A Great Weekend...

What a great and crazy weekend! It seems like a TON happened, including (1) working in the yard, (2) my father-in-law getting his long-awaited lung transplant and (3) celebrating Mother's Day.

First, the family spent Saturday at home, which was nice as we were able to get some things done. I enjoyed (again) working for a while in the yard mowing/edging the lawn, hanging a new flower basket on the porch, planting a new "flaming bush" in our front yard and starting to tear our a horribly weed-ridden easement between the sidewalk and the curb in our front yard. Nothing like taking a pick to the ground a diggin'. AARGH!

Second, my father-in-law received the lung transplant he's been working toward for the last year or more. Everything went well, but this is big enough that I'll post separately on it as soon as I can. Needless to say, it made for an emotional rollercoaster kind of weekend.

Third, we were able to celebrate Mother's Day at home. Despite the life-changing #2 above, I purposely leave this one for last, as I can't begin to describe the gratitude I have for everything K does for me and for our family. Her dedication to our sons is a sacrifice that blesses our whole family and will bless generations to come. I say sacrifice because she could be out pursuing a career and changing the world on a grand scale, getting kudos from her bosses and co-workers, having lots to show for her accomplishments every day... Instead, she chose to be a stay-at-home mom to our three boys -- a job that is often void of daily thanks and recognition, where the beneficiaries of her gift often take for granted her offering and grump at her when she doesn't do everything they want her to do, where she doesn't have nearly enough contact with the outside world, and where much of what she accomplishes is undone each day. It's been said that sacrifice is giving up something good for something better. Clearly, her devotion to her family and her decision to be a stay-at-home mom easily qualifies and demonstrates a far-sighted vision for the value of motherhood in terms of the future of our family and all the lives our boys will touch in the future. She's a community activist of the highest form.