First Slumber Party

On the night of the 4th, Ashley came home with us for the girls' first spend the night experience. It was Abby Jane's first time to have anyone stay with her apart from their parents and Ashley's first night away from Mom and Dad without a grandma! They were still kicking it at 10:15, but by 10:30, these to party ladies were out.

In the morning, dress-up and tea party making began right away.

We had ballet lessons, followed by playing in the sprinkler and baby pool the rest of the morning. 

 It's so fun letting these sweet girls enjoy each other and experience these "firsts" together!

Celebrating America

We started the Fourth off with the Peachtree Road Race, which has to be Atlanta's best tradition. This year seemed to be the best year I can remember, with seemingly more bands, more vendors along the way, and all the usual festive crowds lining the road! I also realized that it has now been 15 years since my first Peachtree... which made me feel a little old.

Then we joined our cuties up at Mimi and Bop Bop's, who spent the morning at Cartersville's 4th of July parade.

 Jake practicing up for his high dive in London.

 I got a little Pinterest-y with the watermelon.

 

The twins added to their reputation of nap-time-terrors-if-not-confined-in-cribs, this time pulling the window panes off the window and breaking them. Can you imagine? So all that vandalism wore out this particular little angel with her now-crooked halo, and she took her afternoon nap with Mama. This hasn't happened in a long, long time, and though I wish she had slept when she was supposed to, I ate up her snuggles.

We got to skype with the Gillies in New Zealand! So fun to get to see that precious family- we can't wait to have them back in the States for a visit this fall!

 And the Elliotts and Mom came up to spend the afternoon and cookout with us.  It was a circus.

 Shocker, Joy loved the sparklers!

Ken told us to line up by the road and get ready for something...

 Then he and Jake re-enacted the morning parade, waving their flags and throwing out candy that looked suspiciously like that which the girls had collected earlier. :) The kids loved it. Creative Bop Bop!

 So thankful for those who sacrifice in order for us to spend days like this in the home of the free and the land of the brave!

In case you were wondering...

This is how we roll at 8:45 a.m. after breakfast. 

Bonus round: Abby Jane's wearing my costume from my one and only tap recital, at age four. Ever since it came home with her from Grammy's house, she wears it for at least one part of every day.

Mr. Edward

One very full morning last week, I squeezed a Publix run into several other errands. It was one of those days that you bring a cooler with you to the store because you're not going home afterwards. We walk in and the first person we see is Mr. Edward.

The first time I met Mr. Edward, I was pretty sure he might have actually been an angel wearing a Publix uniform. With that in mind, I genuinely didn't think I'd see him again because I was so convinced. It was one of those long mornings when the twins were infants and the way we rolled at the grocery store was one baby in the Baby Bjorn, one baby in the car seat in the big part of the grocery cart, and Abby Jane riding up top. Not much room for groceries, but it's what you do when you have three babies. Mr. Edward bagged our groceries that day, insisted upon helping me to the car even though I commonly refused assistance back in those days... why, I'm not sure... made sure I got everyone situated in their seats, then even waited by my door while I finished with the babies and closed my door for me. In the midst of a busy, physically exhausting time of my life, those over-and-above courtesies, gallantry, and kindness just blessed my heart beyond words.

From that day on, Mr. Edward was the best part of Publix. Turned out he's a human, not an angel, and we got to see him all the time. He cannot be refused and always insists upon helping. He's about my height, Asian, very small-framed, probably close to 70, and has amazing energy and strength. He regularly produces coloring books and crayons for the girls and goes out of his way to make sure we are taken care of. I LOVE him and would go out of my way to go to my Publix because he just raises the level of excellence in the atmosphere around him in general. His behavior towards us commonly sparked a conversation with the girls about what a gentleman is on our way home from the store.

Well, when we saw Mr. Edward that morning last week, the first thing he said was that it was his last day and he was retiring. I was so happy for him and yet so so sad to be losing him as a part of our lives. We picked out a plant in the floral section to give him as a thank you. He walked us out for the last time, and I thanked him for how much he had blessed us and told him how much we'd miss him. I told him specific ways his kindness was so special to me. We hugged in the parking lot. He asked where I wanted him to put my flowers, and I told him they were for him. I don't know that I've seen many faces more stunned than his just then. And that's who he is- so humble about his service that he definitely did not expect a thing in return. He actually tried to convince me to take it home with us, but that was not going to happen.  After the girls were all strapped in and we said our goodbyes, Mr. Edward and I simultaneously said, "God bless!"

And there it was. Mr. Edward was not a guardian angel. He just loved Jesus, and it showed.

Together again

Last week, all nine little cousins were reunited at Mom's house for a few days during the week. One Grammy, three moms, and nine kids between two and nine years old! We swam, swang, and enjoyed the perfect combination that all nine kids are together. Missing a single one of these would off the balance. Joy thinks she's eight a lot of the time, though, so it's good that Blythe and Maggie have each other as resident two year olds. Though they both say they're five.

 Grammy was a happy camper to have nine little faces on the other side of her counter!

 The oldest two!

 Swing set time- notice Scott and Katie are pushing kids back and forth. They were earning a little "babysitting" money. Even when they weren't officially working, these two were particularly helpful and kind to the gang of two year olds!

Grandaddy and Granny Joan came for a visit. We sure love them and had a great morning playing with them!

  Scott and Joy playing around...

Aunt Jo reached a new level of celebrity when she started taking different combinations of kids out for canoe rides.

Including Blythe and Joy!

She didn't kid around- they went far out and toured around for probably 15 minutes!

Aunt Sus swimming with Blythe. Sus is still a pied piper with all our kiddos.

 Joy keeping it real with eight-year-old Katie. You can tell she's having absolutely no fun at all.

 A side-tracked parade around the pool table one morning...

 Here's a page out of one of the attempts at a Christmas card for Grammy. I won't show any more of these pictures in case Mom uses one, but I like how intensely Blythe is focusing on washing Grammy's canoe!

 Aunt Susan thinks of all kinds of fun things, but ice cream at 11:30 after a hot morning's work on a canoe probably tops most of the kids' lists!

Looking forward to more of this goodness in July when we do it again with all the dads in town too!

Fathers Day

"Each man will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land." Isaiah 32: 2

 "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night...

 He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers." Psalms 1:1-3 

 "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8

 The girls wanted to have a party to celebrate their daddy on his special day!

 We are so blessed to have this man.