stories

my daddy

is the best

story teller

ever

memorial stone

I woke up this morning with a

certain 2 year old in my arms

and began to think about

everything that needed to be done today.

laundry, laundry, cleaning, laundry...

THEN

I read my friends Linn's blog.

She shared an incredible story

of miraculous intervention on her son's behalf.

She also shared a time when

we clearly saw God's provision for our family.

Just as the children of Israel were instructed

in Joshua 4 to set up memorial stones

to commemorate the things God had done for them,

I never want to tire of reminding our own children

of the ways God has intervened & provided on our behalf.

You can read about the experience

Linny mentioned HERE

Was is just a random coincidence that

Linn chose our story to share today?

Absolutely not.

We're facing some financial mountains

and big decisions around

here and I myself needed that reminder

of God's involvement in every detail of our lives.

He.

Is.

Faithful.

Period.

"He encircled him, He instructed him,

He kept him as the apple of His eye.

As an eagle stirs up its nest, hovers over its young,

spreading out its wings,

so the LORD alone led him."

Deuteronomy 32:10-12

Oh, and in case you were wondering...

as of this morning, the tooth fairy lives.

cutting edge drama

me - "Ali, what's Gracie doing? I think I hear scissors."

Ali - "No no Gracie! Uh, Mom?!"

me -"Please tell me she didn't cut her hair."

Ali - "Oh yeah she did."

just another evening performance

here at the local family theater

we like to call home

heh heh heh

the face of innocence

whirlwind Friday

yesterday consisted of...

hours in the van
to & from Charlotte

an ENT follow-up visit
(tubes look good!)

IKEA
(could've spent thousands...
I got a Wok for $4.99)

Trader Joe's
(can you hear the heavenly
choir singing?!)

a 30 minute visit w/ my brother's family
(WAY to quick)

a final post-op visit w/ the surgeon
(1 1/2 hour wait, but Dr. said
Gracie looks great!
next surgery to finish her palate should
happen early this fall!)

meeting Brian's sister to bring her
youngest home with us for a visit
with her cousins
(constant laughing going
on around here already-
poor Quinn is even more outnumbered!)

we were so ready to be home -
long day!

let the shenannigans begin!

a sample of Ali's latest artistic photo experiments

HE is indeed!

Check out the new "Joy Unspeakable"
link on the right sidebar
to help my friend Lori
bring her new son home from China!!
Whoo Hoo!!

Our Fourth weekend

What a weekend!

On Friday we went to one of our favorite

places to pick blueberries.

Gracie Shu was all pumped up for the day

after reading Blueberries for Sal over & over.

(I have read this book to all our kids when they were

little, & they all still love it!)

Saturday was the neighborhood pool party.

Sounds corny , but every year I get a little

choked up when the neighborhood kids

parade around the pool in their homemade

floats & decorated bikes & wagons

to the background of Lee Greenwood's

God Bless the USA...

(gotta love the south)

Prayer followed by bbq

& the pool games that haven't changed

since the girls were little.

Love it.

Sunday began with a wonderful morning
worshiping as a family at church.
(Thank you God for this freedom!)
That evening we headed downtown with our
friend Diane to picnic, play, people-watch
and take in awesome fireworks!

Summer is flying by WAY to fast...

"I'm done picking!"

Some sweet kiddos

with some sweet blackberries & blueberries

We love the neighborhood pool party!

Our little firecracker

Quinn in the cannonball contest

Quinn racing with the neighborhood 8 year olds

Ali & our neighbor won the balloon toss!

Gracie doing her best to hold back as

to not make the other 2 year olds feel badly

about their shooting skills :)

Happy Birthday America!

The sweet newlyweds -

my nephew & his bride!

Gracie sharing some love with

our dear friend Diane

Her first Fourth as an

American citizen!!