The Markmiller 5

A little look....

into our summer!

A sweet Birthday party from our friends at our FLOCK.

some of our friends!

Happy Birthday!!

Sweet Jude loves the cupcakes!

So does Will!

our new friend, Anthony- at the Joseph Photo Shoot

It is red and yellow and green and brown....

Couldn't she stand still?? LOL, Miss Diana.  So sweet and cute!

Ready for our first "Benihana" like dinner!!

Happy Birthday Michael!!

Uh-oh

FIRE!

Happy Birthday!!

A month (or two) of Birthdays

July is chock full of birthdays in the Markmiller/Bradbury family.  It all kicks off on the 5th, with my Dad, then mine on the 7th, Katie Mei on the 8th, my sweet niece Carson on the 10th, my sister Meg on the 11th, my most amazingly wonderful husband today, the 12th, my brother in law on the 14th....and then my sister Amy in Aug, the 20th.  PHEW!  It amazes me sometimes how we all have birthdays bunched up together.  

We have had a great weekend here!  Went to dinner for Kids Night Out on Friday night with two other couples from our small group. (FLOCK)  We had a great time eating yummy food and laughing together.  It surprises me sometimes with the blessings we see pouring down on us.  Then yesterday, Michael had to work a little bit- so the kids and I ran out and got daddy some birthday cards, and then home to clean up the house for our very first dinner party (ok, so shut up, yes, we ordered pizza, but that counts right??)!  Our FLOCK has smaller groups called Suppers For Six- or something like that if there are more- Date for 8??  And we had the honor of hosting the Woodards and the Caldwells!  We had such a great time- and all told there were 14 kids running around our home.  It was awesome.

I was so worried coming out here.  About making friends.  It is not easy for me. I am such a big homebody.  My comfort comes from familiarity, from coziness and warmth found in the friends who know me well.  Moving here I was scared out of my socks without any friends here. Now, we are in a place where I can say that I am so thankful, and my socks, are firmly on my feet- and getting cozy.

Michael's birthday is today!  I cannot say to my sweet husband how very blessed I am to call him my best friend.  I love you Michael!  Happy Happy Happy Birthday!!!

I am uploading photos so I will post some tomorrow!  Have a great evening.

Summertime

I know I have neglected our blog for so long.  I am kind of at a stand still thoughts wise with what to blog about.  Our summer is in FULL swing.  Joseph is in production- well- rehersal.  Sam goes everyday- 10am-5pm.  He is LOVING it.  I love seeing his face when we pick him up.  He was picked to be in the publicity photos with the leads yesterday- there were about 6 kids there.  IT was awesome.  I have to sing the praises of both leads- Anthony and Diana were wonderful with the kids.  Anthony and the kids did an impromptu performance of the colors. (Which are MANY) They all got them.  Then my sweet Sammy asked Anthony if he could come over for dinner.  He was so sweet to watch.  And Anthony could not have been nicer- and says before he leaves town he would love to.  Heh.

Jack is enjoying summer to the fullest.  Swimming is one of our favorite activities- Jack especially.  He is changing daily. We just got his schedule and homeroom for 6th grade.  6th GRADE!  I cannot fathom that he is that old.  He still is a sweet, childlike innocent almost 11 year old.  For that, I am so thankful.  That is one huge difference we have noticed living here in Oklahoma- kids are encouraged to be kids.  For as long as possible.  Not teenagers in 10 year old bodies. I am so very thankful we moved here when he did.  Jack can spend at least a few more summers catching frogs.  : )

Katie Mei.  Lovely sweet Katie Mei- is loving swimming as well.  She has really taken off in her swimming, thanks, Papa.  And she is goofy.  She loves making people laugh.  I just cannot believe that she is 5.  Ready for kindergarten.  My baby.

Ok, so here we are.  And here are a couple of old photos I saw recently that made my heart ache for a trip to China.

To our sweet baby girl....

Happy Happy Happy Birthday to our sweet Katie Mei.  I cannot believe you are 5 years old.  You are the greatest gift to our family.  We are so blessed that we are your Momma and Daddy and brothers.  We love you with all our hearts.  Wo Ai Ni Jingying.

Go Go Go Joe!

Well, we are in production!  Sammy has started Camp Joseph in preparation for his BIG debut as part of the Children's Ensemble in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat!  So, today he met the other kids- got to meet the director- who was in the DVD with Donny Osmond- he played Judah- which just happened to be our very favorite brother...and Sam also got to meet Joseph and the Narrator....

