Home

really just for my dad.

these photos are really for my dad.
hi dad!
how do you like them?





(awesome shot taken by D)

my dad has a blog that he just started.
i know.
incredible, right?
it is incredible.
it’s called:
(and so will you).

also, my mother-in-law recently 
wrote an article for a local newspaper.
check it out here.
she is about to change the way kids are educated in the united states.
she really is.
just you wait and see.
and here’s her blog!

Every good and perfect gift is from above, 
coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, 
who does not change like shifting shadows.
James 1:17

1376. a great day at the fair
1377. an extra set of hands
1378. fair food
1379. a brave little boy (D)
1380. B’s idea to listen to 
a sermon on the way home

just another afternoon.

just another afternoon around our house.
rowdy kids,
a momma who’s counting down the hours
until the hubs comes home and
a sweet little boy being entertained by it all. 


(photo taken by D)


(photo taken by K)

notice those fabulously cleaned and 
organized shelves in the background?
that’s thanks to Auntie L.

A wise son brings joy to his father
Proverbs 15:20

1371. a table set by children
1372. that L smiles at me before we even make eye contact
1373. homemade whipped cream
made by the children
1374. the perfect wedding gift
1375. this thanks, gretch!

they came to visit.part two

yesterday, i told you that 
we got a lovely visit 
from our friends.
they even brought 
the most beautiful, 
plump, 
fresh 
blackberries from her mom’s backyard.
oh goodness… she knows what i love.
that’s for sure. 


i think that Auntie L spent more time 
with my kids and in my house 
than i spent with her.
actually, i know that she did.


but heading to the beach was something 
that was a must-do on our list.
and so, we did it.
and it was fantastic.
when we went last year, 
it was quite windy but this year,
it was utterly and completely perfect. 


what we thought would be 
a fairly normal week around our house,
quickly turned into a very wild week.


D caught his first ever
hermit crab.


she happily watched all five children 
(while folding laundry, 
making some yummy treats i had pinned on pinterest 
and organizing our bookshelves) 
while B and i had a meeting with 
our pastor to gain some Biblical wisdom 
on a situation we’ve been involved with.


then on another day, 
L had an appointment with his new speech therapist at 7:30am, 
and from there we headed to school.
we then headed home for a nap and 
quickly left to see a new doctor 
for an hour and a half appointment 


the next day, he had school 
with a developmental assessment packed in.
oh where has our summer gone?
i know exactly where it went.


but, we still got some great one-on-one time together
after her babes fell asleep in the family room.
while we ate dessert.
and talked.
with the lights on.
i know, incredible, right?
i know my children would never, ever do that. 


we tried to get all of the big kids
to have a slumber party in one room.
and you know what?
they successfully had a slumber party.
which means that they would not go to sleep. 
so we separated them
and K sobbed because she didn’t have anyone to sleep next to.
for the first time ever, 
babydoll didn’t count as “someone.” 


the good Lord has certainly blessed her with
some absolutely incredible children.


and the good Lord has blessed her children
with the most patient and loving of mommies.


and of course, the good Lord has blessed us 
by all of their friendships.


l    o    v    e    d
the ocean.
and that’s an understatement. 


he gave it two thumbs up. 



the boys checking out the surf.


sand on the nose.
it doesn’t get much better than that, does it?
nope, it doesn’t get much better than that.


holes were dug
and then filled up 
by little girls 
who were trying to bother older boys. 
they succeeded at that, too.


and little L was loved by his Auntie L. 
we all were.

One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, 
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Proverbs 18:24

1361. Auntie L’s love
1362. the art that D creates
1363. the art that D teaches K
1364. that K is mildly amused by her art teacher
1365. a helper while folding laundry

they came to visit.part one

if you hung around these parts last year,
you’ll remember when the Ws came to visit us.

and, if you’re fairly new, you’ll probably remember
that Auntie L recently came to visit 
without her munchkins. 

well, all three of them made the trek again this summer
and we could not have been more delighted.
both the boys and girls are so close in age.


Auntie L, 
(as my children refer to her)
was my college roomie.

she spurs me on with her incredible dependence on God. 
she most certainly is a woman of incredible faith,
a woman who’s biggest desire 
is to strive after God’s will for her life.
it’s so inspiring to be around her.

