When you really begin to love....

"Why would God give us Jimmy and take him so soon?" asked Moose.

He had brought Jimmy home almost two years ago. On Halloween.  And the joke was that most kids brought home candy that night, but my child brought home a kitten.  Fep who wanted no part of cat ownership let it be known for several days that she was not happy that we now had a cat in the house.  But over time, that kitty worked it's way into her heart...and mine...and The Bob's too.  We were dog people....but now, we are cat people as well.

Last week Jimmy became suddenly ill.  So, ill that the vet told us he may not make it.  And Moose asked the question.  Why would God take Jimmy?  I do realize that this is a pet, and not a person.  But he was Moose's fast friend, and he loved him so.  And all I could tell Moose is that sometimes we just don't have answers as to why.  And the answer, although true, seemed to fall short. 

Over the next several days, I remembered a post that I had read by Ann Voskamp. It's a post about spending time with her aging Mom, and she says,  

"When you realize that what you have, you will lose — you win real eyes. You win grateful joy.   It comes across the water and I turn to face it directly: It’s only when you realize everyone you love will one day leave you— that you really begin to love." 

You love your spouse now.  But lose your spouse and your heart will ache with love.  You love your child, but lose that child, and your heart will be crushed by love.  As Ann says, "Envision life without the loveliness of those you love — and you see how much you love." 

And I share it with Moose. Not an answer to his question, but hope in his loss. Jimmy had given us so many happy memories, much laughter, much love. And we feel it so deeply now, because of the loss. But the loss, it's all a gift. The loss is what makes you realize how deep the love is. He was satisfied with that answer.

The Lord took Jimmy today.  And Jimmy's love, even the love of a cat, we count as a gift.

Beach Blast!

I did not sign up to work VBS. I worked it last year and found myself extremely stressed by the time it took and not being able to take care of my responsibilities at my job or home. Mainly my job. So, this year I decided I wouldn't do it. I have had a year to learn how to handle working, homeschooling, keeping my home, etc., etc., but I thought I just don't want that stress again. Long story short...our children's pastor plugged me in and I couldn't say no because I knew he must really need help if he plugged me in before he actually talked to me. I determined not to be stressed cause it's only a week, right? I determined to have a good attitude, serve well, serve happy. I made the devotions led by the children's pastor before we began in the morning. And you know what? Attitude is everything. VBS blessed my socks off. My house is a wreck and dirty. My work didn't get done on this day. But tomorrow is Saturday and all that will be caught up tomorrow. Anyway, every single day my heart was touched by something that brought me to tears. At times, it was almost embarrassing cause I mean what adult cries at VBS? Today, I thought I had made it. A couple of things blessed my heart, but not to the point of tears. We were literally about to pull in my driveway when the following conversation happened:

Moose: Mom, you know the lady that always is helping Conner? ((Conner is autistic, and "that lady" is his Mom))

Me: Yeah. I know who she is.

Moose: Well, today at the end of Bible Class she thanked all of our class for being so kind and so open to Conner and treating him so well. She said never had any group of children treated him so kind before and accepted him. And she started crying.

Me: ((tears flood eyes, can barely talk)) Awwwwww. That is so sweet....

So, I didn't make it today. I got all misty and verklempt again. Moose is in 4th grade and was in the biggest class in VBS this year. They ran anywhere from 20-25 children, and 75% of them were boys. So, for a group of children to open their hearts to the "different" child....well, it still makes me misty.....

Oh, and Beach Blast! was our VBS theme this year :)

Goodbye Woobie. You'll be missed....

The Woobie did not originally belong to Moose but Fep. Fep was not a baby who needed much. No paci, not too dependent on a bottle, no lovie of any sort. She cared nothing about the white crocheted blanket made for her by a lady at church. Moose on the other hand was much in need of creature comforts. He was a paci lovin' kind of baby. And he did not settle easily. One day as he was down for his nap, he was just a fussin'. And I stood over the crib wondering what to do and I thought about a friend who said her baby loved to be covered up from head to toe. So, I took The Woobie and draped it across Moose face and all. He immediately quit crying. And that began the love affair with The Woobie. He and The Woobie, or Woob for short, were quite inseparable.

