Vacation on the Lake

I am dizzy with happiness~giddy with a sweet contentment that floods my heart.  Was I made for this very moment?  The excited calls of the boys coming down the river,  the buzz of the bee on the white wildflowers,  James plucking at the grass at the edge of his blanket. There is pine on the softest breeze,  there is the quiet ripple of the water,  there is the haze of the late summer sky.

 A picnic lunch,   waiting to be laid out and then devoured by these boys too soon to be grown.  I am constantly reminded of the way these days will soon be gone.  But I will always remember today,  a picnic beside the creek,  and the thrill it was. 

An hour later:  

 A simple comment about the beauty and perfection of our picnic bouyed Mr. Wonderful in a way I haven't noticed before.  Was my cheerfulness such a surprise?  Have I really become so stressed---so habitually mothering that I have forgotten how to let it go and enjoy life? 

How can I regain a sense of childishness,  (at least every now and then) the kind that refuses to think about the next meal,  the missed naptimes and how to make them up, ect.? 

Can I learn to give the gift of contentment?  If I walked in true peace,  with a grateful heart, what kind of difference might that make in our home and in all our days?

First Camping Trip and more

Life is charging by like a herd of buffalo....

most of the time I am watching with my adrenaline racing,

but sometimes,

I get trampled.

.

This past weekend,  we went TENT camping.

(With a baby!!??  Are we crazy??  Apparently.)

The weather was perfect,  even on the hot side.

The company was the best kind 

and we came home tired and happy. 

.

James is 4 1/2 months old.  He smiles,  coos, gurgles

and tries to laugh. 

Just today he started this adorable little cough

when he wants attention (and of course he gets it!!)

Summer Pleasures

The Kind Hand of God

(photos of Father's Day, 2010)

'We need not despise happiness simply because there is so much unhappiness. We should not arrogantly push away the kind hand of God because God's hand is otherwise so hard.....

may God also prepare you through this divine kindness to bear again the divine hardship if necessary.'

~~~~Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Camo

You know it's a real part of our everyday life

when even the two year old can say it:

camouflage!

Caterpillar

On top of a mountain,

Braden found this wonderfully

colored caterpillar!

Psalm 92:4

You make me glad by your deeds, O LORD...

Learning to be Content

Being parents never ceases to be our hardest job ever.

Who knew what would bring us the most happiness

would also bring us the most frustration,

the most sense of inadaquacy,

the most exhaustion?

Being mommy and daddy has shown us the depth of our own sin and selfishness like nothing else could. Not only do we struggle with our own sin, but in the war against sin in our children, we are constantly amazed at the blatant desire for more. Even after we have done something totally new, amazing and fun......

So we started telling the boys this:

"When you feel like whining and crying, stop it and be thankful. "

Come to think of it, I need that motto

probably even more than they do.

Off to Adventure

....a week in the motorhome.

Mr. Wonderful has work 2 hours away,

so we are all going along,

hoping to make some (good) memories!

See you next week!

Memories

Ian and Nathan nose to nose! Poor Nathan gets sooooo cold in the water,
shivering and shaking within minutes,
we really need to look into a second-hand wetsuit.

Braving the waves and Daddy making castles.

Nathan took this shot of Ian!!

Nathan with his face only *barely* dirty---I think this was the

cleanest it was all weekend!

Ian is really developing some coordination---

hand to mouth coordination!

Home Again!

I can't decide which is more fun---

spending a wonderful weekend camping

with family and friends,

bike riding and beach playing---

or coming home to a clean kitchen,

air conditioning, cool shower

and fresh sheets?

What Do Daddy's Do?

• go for bike rides in the evening after a long day at work---even in this hot weather!


• play squirt guns, run through sprinklers, and generally just be a boy for the boys!


• spend "vacation" time working as hard as ever at teaching, training and entertaining!


• read the Bible every morning after breakfast, Proverbs and Gospels!

Lost Lake