A Summer Update

The days are busy here and it is hard to find time to sit at the computer.  When the house is quiet at night, I seem to be only able to muster strength to crawl in bed with a book.  I think that's okay...that's what summer is about!  Anyways, here's what we've been up to...

Lots of cousin time.  The beautiful thing about summer in Mobile is everyone seems to travel south at some point to hit the beach.  We are lucky to get to see so much family.  We took a day trip to Dauphin Island last week to spend the day with the McCalls.  I didn't take a single picture which is unfortunate because there were lots of opportunities.  Meredith and Austin sweetly kayaked my boys around the area in front of their house.  My boys were in heaven.

A few days later we headed to Perdido Key to see the Laseter/Melton/Hawkins crowd.  Every summer I comment on how much I love these folks.  We have fun together.  I loved meeting sweet Sydney who did not seem bothered at all by the addition of four little boys to her world.  I love this summer tradition!

That same night we celebrated cousin Campbell's first birthday!!  How did that happen??  This sweet girl is truly an angel.  I never hear her cry.  She too just takes my boys in.  Susan threw a fabulous party...are you surprised??...and we had a blast!

We've tried to take some day trips...to Fort Conde...

William and John waving to Daddy at his office!

and the Exploreum...making parachutes...

these two have outgrown the Wharf of Wonder...so they read while littles play!

and today to Five Rivers...

Mom...we are tired of pictures and the sun is too bright!!

Lots of fun seeing the sights of Mobile with my peeps!

We had our first sleepover.  Long story, but our friends Lynn and Mark needed our help so we kept all three of their children for the night.  It was remarkable easy.

And then there are the simple days...playing in the rain...

and watching houses be torn down next door to our church...

And last but certainly not least...we have this guy wearing big boy pants!!  So proud of him.  A messy few days but we have been accident free for a couple of days.

in the early days, he preferred the little potty with some privacy!

After almost eight years of changing diapers, I am not the least bit sentimental about this milestone!

I love summer!

A New Lens

I quickly learned that my camera lens was just not going to cut it for flag football.  I simply couldn't get close enough without getting on the field.  So an addition was needed.

A great improvement...for Daniel's game...

And Philip...who is a little harder to catch on film because he has 10 players on the field as opposed to Daniel's 6...

Boy did they have a blast this season!

And a few shots of their fans...

A Little Picture Fun

As soon as I captured this picture...

I thought of this one taken four years before.

And thought it would be fun to compare.

And then compare these two!

Do you see some resemblance?

A Much Needed Vacation

****Picture-heavy Post, sorry!****

Immediately following Daniel's birthday celebration, the six of us headed to the beach.

The trip was very relaxing.  Lots of time on the beach playing....

on the boat...cruising...

or island hopping...

or tubing...a first for all...and a new love for Philip...

or lunching at Pirate's Cove...

swimming in the pool...

 and just relaxing...so good to have Daddy around for such a long period of time...

On the Fourth, we had a patriotic breakfast...

and headed down to the pool for the flag raising ceremony and some swimming.  That night we had dinner at the pool with the other owners/guests.

Can't leave without a beach shot of all the boys!

We cut the visit short on Friday due to heavy rain predicted for the rest of the weekend.  Chris headed home...grocery shopped for me...and proceeded to cook every meal over the weekend while I recovered from a fever virus!  He even went to Books-A-Million and purchased a cookbook he wanted.  Could this be the start of something??  Regardless, you are a rock star, Daddy.

An Education to Wonder

My mind has been on all things Catechesis of the Good Shepherd recently.  I am busy preparing an atrium for St. Paul's Episcopal Church's new preschool program where I will teach CGS one day a week in the fall.  I've also been busy completing my required reading for Level II training that I will begin this summer.  So it's on my mind.

And still as I read and learn more about this incredible Christian formation program for children, I am amazed.  Amazed at how true and on spot it is.

One thing we talk about a lot in CGS is the child's "education to wonder."  I love this quote by Sofia Cavalletti:

If the child does not have the time to dwell on anything, then everything will come to seem the same to him and he will lose interest in all things.  -The Religious Potential of the Child, page 140

Today, I watched my sweet Daniel wonder.

But, first, let me back up.  Daniel has spent three years in the Level I atrium with me.  In his first year, he hurried through every lesson he could get his hands on.  There was little time for repetition...little time to wonder.  He simply wanted to fill up his lesson card just like Philip.

After awhile, we ran out of new works and he was forced to choose works he had already done.  I noticed a pattern.  He seem drawn to the Kingdom of God parables...the mustard seed, the pearl of great price, and mostly the leaven.

We spent countless Sundays "making bread." Just like the woman Jesus spoke of, he'd measure the three measures of flour in two cups and add  yeast to one.  We'd wait.  Sometimes coming back after church to see if you could tell a difference in the two cups.  When done correctly, he'd notice that the yeast had made the "bread" in one cup grow higher.  Each time I'd ask, "What do you think Jesus is telling us about the Kingdom of God?"  Each time silence.

In true Catechesis fashion, I let the silence sit.  No answer from me.  We repeated time and time again.  Finally, on his last Sunday in the atrium, when asked the question, he replied without missing a beat..."I think God will make small things big."

On the last Sunday of his time in the atrium of the Good Shepherd, this sweet little five year old boy encompassed one of the major themes.  He will make small things big.

Now back to wonder.  I caught him in it today.  At the beach in front of the Gulf.  A storm was coming in and Chris and I took the boys down to get their energy out.  Some dug in the sand.  William sat next to me in the wake of the waves...playing and talking as usual.

But Daniel stood...face to the Gulf and it's strong pre-storm waves.  He simply stood absolutely still.  And watched.  And felt the spray.  And felt the sand wash out beneath his toes.  He stood like that for at least five minutes.  In trance-like silence.

I didn't interrupt.  I didn't say a word to him.  When his stillness was broken, I asked him what he was thinking.  His answer, "The Gulf is pretty cool."

I have to wonder what all went on in his little mind...what encompasses "pretty cool" to him.  But I didn't ask.

Here's to an education to wonder for both of us.