Memorial Day Weekend

We decide to spend the holiday weekend at our home away from home, the Browns in Atlanta. Despite the rainy weather, we managed to play outside quite a bit.  The boys loved the new parks and pool, and just being with great friends.  Seriously, Micah said at least 10 times: "I love this park and this slide and this ladder.  I love this pool at Nathan's house!" and my favorite: "Can we live here forever?"  We mostly relaxed and caught up.  We ate wonderful food as always.  Taylor is a fantastic cook!  We even visited a new Mexican restaurant that served not one, but three dips upon arrival.  That's my kind of place!  Here are a few pictures from the weekend, which are mostly just of the boys.  What can I say, I am a little partial.  

This one and the next few are actually from a family Memorial Day party celebrating Matt's grandma's 90th birthday along with his sister's graduation from UVA.  Micah went into the pool with his second cousin.  He was a little scared, but we were proud of him for being so brave in letting her take him around the whole pool. 
"Huge airplane in the sky!  Another one! Huge one!"
This one cracks me up.  He is posing like such a sweet boy.  He did this totally on his own when I said "smile!"  
Looking at the goldfish in the pond.  This entertained Owen for at least 30 minutes.  
Favorite activity: scooping with the "bulldudududu" and dumping it in the dump truck.  He does this off and on all day.  
My boys hanging out in the freezing cold pool in Atlanta.  I wish I had a photo of Dylan jumping in the cold water.  She was putting the boys to shame.  
Big hug for Aunt Taylor after a hand picked bouquet of dandelions.  He was a little smitten after this.  
Drawing numbers with the chalk.  
Flower for Mama!  Can you see his adorable dimple in his left cheek near his smile line.  I love this, and it seems to be getting more prominent.  What a sweet, unique feature.  
Micah' new favorite activity: golf.  He plays off and on all day.  We have a set of mini clubs inside and out.  He will make up a course with 18 holes and pick a par for the course.  He is getting pretty good, at least he can beat me!  
Sweet hug from Dylan after picking a flower for her.  These guys were really cute together.  There was really none of the expected two year old tantrums over toys.  Dylan graciously let Owen take over her "Lightning McQueen" bus.  She knew just how to win him over!

A fire truck came to visit the neighborhood.  After a few minutes of shyness, Owen finally let Matt put him in the driver's side.  
Owen was not cooperating, but since there are hardly ever pictures of me with the boys, I thought I would post it anyway.  
Very shy about the BIG fire truck.  

Visit With Friends

Last week our some of our best friends, the Comptons, came to stay with us for a few days.  It was so much fun to see them.  I think we all stayed up a tad too late, but it was well worth the catching up.  I hardly had my camera out, but I did manage to get some pictures of their daughter, Campbell, playing in the rain after the pool trip got cancelled by lightening and of the boys teaching Campbell how to hang from the bars of our canopy bed while listening to music that is a bit too loud.  I am sure Katie loved that!  Comptons, we miss you guys.  I promise we won't let multiple months go by without a visit again.  

40 Days of Prayer

 I was reading, this morning, last weekend's article from Table Talk by a former pastor of ours, John Sartelle.  He was speaking of how he was convinced a few years ago that his priorities in prayer were off.  That he was mostly always praying first for himself and his family, etc.  I thought, yeah I am doing good if I am still focused enough to pray anymore after I get through the laundry list of our family's needs and wants.  He ended with the charge for us to pray for the vision, advancement, and growth of the kingdom of God. He quoted a verse from 1 Timothy 2:1-2 "first of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way." 

Coincidentally, I saw this on Dr. Grant's (our current pastor) blog today.  I urge you to also make it a priority to pray for our Congress this week.  Visit this site for specifics.  

Catching Up

Well, I had this originally done two days ago, and I can't seem to get the cute video to upload of the performance.  I can't stall any longer because I really want to post some other things and I am a little OCD about keeping events in as much order as possible on this thing.  You will just have to trust me that it was great seeing my little guy sing his heart out to big truths such as "In the covenant of life, what did God require one to do?  To obey God perfectly.  Did Adam keep the covenant of life?  No, he sinned against God."  There were much more including Adam representing all of us when he sinned, and how we all need Jesus to be saved.  Pretty amazing stuff!  