But now nine, almost ten years later, The Woobie is worn. Just last night as he was snuggled in bed with his Woob, he said, "Look what the cat did." And he pulled out a very long piece of yarn from his Woobie. Today when I found his Woobie, I saw that it had a large hole. The yarn has been so thin for a while, and I'm not surprised it has a large hole in it. Even though he's been too old for it for quite some time, he has shown no signs of wanting to put it away. So, I did what I hated to do and told him it was time. It was time to put The Woobie away or there would be nothing left of The Woobie. I took out his baby box and knew this was it. It was the last daily visible, physical reminder of all those precious baby memories. It made my heart hurt. Still does.

So, in the box on top of the ultra sound picture, cards, hospital paper gown, etc., etc. lay The Woobie. Moose said, "I'm okay right now. But I know I'll really miss it tonight." And then my heart filled just a little more......

The flying heart....

It costs a lot of money to go to the fair these days. I had been wanting to go every time I passed by, but I kept thinking how expensive it is. So, even though I have not been in 20 years, I thought we shouldn't spend the money. I knew if I mentioned it to The Bob, he'd be all over it. 1. He's always up for fun. 2. He's not as crabby about money like I am. But one evening, he came home from work and started talking about ride that he had seen that day as he passed by. That was it. It was all I could take. We all happily decided we were going. The next morning I told The Bob, "What if we took our change bucket and wrapped the money in it to help toward the cost." I hadn't lost all my crabby senses about how much it'd cost. His reply, "Do you really think that's necessary?" Me: "Well, it would just help." And he said ok and that it would be good for the kids to see that we don't just spend money like it grows on trees. Cause sometimes they do think that ya know. So the kids and I wrapped the coins and were pleased with our bounty and what the Lord had provided. I told them this way we wouldn't have to worry about how much rides cost, how much a corn dog costs, and we could completely enjoy our fair experience.

There was one member of our family who enjoyed it as it should have been. One who was fearless on rides. One who completely embraced every bit of excitement that he could. Moose. When he rode the ride with his dad in which they take you straight up about 80 ft. in the air and then let you free fall to the bottom, he was fearless. Initially his eyes were big from the shock, but after he released the hoots and hollers of a boy who may have completed a passage to manhood. On a ride that had me screaming, fretting "is this thing gonna hold", and holding on for dear life...Moose held on to nothing. He let loose, held out his arms, and he was flying. And in that moment I saw him flying and the look of joy, contentment, and happiness on his face...my heart was flying, too.

Out of the mouths of babes....

(photo credit: www.icanhascheezburger.com)

Something we are constantly working on in our house is with Fep and Moose. Moose lives to get on Fep's nerves and Fep lives to boss Moose and correct him. It's a vicious cycle...and it can be very draining on my little nervies. Fep is first born...and is everything that goes with that. Everything. However, when her first born status gets in the way, The Bob will jokingly tell her that she has "First Born Syndrome". I don't believe that's a real diagnosis, but I think maybe it should be.

The other night Moose was talking about his history book and how boring it was ,etc., etc., etc. (and I do admit, he's in an extremely boring section right now...we may just pass over this chapter) The Bob told him that maybe they could do it at night together and that might make it more "fun". For some reason, Fep has a melt down and insists that the only time a school book should be used is during school. Where she pulled that from I don't know, because she has often looked through her science book for the pure enjoyment of it? The Bob laughs and asks her if she's worried her little brother will get smarter than her. And then Moose pipes up and says, "Fep!! You just have First Sinner Syndrome!" Ummmm...not quite Moose...but close enough ;)

The lost "I Love You"...

I thought that he might want to, ya know. Even though he's nine years old and really far too old for them...suddenly last night he was my baby again.

((a flurry of activity occurs in our house as we get Moose ready for church camp...his first trip away....alone....by himself....ever))

Me: Moose do you want to take your Peep?

((I was prepared to tell him how he could smuggle it in his suitcase and pull it out a night

when nobody could see))

Moose: ((Shakes head no))

Me: Oh. You want to be a big boy?

Moose: Yes Mam.

So, we finished packing with The Bob labeling everything that went into his suitcase with his initials, address, and the like. I think he labeled everything with that Sharpie except Moose himself. Me constantly telling him where his Benadryl and his Epi-Pen were in his backpack should he get stung by a a bee...or even worse, a wasp.

