April showers bring.... May flowers? (and what do mayflowers bring..? Pilgrims! bahaha, can't help it). I probably write that joke in every May blog post I share. I ask you, but why not? The motivation is clearly these gorgeous Lillies that bloom in my year every year.
May brings us the end of soccer season, the end of school drawing so close we can all taste it, & the end of the cool days. The summer breaks in suddenly & the nights are no longer cool as we sit at soccer practice. The boys long for summer break, and so do I secretly!
David wanted to have a uniform too- so he got himself dressed, socks & jersey backwards. Stole somebody's shorts. I absolutely loved it. Calvin kept him in good company with his own jersey over his head like Humpty Dumpty. So many reasons to love this pic.
The fort/treehouse that Matt picked up on Craigslist has become a staple for playtime in our family now. David still needs some supervision as he scales the rock wall and likes to hang out up in the top of the fort. But overall, having Nick and Anthony go help him tear this thing down and haul it back to our backyard was such a blessing. It is a beautiful view from where I stand.
As always, when the boys have some kind of a snack that must stay in the kitchen, they all sit on the floor together so they can still watch their cartoons in the afternoon. I love seeing them all sit together, almost piled on top of one another, and nobody minds.
I signed up the older boys for the Hula Hustle this year, and it was something else to watch them attempt to run the 5K! They started out sprinting with the more elite runners right at the starting line, and I just tried to keep an eye on them! haha, James kept sprinting & stopping to rest the whole way, and Hayden I think turned around somewhere in the middle before the halfway to get done sooner. It was really great to watch them go for it, and see how far they were able to make it!
Then, our Hayden disappears. We see him come walking back towards us with the medal on for the one mile run. What a wild man. He said he had decided to run it, without asking us of course.
I mean, when this baby steals your sunglasses & his brother's extra jersey from the soccer game day bag, you just start snapping pictures. You know that bag was full of snacks, and his favorite are lollipops.
What is courage? What is true happiness? What is true holiness? AnnV again for the huge truth bomb: Courage is always SELF-LESS, otherwise it is just self gratification. THERE IS NO TRUE HAPPINESS APART FROM TRUE HOLINESS. Why? Because our whole life is made to bring God glory, and not ourselves. How can we bring him glory if we are not pleasing him? How can we please him if we are not holy? COURAGE: laying down your life. ((wow))
James made a forest by borrowing all of my houseplants & set up his lego characters on a grand adventure. I love it.
They were trying to be like Roo, sleeping in the chair.
I finished the year with a special dinner for my campaigner girls! It was so fun to set a pretty table & cook for them. I loved inviting them for something special, and they absolutely loved it too! It was the perfect night for a celebration of a wonderful year!
This was the best 'group' pic I had (face palm). But, it had the twinkle lights! haha. Harlee & Camryn, y'all were such a joy to get to know better! I hope you loved your YL bracelets, and I cannot wait to see what the Lord does in your lives. Lindsay, I have loved being YL leaders together; I am so thankful for you!
Zara got to come hang out with us one afternoon, and the boys all went swimming with her & then ended up in this box from our new table. The box is always the most fun part of new stuff!
Sometimes its is just really fun to eat bananas.
Calvin's Mother's Day celebration at VPK! His baby bro was pretty good; sat in the reading corner and let us have some time together. Calvin you are just the sweetest! I still love that song, "A you're adorable... B you're so beautiful... C you're a cutie full of charm!" hahah!
Our church build is FINALLY DONE!! (well, done is a relative term). We got to attend a special dinner for families who donated towards the project, and we were able to be the first ones in the building. What an honor; we were able to listen to Brian sing in the space. We were able to pray over the steps to the stage, where many will pray for years to come. The verse I chose to write under the stairs was from Isaiah 42:3. "A bruised reed he will not break and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice."
For Mother's Day, I wanted my favorite food: Safe Harbor Seafood and I wanted a picnic! So we picked up take out and went to Hanna Park and found the perfect spot. It was a fun & sweet adventure.
