Photos of Toby and Addy's Birthday Party

Missing Megan :)

My mom made this GREAT Guess Who game for Addy!  Instead of the little cartoon faces it is the faces of all of the people in our family and a few special friends!  HOW FUN!!!

Folks, We have a BIKE RIDER!

We have had a little bit of a challenging time teaching our girlies to ride their bikes.  I think we missed that window of opportunity when they were little and a little more fearless and are now in the time where they are able to think about it too hard and know the fear of falling down can be so very real.  

Nonetheless, Gracie was able to overcome that fear and enter into the world of bike riding :)  She now knows what it means to say, "Once you learn to ride a bike, you never forget."  

It started out a little rough, you could tell she wanted to be frustrated and give up...

But we then sat at the top of the hill, ready to give it a real go.  Gracie was really nervous, but a good nervous :)  "Mom, there are butterflies flying all over in my tummy...I might throw up."  It was precious!  She wanted to be successful so badly...it reminded me of how I have felt so many times throughout my life--b4 a big race, b4 a test, b4 a hard conversation...she was about to overcome something HUGE, but in no way did she want to fail.  So we said a little prayer, waited for her to be ready, and...

Off she went!

She didn't look back but just kept on riding until finally she put on the brakes and came to a controlled stop.  We were all out there to cheer her on and celebrate with her!  With each ride she became more confident and would go a little farther--it was so fun to watch her be successful and be so proud of her accomplishment!

Toby hanging out in the grass as we practiced with Gra

Karys doing what she loves and getting a better view of the action at the same time

Addy was eager to get excited about her bike too!  She rode a 2-wheeler for the first time!

Karys is still working on the fear part a little bit, she began to get discouraged but was able to quickly find her confidence when we hooked up the tag-a-long bike for her!

Daddy got a work out taking lots of trips on the bike :)

Toby and Trigg hanging out in the wagon together

Sweet biker girl

After a while, Rob passed the bike off to Seth and let him be the taxi for a while :)

Hanging out in the grass

Trigg checking out cousin Karys

Happy to be cuddling

We then needed a break for supper and went in to cut out some watermelon shapes with cookie cutters!

Grandpa Ron and Grandma Kris joined us for supper and Gpa and Toby got to spend some time with bikes as well.

The wagon was still a GREAT place to hang out!

All in all we had a GREAT day!!!  We had so much fun being out in the front yard, enjoying our bikes and CELEBRATING our new bike rider in the family!!!

I know I am hard to love...tell me why it's worth it

These are words that I have come back to over and over throughout my life.  I discovered them fairly early on in Rob and I's relationship as we struggled to find our rhythm as a couple and to work through the fact that we are opposites.  I used these words as well just months ago when my sister got married.

"There will come a day when you realize that the person you love is hard to love-the day may even come sooner when you look in the mirror and realize you are hard to love.  For that reason, make a list now of why you love each other, why God brought you together, what you are called to as a couple and how you compliment each other, so that when that day comes where it is hard, you want to throw in the towel, you face adversities...you can quickly turn to the reasons you have established that list out and remind you why it is worth it."

I have been thinking on this a lot today.  It is hard to not receive love sometimes and I think in a lot of ways it is easy to think, "Why am I not worth loving?"  We all want love and we all want acceptance from those we are in relationship with and those close to us and even those we meet for the first time.

However, I saw this concept in a new light today...

As I dissected the phrase in my head,I divided it into two parts... "I am hard to love" and "why is it worth it".  When I look at the first phrase my thoughts are directed at the fact that we are all hard to love.  We are all sinners, fallen people whose hearts go astray and wander.  We are all so different from each other, each with our own talents and giftings.  We are all seeking the same thing from each other (love and acceptance) and so often in our search we become self seeking and forget to be servant hearted, thus perpetuating the crazy cycle of expectations and disappointments.

And then as I came to the second part of the phrase, that is where the light was shed...that is where I saw things differently today.  People will always let us down, fail to meet our expectations exactly the way we have laid them out in our heads, and fall short of completing our deepest needs.  That is a harsh reality.  But when we are living our lives solely for Christ...when we are in relationships and living day to day out of obedience to Him-reverence for him-worship to him...it is then that we realize why it is TRULY worth it.  Why loving someone is what we are called to do.  And for some reason we are often surprised by the why...

It isn't because it feels good, because we are a good person, or even because we love them...loving others is worth it because God calls us to do so!!!  He calls us to love others as he first loved us...to do it NOT for ourselves but out of the love that He has for us and desires to overflow from our cups out to others is such a way that does not make them feel loved by us, but in a way that demonstrates Christ's love for them....in a way that washes their feet and loves them even through the hardest days, not because we can or we should but because that is what CHRIST does for us.  Christ washes the feet of his bride and loves her through the most challenging ups and downs and sits awaiting with open arms and a listening ear at all times.

We love each other not b/c we are good at it, we are enough for each other, or even b/c of our own desires but we must love each other b/c of the fact that Christ loved us first, gave himself up for us, and calls us to be obedient and do likewise.

This was HEALING for a negative place that my heart has been in the past few weeks.  I have been seeking love from certain ppl and not received it in the ways or forms I thought it should come.  Defining why it is worth it to love someone when it hurts and to be rooted and established in love in my rationale and reasoning...salve to open wounds for me today.

Science Experiments and Pedicures

Heather and Seth are really great at being AUNT and UNCLE!  They always have an activity or a fun idea up their sleeves and this weekend was no different.  They came fully prepared-supplies and all-to do a couple of fun science experiments with the kiddos!  The first was the experiment where you mix vinegar and baking soda in an empty pop bottle and they quickly attach a balloon to the top of the bottle and watch it inflate.

Gracie with her inflated balloon--the girls thought this was SO great and even glimpsed the idea that when you mix and acid with a base it sometimes produces a gas.  Yes, I said "glimpsed" the concept!

Getting their balloons all set up and ready to go

Seth explaining to Karys the scientific process that was happening and why the balloon filled up :)

Heather helping Gracie and Addy get their balloons all set up on the side walk.

The next experiment Seth performed was the good ole Mentos and Diet Cola trick...I took video of this one so I don't have any picture of the experiment itself but I love these pictures of the girls faces as they watched what Seth was doing!

Addy though all of these experiments were just GREAT and loved telling Rob and I what Uncle Seth was doing.

Karys even has a pose for the camera while Seth is getting it all set up :)

Man I love this smile!

Making a few more balloons after the Mentos explosion...not quite ready to move on yet.

Toby was loving the time outside as well!  Rob was getting the patio ready for the bday party the next day and Tobs was having a BLAST playing peek a boo through the window of the play house.

Thumbs up!

Look at that face!!!  Who couldn't just want to squeeze this little bundle!

After some experiments it was time for some pedicures!  Auntie Heather really took care of these ladies and went all out with drinks, reading materials, foot soaks and some fantastic polish!

Love this image of Heather washing my girlies feet :)  Man, I need to wash their feet and give them pedicures more often just to have the chance to serve them, pray over them from the hairs on their heads to their tiny little piggy toes :)

My girly girl was in high heaven with all this pampering :)

Addy was excited to pick her colors and have a pattern on her toes like sisters had

Finally, it was time for one more experiment!  Home made ice cream in zip lock bags made with Rock salt!

It actually turned out to be pretty great and taste pretty yummy too!  Thanks, Comforts for a fun-filled afternoon of learning, loving, and luxury!