Red, White, and Blue Sunday at Church

It was red, white, and blue Sunday at church!!! After church we basically had a cookout and LOTS of desserts! I thought the kids looked so cute in their patriotic colors and Babe looked so handsome. So much to write about our weekend but it is just to late! I'll have to write about it another time!

Means a lot to hear . . .

I went to pick the kids up from Vacation Bible School today and an older lady came over to me and said "I know your kids from MOPS and they are delightful children." That meant ALOT to me.

A week and 1/2 or so ago I took the kids and Gabriel's friend to McDonald's in Walmart. An older lady came over to me (she was the Walmart greeter) and said "Are these your children?" I told her yes except the one. She said "They are so well behaved". I thanked her and she responded "Thank you, we rarely see that."

Babysat a friends child today and we all had a fun time making wind cars from a kit (See pictures above). They really got into decorating their cars and then they raced them. They worked!!

The slide pictures were not today but earlier. The kids have enjoyed having that slide!

More summer

I haven't blogged and yet so much has gone on! This is an amazingly fun summer. I have met new and fun people and have had so much activity through the house! I met a few ladies at the pool that were so fun to talk to and Christians and homeschoolers. I also have come to know a mother of one of Gabriel's classmates much better and have enjoyed her conversation. Tonight my friend Kristin is coming over with her son and that will be fun.

Yesterday 2 of Gabriel's school friends came over. I was so happy to see how he interacted with them and the role he played. When one was crying he went over and cracked a joke and got him laughing and the sadness was gone. Then we were all sitting around eating push ups and the one boy said that he had gone and played with his friends last night. I asked him his friends names but he didn't know. Gabriel spoke up and said "maybe their names were Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail" and EVERYONE started laughing!!  I have also been thrilled to see a new aspect of Annalina's personality. She seems to take the odd kid out and spend time with them. The other day a girl came over whose mother had died when she was young and her dad put her with her grandparents to raise and now that he got married took her back and she has MAJOR issues to say the least. I don't know if I ever saw her smile and almost everything that comes out of her mouth is not polite. Her new step mom was not made aware of issues and was finding out about them in other ways the dad is getting ready to take off to Iraq. Annalina had NO problems that I saw with her and just befriended her! Annalina has a unique personality it will be exciting to see how God uses her.

A mother from Gabriel's class told me today that her daughter came to her and wanted to tell her something. She was quite serious about it. She said "You know Gabriel? I think he is husband material". The mother was appalled that her kindergartener was speaking of marriage but as she talked with her daughter she found out she wasn't talking about now AND that really she was annalizing Gabriel with the criteria that she had given her daughter. The girl said "Gabriel is kind, responsible, and takes care of me." She had told her daughter things to look for including loving God when the time comes. The mother said the reason I tell you this is because she saw these things in your son. Praise the Lord. May Gabriel continue to grow in his walk with his Saviour.

Happy Daddy's Day!!

We decided to celebrate Father's Day today. Babe works tomorrow. We took him to Middlegate (in the middle of no where) and he ordered the MONSTER Burger!! If you can eat the burger and everything else on the plate you get a free T-shirt. Babe didn't struggle much but was feeling it more when he got home. The kids and I thought it was fun and so did Babe! I think that was a pretty good place for a Father's Day meal!! Babe had to call my brother Quentin to let him know that he followed through with a belief of his: Self control is eating through the pain! My brother was proud of him I am sure!

Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park

Gabriel and Annalina wanted to come here to see the dinosaur fossils. I recently got them a children's video by Answers in Genesis about dinosaurs and the Bible. They really enjoy it and it teaches great stuff. I learned from it. On the way to the park the kids rewatched both dvds. Somehow my memory card lost the pictures with the kids by the fossils, of course! I'll have to look again! But other pictures are on it so I'll post those. Gabriel loved seeing the flowers . . . Indian Paintbrush (Beautiful!) and some type of oversized white poppy, etc. We also took a walk and saw a black lizard and a great view. It was way more green there. Babe and I were suprised by the scenery. We pictured it to be a lot more desolate! It was a pleasant surprise!

Pictures above: Top is an Ichtyosaur picture at full size with the kids and I in front (very small in comparison!)

The Voice of Reason!

Gabriel: I wish I was grass so I could grow tall.

Annalina: But then someone would mow you!

Does it get any better than this . . .

Gabriel and Annalina tonight were coloring and making things for me. Annalina colored 2 beautiful pictures, one of a fairytale carriage with sparkly crayon on the top and the other was a butterfly picture that I am to look at if I am sad so I won't be sad anymore. So sweet!!

Gabriel went and picked a yellow and red rose from outside and made a hat with construction paper.  He stuck the flowers in and taped them together and cut a whole for my head but he didn't want it to go down to far on my face. He truly thought it looked so good on me. He was just smiling and smiling. I wish I could remember all he told me about the hat. So sweet again.