Anthony Federov is Joseph

and

Diana Degarmo as the Narrator.

Of course, Sam had NO clue who they were, but he was SO happy and excited when we picked him up today.  I was listening to him tell his stories of meeting friends, eating lunch, and learning songs- and watching his face while he bubbled over telling me everything- and I was so excited and happy for him.  And proud of his courage to walk into a possibly very intimidating situation- and being Samuel (no Sammy by the way, he asked for that)....completely happy and at ease.  Gosh.  Kids growing up to quickly over here at the Markmiller homestead.

Tomorrow, is the day before Katie Mei's 5th Birthday!  I CANNOT BELIEVE she will be 5.  That is another huge milestone.  And tomorrow, some new sweet friends are making lunch for me- as well as slip and slides and water balloons.  Should I be nervous?  I don't know- but I do know one thing- I am so BLESSED with friends.  It is amazing.

A few favorites

I know you have all been waiting on pins and needles.... 

I KNOW you have not been able to sleep for days....months......years even

I know how much you value MY opinion on things.

So, without further ado.....

A few of my favorite things.  As of today.  Just today.  Tomorrow, things may change.  Some of these will remain.  It will be for you to guess.  

Thank you.

Biolage.  Hands down my new favorite shampoo.  But that may change.  Especially if Target stops carrying this brand.  For a lot less money.  Then I will go back to Suave. 

Amen.

 I have loved this skin care line since the 1980's.  Seriously.  I was 2 in the 1980's.  My mother used to wash me with this.  Every day.  That is why my skin is so beautiful today.  

Friends.  Sisters.  Schmoopies.  Run, do not walk to Amazon, Nordstrom or Bobbi Brown.com and get your hands on one of these pieces of summer, in a bar of soap.  This is not one to leave near the grubby, er, lovely little hands of your kids.  This is heavenly.  It smells like Coppertone, days at the beach and endless sunshine in one little perfect rectangle.... of love.  

Onto my new household favorites.

Can you STAND the excitement?

I know I can't.

I need to lay down.

Thank you.

Ok.  For years I have loved Pine Sol.  Nothing cleans up little boy pee-pee like Pine Sol. The smell was a bit harsh- but I tell you, it cleans like the dickens. What are the dickens?  My mom used this phrase and to this day, I still have no idea what it means.  But I use it.  Kind of like "Oh for corn's sake" and "crup".  But I digress.  This BLUE version of Pine Sol is delightful.  And cleans like the dickens.  Just a softer kind of dickens.  Is there such a thing?  Sorry.

A mop.  With no awful bucket of water to lug.  That is safe on wood.  That has a lavender scented cleaner.  Oh for corn's sake I love this thing.

Being the niaeve little girl that I am, SHUT UP, I had no clue that you have to use a different kind of cleaner for stainless steel.  So when my stove top looked like someone had spilled milk on it, even after I cleaned it, I thought, Hmmm.  Whatever shall I do?  Then I went to Super Target, and found this little bottle of cleaner.  And I love it.  And my stove and dishwasher have stopped glaring at me.

Grapes.  And plain white kitchen towels.  Tons of them.  

If you sleepover at our home, your sheets will smell of lavender and vanilla.  And a 6 pack.  Obviously.

This smells so stinkin yummy.  I love it.  God bless Downy.  Can I get an amen?

Coconut Bay.  Just the sound of it harkens me back to my days as a hula dancer on the Big Island.  

Shut up.

This smells so good.  And after a shower with the Sand Bar.  I am telling you, I almost feel like I am on vacation.

For a good five minutes anyway.

CRUP.

Life

htt

It has been 3 months since our family moved to our new home.  Slowly, it is becoming home.  I have written here about the things Oklahoma draws me in with.  I have been thinking so much lately about who I am.  Where we are going as a family.  Things I feel are important as we change and grow.  And where I feel I fit in.  I grew up my entire life (with a short time in Boston) in Southern California.  Born and raised California girl.  

But that Beach Boys song is far from who I am.  Who I was growing up.  Who I hope to be.  I don't know if I ever fit that California stereo type.  For that I am so thankful.  But I had a great group of friends throughout high school- and made sweet lifelong friends as an adult.  That did not come without pain- and feeling out of place.  It was finally in my 30's where I finally found my niche.  I found my sweet spot and relished in a freedom to be myself with friends who loved me for me.  Not for what they thought I was because of a persona I put out there.  It has been a very freeing process for me.

