone that ever even thinks of doing anything to one of these boys-

This Mama Bear is on the lookout!

Kid-isms

The boys have given us a few good laughs this week with their words and thoughts:

As I was taking Kalvin to school, he told me that

"I might have the best memory in the family. I'm like a camera!"

He then proceeded to show me by shutting his eyes as we passed a restaurant parking lot.

He said, "See-I remember that there are three red cars in that parking lot. And at least one of them was a truck!"

Xander pointed out a "Post Wagon Bug" that he saw.

(a VW bug)

Kalvin complained that he "only got TWO hours of sleep all night because of Talmage's crying".

(The night Mr T. hemorrhaged and we called 911. Kalvin didn't know we had 6 rescue workers at the house for over a half hour. He was asleep!)

And Talmage has said every night at bedtime this week that he is still hungry.

And so he's managed to eat another full meal before going to bed. 

Guess he's making up for not eating during his recovery...

I'm Frustrated

I can't talk particulars, but

I just want "IT" to be over.

The frustrations of IT ebb and flow.

Some days, weeks, or even for a month-nothing.

Then the drama comes back in full force.

There has been no resolve yet.

Just around and around we go with those involved.

I will say-

IT does not consume our lives minute to minute.

Rather, it has helped Matt and I gain new perspective-

Who we are.

How strong we can (have) be(come).

Only our family matters.

But 

IT has reared it's ugly head again this week.

I felt like I had accepted IT and whatever will be thrown at us.

Now I'm not so sure.

There is a new wrench in the works.

Everything we have done to try and bring resolve to the situation has essentially been thrown out the window.

What's going to happen?

IT only knows.