Auntie L is so super talented as she 
owns her own handmade baby goods shop.
the cutest blankets, bibs, burp cloths, and diaper clutches.
check out her fruit


J is six months older than D


and is at least ten inches taller.
(notice D on his tippy toes!)


we made a trip to the 
natural history museum
to check out the dinos.
this photo was when we were on our way in,
explaining the rules to the kiddos.
(and yes, the girls asked that their hair be matching.)


i was there, too!


D and K stood for the camera
while E and J showed us 
their kung-fu moves


we loved the new exhibit 
that just opened a few weeks ago.


i mean, who doesn’t love dinosaur bones 
hanging over their heads?


we saw nearly every inch of that museum,


even the ginormous whale-like dino.


plenty of bear hugs were given


and the microscopes were a big hit.


i think D may want one for his next birthday.


sweet, sweet E absolutely loved the children’s area.


and K was cute, 
even if she was looking 
the wrong way in the telescope.


and this little man?
he was on his best behavior,
as usual.

more to come of their visit… tomorrow!

1356. good, good friends
1357. built-in playmates for my kids
1358. sweet Auntie L who gave me so much of her time
1359. sunday night movie night
1360. tj’s onion rings. 
oh. my. goodness.

for the boys (and girls).

i am
completely and 
totally 
smitten
with 


these bow ties
(or used as hair clips for girlies).

*i have not received anything in return for posting about this cute etsy shop

1351. the weekend
1352. an awesome report from a PT
1353. lunch with my love in the backyard
1354. a fun night out
1355. connecting with a sweet mom 
who completely and totally relates 
to having a kid with SN 
and having two other children

to the beach.

we have been to the beach twice
in the last three days.

how awesome is that?
so awesome.
it is definitely feeling like summer around here.


and little L stuck his feet in the water 
for the first time, post-surgery.


and he loved it
nearly as much as he loves me.


and nearly as much as he loves the camera.


i think it’s one of his favorite new things.
(lovely artistic shot by my sweet friend, L.)


and, the beach trip included a cold dr. p
(no lime though).
more photos from this past week coming soon.

1346. a friend who can’t stop serving
1347. being able to leave the bigs at home, a lot
1348. encouraging words from a doctor 
(i know, not the norm, right?)
1349. watching L work hard
1350. when L smiles before we make eye contact

not one but three.

well, what we thought was just 


turns out to have been 


three breakthrough seizures. 


L’s recent neuro appointment revealed this new news. 
but, the seizures seem to be under control
yet again, through L’s blessed medication.
(we do know that they were always under God’s control.)


so for that, we are thankful.
and we 
totally and completely 
recognize that as a gift from the Lord.
a wonderfully, 
huge, 
peace-bringing 
blessing.
from the Lord.


over the weekend, 
B and i decided to take the kids to the beach.


nine minutes after the decision was made,
we were all loaded up in the car.



i think that breaks 
any and all records
that we’ve ever held before.


but now that B knows we can hustle like that,
we should 
never, ever
leave late for church.


L really enjoyed moving sand from
over here to over there.
and back again.


he told me how he felt about it
the entire time
(a super new thing for L). 
and he has a delicious little voice.


as you can see, his foot is nearly healed.
he didn’t even have to wear
those dreaded socks 
to be in the sand!
what a lucky duck.


i had a great time not getting in the water
but searching for sweet little sea shells 
while L talked to me. 


and these three ocean-lovers
were doused in the salty water
the entire time. 

for your Father 
knows what you need 
before you ask him.
Matthew 6:8

1336. late night visits from Aunt WW
1337. beach days
1338. L’s fussiness remedied
1339. clean (albeit unfolded) laundry
1340. that He knows

summery summer.

with wilder than wild weekdays surrounding us,
finally,
we are enjoying our summer.
and i mean really, really enjoying our summer.


this weekend was so much fun. 
(side note: 
doesn’t L look simply smashing in these old/new shoes? 
they used to be D’s.)


it was filled to the gills with family time.
and B even brought home a 
box
of oranges.


yum.
yum.
yum.


1331. really enjoying summer
1332. being shielded by the sun
1333. bbq dinners
1334. friends visiting
1335. finishing books
Scroll to Top