Hayden and James had to dress up (luckily on different days, haha!) as a little old man. I cannot remember why! It wasn't 100 days, but it was something. oh well! They were so cute!
James got to be in a special show for 2nd grade called, "EIEI-oops!" We had an absolute blast watching him dressed up as a pig sing and dance. Way to go James!
Hannah & I ended up matching on accident! haha! I guess that happens when you buy matching t-shirts. but we looked cute!
The boys took a year of drum lessons from Zac, and this was their final one for the year! I hope it started a love of music for them, and maybe helped their rhythm skills. Thanks Mr. Zac for a great experience!
Hannah's grilled watermelon salad: arugula, feta & balsamic. Ive decided we should try this with grilled pineapple too! so so good. (and it looked so pretty on this plate!)
We had another swim & play date in our back yard and all ate dinner together. Of course the kids were happy because we made hotdogs & Mac and cheese to go with the salad. ha!
Matt & Zac took a group of his YL campaigners to the mountains to go camping, and they slept in hammocks, jumped in waterfalls, and had a blast. Gotta love this wild boys trip.
We have the absolute best nanny, Anna Marie!! She sent me this pic of my boys eating dinner in their club house one evening. Who else would make this happen!? haha, gotta love chili and corn bread in the great outdoors.
Calvin's last day of VPK!?! Wow. I cannot believe this sweet one is old enough to head to kindergarten in the fall.
Last day? Or crazy shoe day?
Beautiful tables are not the best part: they are only truly beautiful if they host those we love with grace and invite them to the table with a heart of thanksgiving. To share generously with one another always makes a great meal. Fancy, or not.
We pulled out the older boys so they could watch their brother graduate. How handsome and grown up he looks!! What a wonderfully fun day.
Mrs. Bassett, Mrs. O'Toole, and Mrs. Stuckel. Thank you for a wonderful year!
Calvin & everybody! Mimi was able to make it up for the ceremony as well!
Taking pictures can were your out when you're 2. But how beautifully sweet; we have been able to stand in the same spot 3 times to celebrate this chapter of our boys' lives. Next time, I'm gonna cry like a baby!!
Had to go by the school to see my girl Harley dressed in her flight suit for career day! I love it.
After the month so full, so many emotions, we needed a change of pace and a different playground. I love this one in St. Augustine. The view is just glorious.
Four boys + four swings!
We ate at one of our favorites: Aunt Kate's! The boys love the seafood, but they love hunting for crabs on their little beach on the intercostal.
We made a trip to the zoo for their dinosaur exhibit, and stopped by the turtle in the front.
My caged animals! haha, just kidding. took these fellas to the splash pad and then headed home!
I have recently discovered the enneagram, and these two books I have found the be really insightful. I read these first, and then I read 'The Road between US' by Cron and his wife, which was truly my favorite of the three. But it was an interesting thing to me that some of the way I think and interact with the world is similar to others, but some of it is unique to my number. I realized there wasn't 'one best way to be a friend' or 'one best way to enjoy life' but those are different for different people. That may seem kind of elementary, but I don't think so. We are told by the world that success looks a certain way, that friendship looks just like it did on the show 'friends'. We are told that grief looks one way, that love looks one way, when in reality it really can have many different ways that it is displayed. It has helped me understand why people behave the way they do, and why I don't behave that way. I recommend it for better empathy for others and more gentleness for how you handle yourself. But, it isn't salvation. It can't save; don't put all your hope in 'knowing yourself better'. Don't make that mistake.
End of the year lunch with my sweet fellas. James always asks me to come eat lunch with him, and I'm so glad he does. I forget to make that happen sometimes!
Lord, thank you for May. Thank you for the end of seasons, sport and school. Thank you for the end of seasons like preschool. Thank you for the end of seasons like high school. You know us better than we know ourselves; you order our steps. Thank you for all the fun we get to have with one another. Thank you for our sweet parents coming to celebrate with us. Thank you for the beauty all around us. You are so generous with all your give. Thank you for my sons; may we always recognize them as your gifts to us. Amen.