Summer “goodness”. High Fructose Corn Syrup and Red Food Coloring. Ugh. Makes my insides curdle. But, it’s 7/11, and in my opinion, Free Slurpees are a given.
As predicted, life has been busy and full, but we are mentally pushing towards a little away time at the beach in three and a half weeks. In the meantime, my philosophy is to soak up the time where it might be found, to celebrate the everyday moments & to enjoy visits from family and friends. Luckily, our past few weeks have been filled with many, many blessings….
A week-long visit from my parents…SO good.
Berry Picking at Webb Ranch in Portola Valley
(could NOT have managed this adventure without my parent’s help!)
…and berry cobbler consuming….
Accidents and stitches and stitches removed…
(part of the rites of passage of boyhood)
A bowling field trip during Summer Camp
Antics with the grandparents and a trip to Berkeley to celebrate the amazing ministry of the Rev. Dr. Tim Shaw at First Presbyterian Church.
The week-long anticipated return of Matt from his trip to Mexico…
and 4th of July unplanned days of hanging out, eating yummy food and saying goodbye to the grandparents.
The arrival and 24 hour visit of our dear friend, Elena, aka Auntie Elena.
(including lots of story card arts and crafts fun)
The milestones of 21 months of toddler goodness.
A field trip to Pizza My Heart to learn about the “inner workings” of an official pizza restaurant. “THEY HAD A WALK IN REFRIGERATOR AND FREEZER!!!!!!!!!!!!”
We’ve been slurping green smoothies…and laughing at mealtime shenanigans….
Playing Star Wars wii games….LORD, SAVE ME.
Dressing up Dinosaurs, Elizabethan Style…
Going on lots of car rides….
Picking up dog poop (yummm)
Hearing about all that God did in the lives of students on the Caravan trip to Mexico
(they asked the congregation to write prayers on post it notes and they served as stucco on the “house” they built throughout the service)
Friday Popsicles and Candyland
Friday Night Lights and Cooking
Friday Night Lights and Laundry
Friday Night Lights and Unloading the Dishwasher….
Swim Lessons…
Reading & Writing Practice (so *FUN*!)
Brotherly Love…
Seeing all of these moments in picture form is a reminder that the days have been full and busy….but how quickly the details fade. As I have written before, I hope this place holds a space for my boys in the future. A place for them to look back and see the moments in time we tried to capture for and with them. A location on the internet to house their obessessions and passions of the moment.
I am finishing up an incredible book, Love Does, by Bob Goff. In one chapter, he shares about the pact he and his wife made to take each of their children on a trip with their dad (Bob) when they turned ten. He reflects, “It’s not lost on me that of all of the names God could have asked us to call Him, we most often refer to Him as “Father’. I think that’s because He has the same kind of relationship in mind for us that I had in mind for my kids. I think a father’s job, when it’s done best, is to get down on both knees, lean over his children’s lives, and whisper, ‘Where do you want to go?’ Every day God invites us on the same kind of adventure. It’s not a trip where He sends us a rigid itinerary. He simply invites us. God asks what it is He’s made us to love, what it is that captures our attention, what feeds that deep indescribable need of our souls to experience the richness of the world He made. And then, leaning over us, He whispers, ‘Let’s go do that together.'”
So, Alex and Drew…hopefully you see that we have tried to create places for that….chances to go out and experience the world. Maybe it is close to home at 7-Eleven or the swimming pool. Often, it comes out in conversations and time spent at the dinner table. But most importantly, boys, we hope you see the amazing adventures God desires to go on WITH you each day.
These Stones 