He Comes and Goes

So he has been here for two days and I already am dreading him leaving. Everybody's whole attitude is different in the home. Everyone is happy and getting along (for the most part). I don't want to share him with his friends. He is going to be gone another 5 1/2 months before we see him again. WHAA
I didn't think it would be this hard when your kids leave the home. He is doing really well, school suits him and he is flourishing. He also appreciates home so much more.
We have lots of plans for his time here, but then we go back next Saturday to take him to the airport. I think we will all be sad to see him go.

Tyler's poem for Public Speaking class

I am the rabbit in the magician’s hat
I am the wind beneath your wings
I am the twinkle in your eye
I am brighter than the suns rays
I am the raisins on your raisin bread
I am as fresh as febreeze
I am the apple bottom jeans and the boots with the fur
I am the dew that lies gently on the grass on a quiet misty morning
I am Tyler Douglas Porter



Needless to say he had the whole class laughing.

Summer Fun?

OK so I know all of you will say a big fat "I told you so". So I thought summer vacation was going to be much more relaxing than it has been so far. Minus the great three days in Park City, it has been highly stressful and non stop running. Hopefully this week will be a little more relaxed but I am not holding my breath. All I really want to do is sit in my flower beds and pull weeds all day. Yeah, I know most of you are thinking......"and that is fun?" It is truly one of the most relaxing things I can do. Whenever I am stressed, I just walk outside and start pulling a few weeds. Yes I said pulling...not smoking.
This week is going to be filled with preparation, because Ty is coming home next Saturday. We are so excited. I know it is going to go way to fast, but hopefully we can savor every moment.
BTW did I tell any of you that I am going to do a luau with my neighbors next week. I am trying to learn all the dances. It is a lot of fun. We are doing it in the green chapel next Saturday night. Whoo hoo.
My lawn is starting to come in it is really exciting. The bummer is going out every 30-60 minutes and moving to hose. Yeah, I know...we should have put the sprinklers in first, but I was so tired of dirt and mud all over my hard wood floors I said, "let's just throw down some seed and go from there."

Reflections Back
As this day has been quickly approaching I have been a little surprised by my feelings that come with it. As you all know I am not the mother who sat weeping on the couch as my Kindergartner took his first steps on to the school bus, afraid that he didn’t need me anymore, that his attachment to me wasn’t as strong as it once was. Rather, I was the mom who invited all her friends over to celebrate the slight bit of freedom, I would get for 2 1/2 hours a day. I thought I would be doing the same as he takes his first steps alone out into the real world.
However, this day has filled me with so much apprehension that it kind of scares me to think of the attachment that I have grown to him. “He doesn’t need me anymore.” I know he does, especially when the funds are growing low. But, he doesn’t “need” me anymore.
I have been fortunate to have raised such a bright, honest, responsible, respectful and productive young man. He has exceeded any expectations that I could have hoped for. I am so proud to be his mom. I wish you could have all been with me this day to “celebrate” this slight bit of freedom.

The cutest kid on the block.

Here is my neighbor. He was one of the contestants in American Idol. We went up to Rexburg this weekend to watch him perform in "guitars unplugged", he was awesome. What a cute and humble kid. I think he will really go somewhere in this world. When he went to LA for American Idol, he wasn't very confident. Since then, he has grown so much, and he really shined on stage tonight. We are so proud of him.
If you ever have the chance to get up and see this event, it is well worth your time. We had so much fun, and there was a lot of talent.

Brady and Brittain

Ty and Syd

McKenzie and Landon

Where did the time go?

So I came across these pictures today when I was trying to finish my blog, and I thought....how is it possible that all these babies are people now? They have grown up so fast. They think for themselves they create problems for themselves and they make their own decisions.....for the most part. As a person there isn't much I regret. The mistakes I have made, I have learned from and the great decisions I have rejoiced in. But as a mother I always wonder...Have I done enough? Have I listened enough? Am I there for them enough? I don't think there is a mother on this Earth that hasn't questioned their abilities as a mother. Do you think it is our conscience asking those questions, so that the next day you wake up you try a little harder?
I know I wasn't a great mom to Tyler. I made mistakes. I spanked to quickly, I yelled to often, I was to impatient. But he always tells me that I was great. Hopefully they forget all the mistakes we made, as we forget what little stinkers they really were.

Excitement

I can barely contain myself. I put my exchange student on the plane today. I don't think you can understand the relief I feel. It wasn't a horrible experience, but it left a lot to be desired. Just one more kid to cart around and one more mouth to feed. And like all kids they are great at consuming but they really suck at replenishing. He wasn't a defiant kid or even rude, but he was an 18 year old male, the only things he thought about were girls and cars.
I am looking forward to school being out. This week I have two baseball games. I am instructing for three days at the tennis club. We still have soccer. And I also have scouts. Next week we have a zoo trip, eighth grade graduation, the end of the year carnival and four more baseball games.
Oh how I am looking forward to warm weather and sleeping in. I am tired of fighting the bed-time thing, since my kids are still in school and the rest of the neighborhood is out and can stay up later.
Woo-hoo schedules to the wind and no more HOMEWORK!

The Bison Migration

This trip started off like every other trip to West Yellowstone. Nothing out of the ordinary, until our way back home. A herd of Bison decided to make it's way further down the park so it took a short cut, the road. They were so close to the van I thought they were going to poke me in the butt, (I was sitting on the window ledge to get a better picture). Andrew almost reached out and petted a baby as it walked by, but the dad was right behind giving him the eye. About a third of the herd was made up of babies.
It was amazing to be so close to such an awesome and powerful creature. It was definitely the highlight of the trip.