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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? 🙂 I was surprised and pleased this morning when I finished washing the breakfast dishes and walked into the family room to see Becky had assembled her siblings on the couch for an impromptu reading session. I snapped a few pictures to document this rare event.
Jimmy: “Hey mom, can you believe I’m voluntarily listening to a story?”
Jimmy: “Hmmm…I never knew Thomas the Train raised such philosophical issues…”
Jimmy: “Woah, I didn’t see that ending coming. Becky, you’re a great storyteller!”
Jimmy: “Hey YOU! Lady with a camera. Go get my sister another book!” You know you’re tired when you let your kids unravel a perfectly good roll of tape just so you can have a few minutes of peace!
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! I think my favorite part of my family’s visit last week was our overnight camping trip to the shore. We had beautiful weather (I didn’t even mind the passing rain showers at night, since I was cozy in the RV!), fantastic company, and great fire-grilled food. Here are my favorite pictures from our outing:
“Helping” Grandpa and Daddy pitch the tent
Something for everyone (that is, for the brave and the wimpy).
Jimmy: “Race you to the beach, Aunt Angie!”
Jim, a.k.a. Honorary Child-Hauler
Jimmy: “Okay, Grandpa. I downloaded a “Thomas the Tank Engine” story onto your Kindle. We’re all set.”
Do you see what I see?
Teaching the girls the fine art of marshmallow roasting
Stories are much more fascinating when read in tents by your aunt.
Deep, manly talks were had in the shade of a pine tree
Jimmy is claiming the Kindle as his birthright, being the firstborn grandson and all…
Nothing like kicking back, reading, and eating pancakes and donuts for breakfast on vacation! I love some of Becky’s latest creations. Here she is showing off her “bug”:
And here’s her larger-than-life “turtle” (I love the eyelashes!):
You know your husband’s a keeper when you ask him what he wants to do for his birthday evening, and he answers: “Swim with the kids!”
Happy Birthday to my best friend. Thanks for being such an amazing husband and father! The other day, we read one of the girls’ favorite books, Show me the Honey, a Cat in the Hat educational story about how bees make honey. It’s written in the same silly rhyming voice that characterizes all the Dr. Seuss stories. Well, that voice must have gotten into Becky’s head, because that evening she was pretending to read a little pocket-sized New Testament and she looked up brightly and exclaimed, “I have honey in my Bible! It’s on this page.” She quickly flipped through, pointed to a verse, and read, “When God gives you honey, you love it so! You eat it, and eat it. You love it, you know!” I guess I have a little poet on my hands (as well as a theologian – imagine her surprise when I tell her God promises His children a whole land flowing with milk and honey!). This year was the first time that the girls have really been “into” the whole birthday scene. And unfortunately, this was the first year that I didn’t feel physically up to throwing them a party! I had wracked my brain to no avail trying to figure out how I could manage to make the girls feel celebrated even though I couldn’t personally do much for them…and then someone suggested I outsource the whole affair…to a mouse. And I’m so glad we did! Chuck E Cheese was the perfect location. In my girls’ estimation, nothing beats games, tickets, prizes, balloons, pizza and cake…and that’s essentially Chuck E Cheese in a nutshell. It was a wonderful night for everybody!
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