Isaac's Journal

June 29, 2011

What a strange summer we've had so far! After several months of commuting several days a week to Upton, Wyoming (for a plant start-up), Daddy got word that they needed him there full time for 6-7 weeks. Then they put him on six day a week night shift! We decided to bring the whole family to Wyoming so that we'd be able to see him sometimes. So we are renting a little house in Newcastle.

In the mornings I try to keep you all very quiet; we eat breakfast then go for a walk so Daddy can sleep. Then we get to spend 9:30-12:30 in the morning with him. We've been having fun trying out new playgrounds, bike paths, and library. It's getting pretty hot and there's no a/c in the house, so I bought you guys a little wading pool and squirt guns to use in the yard. You're also doing VBS this week, which seems to be a hit.

All last month we did a lot of driving back and forth because I didn't want you to miss all of your baseball games. You really enjoyed playing! I was impressed with how focused you stayed throughout the entire game – always ready to pounce on a ball (and sometimes wrestling for it when another guy got there at the same time!). The a/c is broken on the van too, so I was amazed at how well you all have done with the 1.5 hour commute. We've done fun things on the way – ice cream in Custer, a tour at Jewel Cave, stops at Old MacDonald's Farm – to keep it interesting.

But no doubt it's been a little hard to live two places! Sometimes you ask me “Are we in Wyoming or Rapid City?” And yesterday you must have gotten bored on the drive as you used the time to shove a wad of paper up your nose! I was rather upset as I have often warned you not to do that. You were crying but fortunately you were able to follow my instruction to plug one nostril, hold your breath and blow out the other nostril. Out shot the paper!

Last week we really mixed it up and spent two days near Valentine, Nebraska. My high school friend was visiting her childhood home (a ranch!) so Natalie and the cousins caravaned with us to see my friend Joye and her four children. Between all of us (plus Joye's brother) we had thirteen children seven and under! It rained much of the time, but you still got to swim in a waterfall the first day! The second day we wore trash bags for ponchos while alternating between huddling by the fire and getting towed on a sled by the four-wheeler. The night we slept there was spent with Natalie, me and all seven cousins in one bedroom! Memories for sure.

I keep looking at you in amazement – you are long and lean and so strong! When I hug you, you just feel BIG. There is not an ounce of fat on your body – yet you are so muscular. You can do cartwheels, chin-ups, backwards somersaults, sit-ups, push-ups – so much big guy stuff. And now I'm prepping for our first year of “real school”: first grade.