In my heart, I had always longed for a different space to be.  I dreamed of one day having our family in an open space with room to explore without fear. Michael and I had whispered longings at night of a ranch with horses, and a window to feed them through from our kitchen.  We spoke of a place where life is a bit slower, traffic is sitting behind a tractor, and Sunday after church is for naps on a hammock and friends for dinner.  A place where the newest and greatest isn't first and foremost on our kids minds and hearts, but getting outside to ride bikes to the lake is.  

So, living near the beautiful ocean, Sunday trips to the beach and living near our dearest friends and family have been swapped.  Our life is different here in Oklahoma.  Those whispered dreams of our heart are closer now.  The sweetness of the land here sings to my core.  While I miss our friends and family more then I can bear sometimes, I feel at peace here.  My heart feels as though it has found its place.  I never thought I would feel this way about this move, but it is a gift that I have been given.  I am thankful.

SO, how are we doing?  I think we are doing really well.  Michael loves his job. And he is really good at it.  I can see God doing some really amazing things through Michael and his company.  It is a joy to watch.  Jack is doing great. So much better then before. Out of all 3, he, being the oldest, had the hardest time with the move.  He missed his best friends.  He missed being in California.  He missed everything.  But, slowly, as he is making friends, loving church, playing in the pool and in the hay meadow....it is feeling like home.  It has been very neat to watch him mature.  Though we have had some testing times, I am in awe of how he has handled this entire move.  I love that boy.

Sammy.  How to describe Sammy.  He is full of life.  Full of laughter.  He has had a much easier time with adjusting.  He misses his friends- for sure.  But he loves being able to jump on his bike and ride to his friends house at the end of cul-de-sac.  He has enjoyed going to new places and getting into the mix of kids.  He revels in making new friends.  And he is a great friend to all.  I love his sweet heart, his ability to laugh and make me laugh- and his amazing tenacity.  He is SO excited about being in a professional theater production this summer.  Watching him grow is a joy.  I love him so.

Katie Mei.  My joy.  Since the day we met her she has had the ability to bring laughter and joy to all of us.  Katie misses her bestie Sarah, with all her heart. Sometimes crying at night while looking at her photo of her.  But phone and video chats help- as does the promise of a sleepover when we visit.  Katie has thrown herself into life in Oklahoma with passion and joy.  She often says " I love California, but Oklahoma is my home" and "I love EVERY church we visit Momma".  She has been my soft place on many nights when I felt I was losing it.  I have watched her mature and grow into a young girl who has a heart for God and a heart for people.  I love my girl.

God has blessed us here.  Sometimes in surprising ways.  I have become involved with an amazing group of China Adoptive Momma's who meet on Tuesday nights.  I went one time last week and cannot wait to go back.  In that group, I have met women in all different phases of life- and with many children.  And one woman who runs an amazing organization which helps orphans in China.  A person whom I never expected to meet, and God has woven us together- and something tells me this relationship may develop into something that Michael and I have prayed about.  So I am amazed.

He has also given us a church home here.  A BIG church home.  We are not quite used to that, but we really like it.  We prayed for so long about a small group, and through another weaving of God's hand, were led to a really wonderful small group for our entire family.  That was a COMPLETE surprise.  

We are still trying to wrap our brains around the thought that we are home.  But the wrapping is nice.  The ribbon is soft.  And we cant wait to see what the gift holds inside.

Sunset

Oklahoma....so far

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Things I love about Oklahoma.... ed. 2

So, after living here for a little over 2 months....here is my newest version of 

Things I love about Oklahoma

• People.  Seriously.  We have felt so warmly welcome here, and not just by our neighbors.  People here are genuine. Always ready for a conversation, always kind.  
• The pace of life.  A bit slower.  A bit more realistic. 
• green- it is so green here right now! 
• thunderstorms- awesome.  Scary sometimes but awesome none the less. 
• the smell of the hay meadow when it is raining 
• our teenage neighbor who mows our lawn 
• our new babysitter 
• watching my kids go scootering off down our street- knowing they are safe 
• the wildflowers 
• every doctor we have seen so far- so kind...never in a rush 
• beef 
• Irma's burgers 
• Sonic Happy Hour (1/2 price drinks from 2-4)
• Pop's Ice 
• my drive to anywhere.  Serious- no traffic and beautiful
• the availability of things to do 
• the variety of birds that sing in our trees.  A concert. 
• crickets 
• multitudes of stars 
• the way the hay sways in the wind 
• the beauty of horses at sunset 
• the longhorn bull farm (yes, I think that was in my first one, but I still love them) 
• our vet 
• the kids in the late afternoon sunlight