Thankful

Feeling especially thankful lately. So many beautiful gifts.

Leah's soccer team, who are also her best friends...and their first big win! Leah also earned her first assist!

Brady's first ride in a cart.

Successful first week of school! Pictures through email from my sister that her boys had a good first day of school. 

A nap at soccer practice.

My morning walk/run with Brady, while Leah and Logan get 30 minutes of uninterrupted time with Ryan! 

Thursday afternoons when there is no soccer, just playtime.

Learning to swing...

My sweet new nephew Samuel...what a precious addition to our family!

Quiet time in the morning to read Scripture, sip coffee, and enjoy this home. I'm so blessed. God has given me the desires of my heart. 

Vapor

The summer is all but over. Ryan's been back to football for a week already, and Monday he begins his classroom duties again. That means I have one full week with all my chicks in my hen house, until 2 are off to school. 

 While I'm bummed for me and Brady, I'm happy for Leah and Logan. They're ready. This summer they've both grown up before my eyes and I didn't even see it happen. What I did see, now that I think back, we're these things:

 Leah started setting up all of her makeup and lotions and such on the bathroom vanity. She started requesting  alone time in her closet just so she could have a quiet place to read, away from her shared room and her little brother. She got glasses, and has cares for them beautifully...very responsible. I feel comfortable leaving Leah in charge of Brady when I leave the room. She holds him, reads to him, and can even decipher his needs most of the time. She's very much enjoying playing soccer and its really helping her stay focused and finish tasks. 

 Logan has become his own little man this summer. He's mastering puzzles, still working through the Bob books, and is ready, ready, ready for kindergarten! He's normally quite good at entertaining himself but he's just outgrown our space here. He's started playing on a soccer team and his sensitive side and tender heart go out the window. He is intense, aggressive, and tough. I can look at Logan and see he's grown, he's just not my baby anymore and I think that's the biggest change.

 I'm so thankful for these glimpses of my growing babes. I'm less reluctant to let them leave me for their teachers this year than I was when Leah went to kindergarten. God's given me peace in knowing and seeing their ability to work through problems, discuss their concerns, follow directions, be accountable, and adapt to new situations...like a new little brother and all thy entails.

 I look back over this summer and am sad at how quickly it's flown by. Have I snuggled them each enough? Have I read enough stories? Have we adventured enough? Have I listened we'll enough? Have we laughed enough? 

 I will choose to remember these memories and eat up this last week with my stinkies...

 

5 Months

You're 15 lbs, 9 ounces, and 25 inches long! You're sitting up by yourself, babbling and calling out to us to get our attention, and your new favorite thing is your right thumb. You suck it to fall asleep, while you're awake and even when I feed you your rice cereal and sweet potatoes. You are friendly to everyone, have a smile for each person that greets you, and love to laugh with Leah and Logan. Logan cracks you up with his line about a ninja! Leah likes to hold you on the couch and tell you stories and sing songs to you. You have 2 best friends and protectors already.

 This last month, you travelled to Houston to visit Aunt Christi and her family, Waco to visit with GG and Papa and Grandma Cealie and June. You went to your first movie, and were an absolute champ! You try so hard to crawl...you get your knees up underneath you and scoot forward. It won't be long, I'm afraid. 

 Here are a few of my favorite pictures from this month...