What I Hate.

I super really hate when people don't update their blogs for like a week and you just look at the same blog post over and over.

Especially when it's mine.

One day I will catch up with my life.
Believe me, it is moving at a rapid pace.


But meanwhile, just keep enjoying Billy Joel.

He's Still Got It...

Though my obsession for Billy Joel 

has dwindled a bit over the years,

this was simply awesome.

Three Books I Read While Sick in Bed.

Even though I belong to two book groups, 

I am always complaining that I have no time to read. 

However, all it takes is a little forced down time 

to change that scenario. 

And so, happily, I inhaled a few books.

Loved this suspenseful mystery.

Great classic, can't believe it was my first time.

I have read this before but, with my fading memory,  it was like a whole new book :)

I think I might get sick more often. 

Drue.

Last night, we met the newest addition

 to the Woolf posterity:

Drue Hazel Woolf. 

She is the sweet daughter of Tyler and Camille.

Drue is after Tyler's grandma (my mom),

and Hazel after Camille's grandma.

 

 It's so fun to see my mom's name

 on little baby things...

I'm not sure Kathleen looks anything like a grandma, 

except she's got that proud grandma look

 on her face at all times :)

And Tyler thought it was not too soon 

start passing out these rules.

Seriously.

Congratulations Tyler and Camille.

And Sometimes I Just Find Pictures Like This Lying Around.

????

It's Been Awhile...

...since Kyle tried on his scout shirt. 

Clearly,he's done some growin'...

Well done, Kyle.

 Well done.

A Labit Family Update in Three Sentences.

Michaela:
She is in Russia.
She is having ATM troubles.
She went to Moscow and climbed on gates.

Bethany:
She is playing Lacrosse.
She hates math.
She has a  bunny.

Elijah:
He was ordained a priest.
He joined an ultimate frisbee team.
He is a good beginning driver.

Still in this phase...

Hannah:

She loves her mommy :)

She can't wait for summer.

She is learning to drive.

Will:

He now plays volleyball.

He is First Class (Scout).

He still reads voraciously.

Buddha:

He's obsessed with balls.

He's obsessed with Michael.

We're obsessed with him.

And there you go.

That's us in a nutshell.

Here's to a new week.

Make it a good one.

I Cannot Get Enough Of This Song.

Maybe it's because of all of the moms I know 

that have struggled with cancer lately, but I just love this. 

Indulge Me Another Flashback.

I love this picture.

I love how the happiness of just being together is so evident on their faces.

I love how arms are slung around each other, 

and faces are red and shiny from playing so hard.

 I love that they had a time in life when playing hard

 was all they had to think about.

I am so grateful that they still love being together.

And that they still sling their arms 

around each other...

But instead of just playing hard, 

they are also working hard.

Couldn't love this group of cousins more...

Ramblings.

It's Saturday morning and all is quiet.
Will, Michael and Buddha are on a camp out.
Bethany is in St. George for a Lacrosse tournament.
Our three little overnight guests are still sound asleep,
and Hannah and Elijah have hours to go before they wake.

I have been lying in my bed just thinking about life.
How hard it is.
I never really understood just how hard it would be.
That sometimes, raising children would be like someone kicked you in the stomach, over and over again.
Because every time they suffer, you suffer.
That you are only as happy as your most unhappy child,
and that you will probably never, ever stop worrying about them.

Life is hard for so many of my dear friends and family members. Painfully hard.
Some are dealing with the consequences of horrible choices made by others.
Others are struggling with some challenging mental health problems.
I have two more friends with cancer scares right now-nothing definite, just waiting to know results. It's unbelievable.

I saw the movie Son of God this week. I had mixed emotions.
I felt such love for Jesus, just by watching the actor portraying him.
His kindness, his healing, his compassion--all of those things on the big screen moved me.
The crucifixion scenes were horrible- I must admit I closed my eyes a great deal.
It's just not something that I want to see. I think I "get" the horror of it without seeing it.

But here is what I know.
I know that Jesus went through all of that for me, for my friends that are struggling so greatly now, and for all of us.
And so, when I am lying in my bed trying to make sense of it all-
I remember that His love for me trumps it all. 
No one's life will ever be harder than His.
He "gets" every single one of our challenges, small and huge,
and He will help us through them.
The spirit testifies that to me again and again.
I feel His love to my very core.

And I don't need a movie to tell me that.

Our overnight guests :)