The Flege Farm

Wow, its hard to believe my first born.. my baby boy, is 17 today!! Not only is he 17 today but he is also wrestling out in Fargo, ND with Team Iowa for nationals.  What a great way to celebrate a birthday.  We hate not being there to watch him, but he knows we are all there in spirit!
We are all so proud of you buddy!!  Hope your birthday is the best ever!!
LOVE YOU!

Blast from the past.....The first time we met.

A little over 4 years ago, I met this great mom for the first time.  Her name is Gillian Marchenko and she has now become a wonderful friend and part of my second family.  Gillian was blessed with her daughter Polly who has down syndrome and continued her journey further by adopting her 4th daughter, Evangeline, from the Ukraine.  She is now writing about her down syndrome journey and is giving away a Kindle on her blog!! 
So, go take a look and sign up to win a Kindle!! 
Good luck!!!!

As most of you know, Jayden is our wrestler.  He has been doing it since he was 4 years old.  He was introducted by his daddy, who also wrestled in high school and college.  Jayden found a love for it or more of a passion.  He would beg to go to every tournament we could possibly get him in over the years.  He is really committed now and has been working hard ever since the folkstyle season ended in February.  Since then he as been working on Greco/Freestyle.   A few weeks ago, he went to state and qualified to go to Fargo, ND and wrestle for TEAM IOWA!  What a honor this is for him.  And also, a once in a lifetime opportunity.  He is committed to going but also has alot of money to raise in order to go.  Right now he is selling raffle tickets at $5 each which gives you the chance to win 15 cash prizes in the amounts of each wrestling weight class..... $98, $112, $119, $125, $130, $135, $130, $145, $152, $160, $171, $189, $215, and $275.

You can pay for these through my paypal account at amymichele@southslope.net.  Make sure you add your name, address and phone number in a message so it can be added to the ticket stub that will be sent to Fargo! Good Luck!
BUT WAIT.... There is MORE

 Now, you also, know that our second famly, our DS family, is very special.  When Maria, from SPECS4US  (eye wear just for people with DS) heard Jayden needed to raise money, she offered a gift certificate to the highest bidder for the amount of $134.99!!  Wow!!!   Thats a free pair of frames people!! So, starting now, I am opening up this certificate for bids!!  I will keep bidding open until Sunday Night at 9pm.  Happy bidding and thanks for supporting my son in something that means so much to him!


Your name can be HERE!!!!!



Our first week of summer break went by so fast.  It was nice to have a fresh start of a week after the loss of my aunt the week before.  It was hot as heck last week.  In the 90's and the dew points were so high there were  a few days it felt like 100.  In Iowa, that isnt the norm for the first week of June!  We did enjoy the time at the beach though.  My family loves the beach.  Its only 7 miles from our home and its so pretty there.

There is a great little marina where you can rent paddle boats, canoes, fishing boats and pontoons.  Oh and snacks....you can"t forget the snacks!







The water is so clear.  It is nice to be able to go to a beach and see your feet in the water and be able to build castles in the sand!






oh and the sailboats are so beautiful and fun to watch sail by!





Sometimes a friendly butterfly will visit.

Mayson and Rylee love the beach probably more than any of us.  The Boys usually take off and walk to the spillway and fish.  I sit in my chair and soak up the rays and read.  The girls, they LOVE the water.   Rylee is so good with Mayson......whether they are goofing around, sitting and enjoying each others company or splash'n around.   Even though there is 8 years between them, they would be lost without each other.

Our day at the beach was great!  We plan to spend many more days there this summer.  Wanna join us???

This week was a tough one.   My familly lost a beautiful soul.... Margery Lou.
She was my aunt, my moms sister, a wonderful wife, mother, daughter, grandmother
great -grandmother, great-aunt,  friend and christian.  She had battled MS for a quite some time
and was in a wheel chair.  I never heard her complain about it either.  It seemed that no
matter what was thrown at her, she took in stride. 
She had a very deep faith in God, and it showed! The MS did not take her life, it was
unexpected pneumonina..... something none of us would of thought would happen.
But she took it with stride, knowing it was her time to go and was at peace with it.

Margery Lou  2 months old

She was an amazing seamstress, could whip out a piece of clothing
without a pattern.   She enjoyed  embroidery, making special little
gifts for new neices and nehphews with that talent.  She also loved
to knit, decrotate her beautiful victorian home, look out at her
garden and LOVED to shop!



My grama with all her girls.  Karen, Grama, Marge  Shari, JoAnn, Diane and Judy

Many of you blog readers and my DS family, know of my cousin Shelly,
who also has DS.  Marge was his mom.   Never in a million years
would I have thought that I would be a mom, just like my aunt Marge,
of a child with DS.  But because of being raised around Shelly, and
seeing how much he was just like all of us, it was ok.  I loved being able
to call, email, or sit down and ask her about when Shellly hit certain
milestones, what he had for therapies, how she handled things.  It was
reassuring to know she was there. 

Margery's senior picture

Now she is gone, and I will miss having her here for all the special
things she did for all of us.  Whether it was sending something special
for Mayson in the mail ( she always called Mayson "her girl")  making
her awesome chocolate cake, or sharing hot tamales while sitting and
chatting in her family room.  I will be forever grateful that she was apart of
my life.  



Marge, may your Garden now be as beautiful as it was here on earth...Rest in peace.



IN THE GARDEN


I come to the garden alone

While the dew is still on the roses

And the voice I hear falling on my ear

The Son of God discloses.



Chorus

And He walks with me, and He talks with me,

And He tells me I am His own;

And the joy we share as we tarry there,

None other has ever known.



He speaks, and the sound of His voice,

Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,

And the melody that He gave to me

Within my heart is ringing.



Chorus



I’d stay in the garden with Him

Though the night around me be falling,

But He bids me go; through the voice of woe

His voice to me is calling.



Chorus