Our crew of deck stainers... included even Ava

They started in the am and worked most of the day- staining the decks and new playground area and other wooden outdoor things... even little Ava helped with her Burger King crown- you know it helped her paint better or "boss" better. They all did a great job and so Paul took us all out to CiCis for dinner- One of our favorite and cheaper places for all of us to eat.

Only in our family : Do we look for an eye in the pool :)

This week while swimming Jonas's eye came out in the big pool. We yelled for everyone to start looking... goggles were thrown to people and in just 5 minutes we found it. Then Ella wanted to see his eye :)

A pool full of kids....2 pools full of kids....3 if you count the baby pool :)

My favorite pictures are always the ones we take at the pool or at the beach... the colors are deep and vibrant and the kids are always smiling. If I look back over the years my favorite ones are always of us at these 2 places. Can you tell we had a wonderful week with our "grand" babies and Jenn from NC ... the kids all missed crazy and fun Jeremiah though. Maybe next time he can come too.

Lots of pics and fun!

Jenn left this am...We had so much fun with them this week and will miss them terribly. I wish they lived closer than 6 hrs... but we made the most of our time. Here are some pics from our days.... there was something about the vacume cleaner for all the little ones and Eli loved the jolly jumper almost as much as Ezra..and who does not love ice cream cones for dessert .

Haircuts while Jenn was here....

I am tired too....I so understand this friend's heart

I have a friend whose blog I visit regularly. She posted this yesterday and I thought it was worth repeating on my blog with her permission....
Lorraine Patterson
http://www.allarepreciousinhissight.blogspot.com/



Make a Difference Monday
Posted: 26 Jul 2010 12:23 AM PDT
“It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish.” ~Mother Teresa

I was going to stop with that powerful quote, but there's so much more I want to say.Basically, I'm tired. I'm not tired of the things you might think...not tired of dishes, laundry, kids...those are all blessings, and I never tire of blessings. I'm tired of people sitting back thinking that theyr'e waiting for some magical moment to step in and make a difference in the life of just 1 child.Waiting to sponsor that child until they get a larger paycheck.Waiting for our "own" kids to grow up and move out and then we might consider helping someone else's children.Waiting for our house to get cleaned up before we think about a home study.Waiting for more bedrooms before we can possibly add another child into our home.Waiting...Waiting...Waiting...While we wait for our lives to be perfect before we consider helping another child, guess what?There's someone else, a helpless child, who is waiting...waiting...waiting...for us to get our act together and decide that RIGHT NOW is the time to make a difference. Right now is the time to step up to the plate and say YES. Right now is the time to trust God with our lives, our homes, our finances, instead of relying upon self.Right now is the time to realize that as we wait for the right time, a child dies of starvation. A child dies of neglect. A child dies of malnutrition. A child is ignored. A child is abused. A child wishes for a clean cup of drinking water. A child is sold into sex slavery. A child aches for a mom and a dad. A child yearns for just one person to tell her that she's special. A child wastes away in a crib in an orphanage, waiting for someone to rescue him. All of this while we wait at a fast food restaurant, getting angry when it takes longer than 3 minutes to get our food. While we wait for our pocketbook to grow larger, wishing our waists would grow thinner, and hoping our gym memberships will get us in shape so that we'll be in a better position to help others.When will you decide that RIGHT NOW is the time to make a difference?"To the world you might be one person, but to one person you might be the world." ~author unknownOne life matters! There are so many ways to help, to make a difference, to help orphans and live out James 1:27 (to care for orphans and widows in their distress).

Feed 1 child. (through a child feeding sponsorship)

Pray for 1 child. (that he/she would find a home and be kept safe until God unites them)

Foster 1 child. (it's free...you actually get paid to do this)

Adopt 1 child. (yes, adopting 1 child really does make a difference)

If you're ready to commit to making a difference RIGHT NOW, go register to attend the Together for Adoption 2010 Conference to find out how YOU can make a difference in the life of 1 child. Or more. :-) There are SO many ways for you to make a difference. Come find out how. CLICK HERE to register.

"Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat."

~Mother Teresa "We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty. We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty". ~Mother Teresa "There is more hunger in the world for love and appreciation in this world than for bread." ~Mother Teresa "The hunger for love is much more difficult to remove than the hunger for bread." ~Mother Teresa "The most terrible poverty is loneliness and the feeling of being unloved." ~Mother Teresa

" Mommy I Obey "- Obedience

Lessons of Obedience for all of us.......

From my devotion this am : A little boy came home from his Sunday school class and his mom asked what he learned. His reply spoke volumes:

"Obedience...again! "

The writer shared that even though she is much older than this young boy she would agree that obedience to God is something we must learn, sometimes reluctantly over and over again.

Oswald Chambers wrote: "The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standards very clear. If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says... If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely myself."

When we are obedient, we show God that we love Him and have more faith in Him than we do in ourselves. Arthur Pink said that love is " a principle of action, and it expresses itself....by deeds which please the object loved." To obey God means to relinquish what we want and to choose to do what He asks. God requires obedience of His followers, and Jesus placed great importance on it. He asked, "Why do you call Me 'Lord,Lord' and not do the things which I say?" Luke 6:46 and He issued this challenge: "If you love Me, keep My commandments".

Even as little Ezra is learning daily when he said to his mommy today at breakfast," Mommy I obey." So must we learn what His will is and obey.... What is the Lord calling to your heart today to follow Him in ? Will you be as willing as Ezra to say , "Father , I obey?"

excerpts shared from my , Daily Bread .

Jolly jumping Ezra

Ezra loves Andrew's jolly jumper...partly because he has regressed just a bit as he gets used to his new brother, Eli. He spends lots of time in it. Even though the swing and he are barely off the floor :) So Uncle Ben will give him a good swing every now and then by holding him up.