The heat is ON!

The temperatures here in the sunny south are soaring! Today the heat index is 114! I am so thankful for air conditioning and swimming pools! :o)

Ice cream on the front porch!

We do lots of reading in the summer time. Mariah is Malachi's favorite reading buddy!

Madeline and "Candy". She has to ride in the morning or wait until evening.

Myles swinging on the front porch. :o)

Stay cool!

Father's Day

Marc with the kids before church.After church we went to my dad's house.

Marc cleaned off the roof trying to get things done to sell the house. I had no idea he had gone up to that part of the roof until I saw this picture! :o)

We kept the tradition of making homemade ice cream. It was the first time we made it without my mom. The "firsts" of everything are so sad.

The summer has been hard. My dad seems to be getting depressed. It is exhausting going back and forth staying with him, and it is hard knowing there is nothing we can do to make him happy. You always hear the saying that the woman is the heart of the home and it is more evident than ever now! Things will never be the same without our mom. We are still trying to sell his house and figure out where will be best for him to live. I will be glad when he is settled.

We are trying to make the best out of our summer. I have more pictures to share but it will have to wait until another day!

Children

"Some would gather money, along the path of life. Some would gather roses and rest from earthly strife. But I would gather children from among the thorns of sin; I would seek a golden curl and a freckled, toothless grin. For money cannot enter into the land of endless day. And roses that are gathered, soon will wilt along the way. But, oh, the laughing children, as I cross the sunset sea, and the gates swing wide to heaven. I can take them in with me."

This poem was found in the back of one of my mom's Bibles. It summed up my mom and what was important to her. She loved her family and especially her grandchildren! I remember years ago a friend of mine telling me that her mother would have a negative remark every time she would tell her she was pregnant again. My mom was always thrilled when one of us would announce that we were pregnant. My mom had hoped to live to see each one of her grandchildren come to know the Lord as their saviour. There are still young ones that haven't made that decision yet and others hopefully to be born. That makes me sad that she won't get to witness that here on earth. But what a wonderful family reunion we will all have one day! My sister made a comment the other day that her thoughts of heaven are so much sweeter thinking of our mom being there. I look forward to the day that we are all there together!

Little boys and mud puddles...

Late one afternoon after a summer shower I looked out and saw this.
Yes, that is a white diaper! :o)

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Myles loves to talk on the phone. He was walking around the living room talking to his daddy.

He points to things and talks about them. :o)

Storm

We just got hit with a horrible storm. The wind and rain were so strong that we put the children in our closet! I have heard about "golf ball size hail" before, but this is the first time I have seen it!
We have pecan tree limbs down everywhere. There were two huge ones in the front.

As soon as the storm hit our power went out. Matt and Madeline always make the best of things! :o)

I tried several times to put Myles to bed. The storm was so loud that he kept coming out saying, "It is raining!" Madeline felt sorry for him and rocked him. :o)

Thankfully, the storm didn't last too long and the power company was very efficient getting our power back on. (Isn't it amazing how spoiled we are!?) I was thinking about how life is like a storm sometimes. You can be going about your business and then it seems like everything hits at once. I know during the tough times that eventually you do get through it and you can look back at how the Lord orchestrated each detail. Wouldn't it be nice to get a glimpse of how He is going to work it all out though? Marc and a sweet friend of mine reminded me this past week that I have absolutely no control over the things that are going on in my life right now. I have to remind myself of that every day!

"A man’s heart plans his way,But the Lord directs his steps." Proverbs 16:9

Well, that is the end of my thoughts for this evening. I know, it was very deep..... :o) I am going to bed!

Goodnight!

A visit with grandpa...

We have been going back and forth to my dad's every week trying to get his house ready to sell and taking care of him. This past weekend we went on Friday and spent the weekend with him for my mom's birthday. McKenzie and I were pretty much bawling when we went into his house. I would have given anything to have been walking in with a birthday present in my hand to give to my mom! My dad was pretty blue too, but considering his loss he is doing well.

The pool is great for the kids while I get work done!

McKenzie watching the kids swim while trying to get some of her herbal studies done.

Myles

I tried to take lots of pictures. For several years I would always wonder if that would be the last summer at my parent's house. It is very sad knowing that this is it. All of my children went to that house as newborns, had spend the nights, spent all of their holidays there, learned how to swim..... I just can't imagine not going there!

McKenzie always fusses that I am never in pictures. I never like pictures of myself... that might be why I don't post them. :o)

We always have to do jumping pictures off the diving board. :o)

Malachi showing off his "muscles"! He swims great without them but still likes that security in the deep end. His out going personality is deceiving. He is by far my most cautious boy!

Mariah "helping" Pa do his exercises.

Sweet.

My dad loves his flowers!

I don't want to forget any details of this house. So many memories made here.

He seems to always be hanging on one of his sisters! :o)

On Friday we wanted to do something special in remembrance of my mom's birthday. We took her beautiful winter coat that she had just gotten at Christmas to a sweet friend of hers and donated money to the crisis pregnancy center where my mom was the director for years. I wanted to do something for my dad too. I found this neat little sign that said, "May the LORD watch between you and me when we are absent one from the other. " Genesis 31:49 I told him it was for his new house. He teared up when he read it and said, "That is special." We took him out to eat that night. Everything is so sad though. As we parked in the parking lot and went into the restaurant I couldn't help but think of the times that he and my mom went in there. I know he had to be thinking that too.

It has always made me sad when we would leave my parent's house as they got older. Now it is really hard leaving him standing there alone.

Fun on the hay...

Matthew has always been able to create fun out of everyday things. :o) These bales of hay are huge!

The gang...

Filthy feet...:o)

Even daddy joined in on the fun!
Big brother and little brother.

Taking him home. (He was laughing in this picture. I wouldn't have let him torture him! :o)I always hate to see the end of a day this time of year!