If your a runner...

...don't stop running "for a while" just because you finished your race! Just keep running, just keep running, just keep running even if it is only a couple of miles a day, a couple of days a week! Last fall I ran a little local half-marathon, which took me 6 months to prepare for, and I was in great shape. I took what I thought was a little time off and then had a heck of a time getting back into it. Now I am starting to prepare for a distance relay and the Seattle Half Marathon and it is killing me. My legs HURT! Just a little complaining on my part...no more 3 month breaks!
This may just be a life lesson that I can apply to many aspects of life here at The Madson Home...It would be quite an uphill battle if I stopped doing laundry because I had finished it all...YIKES that's a scary thought!

How Do You Eat Your Dutch Babies?

The Princess and The Pea

Can you guess why she's pointing at her nose? That's right...she stuck a very large pea up her nose that had to get extracted via clinic suction thingy...That is 2 nose related visits in the last couple of months.

Welcoming Carmel

What can I say...I married a man who LOVES babies and animals...put them together and you have the above picture!

It isn't as if our life isn't crazy enough...

I feel like it is 5 to 1...5 yeses...and 1 no....Brant claims he is "not saying" his position...I am putting him on the yes side...way to go decision maker! We have a little date tonight to discuss this little life altering decision, so that Tage is not breathing down our necks begging and Benny is not running around the house saying PUPPY, PUPPY, PUPPY over and over again! Pray for us...me...I thought we were done with babies. :)

More tomorrow....maybe I can convince everyone to get a kittnen?

Baseball Card Redemption..and STUFF

After everyone went to bed last night I learned that my hubby is even more of an awesome dad! See, when he and Tage were in the midst of throwing away the cards all over the bedroom floor he told Tage that all the cards he had managed to get put away in the box he could keep. In the heat of the moment that did not lighten the mood or sooth the pain but later on in the evening after lots of tears, swimming lessons and dinner they were down stairs just boys and daddy, about to sit and watch the Mariners game...Brant suggested to Tage that he go and get the baseball cards that were spared and they would sit together and sort what was left and see if there were any Mariners in the lot. Sure enough there were and I think Tage may have a new found respect for his cards in addition to taking dad seriously. There are not nearly as many to manage so he can organize and sort much easier AND he so far is making a much more concerted effort to protect and collect those cards in a tidy little box...Some times we all get a little overwhelmed with an abundance of stuff. There is to much to deal with and no where to put things..Once again...GO DADDYO!

Hard Lesson For The Seven Year Old In Our Midst

I just witnessed my hubby play dad extraordinaire...even though it was hard to watch. Apparently he told Tage this morning before he left for work that all the baseball cards had to be picked up and put away by the time he got home or they were all going in the garbage. He came home went right to Tage's room and they were still strung all over the place! He went right to Tage and said I'm setting the timer for 5 minutes if the cards aren't put away they are going in the garbage. Well, as usual Tage went straight down stairs to get busy picking up and started playing, and when the timer went off Brant very coolly started picking up the cards and threw them all away (sorry Rick)...I wanted to cry because Tage came completely unglued emotionally...It actually was so sad, but a necessary lesson in obeying all the way, and right away. So, dinner will wait until after swimming lessons and I am hoping we have a little boy who's lesson turns into a desire to take dad seriously! GO DADDYO!

Looking After

What is my responsibility to children outside my home, city, state, country that don't have parents to cuddle them, love them, feed them, read to them, teach them, and train them? God tells us that we have have a responsibilty "..to look after orphans and widows in their distress..."James 19:27 What does that mean for Brant and I? I think the easy answer is ADOPT of course...however...we really feel at this time in our lives that our quiver is full. Also, the bible does not specify adoption as the means to "look after". Today as I was roaming my local blog roll I discovered that one of the orphanges in Ghana was robbed and the staff experienced severe brutality as a result...read here. The orphanage, who is already small and operating with minimal rescources, lost a great deal of money and assets that are very valuable to the successful adoption of these very needy children. My heart and eyes continue to pour and I truly feel it is time for us to step up to the plate and work to help make people aware of the crisis in Africa. We are not all called to adopt however, that does not mean we are not called to "look after", go read James.
Here are some ways you can start educating yourselves:
AAI
AHOPE
A Bushel and A Peck
Red Letters Campagin
There Is No Me Without You
Full House, Full Hands, Full Hearts

Here are some simple ways you can "Look After"
Pray
Donate (money, toys, clothes, medical supplies) to AAI or other agencies
Spread The Word -- Churches, Blogs, Email, Facebook, Good Ol' Fashoned Talking With People
Adoption...these wonderful little people do need families to love, love, love on them

BTW, for those of you who don't know, there is a real chance that Brant and I will soon be the UB (uncle Brant) and Auntie to at least one beautiful child from Ethiopia...keep praying!

