KG, Knowing God Conference

Well, this is pretty exciting! Check it out!

kgcon.org/

Chick-fil-a Date with Daddy

Chick-fil-a hosted a lovely "Daddy/Daughter" date night a few weeks ago. Paul was able to reserve a time with the girlies and enjoy some daddy/daughter time. He thinks he won "most girls" contest! A few dads came in with four daughters, but six is pretty special!

Excited for their special date with Dad!



Special treatment added to the fun, memorable night.

Nice that to have a photographer:). Thanks, Sarah! Bekah is a bit unsure about the crown thing. She came straight from soccer which is more her comfort zone.

Ok, is Nay Nay hysterical or what?! What a face!

 I loved reading Little Women, Pride and Prejudice, and other novels involving groups of sisters. I always wanted a sister. So blessed to have these girls in my life. I love watching these sisters be sisters!

Wow. That's all I can say. Wow.

Colorado Springs

Moving on eastward, we traveled to Colorado Springs. It hit some incredible thunderstorms and arrived late afternoon in the middle of one. We stopped off at Focus on the Family and the kids all enjoyed the exhibits there. Sadly, none of the photos turned out well.

Stalking Tim and girls, we stayed at the same hotel. Some kids enjoyed a cool, evening swim while others bundled up for games in the lounge. We all ate to our hearts content the next morning! A very good breakfast buffet.

The next morning was beautiful and we headed on the Garden of the Gods before completing the final leg of the journey up to Estes Park for the reunion.

 The kids all enjoyed Garden of the Gods. It's a big, natural playground for all ages:).

 We enjoyed family devotions in an isolated setting, even watching deer go by. Then there was Joe! Little man had to go!

What is vacation without a trip to the Apple Store? The only store designed for a family of nine children! I love it. Ipads for everyone. Wish there were one closer to home because it would be worth it for everyone to have "computer time" at the same time each day:). Just 30 minutes per kid/per day at our home equates to 4 hours!

Oddly Encouraged. . .

Last Sunday, 10/13, the Fresno Bee ran an article on Fresno State quarterback, Derek Carr. It was a look at this man's life as he handles not only a football career, taking the Bulldogs into the Top 20, but as a full-time student, husband and new father. I enjoyed the article and was impressed by his maturity.

Why the big deal? Because taking on the responsibilities of husband and father is a mark of manhood. No, all men will not play out these roles, but will they be men marked by protection, provision and sacrifice? The world applauds boyhood with it's foolishness, frivolity, and fun. It scratches its head at a young man like Derek Carr. A star quarterback married with a child? Shouldn't this guy just be concentrating on football, freedom, and fun during these years? Yet the article affirms his leadership is heightened by the very institutions (marriage and family) that most boys flee from.

Sadly, as the world/culture goes so goes the church. The majority of parents I encounter have swallowed the lie, unintentionally perhaps. Their focus for their young person is to pursue self and prolong sacrifice. Have fun: achieve your educational goals and monetary desires and spend your time, money and loves on feeding your lusts. It's never worded like that, but it plays out like that. The young adult years are encouraged to be self-focused. It becomes a dichotomy where preparation for the future world of husband/father is sadly lacking. In fact, most of the "preparation" prepares them better for divorce, not marriage.

Recently one of our young adults wrote an article naively stirring up his campus. Be encouraged by those boys bursting into manhood and calling out their peers. I am.

www.smudailycampus.com/opinion/smu-in-need-of-more-men

Pagosa Springs

Having fun in the creek

We enjoyed Monday with the cousins before they pulled out Tuesday morning. A local told us about the hot springs downtown which flows into the creek. While the creek was cool, the day was warm and the hot springs a bit hot for even me!  The kids, and Paul, could have done it for days.

Warming out feet in the hot springs.

 After cousins left, we enjoyed a few more days of family time.

 A few games of golf:).

 The timeshare also had a number of crafts for the kids. They enjoyed several painting activities, including this birdhouse. Hmm, how to travel with six of these... so much for keeping the van uncluttered!

Thrashed

Well, I expected a tough game last night between my Clemson Tigers and Florida State. But I did expect a game. What happened was a thrashing. We watched until the painful end, something the fans in Death Valley decided not to do. It was sad. Still love my Tigers, though.

Colorado Continued. . .

After a nice (but extremely long) birthday breakfast at Dennys, we continued traveling on toward CO. We made the stop at Four Corners which has turned into a mini-enterprise and we did feel "ripped off"  by our fellow countrymen who forced us to pay to see this site which all Americans should have free access to, in my opinion. Or, at least pay for National Park fee. . .but this was ridiculous. As if we aren't already supplying money to this group of people . . . well hold off on those views.

So, here's the photo. :) A once in a lifetime stop - the next time the kids can do it on their own . . .

I had hoped to stop in Mesa Verde, but time didn't allow. We pulled into the timeshare later than we hoped, but was nice to have Tim, Hannah, and girls ready with a nice dinner! They were kind to let us follow them out to CO and invade on a bit of their vacation prior to the reunion. We overlapped a day and the cousins enjoyed time together.

Our  view from the timeshare at Pagosa Springs, CO

Golfing with AR cousins! Golf Team 1

The styling golf Team 2!

Daisy

Farmer Paul with his new girl!



Bekah and Miri give a squeeze!

  This photo was taken at the fair. . .but is utterly coming true. Some husbands bring their wives flowers. . .I guess in a way mine did, too. He brought me a cow named Daisy! We've never been your conventional family so I'm not sure why I even get surprised anymore. But I was.

