My Faith and Joy… and Boys!

Our New Orleans experience began with live jazz music in the airport, then we settled in at the gorgeous Ashton’s Bed & Breakfast and started catching up with relatives who were also staying there.  Everything was absolutely perfect – the weather, the location, the accommodations, the food, and of course – the company.  I can’t believe I forgot to take pictures at the reunion itself, but I guess that’s just evidence that I was too busy chatting!  

My mom and her cousin Trish (don’t they look like sisters?)

Several of my mom’s cousins – Trish, Agnes, and Charles.  I loved hearing their stories!

I decided to gather together all the boys’ little cars in one spot a few weeks ago, and I couldn’t believe how many they had!  How do toys accumulate like that?  I made the boys choose their favorites (which ended up being about half the pile), and I boxed up the other half.  I need to do the same thing with all their tools and all the girls’ dolls and stuffed animals…no wonder they have a tough time keeping their playroom clean.  Searching for a specific toy is like searching for a needle in a haystack – or in our case, a Hotwheel in a hurricane!

Leave it to my girls to turn a motorcycle helmet into a doll house!

We went apple picking with friends a few weeks ago.  It was a gorgeous day, and we came home with lots of delicious apples and fun memories!

I often find myself telling people that it’s only a matter of time before I’ll need to take one of the boys to the ER for a broken something-or-other because they’re such daredevils on their bikes.  Well, we fortunately haven’t had to go the ER yet, but we got one step closer as of today.  Jimmy was riding his big sister’s bike at breakneck speed around in circles, leaning the bike WAY too far over while cornering, when he lost control and pitched forward onto the driveway, face-first.  When I ran over to him, I was so thankful he still had all his teeth that I wasn’t all that concerned.  But then when I wiped away the blood on his chin, I saw a bigger hole than I had expected, so after a quick phone call to the pediatrician, I scooped him and his brother up and drove to Urgent Care.  Jimmy screamed the whole way, I think more because he overheard me saying the word “stitches” than because of discomfort.  I was kind of hoping he’d keep wailing once we got into the office, thinking maybe it would speed up our wait time, but he was calm, cool and collected as soon as we arrived.  Fortunately, our wait wasn’t too bad and the wonderful PA said that the laceration wasn’t deep enough to warrant stitches, so he bandaged Jimmy up with some Steri-strips and sent us happily on our way.  And what do you think Jimmy did as soon as we got home?  Yup.  He jumped on a bike.

Tonight, Jim’s mom called to talk with him and urged Jimmy to slow down on his bicycle.  Yet Jimmy kept insisting, “But I like to go fast.”  Sigh.  I’m not sure I’m going to be able to slow this tough guy down.  I think he’s pretty proud of his battle scar!