Alaska

Off we go to Vancouver tomorrow. We are there 3 days and then off on the Alaskan cruise. Temps are supposed to be high of 60 and low of 40 everyday.

Things I have learned while getting ready for this trip:
1. I run around alot and it will be hard for my parents to keep up. I have made meals, gotten rides and help from their friends.

2. My kids eat a lot. I was trying to fill the fridge, but it keeps emptying!

3. I wear a lot of black. I have been throwing things in a suitcase and it looks like that is all I wear! Black dresses, black pants, black tops. It really cuts down on the shoes though :)

4. I have great friends, who are so willing to help cart our kids around and help me.

5. It is hard to pack warm clothes, when you are craving summer so bad!

6. Cell phone rates for Alaska are the same as for here. We don't pay for roaming, but finding a cell tower may be another story!

7. We have an awesome room with a balcony. Joe did so well, he earned one of the best rooms! Yeah Joe. I am not sure I will want to leave the room much. I am bringing lots of books.

8.I can't wait to sleep. ( I stayed up until 2am putting together scrapbooks for each of the kids teachers last night)

9. I can't wait to spend 10 days with my husband. We travel well together. He figures everything out and I follow along. I am so thankful we get along so well and enjoy being together.

10. It takes longer to get ready for a trip than the trip itself!

Please pray for our safety and that of the kids and my parents.
tia

Spelling Bee Champ

Annie won her 3rd grade spelling bee. She and another little boy battled, just the 2 of them, for almost a half hour! It was tense, but she came through victorious. He missed embarrassed, and she spelled cyclone and excursion right to win it. Good job Annie!

Happy Birthday MOM!

Happy Birthday to my MOM!

I am not going to announce how old she is here but she was 30 when she gave birth to me. I will let you do the math. *SMILE*

I love my Mom. She is the best scrabble player that I have ever played. Although she uses the "Lorraine" version of the dictionary for words so it is REAL hard to challenge.

I am proud of my Mom. She is a published author of her childhood experiences growing up in the hills of Kentucky. The book titled, "Rainey Day Tales" used to be found on Amazon.com but I am not sure it is available anymore. It is an easy, enjoyable book to read, if you would like a copy just let me know. She also graduated Salutatorian from her high school in Michigan.

I love my Mom. While I was in High School in Bremen Indiana my brother and sister were adults (10 and 11 yrs older) so it was like I was an only child. My mom was a single mother to me so she had to juggle working full time and raising a son. As I look back I appreciate the sacrifices she made for me. She was basically at every sporting event I participated in from kg throughout high school. She made sure I had clean clothes on and fed me well. She even had to deal with the death of grandpa and the failing health of grandma.

I love my Mom. She is a great mother-in-law to my wife and adores her. She is very proud of all her grandchildren and my kids know they are loved.

May 25th.... Happy Birthday MOM!

I love you.

joe

My Day

Here is a rundown of my day today. (not typical)

7am up with Amy. Drive she and Haley to school.
830 kids get on bus after breakfast and so forth
845 off to walmart to get MIL a surprise for her birthday, return movies to blockbuster, head to Kohls to return some things and buy a few things for Alaska.
1000 meet Joe at Dicks to use some coupons and get Aaron some birthday gifts, get free undies at Victoria Secret, and to rectify a glitch at the bank.
1115 Pick up Andrew from school(I wasn't last for a change!) Head to Kroger to get some things before they go off sale tomorrow. Eat lunch of samples at Kroger.
1245 head to Carey Ridge elementary for 3rd grade spelling bee-Annie won! woot!
245 Pick up Amy from an after school meeting for school newspaper.
345 take girls to Piano rehearsal
500 make dinner early, Chicken on the grill, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, tomatoes, strawberries, watermelon.
530 Andrew Baseball practice
7oo piano recital, Aaron baseball practice
730 Amy to church
830 hopefully home and putting kids to bed
900 folding the 7 baskets of laundry I have sitting in the living room.

13

I can't believe my baby is thirteen today! I guess she isn't my baby, but the eldest of the Bennett brood. She came into this world with a little drama and it hasn't stopped! 13 years ago Joe was starting his Masters degree (first class the night she was born). I had been on bedrest for a month and was finishing up working for Dr. Able. We had made the decision for me to stay home. We gave up a lot for it, but wouldn't change a thing. I sure learned a lot about myself that first year.

Amy handles her reponsibility of being oldest quiet well, meaning she likes to tell everyone what to do. Just kidding, she loves her siblings; cheering them on, taking care of them, and sticking up for them when needed.
She likes Drama(at church), being with friends and her phone. She likes playing soccer and swimming too. Her small group at church and wednesday nights are among her favorite things to do. She is even going tonight, on her birthday.

She is having a birthday party this weekend with 10 girls. We are doing a scavenger hunt at the mall and then having pizza and a sleepover. Pray for me!

Its Official

Its official.

I have officially decided to pay back a debt I owe.

Let me explain.

I was a typical boy growing up who loved sports. Every sport imaginable. I also at the ages of 10-14 thought I was going to play in the major leagues.

Wait, let me correct myself.

I was CONVINCED I was going to play in the major leagues. I mean in my mind I was one of the better players in the Bremen Little League. I was one of 12 players on the All-Star team. You see, I had it all figured out. Ivan Dejesus and Larry Bowa (shortstops for the Cubs when I was 10-14) would be about ready to retire and it would work out nicely.

So sure was I .... that I even bet $5 to some friends down at the little league park at sunnyside.

So I am ready to pay up.

Its official, I resign myself that I am not going to fulfill this dream.

:) and yes I just came to this conclusion....cuz I am turning 40 this year. Who would play a 40 year old rookie with a 72 mph fastball, limited range, and would probably not get the bat on the ball for even a foul ball(although I would love to try) ?????

so if you are one of the few (probably somewhere between 5 and 100 kids that bet me...) well, I concede and I will pay.

JB
btw. check this out for lots of cool baseball info.

Prayer requests

We have a few prayer requests that we thought to share with you.
1. My final is tomorrow at 11:30. Pray for wisdom and understanding on my part.

2. Amy's friend Emma is having surgery on her brain/skull friday morning. As you would expect her family is anxious and nervous. They think it is benign.

3. Amy really wants to go back to Costa Rica. She is praying hard for a miracle so she and I can go back.

4. Litttle Maggie Jernas will be having a stem cell transplant soon. She is 3. It ain't fun and I can't imagine what her parents are going through.