to the zoo

My neighbor Fawna and I have been hanging out a lot! It's a fun combination her Son Oz is a couple months older than Aaron and Eli, and her daughter Anouk is just six days younger than Fin. It's been fun getting to know eachother, for both us and our kiddos! A few weeks ago we all went to the zoo! Oz was a pro he knew what all the animals were and had no fear. Aaron and Eli, weren't quite sure of the animals or even some of the statues! It was a fun little field trip!

Elaphant's are Oz's Favorite! Eli Roared at them and Aaron just said No. no. no...

I love this picture, I just can't believe how big they are. I love getting to get down on their level and try to see things as they do!

Oz it so sweet!

Anouk was so sweet such a smiley babe

Oz, Eli and Aaron

I love giraffe's, they are so pretty and one of God's amazing creatures that he uses to totally discard evolution, (not that it would make any sense even if they didn't exsist!)

the boys were not fan's of the bronze lion

Oz however had no fear!

Quotes of the day;

Aaron: " No, no, no....." this went on in his deepest manliest voice, until we moved away from the scary animals.

Eli; " Roar" this is also in a very scary deep voice.

Our crew.

Pumpies!

Our little family visited a simple little pumpkin patch, it was a beautiful day and a huge blessing to escape together. Ee had so much exploring the farm and experiencing it all through the perspective of our boys. Daddy chasing Aaron through the haystack tunnel!

Daddy and Eli

Eli loved getting to walk along with Adam, he watched his shadow as he swung his little arms
Aaron enjoyed the ride back to the farm keeping an eye on our 'pumpies'

My little E

We haven't yet managed to get a pic of all of us together with the boys smiling :(

Eli

They had this tree surrounded with pumpkins the boys loved climbing all over them.
I think E is dancing? He's very good at it at home.

Uncle Chris and Kyle will appreciate Aaron's tongue! its always sticking out.

Eli had so much fun, he grinned all day

So many pumpkins...

Busy Days

Life has been so busy lately! The boys are getting so big and learning so quickly. We are learning with them, but not always at the same rate. We are learning how to disipline and function when their and our, sinful natures rear their ugly heads! It's exhausting and consuming, yet amazing and rewarding! I am so thankful, to get to watch how they learn and grow, their is no other way I would rather spend my days.
We have also been blessed to get to know my nephew Finley better. While his mommy and daddy are at work, he comes to play with us. Aaron and Eli, adore him! They are very affectionate with him, he loves to laugh and watch them run circles around him. Soon he'll be keeping up running around with them!. Having Fin has been an adjustment, but it's been good for all of us! It's a huge blessing for the boys to have another cousin to grow along side of. And the Lord is teaching me a lot through caring for these little munchkins!
The verse I've been meditating on latley is, 2 corinthians 12:9 "And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
I figure this is a good place for me to be, needing the power of Christ resting on me. In our moments of insanity, the Lord is with us.

weakness

Lately I've been going crazy. Feeling completely inadaquit (more like unwilling) to the tasks the Lord has put before me, selfishly feeling sorry for myself about everything. Crying out to God, not understanding why He wont help me out of this slump, I feel so far away from Him. I read my Bible and walk away not knowing what I just read, totally overwhelmed with all the things I need to get done and expect myself to do. Going through the motions of what a Christian should do, Then I am consumed with worry over what others see in me, more so than what God sees me as! (not good). I see others around me full of the Spirit, flowing with this Joy that doesn't make sense.. And I want that, deep realtionship with My Lord, I want it. but I can't in my own power get it. I cant fill myself with this joy.
I'm starting to understand, through my emotional pit falls I see how short I fall of perfection! Jesus is Truth and I am a hypocrite, a liar, and at my best a pityfull Pharisee, Yuck! I'm willing to accept God's Grace for my own sin, but not willing to extend that grace to those around me. Who am I to judge, I cant even function. and in realizing this truth, that I am weak. I hear the Lord "in my weakness He is made strong." I dont need anything apart from my Lord, and a lot more of Him. I am so blessed. God has given me so much more than just what I need. and He's here with me just waiting for me to stop playing religion and start having a realtionship with Him, with Jesus. This is hard for me, I dont know how. I've been trying to win others over by being super spiritual in my own power, and totally overlooking the freedom I have in Him. Jesus not only saved me from Hell, which is what I deserve, but His mercies are new everyday! Salvation from my everyday situations from the rules and standards I have put on myself to be a good person. To in my own power win people over for the Lord, I can't do it! I need His forgiveness, I need His grace, and His truth. I need to stop and let Him work in me, again and again! He forgives me, for nothing I did, but His grace is that great.
Pray for me to continue to surrender.

