Five year old trip!

Two weeks ago, Caroline finally had her chance to go on a five-year-old trip with MawMaw and PawPaw. She was excited and ready for months, but as the time drew near she began to worry about actually leaving the comfort and security of home (mostly her mama, of course!). So, she decided to take a little piece of home along with her in the form of her big, strong brother, Travis. She told me she was certain that snuggling up next to him at night would "bring her comfort", and he was happy to oblige. They had a fabulous time at Great Granny's house playing in the creek (where Blake's little bridge that he built back during his five-year-old trip still stood, along with the bridge that Travis and Sam built 4 years ago during one of our visits there!), eating Granny's "feasts!", mining (and actually finding!) rubies and sapphires and going out for dinner and a movie. It was a great few days full of memory-making, which is a MawMaw and PawPaw specialty!

And on either side of the trip, we got to have a little fun with them ourselves. The little kids put them to work as soon as they arrived!



 playing "Claw", a MawMaw/Kyker (and neighborhood!) kid favorite!





A fun time was had by all, as usual!

City girl for a weekend

A few weeks ago I had the very rare and wonderful opportunity of jetting off to Chicago on a whim to witness my lifelong friend birth her first child. I felt completely out of my element from the very beginning (booking a flight on a Friday morning? For that very afternoon? By myself?! Weird.), but any doubt that I had was gone by the time I got to the hospital at 10:00 that evening (ok, by the time I got on the plane - but leaving was really hard for me!).

The details of the labor and birth are not mine to record, but I do want to remember all that I learned during the experience of helping my friend through that difficult time. I've repeatedly read of the value of support during labor and I was able to see first hand just how true it is. When I put myself in the situation, I know how much I would want to have someone there with me who really, truly understood my desires and goals and could help me reach them as much as the situation would allow me to. The experience definitely nurtured my desire to pursue doula training one day (you know, when I can regularly leave my home at the spur of the moment for unknown lengths of time...) and also fed my recent obsession with birth photography.



 On another note, my big city experience was made complete when I took three modes of public transportation and all for the first time. I chuckled through my first taxi ride as Lee tracked the route our driver was taking with her iPhone (I know she was worried that he might be taking us off course to some obscure location with intent to cause us harm - or at the very least taking us the long way and ripping us off). I tucked my phone safely into my purse (at Lee's insistence) while we rode the city bus straight through the ghetto, and I navigated my way to O'Hare on the L train while pondering the possibility of a terrorist attack occurring while I was stuck on the elevated tracks (this thought was generously planted into my head by none other than Lee). I pretended for a little while that I was a city girl and that experiences such as these were commonplace for me, but the truth is that I was pretty darn glad to get off of that plane and see six sweet faces holding their homemade "Welcome Home, Mommy!" banner.


A heartfelt thank you to my friend who invited me into such a sacred time, and to my sweet husband who was so willing to be Mr. Mom for the weekend. I almost wish that he would have struggled just a tiny bit more,  but the truth is that he's just really great. It was a weekend that I will never forget.

World Domination

The game Risk has become the hot thing around here lately. It's not unusual for a game to last several hours and, sometimes, even a couple of days.  I mean, you can't study Napoleon Bonaparte and not at least try your hand at conquering the world, right?

So this is what I saw yesterday afternoon as the two-day long game was winding to an end. Travis had whittled the game down from five players to just one (originally Sam, but Caroline had come in for relief). He owned the entire world and was closing in on Australia, the one continent that remained. I came in to watch it all go down and found this:

And heard this, "When it comes to world domination, you either go big or stay at home." Australia didn't have a chance.

Molting

This school year we're using Apologia's Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day for our science. We read a portion of our chapter and then the kids will take turns narrating back to me in their own words what we've read. Our most recent lesson had us learning about the molting process of feathered creatures, when the light bulb suddenly turned on for Sam. He said, "Hey! Birds aren't the only things who molt - we do, too!" I was going to agree with him (assuming he was talking about the fact that our skin replenishes itself every day), when he continued, "You know, cause our teeth fall out and then grow back in again!"

It makes sense coming from a kid who is about to "molt" his seventh and eighth teeth.

Keeping it real

The guessing game has begun... will it be another boy that sends the already heavily weighted scales crashing down on the boy side, or will we get to pull out the newborn girl bin (full of perfect condition cuteness!) for only the second time in Kyker family history? I know from experience how completely awesome little boys are, so I could never be anything but thankful for another little mischief maker like the four that we already have. However, I've also gotten a taste of the sugar and spice that little girls bring to the mix and more of that would be delightful! Assuming that we're not going to be blessed with the kids desire (one of each), Caroline and I have been talking a lot lately about our thoughts on the matter.