So, we have a new farm animal who is cute as can be. Since neither of us know much about Holsteins, I'm thankful for u-tube. She's still young, so it will still be a while before we get some fresh milk. And research purports that babies learn the most in their early years. . .I bet they didn't research city folk who move to a farm! :) My learning curve remains way up.

As far as Daisy goes, we're more of a Tulip family so we're considering more traditional cow names. Elsie, Bessie, Pattie, and Angus are a few thrown out. (Can you guess the male choices?)

Picture pending. . .Sarah now has a phone (finally! making her no longer the last/oldest child in church youth group to have a phone. . sorry other parents who loved saying "well, Sarah Micu doesn't have a phone yet. . .!") and is the family photographer/instagramer.

Lovin on Bess
While she needs another year or so before we can milk her, she is a cute addition to the farm. While known more for their milk production, perhaps we can have other fresh milk products eventually. Raw milk is the one milk that Hannah can tolerate:).



Bess! Our new Holstein. . .and hopeful milk source!

 Papa is going to have to give us lessons when he's out on calfing, milking, and cows, in general. Growing up on a dairy farm, I'm sure it will all "come back" to him.:) In fact, my maiden name means "dairy farmer" so I guess we're just carrying out the Senn tradition. So this little girl is not for eats, my Filippino friends and family! Maybe she'll have a son and we can also have some nice steaks. . . not too soon to start planning for wedding feasts in the next 5-10 years!

Birthday on the Road



Sporting Clemson at the Canyon! We are proud of our Tigers!

The next day we left Vegas (we also love to visit the Bass Pro Shop there) and headed to the Grand Canyon. We planned on sightseeing the Southern Rim, like most tourists. However, as providence had it, we were surprised to find ourselves at the Northern Rim. It was beautiful and reminded us much more of Yosemite. We decided to save the Southern Rim for another time:). It was quite a drive down the old Route 66 (from Cars) and we finally made it to Flagstaff for dinner with Gray Gray and Papa . . . the kids even had time for a late swim.

The beautiful North Rim

Taken while driving Route 66, a double rainbow. It was a beautiful drive.

Hannah turns 9!

My folks were staying at a timeshare in Flagstaff and were gracious to let us barge in on them for a night. They had a nice two bedroom unit on three levels and was fun to see them and Hannah was happy to have grandparents celebrate her birthday with her. Not quite breakfast in bed, but the chair was pretty nice.

Josh and Hannah

Funny. At the timeshare, invading Gray Gray and Papa's room:) Sarah makes herself at home on the pillows!

Sarah's instagram of the Canyon! Jael is so goofy:)

Hannah Esther Micu, born August 4, 2004. She was due in July. . .but like many of her siblings decided to wait a bit. It was a stressful time in my life. We decided to try the market and put our "starter" home up for sale in July while on vacation. It sold immediately and was due to close August 24th. My last months of pregnancy were full of packing and crying. Crying because although we sold high, we couldn't find another home. We still had no home options the day she arrived. She was a little girl, 6 lbs. 12 oz. She beat her big sister Sarah's birth weight by two ounces but that's it:). She and Sarah are very similiar in build, both in the 80% for height and under the 10% for weight (Sarah is finally enjoying it!). Due on July 23rd, I finally went in for induction on that Wednesday the 4th. It was a long day. Hannah arrived around 4:30pm and was a more difficult delivery. Her position was off and she was delivered opposite of what babies are usually, I forget. Her shoulder also got hung up and she ended up arriving fairly bruised and battered. But beautiful. She was a very fussy baby and her eyes are red in most pictures, or she is crying:). I blame it on the stress hormones - but she also did not tolerate milk. She still doesn't. The extra crying that first year was totally worth the sweet little toddler and delight we now enjoy. She's my miracle of mercy. Not planning on having more after four (initially - another story), God displayed incredible mercy by giving me a 5th child who was "normal." She's my only child who actually sat and stayed and didn't color on the walls(all Micus), jump off high things (Joey), climb counters (Josh).. . pull chairs to open doors to get outside (Miriam), tear apart cribs (Bekah), throw major tantrums (Jon and Naomi), or wander (Jael). Hannah is the only quiet child in our home. She's so quiet and still that she's been left several times - I am always keeping my eyes on the wild kids. Hannah has a beautiful quiet and gentle spirit that I love and admire. She is lots of fun and her giggles are contagious. She loves animals and most come to her easily. She is a wonderful artist and is growing in her cooking and homemaking skills.

What a welcome addition to the family. Child of grace.

And so we continue. . .

We left Fresno on Joey's birthday and pulled into Las Vegas that evening. I'm not a real big fan of Vegas. We don't gamble, smoke or drink. I don't really like walking around having my children avert their eyes. You can't even look down for all the porn litter all over the sidewalks. So, why Vegas? Typically, we would try to drive further on the first day of a trip, but Vegas does have a nice family timeshare-off the strip that we have come to really enjoy. Palm Desert Wyndam is a wonderful place to stay, thanks for my folks:). Not only is the price right but it beats hotel rooms. So, even a brief stay makes us feel spoiled and on vacation.

Although Hannah's birthday wasn't until Sunday, the 4th. She became the providentially lucky birthday girl on the trip! Yep, that's Ben Franklin! She found this lying on the ground in the bedlam of Vegas.


No worries, not in a casino but in M&M World! Yes, we tried to locate a crying, frantic person who might have lost money. . .but no results. . .so Hani was blessed:). Despite some envy, no doubt (speaking for myself), everyone did a great job rejoicing with Hannah.  

What better kid to find $100 than our Hani?

Not exactly Disneyland, but they were excited to see Mickey and Minnie out on the town. Joey's typical "excited" face.