Making Friends

This week the 3 big kids are attending Vacation Bible School in Cashmere. It is a really fun VBS, that is put on primarily by a big church out of Seattle with help from several small churches in Cashmere...its a BIG FUN VBS!!! I love it!

Anyhow, last year when we were new to the community it was such a relief to have a big VBS in such a small little town. Everyone participated, everyone knew each other and our kids were starving for fellowship so it didn't matter if they knew no one! We all have such wonderful memories of it, which really made it a "no brainer" that we would be doing it again this year. The kids have been hyped about it, partly I admit, because I have been super hyped about it. Well, yesterday was the first day and it started off a little rough for Tage. This is the first time I can honestly say that I felt a sad, deep, yet understanding pain for Tage in my gut. As he is getting older I am realizing that he needs just a couple very close friends to pal around with, not a bunch of acquaintances he runs into here and there. I also think he may be realizing it too. That is why I think yesterday was so out of whack for him. He got in the car with sadness and said there are no friends for him. I realized that he is seven and has gotten situated in our new community, has a couple of close buddies which is really all he needs and desires. I put him into a major social setting and had not properly prepared him for the week...then I felt even worse. SOOO today I took him back to VBS and chatted with this REALLY cool high school aged guy that seemed to really have a way with all the kids and asked him to kind of help Tage join in and participate in the games and such. Success! I picked up a very happy boy today who told me he made two friends that were even boys!

My point is this, making friends is such an important part of life and God has given us all strengths in different areas. Tage is and will be the most loyal friend a person can have. He will not have a lot of friends but he will deeply care for and love the friends he has. In the mean time, we will work graciously at helping him be comfortable making friends in larger groups of unfamiliar people.

I've Been Tagged -- Twice

I have been tagged by Signe at Cogito, and Melissa at My Life as Mom Photographer and Friend.
The six of you I am tagging need to answer both of these tags...I am double tagging you! Kelly, Paula, Amy, Janelle, Jen W., Jen E.

My Life In 6 Words:
Abundantly Blessed Lover Of Family/Friends

6 Unspectacular Quirks Of Mine:

• My favorite color is green
• I am a people person not a crowd person (just figured that out...wink wink Sig)
• I accomplish more if I have tons to do...
• So, I usually end up over committing...and not getting everything done...sorry hubby
• I love reading stories about people and their lives and cultures
• I hate water or anything wet on my face

The Rules:
1. Link the person(s) who tagged you
2. Mention the rules on your blog
3. Tell about 6 unspectacular quirks of yours AND 6 words that describe your life
4. Tag 6 fellow bloggers by linking them
5. Leave a comment on each of the tagged blogger’s blogs letting them know they’ve been tagged

Tage Turns 7 And 4th of July!

So if you haven't noticed we have a lot of birthdays from May to July! So here goes another....Mr. Tage our oldest turned 7 on the 4th of July! He shares July birthdays with me, his cousin Helen and his other cousin Bronwyn...so we try and do them all together and BIG on or around the 4th. This year we did it on the 4th with lots of partying with family and friends. We came to Moscow and celebrated birthdays with the fam and then celebrated the 4th with our friends the Williams. There was lots of people (mostly kids), food, soda (Tage had 3 Mtn. Dews and one Coke...YIKES), fireworks, basketball, and believe it or not a traveling ferris wheel. It was a blast and I think Tage really thought it was all for is birthday! He must think we are the coolest parents ever! Really, who gets unlimited ferris wheel rides pulled by a neat old farmer in a really cool old tractor!

Simon and Soren, Cousin and Best Buds

Officially 33

My "longest"friend Kim
Miss Vi waiting for her cupcake
Crazy Si
Ben quite impressed by the kid cakes!

It came and went...my birthday that is! After a long day of celebrating and enjoying my family and friends I have to say it is official, I am 33! Brant and I started with a hike this morning up Saddle Rock, followed by a delightful breakfast out...wowzers that only happens once in a blue moon! Then it was home to a decorated house (thanks to Michelle and the kiddos!), followed by a restful afternoon and a pool and pizza party at our friends Josh and Ashley's house. Aaahhh, what a wonderful day my love tank reads super-full in all it's areas and I am ready to tackle another year! Wooohooo for birthdays~!