The other night she and I were reminding each other of the fact that God knows exactly what is best for our family and has already chosen the perfect baby for us. We were making plans for how we would arrange everyone if we added a fifth boy and then also talking about a future room for her and a possible little sister when she confessed that she really, really, really wanted a baby sister (yes, she did say "really" three times). She said, "If it is a boy I will throw myself on the ground and wail. Just for a minute, and then I'll be fine. And I know I will adore him. But I will wail."

At least she isn't dramatic. Love that girl.

Summer 2010: part two

The rest of our summer was a buys whirlwind of activity so I'm sure I'll leave something out of this account, but lets try to hit a few highlights.

The end of June brought us the joy of living near family for the first time! Ron and Jenny-Lynn moved to Travelers Rest with their three sweet ladies and have made moments like this a regular occurence:


We are so glad that our kids will get to grow up with cousins close by and we're kinda loving all of the fun that comes with last minute dinner dates, coffee nights and even camping trips! The babysitting exchange is pretty handy, too. Mom and Dad came for a visit shortly after they moved in and while I know they love the easy access to two sets of grandkids in one trip, they were feeling the pressure to learn how to divide the time "fair and square". No one has ever had to share Maw Maw and Paw Paw before! Though honestly, there are worse things in life than being "fought" over by these cute little faces!

We got to spend July 4th with the whole Kyker-side bunch in Balsam, NC. Our weekend was filled with good ole' fashioned three legged races, sack races, relay races, corn hole tournaments, card games and, of course, Ga Ga's famous BINGO games, complete with an overflowing basket of prizes for every winner. Bruce and Kelly let the kids go crazy decorating the car for the Balsam Mtn. car parade and piled them all in there for the ride down the mountain. They sang God Bless the USA at the top of their little lungs as they waved to all the spectators. It was the perfect small town Fourth of July, to be sure. The great mountain house was busting at the seems with our wild and crazy crew (and no, there was NEVER any chaos and mayhem going on after midnight), but it was a good time had by all.



 

August sent us south bound to Florida, where we got to celebrate Grandpa Shook's 90th birthday. Mom planned quite a bash that pretty much surprised the socks off of Grandpa. 
                          
 The party was held in a museum where Grandpa has volunteered his time and donated memorabilia from his days as a Hump Pilot in World War II. He was absolutely in his element and loved every moment of being celebrated. I can pretty easily get all wrapped up in the sheer amount of effort that it takes to make a trip like that happen with this many "cats" to herd, but once we were there we agreed that it was worth every second. 




After our time on the east side of Florida, we crossed the state to visit Grandpa Shepard. It had been a while since we had seen him and we wanted to introduce him to our little John Shepard. He has a fondness in his heart for Jimmy from all of those summers he spent filling up a wagon of Grandpa Jack's garden vegetables and selling them door to door to all of the neighbors, and that fondness has extended over to Jimmy's kids.



We were thankful to have that time with two of our sweet grandparents, and were encouraged to be reminded of the good care that our parents take of their parents. One day it will be our turn to care for them and they've given us a wonderful example.

Our summer was full of family, friends and good times, just the way a summer should be. Foot loose and fancy free is our aim for summertime, but by the end of August we were all looking forward to buckling back down and embracing our routine again. Details about our school year will be coming soon!







Shoe love

Jack got new shoes last week and they are his favorite possession. They are the very first thing he goes for every morning and they must go on his feet right away. Shirt? Nah, he doesn't need one. Clean diaper? No diaper! He doesn't care. As long as he has his beloved shoes, all is right with the world.

Want to make God laugh?

Tell Him your plans.



That's how the saying goes, right? Well, we're pretty sure God was having a little chuckle back about 13 years ago when we decided that five kids seemed like the perfect number for us. We've always held our own plans loosely, knowing and believing full well that His plan for us would always be far better than anything we would dream up on our own. And here we are, surprised by the existence of sweet little Six, grateful that the Lord doesn't hold us to the plans that we make but willingly gives us what He knows that we need.  Another newborn to admire. Another toddler to adore. Another wild and crazy kid to add to the fun and celebrations. Another family at the Thanksgiving table 30 years from now. Another friend. Yes, that is exactly what we need and we are thankful and happy.


Here is a sweet, fragrant mouth to kiss, here are two more feet to make music with their pattering about my nursery. 
Here is a soul to train for God, and the body which it dwells is worthy of all it will cost, since it is the abode of a kingly tenant.
I may see less of friends, but I have gained one dearer than them all, to whom, while I minister in Christ's name, I make a willing sacrifice of what little leisure for my own recreation my other darlings had left me.
Yes my precious baby, you are welcome to your mother's heart, welcome to her time, her strength, her health, her most tender cares, to her lifelong prayers!
Oh, how rich I am, how truly, how wondrously blest! 

Stepping Heavenward