Can’t keep a good drummer down

4 Years

Saturday we celebrated four years God has given us with our Truman!  We went to Helene’s Hilltop Apple Orchard as a family.  It was such a beautiful day, even though it started out pretty brisk!  I loved taking pictures of the kids playing in the play area.  We had a really fun time walking around a corn maze, playing, enjoying the sunshine and we topped off our morning with an apple treat.  I wish our batteries would not have ran out before getting a picture of Truman devouring a caramel apple.  We had our doubts…but he proved us wrong and finished it down to the last apple bite!  Here’s a smattering pics from our day!

I think they might be siblings, ya think?

At the orchard they have this kid’s play around with lots of different and interesting things to climb on and explore.  Here the kids are ‘driving’ a truck and kept everyone alert by making sure the horn worked properly:)

I’m trying to just take more pictures of the kids in random play and not always asking them to look at the camera

Where Lucy hung out all morning…she pretty much loves this thing and so do I!

Just look at that kid!:)

He’s my camera lover these days

I know he probably shouldn’t have been up on the fence like that…but this was too precious. 

The birthday boy himself with the cake I almost mangled.  He informed me a couple weeks ago he wanted Cubbie Bear on his cake…..thank you Cubbie…you are what redeemed this cake!

Loving our little man!  Lord help us to love Him the way you love him, and to point his little fertile heart to You!

There’s a new cubbie around

Truman started the Awana Cubbies program this year at our church and who knew I could be so excited for my little man to don this little blue vest?

If you’re unfamiliar with Awana, it’s a Bible-based program that emphasizes Scripture memory for children. It’s amazing to see our little boy beginning to participate in it…and not just for the cute vest:)  We believe what the Bible says in 2 Timothy 3:16, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness”.  I’m convicted to be memorizing right along with Truman this year. And since we value this truth from 2 Timothy, we trust God will be faithful to use His Word in our lives to make us more like Him, not because of our own efforts, but because His Word is just that powerful and effective. 

Thankful to be used

We continue to be blessed and are reminded of the privilege and responsibility it is to serve at camp.  Let me not lead you astray - all ministries function with imperfect people whose sin often get in the way, but we are humbled and grateful that despite our fleshly nature, God has chosen to use our family to bless, encourage and serve youth and families He brings to camp. 

Last week camp hosted Ladies’ Day, an annual one-day event gathering women locally for time in the Word of God, learning from other women’s stories through a few workshops, eating some amazing food, and just enjoying creation around camp.  This was my third and last year on the committee (we go in three shifts of committee planning for women’s events).  Just having had Lucy, I feel like I was probably cut too much slack!  My other two committee members, Marcia and Alison were gracious and amazing in planning so many details.  I, on the other hand, when asked agreed to cut and glue some stuff.  Yeah.  I know.  Major slack. 

The day was so much fun though - bringing in many women whose hearts were fed with the truth. 

Our theme, in conjunction with our speaker,  was “Journeying Toward Jesus”, and ladies were encouraged to give themselves to Him as a gift, (our speaker shared from Luke and honed in the story of Christ’s birth and the precious gifts the wise men brought to Him). 

After a quick run home to nurse the babe, I came back and took in a quiet moment…something that I rarely allow myself to do at camp.  It was truly refreshing to sit and take in the view, the warm sun, to process how God has healed pains and brought blessings in my life and to just be.

What we’ve learned as a couple and family serving in camp ministry is that flexibility is an absolute must to maintain any kind of peace, joy and, well…sanity.  It’s not something you can muster up either.  Has to be something God pours down on you.  I’d like to say I’ve grown in this area, but see so far to go too.  We are thankful for Sam’s role at camp and I pray to be the supporting wife that I know he (and camp) needs.

Tonight we knew he’d be working late through the evening so the kids and I headed out to camp for supper and to spend a little time with daddy before the day ends and they head to bed.  We are extra grateful for the privilege of being able to eat meals at camp.  This helps the kids and I feel connected with what is happening out at camp and to feel connected to Sam on longer days like this. 

So here’s a few snapshots from tonight….

Mommy and Tava entertaining ourselves with the camera while daddy and Truman are getting our food!

Sam with the chocolate-stained face boy

Enjoying some daddy time….but apparently there was something way more interesting (or boring?...can’t quite tell!) in the opposite direction!

The little people

At two months Lucy continues to grow (ummm…why do we say that?  did I expect her to stop growing?)..and I swear she must be sneaking in quarter-pounders when we’re not looking.  I decided to take pictures of her each month in this darling little vintage suitcase I found.  I figured it’s more interesting than my couch cushion and it will be cute to squeeze her into it as the months go on here.

Then again the photo shoots might just keep ending up like this…

...just keepin’ it real folks.

Every time I ask Tava to look at the camera I get this…

..and then maybe if I ask really nice, this…

..yes she’s learned the art of being stingy with her smiles and pulling them out for just the most opportune moments.

And this little man.  How I love him. 

And how we can struggle with each other at times (okay….often these days!).  I am praying daily for God’s grace with my own heart and sinful tendencies, and then am praying for wisdom and grace to know how to disciple this little man of ours.  Our prayer is for his heart to be turned toward us and toward our great God, and that will not happen by coersion, force, or control.  Only by our great God’s love, just as He has done and continues to do with my heart.  Oh, how complex this mothering thing can be, but oh how dear to find rest and peace knowing that the God who made Truman loves him incredibly more than I even do, and knows exactly what he needs in every moment.  I am praying to be a conduit, so that I can step out of the way and simply be a tool for God to use in Truman’s life.  Grace, grace, God’s grace….needed everyday for YOU and for ME!