This Picture is Worth 1,000 Words

                                                  

Wiped Out

                                     

Dad Wins the Fun Award {as usual}!

This is how Jon entertained the kids while I cleaned up the kitchen a few nights ago.  

                                                  

Fires, especially when you can play with flaming sticks, are WAY cooler than anything I ever do!
 :-) 

Princess Kaylee

Happy birthday, Mayme! Thanks for the crown from your party. I really love it! :)

                                                  

Saturday Stroll

                                              

Scoocher

                                                       

The Reward is Greater

                                       
These hands are so cute.

Her smile is adorable.

Her voice is sweet.

She sleeps and eats in a somewhat predictable nature.

But...

There is nothing cute about foster care.

Not an adorable piece of background history.

No sweet reason this girl or any child comes into state custody.

Each case is somewhat  unpredictable.

Did you know...

The need for loving homes is great {just try to wrap your mind around about half a million children}.

The cost {and I'm not talking $$$} of loving these children and their families  is great.

But...

The reward is greater.

Matthew 6

19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, ²⁰ but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

^{Matthew 25
34} “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶ I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
³⁷ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
⁴⁰ “The King will reply,‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
⁴¹ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. ⁴² For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, ⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
⁴⁴ “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
⁴⁵ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
⁴⁶ “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

Heard Around Our House

"I love you, so I NEED to snuggle you, Mama."
I NEED to snuggle you too, Little Bit.

                                        

love {her}

                                        

Bikers

The kids love to ride to the culdesac behind our house and go round and round.  It's a fun, sweaty way to get their blood pumping before and after school.
Is Lily her father, or what?! :)

                                                   

                                                       

                                                             

Freedom

The hens are roaming free this morning so the little lady can watch in wide eyed wonder.
Here is Cookie not wanting to be still for the camera.

                                             

Laughing With Her

Super pumped about practicing the recorder after her first music class.  Nothing like a little recorder music from the backseat! One thing I love about Lily is she is realistic and has learned to laugh at herself.  When she squeaked she would declare, "Whoa! That was terrible!" then we could all laugh with and not at her. :)