My Faith and Joy… and Boys!

I’m glad the girls love going to the park.  It feels like such a wholesome outing, such a return to simple pleasures.  It’s just us, the grass, the sky, and a coupe of swings.

And a slide.

And some tanbark. 

And last but not least, a weed wacker.

Becky: “Look at that weed wacker!” 

Apparently, a weed wacker is much more exciting than the grass, the sky, or swings.    

“Forget these swings, Mom.  We want to watch the power tools!” 

Our houseguest and newly “adopted” family member Gabe left us today to go back to Washington D.C. to finish his undergraduate degree.  The house feels so empty now, especially since we’ve never lived in our new house without him.  I will probably forever refer to the room upstairs as “Gabe’s Room.”  And I know the girls are going to keep asking “Gabe home?  Gabe home?” when we pull into the driveway.  I’m going to miss seeing his shoes neatly lined up in the garage, and hearing his cheery greeting when he returned home every day from his internship.  Now there will be no one here to challenge Jim to their games of competitive ping-pong, or competitive swimming, or competitive biking, or competitive bridge jumping, or whatever sports competition the two of them dreamed up that day.  And I know my in-laws are going to miss his hearty laughter at all of Dad’s jokes, and his hearty appetite for all of Mom’s cooking.     

Gabe, we wish you all the best and pray that the Lord will continue to guide your steps and maybe even bring you back to Connecticut, Lord willing.  You will be missed!           

My dear friend Beth came over yesterday to spend the evening with us.  We had a wonderful time hanging out together.  She quickly won the affection of the girls by letting them play with her phone and her sunglasses and showing them pictures of her puppy.  She knows the way to these girls’ hearts!

Susie: “I’m going to ask Mom if I can have a real puppy, just like Beth’s.” 

Susie: “Mom said I could get a puppy ‘When pigs fly.’  Anybody see a pig up there?” 

Becky: “This was the perfect night.  We got to eat pizza and cake, play with Beth, AND watch TV in our jammies.  Mom’s such a pushover when she has company over!” 

We stopped by Jim’s Nana’s place today for a little visit. 

Becky took Nana’s walker for a little test drive…

…and we took a nice little stroll…

…and gave Nana lots of little kisses.

A perfect little afternoon! 

To each her own…

…wheel.