Summertime

The Pro-Life Rally in Austin, Texas

Monday, July 8, 2013

    A victorious interruption to and otherwise normal day ~ that's how I'd describe that Monday.  We've spent the summer in typical fashion: swimming at Aunt Jan's, hosting week long parties while good friends spend their summer breaks (at least in part) with us, playing with and bottle feeding more newborn baby goats, and the kids taking turns traveling with Curtis on his business trips.  School? Yes, when not partying.  Devotions?  Always.
    One critical part of our daily devotions is reading updates in current events, along with our family read-alouds, and our prayer time in agreement together for others.  We check the weather for the sake of the farm and animals, the local news, and conservative newslink emails.  When the raucous started in Austin last month over abortion, we acutely tuned in.  We watched, along with the rest of the liberal driven media world, as Wendy Davis stirred up a frenzy becoming the Democratic party's rising star of rebellion to all that is true and good.  Though she is being hailed as a Joan of Ark against our conservative values, she only served to focus the spotlight of attention on what Texas is really up to: unprecedented legislation since Roe v. Wade against the holocaust of abortion.  As the hours after her infamous filibuster turned into days, and we saw the eyes of Texas open to see the international stage on which she was placed, there was no question we'd do everything within our power to make Monday night's pro-life rally in Austin hosting keynote speaker Mike Huckabee, along with Dr. Jeffress of First Baptist Dallas, the presidents of Concerned Women for America, The Susan B. Anthony List, and Texas Values, as well as the Duggar Family and many of our own pro-life legislators.
    Curtis decided to stay home with the younger ones and office out of the house, allowing me to take Maggie, Christian, and Milly.  The thought of trying to keep up with our little ones in a public crowd, not guaranteed to be entirely friendly, was daunting to us both.  After getting there, I was grateful for that call. Mercy and Charles did so well holding down the fort that Daddy hardly had to help! The older ones and I headed to Wal-Mart to pick up our blue shirts, filled up the van, packed a cooler, and headed to Austin. I called my brother, Scott, who recently relocated from LA to Austin, hoping to hug him while we were there, but we didn't really know we were going until midday the day of, so it was too late to meet up with him that trip.  Hopefully soon, we'll get to see him again. 
    We had a blast!  Not only was the road trip a reprieve from the normal routine full of lots of hilarious conversation, but the actual event was an unprecented opportunity for them to see the political process in action. Standing face to face with the opposition in orange was priceless.  We witnessed first hand their angry chants, and their selfish motives spilled all over the pavement for the world to see.  Some were simply hurting, possibly from abuse, and this "right to choose" seems to give them some sense of control over their lives.  It was almost unbelievable.  Austin was electrified, and the kids were moved.  We all knew we were a part of something great.  The trip lit a fire of passion that simply watching news clips could never do.  We had a traffic free, late night drive home; quieter that the drive down, thoughtful and fulfilling. 
    No sooner had I gotten my pj's on and brushed my teeth, ready for bed, baby woke up for her nursing.  With the house still, my traveling buddies asleep, the baby content, and Curtis turning in with me, the day was a huge success!

Curtis Wade's Summer

    We have some extremely dear friends that have just moved to a small town in west Texas to work several job opportunities learned about through family.  Curtis Wade has worked for Andrew before, so when they called up with an invitation to come out for the summer, he was all over it.  Independence with some accountability, good money, experience and training in basic construction, and a big Texas sky full of entirely visible stars to enjoy with that convertable of his.  With this job, Curtis has paid for his football tuition, his new tires, and has stashed some cash to get him through this fall without having to hold down a job. 

    The only hitch for us was that he would celebrate his eighteenth birthday without us.  Well, that's just not how the Parnells do birthdays, so Daddy Curtis decided to pack us all up for a trip six hours west to surprise our boy.  What a riot!  We had so much fun!  Curtis Wade was genuinely surprised, and relished the time and effort it took to bring his brothers and sisters out to see him, not three weeks before he'd be home anyway.  We made it to Odessa in time to check into the hotel, freshen up, and snack before heading another hour to One-horse-town, Texas where we waited another thirty minutes in our friend's RV to shout "Surprise!" when Curtis came over for dinner.  It was great!  He opened the door after his customary knock, and when he saw us all, shut the door again with a "Wait!"  He opened it again, and we yelled it out again, "Surprise!"  After lots of laughing and hugging, explaining who all was in on it, and how long they had known, we headed back into town to Rosa's for dinner.  With four car loads of people, we descended on the patio for several hours of some lively conversation and food.  The comment each sibling made when taking turns in the showers and jumping on the beds that night was how tightly Curtis hugged each one of them. 

    You know, for all the headaches people seem to think a large family can be, they sure do miss out on the sheer overflow of love expressed within so many tender hearts.  We have missed him so much this summer, and were glad to welcome him back last Sunday (just in time for Dallas' first pre-season game)!  Thank you Andrew and Sarah for the experience you've given Curtis, and the kindred spirits you are to all of us. 

Happy Birthday, Curtis Wade!

Back to the norm!

    Aunt Jan's pool.  An oasis in the Texas summer heat.  We have four kids that didn't know how to swim last year, now diving in, holding their own!  As for me, I've googled water aerobics and workouts, and am avidly working on a restored figure.  If I can just cut out the homemade bakery items the kids keep on hand every. single. day.  I'd be well on my way :)  

    We are so grateful for the summer fun!

My porcelain baby doll girly girl.

    It is uncanny the similarities between this little girl and her oldest sister.  They have the same mannerisms and expressions. Even Miriam's curls fall on her head the exact same way Madison's did. She's bright, outspoken, decisive, and intuitive.  Home videos from a decade ago have taken on new interest as we compare these two creations, some 16 years apart.  She commands the same attention Madison did, and has everyone in the room laughing, so much like the mold from which she apparently came.  Madison actually wore the dress pictured here. 
    I wish I had digital files of all our early photos to be able to post them here; then, you could see for yourself.  Every January, on my list of aspirations for the new year, I write down a marvelous plan to meet with Daddy (Papa), at his house once a week, for the sole purpose of scanning family photos and adding them to the passport that he tediously loaded with photographs from the entire history of our family in chronological order.  Thank you again, Daddy!  I call him "The Keeper of Our Treasures," though it is often mistaken for sappy sentimentality.  I envision the two of us sitting there on his sofa with some popcorn and Dr. Pepper (the original Imperial Cane Sugar kind), talking, laughing, scanning, and thoroughly enjoying the time together.  Because it would serve my family to preserve our history in such a way, I could justify the time away.  Well, hasn't happened yet.  He's welcomed the idea, but days turn into weeks, and before I know it, another year has passed!  But hey, January is rolling around again sooner than later!

Another of our Madisons, also known as "Red". 

This is my midwife's great-granddaughter.  She has grown to be an intricate part of our family life.  We have her stay with us for days at a time, so she's completely adapted to Parnell culture.  She even likes for me to include her in our chore lists.  Go figure.  From our nightly Bible reading to spa days, she's participated.  We've known her well since she was six years old, and have enjoyed her companionship and watching her grow.  Though she loves all of the girls, Mercy is her kindred spirit, and she Mercy's.

    With only 6 weeks to the day before Autumn begins, our summer has filled to overflowing.  I have so many short stories to tell, as would only make sense in a family with 13 lives branching out to their own reaches.  With significance and truth abounding in Jesus, each life tells its own story of His grace, faithfulness, and love.  Evidence of Him in every nook and cranny of our home is what makes life worth living.  Hallelujah!