Sammy is 6!

The past several days have been up and down, to be sure. 
In the middle of shock and sadness we got to celebrate Sammy's 6th birthday.
Really, is there a better time to remember how thankful you are for the people in your life?
I am so glad to be Sammy's mom.  He is a special little guy in so many ways- so full of life and energy.  He still has the best laugh and I love it when he decides it's okay to give mom kisses.
Happy 6th Birthday Sammy!
We all love you!

He wanted a pirate party.  He helped me make a pirate ship cake, complete with gold coins.

We read a pirate book, made telescopes, put on pirate patches, then went on a treasure hunt.

Jack led the boys around the house.  The treasure was in the bathtub-bouncy balls, frogs, gold coins.

I think this is the cutest bunch of pirates I've seen!

Hope

Sleep eluded me last night.
I doubt I am the only one.
"The Lord is near to the brokenhearted" Psalm 34:18 is what ran through my head.
There are many brokenhearted around here right now.
It was hard not to think about a very dear family who lost a special mama yesterday.
When I remember Sandy I think of joy.  I don't know if I can think of a lady more joyful in the Lord.
Her loss is one of those things that makes no sense to me, yet I know her joy is complete and full this day and forevermore.
Of course we are thankful for her.
Thankful for truth and grace.
Thankful that we can all grieve with great hope.

"Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints."  Psalm 116:15

The Father's Voice

"You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.  Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock."  Isaiah 26:3,4

 Am I the only one whose mind and heart is prone to wonder and end up in a place that is not peaceful?  I never thought of myself as an anxious person but I am proving to be pretty good at it.  That verse from Isaiah is a new favorite, now a prayer for myself and friends.  One of the things I heard recently and I think that this verse encourages us to do is to let the Father's voice be the loudest voice in my head.  Good music helps me do this so my family has had to listen to several songs on repeat- over and over and over again... They are very gracious.

I have a total of 8 songs on my Kindle- I know- that's soooo many, right?  I've enjoyed pushing a button and having encouragement at the tip of my fingers.  Here they are:

*"Blessed Assurance" by Third Day

*"10,000 Reasons" by Matt Redman

*"Come Let Us Worship" by Fernando Ortega

*"Wonderful Maker" by Jeremy Camp

*"Wonderful, Merciful Savior" by Selah

*"My Jesus, I Love Thee" by Amy Grant

and by Jadon Lavik, my new favorite singer,

*"Come Thou Fount"

*"This Is My Father's World" 

What helps you keep His voice the strongest?

Some Highlights of the Week

I am half watching "Duck Dynasty" and half paying attention to blogging.  I have to say I love DD.  Makes me laugh every time.
In other news, I'm trying to catch up a little from the week with some cute pictures.  It's been a busy week but a good one.

We got some new books this week from a book sale which equals happy campers around here.  I love finding my kids settled in somewhere, nice and comfy, with a good book.  

These two have spent half the week in their bathing suits, swimming around the house, in and out of the Atlantic.  It's really cute how Lucy follows Sam around the house and even cuter when they get along.

The end of the day when Sam, Lucy, and I cuddle up for bedtime books is one of my favorite times of the day.  No matter what kind of day we've had, we're all happy.  Last night we were reading Chitty Chitty Bang Bang which Sammy especially enjoys.  It had been a really long day and Lucy fell asleep before we finished reading.  Sam ran down to get the camera.  He took a pretty good picture, I think, and I loved every minute.

Read Aloud Thursdays

 
I saw Infinity and Me in the bin of new books at the library.  Great find!  A little girl ponders the meaning of "infinity" in her own mind and by asking questions to those around her.  I love the answers she gets and comes up with on her own.  Fun for math but also for using our imaginations.  Sammy and Lucy have enjoyed this picture book several times.

I know Amy at Hope is the Word has favorably mentioned The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge in her own reviews, but I wanted to put my two cents in, too.  I have several adult fiction titles by this same author.  I think it says a lot about an author who can write for different audiences and do it so well.

The Little White Horse is our current morning read aloud.  The descriptions of people and places are lengthy and frequent which is part of what makes it so good.  I know, though, that it could be a bit daunting to take on yourself when you're in third grade or if you are a boy who wouldn't at first be interested in a book about a girl.  (smile)  Even my five-year old sticks with us a good bit of the time.  Together, we are all enjoying getting to know the characters.  The mysterious and thickening plot is causing even the most skeptical among us to ask for a little bit more when we're done.   Love this one!

Linking up to Read Aloud Thursdays            

The Boys

One morning last week, before the girls were up, the boys got to thinking about heaven.
"Will there be any allergies in heaven?"
No!
"Then you won't be allergic to dogs?"  Growing excitement.
No!
"Then we can get a DOG in heaven!!!!"

It is my estimation, as a mother of two boys, that if you give a boy a ball of string he will entertain himself for hours.

If you don't give him one, he will find some, or something like string, somewhere and use it anyway.

He might thread it through his hat (do you see it?) as a safety line while he is jumping in the Atlantic to save his sister. 

Over and over and over again.

Right now there is string all over this house.  It's driving me crazy.  String tied to door knobs and chairs.  To belt loops and stair rails.

If you have a boy like mine, read him "A Big Ball of String."

He'll love it, and he'll get really busy when you're done.

Looking Pretty Cool, Lucy

Lucy said, "Is I looking pretty cool, Mom?"

"Of course!"

Cool, yet so sweet.