Summertime!!!

I was backing out of the sprinkler park parking spot upon saying our goodbyes to dear friends. With hugs allotted and all children in their proper carseats after a few hours of good hard play a sweet, small and exhausted voice came from the backseat... "bye bye water."

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We're back in the swing of things, Lexi has returned to our clan once again. And thus we find our afternoons and our weeks filled once again with 5 y/o laughter and playing. Three can be a challenge sometimes during the day, but juggling may have some disastrous near-misses turned into brilliant thrill rides. Abi and Rachael are on a predictable enough schedule that we can do wonderful things like... leave the house and try on some new scenery. While we have one window frame per day that allows us to get out before we need to either be at lock-down at someone's home or return for nap time, it is fun to feel the life of summer again.

And Matt has been amazingly helpful in catering Abi's nursing needs with my modesty needs and my desire not to share too much human anatomy with five year old curiosity. Lexi has been wonderful in permitting me some space to feed Abi and yet not be utterly secluded from my very active and needing supervision and guidance toddler.

The addition of a swing set and piano (thanks again Jenney) helps to bring some "at home" entertainment to the array of familiar toys on scalding hot days. It's nice to have a playground in the backyard on days that leaving the house feels like way too much work. And with a few playgrounds in walking distance and the library nearby we are back into the swing of enjoying the free's of the neighborhood.

One diamond in the ruff is the free sprinkler park a community over. In one of my more ambitious moments, we wrangled up bathing suits, slapped on the sunblock and fond ourselves enjoying the heat together. With a five year old scream of excitement upon view of the water zone after pulling into the parking lot the park is destined not to disappoint. Add a few friends to the mix and some cousins and you get two kids knocked out cold for afternoon rest time. It was wonderful.

But don't ever underestimate the adventure found in normalcy - like giving Abi a bath, AKA watering Rachael and the bathroom floor while dumping butter tubs of water on "Abi's belly." Everyone helps and we all have a jolly good time. Even Abi appeared not to mind getting a plastic spoon thrown into her tub (thank you, Rachael).

Needless to say, we are enjoying summer here and hoping all is well with you all.

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"Go Get Daddy"

- just another picture of the joy of Rachael's world. -

The Girls and Reminders

Peaks and Valleys fill our lives here at the parsonage. Peaks of "we're making it well with two kids," and valleys of "are we going to make it through the next ten minutes?" It's helped me ask for help more and admit my shortcomings more, which is not always that comfortable. (wink)

"The girls" Matt called them when explaining to his mom that he needed to get off the phone because we were out and about with "the girls." The phrase brought back years of taking care of "the girls" moments passed between Mom and Dad on the phone. We were "the girls" in Daddy's talk many a time. And now we have our own "the girls." In that moment our family felt wonderfully complete or shall I say, well rounded. The girls.... we now really have two kids. Wow, we're parents.... TWICE. In some moments that fact seems to age me by 10 years and in other moments that fact sees to label me irresponsible. Maybe I flirt on both sides. =)


Nothing like a good on-fire Christian to make you feel like a cold coal. But I am grateful for the reminders to continually seek the Source of Flame. Sometimes I find myself feeling like I'm doing nothing for the Kingdom when I witness old peers and younger adults say, selling all their stuff and moving to Africa (wink, wink to Theresa). It's so easy to get caught up in the comparison game here until I begin to feel like Matt working at a Baptist church in Miamisburg is nothing compared to running off to the mission field. Maybe it's part of my adventurous dreamer feeling antsy. Maybe I'm getting to "used to" church. Maybe Moses doesn't feel like he's coming back with the Ten commandments so I start building calves. God's been using friends' stories of devotion as little heart-checks for me. It's nice to have your eyes opened and be spurred on... after the sting is behind you. =) But I am grateful of the reminder that this world is not my home, so don't get too comfy here. Changing diapers is my lifestyle, but not my worth or my mission. How am I serving beyond the routines? Am I intentional? I've been chewing on those thoughts for a little while - they tend to be tough and lasting.


- Just sharing a little brain vomit with you all....

feel properly stained. (ewww, bad illustration.)



Take care, all.
=)