Like father, like son

This was waaaay too cute to keep from posting!

Courage

C is for COURAGE...we got to learn this summer about the importance of overcoming our fears and having courage. Our kids have taken their time revving up the nerve to go off the high dive at the pool. (Maybe due in part to the fact that we always go in the evening, and their friends are not around to push them?) Anyhoo, after lots and lots of prodding, it was our Katie-bug who took the first leap! Then, not to be outdone by her little sister, Jake tried to work up some nerve. It took quite a bit of work for him to get over that last little hump of fear, (tears and everything-he wanted it soooo badly). Then--- he did it! Everyone at that end of the pool was shouting for joy! It was great---when he leaped off the board, his expression was that of panic. When he came up out of the water, he was thrilled, and he did a happy dance all the way back up to the board again. By the time our evening at the pool was over, we had lost track of how many times they had gone! Hooray! And then, when I wasn't looking, Maddie went down the slide for the first time! We took the opportunity to have the kids think about how hard that was, and how they work to get over it, and it was all about COURAGE. It was great to have a tangible experience to learn from...and have them be old and mature enough to "get it"! When we got home, they got to have Candy for Courage! We were so excited and proud.

Science City

It's amazing how much more FUN it is to take my children out this summer! The older ones have really grown and matured, and little man was just born easy. So, last week, we attended an information session at Science City for a virtual school. As a reward for getting there to sign in at 8:30 (on a summer morning!), and for sitting through the 1 1/2 hour session, we got to play at Science City AND see an IMAX theatre show...for free! Denise and her kiddos came too, and we had a good time exploring every inch of Science City, eating PB&J in Union Station, and watching a 3-D IMAX show about life under the sea off the coast of Africa. (You should have seen Bugaboo try to catch the underwater bubbles...cute). Thanks LVS for footing the bill!

Standing Tall!

Ah, man! I'm sad that our video did not post! Seems we have some programming issues that must be addressed! Can't wait to get it fixed, because Little Man has been up to some mighty cool stunts that must be shared. Here he is after he pulled himself up in his crib a couple of weeks ago. He loves to stand up, and it's nice that our arms get a little break now that he can hold on to things himself! But, he is still young, and he doesn't really know what to do with himself once standing after a bit. He has a tendancy to let go and fall...but it's still amazing to us! Hooray for strong, healthy babies!

Blessings: I couldn't ask for more!

So this is what it's all about...in our quest for "perfection", we realize that we often need to take the best that we have at the time, and use it anyway. Hence the picture with the crying baby! (Do you have any idea how difficult it is to get 3 hungry children, and a tired baby to sit still long enough to pose for a "good" picture?! They had just endured 3 hours of church...was I nuts? ) They are my treasured blessings; they complete me, and I love, love, love being their mom! I couldn't ask for more!!!

Desires of my heart

I can't start this chronicle of our family without a preface....

I get to spend most of my time these days basking in the love of my family, and I feel so grateful to a loving Heavenly Father for giving me this beautiful experience called "life". In the past, it looked as if I would never get the opportunity to choose a spouse, marry him and have my own children. Psalms 37:4 reads, "Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." I must have done something right...When I am held in the strong, loving arms of my husband, or when I am surrounded by my beautiful children, I know I truly have been granted my deepest desires and I am soooo eternally grateful.