Creative Camping Cake

This weekend we went camping with friends to celebrate their daughter's 12th birthday, and Bookworm had the idea to make her friend a cake. We had fun getting endless ideas off the internet and then implementing our favorites.



The candle sits in the middle of the fire ring.

J Turns the Big 3

Eeek. I guess I reserve birthdays to blog these days as it doesn't seem I can take the time to do it for other reasons. But I can't miss a chance to write about my big boy.

We are in the throws of potty-training - something I am reminded that I would rather pass on. J is doing SO well though, and I am thankful that he is "getting it" pretty quickly. He even got to practice on some trees while we were camping this past weekend. :)

We are so blessed to have J in our family and our lives. He is a delight and a joy and a hoot. Last night we celebrated and had a bunch of friends over. :) Here are some pictures to share....

Bookworm organized games and this was the donut eating competition


Camping playground


Greer's Ferry lake


Cowboy boot Caramel and Chocolate cake

Cheery Turns Eight!

Thank you God for this beautiful blessing! She delights us daily.

Hours old... July 3rd 9 pounds, 4 ounces


Nine months old...


About 2...


With Mama...


Six years old...


Prairie girl in the fall leaves...


Six year old Cheery


7 -1/2

Incredible

This actually makes me want to practice piano again...or dance...or something.

Happy Gotcha Day J!!

This Mother's Day falls on a very special anniversary - the day the Lord placed J in our home and hearts. He was our first foster placement and our intro to falling in love with a child that didn't come from my womb.



Cheery helping with one of J's first feedings...


Bookworm giving J a first bottle


And today, a beautiful, joyful part of our family...we can't imagine life without him


Thank you Lord, for Your perfect plan - beyond all we can ever ask or imagine - You are so good to us.

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Oswald Chambers for Today

What happens when we lose the inspiration of those exceptional moments?
We do it anyway.

Many of us suffer from the unbalanced tendency to "be ready" only "out of season." The season does not refer to time; it refers to us. This verse says, "Preach the Word! Be ready in season and out of season." In other words, we should "be ready" whether we feel like it or not. If we do only what we feel inclined to do, some of us would never do anything. There are some people who are totally unemployable in the spiritual realm. They are spiritually feeble and weak, and they refuse to do anything unless they are supernaturally inspired. The proof that our relationship is right with God is that we do our best whether we feel inspired or not.

One of the worst traps a Christian worker can fall into is to become obsessed with his own exceptional moments of inspiration. When the Spirit of God gives you a time of inspiration and insight, you tend to say, "Now that I’ve experienced this moment, I will always be like this for God." No, you will not, and God will make sure of that. Those times are entirely the gift of God. You cannot give them to yourself when you choose. If you say you will only be at your best for God, as during those exceptional times, you actually become an intolerable burden on Him. You will never do anything unless God keeps you consciously aware of His inspiration to you at all times. If you make a god out of your best moments, you will find that God will fade out of your life, never to return until you are obedient in the work He has placed closest to you, and until you have learned not to be obsessed with those exceptional moments He has given you.