This morning we got up in plenty of time to get him to church. His dad left for work before anybody was awake, so he called him to tell him bye on the ride to church. Then he passed the phone to me, and The Bob talked to me about being very upbeat and not all sad and whinny so that Moose could in turn be a big boy and not be scared. We pulled into the parking lot, and the church rented a big charter bus. He's never ridden on such a big bus, so already the adventure was beginning. After waiting for the final parents and children to arrive, and after a brief summary and prayer by the Children's Pastor, the parents were told they could go. So in my very upbeat and happy voice, I told Moose bye...and we left. My last shot of him was out of the corner of my eye. He was headed toward some little boys...surely going to make friends. He makes friends easy.

((In the parking lot))

Fep: Are you about to CRY?

((strange that she knew because I had on sunglasses and she couldn't see my eyes))

Me: I'm thinking about it.

((In the car))

Me: ((Tears begin to stream)) I don't think I told him I love him. Fep, you know I love you even when I don't say it, right? Surely, he knows I love him.

((I drive contemplating how much of an idiot I would look like if I turned around, went back to church, and hugged him and told him I love him...))

I was so concerned about being all upbeat and happy and trying to ease his nervousness that my "I love you" got lost. Surely he knows from all the other times I tell him. I really do tell him often. And really, how could you not love a Moose like this....

Flowers....

I know. I know they're just weeds. I started to throw them in the trash, but then I couldn't do it. I saw the face of a little boy out playing who saw them as a treasure for his Mom. How much longer will he see weeds as flowers? How long until the reality hits that they are just weeds? I rather dread the day when he's gotten so big that he sees the difference. I'm sure that day is just around the corner. But for now, I'll keep accepting what may be just a weed, because to Moose it's a flower, and it's rooted in love.

This post is linked at Emily's Tuesdays Unwrapped.

The longest day...

This was my yesterday:

6:45 - I'm up late. I should have gotten up at 6:00 to make my 8:45 doctor appointment.
7:00 - Wake kids before jumping in shower.
7:30 - Out of shower, curling hair. Moose asks, "Where is Fep?" She's not up! "Fep, please get up. I woke you up 30 minutes ago, and we have to leave soon."
8:00 - Leave for Dr....running late...it takes 35 min. to get to his office. Just for the record, I used to work at a doctor's office. Just because your appointment is at 8:45 doesn't mean you walk in their door at 8:45. Arriving 20 minutes ahead of appointment is always appreciated. Ummmmm....but I didn't make that today.
8:00 - no gas in car. Will have to stop. Lovely. This will make me even later.
8:05 - stop for gas. Click the pump handle in the little slot thingy that allows you to pump without holding onto the pump. Go in store to get kid's breakfast. Come back and pump is broken and the release did not click off when tank was full. Gas is spilling out all over my car and all over the ground. Probably pumped about $10 worth of gas onto my car and the ground.
8:15 - Keep thinking gas is not good on a car's paint. Pull into another convenience store and buy 5 bottles of water to rinse off gas. Sheriff deputy hanging out at register makes comment I must be really thirsty. I fake a smile. I'm sure they really thought I was nuts if they saw me pouring the water on my car. I'm embarrassed and feel like the whole parking lot is looking at me. Oh, and I'm really late for Dr. now.
8:45 - Sign in at the Dr. at the exact time of my appointment. I'm late, but not late all rolled in one. It takes the girl at the front desk 15 minutes to load my new insurance into the computer. 15 minutes...
8:30 - Listen to lady in waiting room talk on her cell phone. She's disputing a bill. Nice.
9:50 - Nurse calls me back after we've been in waiting room for one hour.
11:00 - Ready to leave Dr. after being told that I have Strep. Fep was diagnosed with Strep on Friday. Strep is very contagious so I ask about Moose and The Bob. They'll have to see Dr., too, if they want antibiotics. Make Moose appointment for 12:30.
11:10 - Leave Dr., get lunch, run to Target, and go back to Dr.
12:15 - Back at Drs. office for the 2nd time. Already feel like I've been there all day.
1:00 - Moose does not have Strep, but they are putting him on antibiotics anyway.
1:20 - Waiting at Pharmacy for meds.....find some yummy Weight Watchers candy for the diet that I'm now on....oh wait, it's not a diet.....it's my new way of life.....
2:20 - Home. Finally.
5:45 - Leave to take Moose to guitar lessons...another car ride and I'm ready to sing, "On the road again..."
7:10 - Moose's lesson is done. Head back home....
7:45 - Walk in the door and finish dinner....
8:00 - Eat dinner while watching 2nd half of The Biggest Loser.....really glad I'm having healthy Black Beans and Rice or I'd really be feeling guilty....also have the urge to go get on the Treadmill after watching the show....but I don't, instead I....
9:00 - Watch Chopped on Food Network. One of my very, very favorite Food Network Shows...
10:00 - Rush kids to bed. Give Moose medicine. Fep took hers earlier.
10:15 - Look at the dosage on everyone's antibiotics. It makes sense that my dosage is a bit more than Fep's cause I'm bigger. But why is Moose's dosage more than Fep's and as much as mine and he doesn't even have Strep??? Will call Dr. tomorrow....and find that this day is now running into tomorrow.....Bah.
10:45 Can't remember if I took my medicine. Have to count out all the pills to see if I did or not. Nope. I didn't take it. So, I take it now.
11:00 - Now that I think about that gas spilling everywhere....I was more concerned about my car than the gas on the ground....what if when I left someone dropped a cig or something....I should have told the lady in the store....Ugh.....