Wow!  I need to catch up big time on the blog.  It has been a crazy couple of weeks, and I am trying to maintain some order (a very real need for me).  So, blogging has been put on the back burner for a while.  I am hoping to catch up this week though so stay tuned.  First I wanted to post some cute pictures of the boys working puzzles together.  They love doing this, but I do have to be sitting right there to referee.  Micah will often grab a piece from Owen because he knows where it goes, and nothing makes Owen more sad than to have something grabbed out of his hands.  It is a great way to teach them to communicate with each other rather than just take things.  Yes, they are wearing Halloween pj's given to them by the Browns.  Lately, they love to wear matching pj's, and since Owen's are mostly hand-me-downs, they only have a select few that actually match.  

This photo is from Micah's end of the year school program.  They sang all the catechism questions that they have learned to music.  Micah was a little stunned being on stage, but he did really well singing.  What a blessing that he has learned so much great theology this year.  It is so impressive to me that his preschool teaches these children great truths that many might think too complex for a three year old.  

Sending you to a Friend

I know it has been a week since I posted.  I am not much in the blogging mood these days-more on that at a later time (just to keep you coming back!)  I am twittering now (see right hand side of blog), so you can see some updates there if you like.  Today I will send you to a friend.  Taylor, who is a very talented artist, has started a nap time project.  She is designing t-shirts, etc. and printing them on various items.  If you need a personalized T for your little one. or bag, dress, etc.  you should check her new blog out.  My boys each have two shirts and they are adorable!  

Way Back Whensday-Water, Water Everywhere

I just couldn't bring myself to dig through the old photos to find pool/beach pictures from when I was younger.  I am not even sure that I have any here at our house.  I decided to just go way back 3 years to our beach trips with Micah.  We took him a total of three times.  Owen, sadly, has only been in utero.  We are itching to go back and trying our darndest to make it work this summer.  Alas, Raechel said we could improvise so here are some pretty cute pictures of Micah at the beach!  Do you guys have any beach shots you want to relive?  It really is fun to take a trip down memory lane, you should try it.  

Here is Micah building "ta towers" with Dada.  This was a most memorable trip.  We went with our friends, the Costellos on Drew and Matt's spring break 2007.  We had just come out of Matt's hardest rotation of working 12 hour days at the VA hospital, and I was 34 weeks pregnant (and exhausted).  Micah had had a really rough winter of ear infections and colds, so spending non-stop time with Dada in the fresh air of Gulf Shores was a real treat!   He had a blast swimming in the "hot tub, poo" and trying lots of new foods.  He even ate some oysters with us!  



This next set of pictures is from our family trip to Hawaii in the summer of 2006 for my brother's wedding.  I included one shot of them sending off the white doves after the ceremony. It felt like we were in a movie!  

Loving the fresh pineapple at the Luau rehearsal dinner.  What a great way to cool off!

The top two are from our trip on the Road to Hana.  We rented a Jeep and spent the day looking at breathtaking sites and exploring.  This is a must do if you are ever in Maui.  

Walking with Nana on the beach.  He was just getting the hang of it.
Pa buried him in the sand. 
The next few are from Matt's spring break 2006.  Micah had a blast playing in the sand and pool, and getting lots of attention from Dada of course.  
This was Micah's favorite trick.  He started doing this when he was 3 months old, and it got a smile every time.  



He was mesmerized when we first arrived at the beach.  We had to take him out to see the ocean, even though it was close to bed time.  This was all we could get out of him.  He put on his "thinking face" and was trying to figure it all out.  Look at those cheeks!

Thanks Hershael

So as I ponder whether to send Micah (given his history this winter) to school with the news and fear of swine flu, I come across this commentary.  He states many of the thoughts that Matt and I share, but it sure felt good to have someone confirm them.  Thanks Hershael York, whoever you are.  

Micah's Performance

So I would call the morning a success.  Micah said his Bible verse today without seeming the least bit nervous.  He was especially impressed with the sound of his voice booming across the sanctuary.  I could tell they hadn't done a rehearsal with the microphone!  He could hardly focus on the poem because he wanted to speak into the microphone again.  He finally was content to just crane his neck toward the mic and finish up the poem.  He informed me today that maybe when he is five he will be able to reach his mouth to the microphone.  

The Bible verse is: Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them for the kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these.  Matthew 19:14

The poem is:  Jesus Loves the Children

Dear Dear Jesus, the mother's softly pled.

Bless our little children lay your hand upon their heads.

Jesus told his helpers, let the children come to me.

He gathered them around him and blessed them tenderly.