My Faith and Joy… and Boys!

Last Sunday night, we met my in-laws at the bike trail.  Jimmy led the way.  I think he was a born navigator.   

I did manage to walk (waddle) for a ways down the path and back, but this bench looked too inviting to pass up.  The girls only joined me on the bench after peddling their little hearts out on their big-wheelers. 

Nothing like a sweet ending to a summer day!

Some people make bucket lists; my son makes bucket stumbles!

Becky (excitedly running to me from the family room where she was watching a “Cat in the Hat” episode about the water-strider insect): “Mommy! I have something to tell you!  We are watching a Cat in the Hat show about Jesus!

Me (in a very skeptical voice): “Really?”

Becky: “Yeah!  We’re learnin’ about an aminal that walks on water, JUST LIKE JESUS!!”

Who says public television can’t be religious? 🙂

You know those friends who, even though you rarely get to see them, make it seem like no time has passed when you’re together?  Well, we had a visit from one such beloved friend this weekend.  Our friend Gabe visited us from Canada this weekend, and it felt so nice to have him back in our home!  Long-time readers may remember that Gabe spent the summer with us two years ago when he was interning with a Connecticut company during college.  We’ve missed him a lot, and because he’s been busy with work and school, we hadn’t been able to get together again until now.  We’re so thankful for his enduring friendship, and to see how the Lord is working in his life.

So much has happened since his last visit.  He’s finished his Master’s in Finance and will be starting at new job in Canada.  The girls had just turned two that summer he lived with us, so he obviously saw a huge difference in them now that they’re speaking in sentences we can all understand!  And this was the first time he met Jimmy, and Gabe was thrilled to have a little guy around who he can teach about basketball and soccer.  Jimmy was equally smitten with Gabe, especially when Gabe let him shoot the basketball at the hoop.

We were blessed with not only Gabe visiting us this weekend, but also our dear friend Uriah, and a new friend, his brother John.  As always, it was great to have Uriah and his boundless energy.  He expertly gave Susie the ride of her life in her newfound passion – tubing with the big kids!  It was great to meet John, and we look forward to future visits from him, and meeting the rest of his family.

Whether our friends come visit us from international locales (Gabe – Canada/Trinidad), across the country (John – Seattle), across New England (Uriah – Massachusetts), or across the state  (Katie & Bill in Hartford joined us for boating), there’s nothing like being together with fellow saints!