I don't know why, but this was the longest day. Not a bad day, but just loooooooong.

The Little Things....

I'm not sure when it happened? I'm not sure when I stopped doing the little things? You know the little things...the things that don't cost money, but make memories...the things your children will talk about when they get older. And that's true you know. The things I talk about from my childhood and growing up usually never involves what we did that cost money. Being that I grew up on the poor end of the scale and the fact that we didn't have money anyway is no never mind. If I talk about my childhood from a poverty perspective, it's usually that I'm grateful. My memories are that my Mom fixed the best ham ever on Christmas and Easter. And I fix that ham today at Christmas, and my mother-in-law tells me it's the best ham ever. My memories that my Dad fixed the best pancakes ever. And they weren't really pancakes, but flapjacks. There's a difference.

So, I used to do these things that made memories. The Bob did, too. Like when he would fix Green Eggs and Ham. Like when I used to set the table nicely for occasions or events.

On any given day, this is what our dinner table looks like...

It doesn't look like this every day, but any given day. Can you see the laundry hanging over the doorway and over the chairs? Fep's bird puzzle she's been working on here and there for weeks. Lovely, isn't it?

So, Saturday was Valentine's Day Eve. The meal plan was Pioneer Woman's Lasagna (which she says is the best ever. While it is absolutely the best recipe I've ever had to make at home, I find the best ever lasagna belongs to Avellino's Pizza in Mississippi...just in case you're ever in the area and want some Italian ;) ) Creamed Spinach, Garlic Bread, and Turtle Cookie Bars with Ice Cream for dessert. Yum. It was to be our Valentine's Dinner as Sunday yielded itself too busy with Church and stuff to think about creating such a meal. I walked into the dinning room, and the above scene just wouldn't do. I have not set the table nicely in forever. Years maybe? So, I started digging through the China Hutch to see what I could use. And this is what I came up with. Simple. Very simple. But so much nicer than the above, don't you think?

And it looked even nicer with the candles lit. Cause candles make everything look better.

Fep walked through after I was finished and said, "The table looks so nice!" Moose walked through and said, "WHY IS THE TABLE ALL DINNERY?" (and please say that loud and with a heavy Southern accent). Moose is a grammar lesson waiting to happen. And when The Bob got home for dinner he was quite pleased. Quite. I have not taken the time to do this in forever. And my time and my thought was all they needed this Valentine's Day. It's the little things.

I was so pleased with myself, too. So pleased that I gave myself a thumbs up and took a very cheesy picture....

Cheese. I'm full of it :)

The little things are worth unwrapping

Moose's Amazing Photography...

My children love to get my camera. Sometimes I don't love it so much. The other morning Moose brought me these pictures to see, and he was quite pleased with himself...

I actually found them very pretty because they were so colorful.

So, do you know? Do you know what it is that makes such a fury of colors?

It's just the Christmas tree lights. That's how they look when you shake the camera back and forth as fast as you can while clicking the picture ;)

Little Hands...

I know my posts have been sporadic and sparse. I have a lot on my plate, a lot of stress and difficulties, and I think if left to myself, I'd be depressed. But thankfully, the Lord has not left me to myself, so I carry on. And despite my gloom and doom circumstances, there are those who always have it worse, you know? Like our good friends. Our good friends who lost their youngest son at the age of 24. He died suddenly of a heart attack. The doctors told them that two arteries leading to his heart were 100% blocked, one was 90% blocked, and one was 80% blocked. The Bob and I became friends with them before we got married. Back then, these new friends were a young family with 3 children. The youngest was 8 years old. Notice that age 8. Their youngest son who died was the age Moose is now when we first met. Perspective. That's what it gave me is perspective.