I am blessed with children that think of me and my happiness. So blessed. God's merciful kindness truly has been great in my life.

Psalm 117:2

For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever. Praise ye the Lord.

Amen to that. (Devo)

Roses are Red

I have written before that Gabriel LOVES plants and flowers. He is LOVING having the rose bushes in bloom in our yard. Today he was telling me how the roses in front are doing better than the roses in back!

The other day he came in with a rose for me and said "I saw this and said WOW, that would be great for mommy!" Minutes later he came in with another rose for Annalina. Annalina said it was "gorgeous!" and "Gabriel, I love that flower!" Gabriel told her it did have Sonja slobber on it but not to worry because he thought it had dried up!! The pictures are above of the roses he picked for us.

The kids are pretty good at trashing toys, etc. when they become broken. A few days ago I asked Annalina if we should throw out a chocolate box (fancy one with magnetic closure) that her Grandpa Johnson had saved for her for her jewlry. It was obvious that she had used it! But she said "Grandpa wanted me to have this. I wuv (love) it. I can't get rid of this." How sweet!!! This is the same Grandpa she made a googly eye flower on his birthday card for her silly grandpa! And put a vase with flowers stamp (which uncle Ben had made and sent to her) picture on the card to trick Grandpa into thinking it was for Grandma! Gabriel made a card that was funny  and he mispelled Grandpa to Grandpu and when he asked me to read it he thought I read it wrong when I said Grandpu! I said that is what he wrote and he and Annalina just busted out laughing!! It even said "I love you Grandpu". He didn't want to correct that because it was just to funny to them!

Psalm 17:15

As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.

I read this a few days ago in devotions and just thought how it will be. As good as I can imagine it it is beyond my human comprehension.

Doorbells, Phone calls, and Fun (Yesterday)

This morning the kids had their first swim class and really enjoyed it! Gabriel was happy to see one of his classmates there too!

My friend Pepe called this morning. She married a guy from Babe's OCS class. She is from Senegal, Africa and they met when he was in the Peace Corp. It was great catching up with her.

Another friend called midday and said she just got off work so she and her son came over and we went to Grimes Point walking around looking at petroglyphs and the kids climbing on rocks. We had a good time but it got hot so we headed home. When home I realized I had 3 miles of gas left and we wanted to go get ice cream! The kids prayed we'd make it to the gas station and when we pulled up to the gas station we hit "0" miles!! We then went for some ice cream which was nice and cool!

Late Afternoon was:

Doorbell: neighbor boy

Doorbell: neighbor girl

Doorbell: 2 more neighbor boys

Doorbell: another neighbor girl!!

Don't think I've written this one . . .

A few weeks back the kids were asking why some people don't have kids, etc. We talked about it and then I said some people don't want to have kids. This amazed Gabriel and he said "ANYONE would want Ross!" Is that a vote of confidence from an older brother or what!!

Pictures from Yesterday

AHHHH, Summer!

Today was the summer day I look forward too. We are at home together, no where to go, no outside responsibilities!! AHHH!!

I could hear Gabriel and Annalina just talking and talking and talking this morning in the other room. Later in the morning Gabriel asked to read to me. He read to me well over an hour if not close to 2 with me taking breaks to do something here and there and he read his first chapter book which was 2nd-3rd grade level. He really enjoyed it, it was the story of Pompeii and it was the fifth book he read. I had to say it was the last!! Annalina really enjoys sitting and listening but today even Ross came over!

Afternoon a neighbor kid came over and they had a blast on the trampoline and a huge beach ball I put in there with them. The weather is mild enough to be out on the trampoline during the day. After they came in for a water break/snacks I went to fold clothes and Gabriel showed me a wonderful work of art with everyones hand print on it. They had taken ink pads and stuck there hands on them. After Gabriel showed it to me he went back and told his friend that I thought it was great! ( I decided to be positive about it) I did say that now they should use the stamps with the pads! I also noticed a ladybug stamped on the back of Ross' neck. I called my friend and she and I agreed at least they had fun and it wasn't all over the walls!!

Tonight the kids and their friend go back for another night of Vacation Bible School and they are really enjoying that!!

Just to remember

***Annalina said to her daddy a few days ago:

Annalina: I love you Daddy.

Daddy: I love you too! You're easy to love.

Annalina: You just have to start.

Babe and I just started laughing!! That was funny!

***Yesterday I heard a skirmishing between Annalina and Ross and heard Gabriel step in and handle it very calmly and maturely! I went out and told he him did a good job!! He said "I didn't do that to be rewarded I did it to do the right thing." Even better!! On Sunday on the way into church he said "I love you. You're the best. You take good care of me."

***We were out with friends last weekend and the little boy with joking and said "your mommy is a lizard" and Annalina defending me responded saying "my mommy is not a Wizard (her "L" sounds are "W's") and the boy said "I didn't call her a wizard I called her a lizard!! We got a big kick out of the clash of communication!!