I'm In Love

In 1997, I in my whole 12 years of wisdom, saw Adam walking through the jr high halls of warrenton grade school with his giant grin and those sparkly blue smiley eyes! I fell in love... Looking back at who we were and thinking about how my little nieve brain worked then, it is amazing to me that the Lord brought us together then!

On the day we got married I thought I couldn't love him more, since then we've had many moments of "intense fellowship" and I know we've both had moments of dissapointment in oneanother. Once I realized I can't depend on him for my happiness, that comes from the Lord. I have to be complete in Christ first and foremost! The pressure I put on Adam, to be there for me all the time, was refocused onto a more worthy prospect, The Lord. People no matter how much they care for you will dissapoint, but My Jesus won't.

Th Lord has blessed us to have eachother. And again, I look back and see how much I loved him before has changed into an much deeper, more real love. It's been amazing watching Adam grow from the cocky little 13 year old boy I had a huge crush on, to the amazing Leader of our family he is now! Jesus has changed him, I am so grateful to have gotten to watch his transition! He has become this bold, loving husband and daddy, I couldn't have imagined him as this man The Lord has made him into.

Enduring those moments of fellowship, while not always enjoyable, has matured our relatioship with the Lord and one another. much like James 1 says that it would!

@ the beach

Eli Aaron






We've discovered that the boys have a great love, which is lacking any sort of fear, for the ocean, and the river. We had opportunities to spend some time at the beach this summer and they love playing in the sand. But as soon as they catch a glimps of that water, it's trouble! They both take off running in different directions straight for it, with no hesitation, even after they feel the water, they are still running! It freaks me out! Anyhow we've had a lot of fun watching the boys learn to love their surroundings. Now we need to teach them a healthy fear for one of God's amazing and powerful pieces of creation!

pondering...

I've been thinking about that scripture in Luke 18 a lot lately, where Jesus counsels the young rich man. He tells him to sell all that he has and follow Him. The rich man goes away sad, the bible doesn't mention him again...
I wonder what happened to that man? Was he one of those saved after Jesus' death and ressurection?? What all did he miss out on by choosing the world rather than following the LORD'S will? What do we miss out on by thinking we know what's best for us, rather than surrendering to the LORD? I don't want to miss out in what the Lord has in store for me. Whatever we are going through Jesus has the power to give and take away. So why hold on, and try to control our lives? He was offering that man a freedom from this world system, but he gave him freewill to choose. He wasn't trying to restrict him, but bless him.
It makes sense to me right now, but it's not always as easy as I would like it to be. Surrendering, especially when we're not sure what God is telling us to do. It doesn't make sense to the world, even to us sometimes. I want freedom from the world and it's systems, I want to surrender to His will!

Family Getaway

Memorial Day weekend, we went on a mini vacation. We stayed in a night in the sweet little town of Gig Harbor, and took the boys to Cabela's and the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium. It was fun to get a chance to spend time with our little family!
The boys loved getting out and exploring all there was to see! We made friends with the Walrus at the zoo, they enjoyed playing at the Zoo'z Park. I think their favorite part was Cabela's. You should have heard thier squeels of joy, as they stared into the fish aquairium, and seen the gleams in their eyes as they pointed and discussed(in their own private language, of course) the wildlife display! Dad is very proud, he seems to have two boys who already share his love for the outdoors.
I always love to getaway with our little family. It's so nice to take a break from our day to day routine to play! Everytime we go somewhere I'm reminded of how blessed we are to have eachother!

@ the House

*Laundry Helpers*I am so bad at laundry! I wash and dry then, toss them into our pack n play to 'fold later'... two weeks go by and I am still washing and drying, but now digging for clothes and tossing them back into the dryer before we can get dressed for the day! Someday, I'll get caught up, The boys don't mind the digging part. They are great at helping!

We had so much fun playing, and doing shave cream art! The boys loved to squish it between their fingers, plus they smelled so good like little men even after the bath!

A cardboard box with your brother is better than an entire room full of toys! This keeps them entertained for hours!