The news from the doctor was that everything was fine with Kevin.

Is it possible that my laundry is just about all caught up??? I don't think I've seen the floor under or around my laundry hampers(s) in 4 years, and today, I am just 3 loads away from being ALL DONE!!! What an accomplishment! I would stand up and take a bow if I weren't in cyberspace. And just in time, too. With the month of September rapidly approaching we will soon be taking down winter clothes and putting away the summer ones. And now they are all washed for that task. **BIG SIGH**

However, the house still feels trashed (bits and pieces of laundry here and there that didn't get put away yet) and we have the youth girls of M&M coming over tonight. So I've still got dishes to do, the kitchen to clean up and the children have their regular chores to do. Once that is done we really will be presentable.

Checked out a car today at our mechanic but he said that it sounded like there might be something wrong with the transmission and it was going to need new front and rear breaks soon (although not immediately) and felt the asking price wasn't worth paying. So, back to the drawing board.

In the meantime, we are continuing to pray - that we will manage with the vehicle we have until the Lord provides us with something affordable that is worth the money.

Letting my children go out into the world is never easy for me. Today is no exception. My 18 year old and 13 year old daughters began detasseling today, a job that usually lasts for about 3 weeks. For those of you not from Corn Country, in order for the corn to germinate and not cross pollinate (or whatever) there is a tall straight thing that grows up from the top of the stalk called the tassel. This must be pulled off before it pollinates the other rows of corn. There is a small window of opportunity when it is to be pulled. This is what my girls are doing today.

You walk down the long rows of corn (getting eaten by bugs, scorched by the sun and cut by the blades of corn), reach up, pull off and go the next stalk. You start around 6am in the field (leaving from your pick up point around 5:30 or so) and might not come home til 4pm and you work every day, rain or shine until the fields are done. You almost always have to do every field twice, the second time a few days later (some tassels are not up when you first go down the rows) but you don't want to have to go back a 3rd time, that usually means that too many were left unpulled from before.

For 13-16 year olds it is good money for a short summer job (usually $7 + per hour) but the work is kind of grueling.

So, I just came back from dropping them off at the bus (a local teacher from the junior high leads a team into the fields) armed with insect repellant, sunscreen, a plastic bag to cover them and protect them from the wet morning corn, their water and lunch and mp3 players - feeling a little sad and lonely (I know, there are still 6 children in the house) looking forward to the 9th of August when ALL my little ones will be at home with me once again - at least for a time!

Well, Hannah's room has been rearranged and cleaned and has had her 1000 year old computer tossed. I removed the hard drives and just found out about a cord that plugs into the hard drive and the other end plugs into a USB port so I can transfer her data without having to use the computer. YAY!!

So, the morning will be for working on the other bedrooms. It's late and I'm tuckered. Just wanted to log that I did what I set out to do today. It doesn't happen often so I'm excited!!!

Oh what a disappointment...the waterslide does not stay inflated. The company doesn't have anything that will seal the seams and I think that is where air is leaking out. The patch we put on seems to be holding very well, but when the kids climb on it, it just sort of crumbles. Oh what sadness!

On to phase 2 for summer fun and cooling. (wish I knew what phase 2 was!!!!!!!!)

By 'around here' I mean in this part of the midwest. Most of Iowa (and the highways) are under water and in our little section of the globe, folks living by the river are warned they may be evacuated. Apparently, this is the worst flooding since 1993, but we were in ND then so I know nothing about it.

Well, our trip to Colorado this summer for a reunion with Kevin's family is pretty set. His brother has booked the place (a large lodge...there will be 21 of us, our 10, his middle brother (who is paying for the lodging), his younger brother, wife and 7 children - 2 sweet Ethiopian treasures they just adopted - plus his mom. We had such a BLAST 2 years ago when we got together.

Hannah texted me last night to see if we could host a team for New Life Drama Company the night before we leave!! So I'm thinking, if we are all packed and the van is ready to be loaded - WHY NOT?!?! What's another 6 adults? And these kids are sooo great and we love them all soo much!

Happy Father's Day to all the dads!