Boys of mine

Oh, I love you, boys of mine.

Is there anything sweeter than the spontaneous kisses of a two year old son or the endless backseat questions from an inquisitive four year old? I can't think of anything. I do look forward to the years ahead, when you will grow up to be men like your daddy, but a part of me will always cherish this. This summer...this string of endless, happy days in the sun, swimming, and playing, and laughing together. We are having a great time.

I am one blessed mom to have the 2 of you.

Ethan, I love that Simon calls you, "Wudar" even though he has been able to pronounce his B's for quite some time. It is cute and endearing, and he obviously wants to be just like you. It really encourages me to see that you are starting to talk so sweetly to him.

We had such a good time tonight, just the 3 of us. You are growing up, and it shows. I love your sweet spirit and enthusiasm for life. And the way you never meet a stranger. At daddy's company picnic last night, almost immediately you had found a friend and were off playing. I hope that making friends will always be this easy for you!







Simon, you are such a character. Quick to laugh, or clown around. But I often find you playing all by yourself in your room, lining up cars in a methodical way. Talking away, like they can hear you. Your favorite is Lightning McQueen ("he's faster than fast; he's lightning!") and you rarely let him out of your sight, even to sleep. ;)

Case in point - I spotted him in this candid shot from a few weeks ago, while you were eating dinner on the deck. I wonder how long this obsession will last?







My mom told me once that of all the parenting that she and Dad did, she thought that praying for us kids had the most impact in our lives. And that really spoke to me. I pray every day for you boys, that you will see your need for a Savior, that you will listen to His voice, and that you will grow up to be men of God. We are imperfect parents, but still, He is pursuing you - I can tell.

Ethan, tonight at dinner you prayed, "Um, God, thanks for dying on the cross, and um, you know that fire place that you have? Well, please take me to heaven instead. 'Cause I really want to go there. I love you, God, and, um, thanks for the food too. InJesusnameamen."

At the food court at the mall. Quite loudly, in fact.

Love it. I'll keep praying for you boys. :)

Cousins reunited

Nate, Ruth and Austin are staying with his parents this week, so we've spent some time over there too. It's been about 9 months since we've seen this little guy.

The boys had great fun in the wading pool.

Especially Bryson!

Kelly's 30!

To celebrate this monumental occasion, we celebrated Hawaiian luau style on Saturday! It was so much fun, and just the perfect weather for an outdoor BBQ.

Favorite pics of the evening:

The girls

Sweet Nyah

Bammer, Danny, and Kelly, competing in a hula contest

Bocce ball

Ethan and Kate, people watching

My pensive son

Me and the birthday girl!

Happy birthday, Kelly! We love you!

4 year old wonder

Today I am thankful
for sweet children's smiles
and the happy sounds of
life at home.

It has been a good day. I woke up to a headache and some naughty behavior, so that wasn't so great, but things have improved with some consistency on my part. Isn't that always my story? I should know that by now, but I still forget.

I asked the boys if they wanted water or milk to drink for lunch. Si says, "Wilk, peese." Made me laugh.

We are on week 4 of a 10K training program, Dave and I. I am so proud of him for doing this with me. It is amazing how much more endurance I've gained over the last 4 weeks. I was barely able to run for 15 minutes before, and now I can go twice as long. And it feels good. I am actually starting to enjoy running again.

Swimming lessons start tonight, so I am off to take a shower!

VBS 2008

Vacation Bible School is one of my favorite weeks of the year. Even though I know we'll be totally exhausted by Friday, I love every minute of it.

Ours started tonight and will go until Friday, when we have an all-family BBQ in the parking lot. We are praying that parents will come!

Ken Miller is here again, teaching on creation and the first few chapters of Genesis. We had around 40 kids tonight, and he definitely held their interest.





Ethan has been inviting everyone he knows to VBS. Thankfully he's had a few takers. :) A neighbor friend came with him tonight, and another friend too. On the way home tonight, Ethan and his friend were discussing how they can get more candy bars and who they could possibly invite. The incentive is working, but sadly half our neighborhood happens to be on vacation this week. I am not kidding.

Sewing chair

I found this old chair at Goodwill for $4.98. I've been wanting to find a chair to put downstairs at my sewing desk, so I snagged it up.







Dave and I are a little photography-obsessed these days, so I actually made it into a picture. That doesn't happen very often. Unless my dad is visiting, of course. :)

I got a coat of spray primer on the chair, and Simon and I got the cover off the seat cushion. I want to find some cute fabric to recover it with. I am picturing a white chair, with some sort of large plaid fabric. But maybe it should be blue...or yellow gold. I haven't tried those color spray paints before.

Just like the Weather...

Today has been a good day. It started out dark and stormy, but by afternoon the sun was shining and we were enjoying the promise of summer.

We have been working on some heart attitudes here at home. Nothing earth-shattering or anything, but I was realizing the other day that one of the boys has been having a really hard time obeying cheerfully the first time he's asked to do something. There have been a lot of tears and drama instead. So we have been working on that, and like I said, today has been a good day. Just like the weather, we've seen a turnaround in his heart too.

Hopefully it will last. I know my own heart though, so I'm not holding my breath. :)

I went over to my MOPS mentor mom's house tonight for dinner with the rest of my small group, and we had a great time of fellowship, sitting around the table, just talking and enjoying the common bond we have. These ladies have been a blessing in my life this year.

When I got home around 9 pm, the house was quiet, clean, and every candle in the house was lit. Even the one by the front door that is really just for looks. :) I have a sweet husband, and he knows how far the little things go with me.

I'm just feeling thankful tonight: thankful for the chance to devote my time to little hearts, thankful for marriage and the wonder of 2 hearts growing closer, thankful for friends to encourage me along the way.

"Remember His marvelous works which He has done..." 1 Chronicles 16:12

In the Wilderness

In Sunday School today we were going through Exodus 15, the song of Moses, after the Israelites have passed through the Red Sea and their enemies have been swallowed up by the waters right behind them. They see the salvation of their God, and all they can think about is who it was who delivered them.

Not so much the gift, but the Giver. And their hearts were filled to overflowing with worship.

Looking back on what God had done, the outpouring of their hearts was to marvel about Him and trust Him for the future. Not just because of what He had done, but because of who He is.

They praised Him for being their salvation, their strength, their joy. Their peace, their guide, their inheritance. Because even though He gives those things, really He is giving of Himself... because He is peace, and He is joy, isn't He?

You can see that their focus is on the Giver, not on themselves, or even the blessings they have gained. The eyes of faith don't depend on external circumstances to draw the heart to worship anyway. They know with confidence that,

"His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness..." 2 Peter 1:3

no matter what the circumstances look like.

Granted, the Israelites had just seen the salvation of their God; all the aspects of life hadn't had time to get in the way. As they headed into the wilderness they would wander for the next 40 years, they were quick to switch their tune.

I am like that too. Quick to forget how wonderful He is.

But this wilderness stretching in front of me makes me want to look back to the Giver. If I know enough about who He really is, I can trust Him for all that is ahead.

Because after all, He gives of Himself.

flowers above are from Grandma E

Photoshop Elements is in the House, edited

My Mother's Day gift arrived, and I've been reading the manual and trying to figure this software out. I can see some improvement already, but I'm not really sure I can trust my eye yet. Is there something *off* in the color of this photo? I do like how much sharper I was able to get his eyes (scroll down for the iPhoto version below).

Is this better? I did push the yellow down a little - but I'm not sure it's that noticeable.