My Faith and Joy… and Boys!

This image strikes fear into the heart of every mother of twin toddlers (or at least, me):

It’s only a slide, you say.

Little do you know!  It’s only a slide with very steep stairs.  It’s only a slide that’s high enough to guarantee major bone breakage if a fall were to occur.  It’s only a slide with a long drop-off at the end of the chute where little legs can’t nearly touch the ground.  And it’s only a slide with a large enough distance between the stairs and the end of the slide so that I can’t be in both places at one time.  While one daughter is precariously climbing the stairs and the other is preparing to launch herself down the chute, I can merely watch from below, helpless. 

Helpless! 

I guess that’s a feeling I’m going to have to get used to in the days and years to come.

Because the girls love their independence.   

And they LOVE this slide.

My motherly heart may quiver every time they climb those steps into the great unknown, but I find great comfort in knowing that they’ll be traveling the chutes and ladders of life with each other. 

I guess it’s time to get the girls tricycles, since they’re starting to improvise.  This afternoon, I found Susie tipping over her “walk behind” walker, sitting on it, and exclaiming, “Bike!  Bike!  Bike!”  I suppose I’m glad she’s not (yet) making vrooming sounds and announcing she’s on a “Dirt bike!  Dirt bike!  Dirt bike!” 

The girls’ birthdays aren’t until the end of July, but they’re acting as if we’ve already gotten them the best present ever: a new playmate!  A college student from Maryland named Gabriel is staying with my in-laws next door for this month, and then will be staying with us for the rest of the summer while he interns at a local financial firm.  We feel so blessed that this brother in Christ has graced us with his presence this summer, and the girls are giddy with excitement that they have a new buddy.  And Jim is pleased he has someone else who wants to ride the Ranger with him, and I’m thrilled that there’s someone else around to keep the kids (and Jim) busy! It’s a win-win all around.  I have a feeling that this summer is going to go by all too fast!   

Rack of lamb, anyone?

I recently found my daughters’ dear Lambie (pronounced “Labbie” by Becky, who somehow took it upon herself to liberate and enunciate the silent “b,” even though she doesn’t even know it’s in there) in a puddle of water that had spilled from the girls’ not-so-spillproof sippy cups.  In order to resuscitate the sodden creature by bedtime, I used the rack that came with my dryer.  I was pathetically excited that, after nearly six years in this house, I finally had a use for the giant thing that has been taking up valuable space in my laundry closet.  I’m happy to report that the rack served its purpose beautifully, and Lambie was reunited with its oblivious owners, who didn’t even realize their beloved pet had spent the afternoon in a wind tunnel.  Disaster was averted, Lambie was re-fluffed, and bedtime was peaceful.  Hooray!   

I know what you want.

You want more pictures of the girls eating ice cream, don’t you?

Well, who am I to deny the public? 

Here you go!