Even though he was 24, a child is always his Momma's baby. Always. At the visitation and the funeral, they had pictures of this young man when he was just a baby, a toddler sitting on his Momma's lap as she read to him. The joy on her face. The look of love on her face in those pictures. They needed no words, and they tugged and tore at this Momma's heart. The "Little Slugger" baby jacket sitting in front of one of his baby pictures just about did me in. And there were more than just baby memories there. He had been in the Navy and served our country honorably. Although not a pilot, he served on a team with The Blue Angels. He served in Iraq. Yes, he served our country well.

At the funeral, I cried and cried and cried. And my little 8 year old Moose reached over and grabbed my hand. And it was then that I thought about how he doesn't have baby smooth skin anymore. He's developing his "man" hands. Tough. Rugged. Hands that work. And I held on to that that little Moose hand while just one pew up and one pew over, my friend had to let her little man's hand go....

A Day in My Life (Part 1)...

There are a couple of blogs that I like to visit that will from time to time take you through their day in words and pictures. I really like that. I don't know why, because it's just everyday stuff? But I like it. I like it a lot. I've always wanted to do "A Day in the Life of Me" post, but I knew how much time it would probably take. And I was right. So, my daily life will be done in two parts. I'd also like to add that when you do this it makes you extremely mindful of how you are spending your time and your actions. Extremely. So, I've found this to be a beneficial little experiment of sorts. So, here we go....oh, and these pictures are so blurry. One day I'll have a nice camera.....

7:15 am - Rise and shine little lady. You're getting up late!!! (I should get up at 6:30). Have coffee, swing with Fep on the front porch, make hummingbird feed for their feeder, and start laundry...

8:00 am - Go to my room for personal bible time and devotion which I always do in my unmade bed...

While I'm doing this the children are working on their morning chores and stuff...

8:30 am - Look for something to wear - this took 15 minutes!!!! I knew I'd end up in a picture so I was trying to look my best. It didn't happen, and it took 15 minutes because I've gained 14 lbs., and my clothing options are very limited at the moment. (Sigh) I also reboot the laundry.

8:50 am - Clothing picked out, I get in the shower, then dress, put on make up and fix my hair. I'm high maintenance, and I always fix my hair and put on makeup. Always. I'm high maintenance, plus I need it. If you know what I'm sayin'!

9:33 I'm ready and I decide that my bed will have to wait and we need to start on school.

We go to the front porch swing to start school off with our Bible lesson...

Then, I started Fep on English and Moose on Math...

After I got them started, I made my bed, folded laundry, and emptied the sink of dishes....
I had to stop mid fold on the laundry and help Moose with his next subject...you can see he takes it very seriously ;) The pile beside me was the laundry I'd been working on....

Moose finished up his morning school work. He worked from 9:30 to 11:00 he did Bible, Math, English, Reading, and Science. Fep did not get finished until 12:15, and she did Bible, Math, English, Reading, and Science also. Moose is in the 3rd grade and Fep the 6th. She has quite a bit more work than he does. At 12:15 we stopped for lunch. The kids had frozen pizza, and remembering that it took me 15 minutes to find something to wear, I had a Weight Watchers friendly sandwich and pretzels...a 7 point value :)

Are you tired of this yet? I just about am...but part 2 will come tomorrow :) There's more school, more housework, some errands, and just.....life.

First Day...

Today was our first day of school. Moose. That little fellow can be so full of life and love...and such a handful all rolled in one little 8 year old boy. That face looks innocent enough. Our first day of school didn't go so well. Moose took forever to complete the simplest task. Too long to do his math. Too long to do phonics. Too long to do spelling. Moose is a piddler. A dawdler. A daydreamer. And dare I say...a bit lazy. He has a tough time in our home, because nobody else here is a piddler, dawdler, or (sigh) lazy. By lunch he was in tears, and I was contemplating why I homeschool.

At the start of the day, I took pictures to commemorate the first day. Making memories as The Bob would say. Fep, always compliant and a real people pleaser, took her picture without fault...

Moose on the other hand...



And...



Oh my....


At the end of the day, when the books were put away, and the talk was had over why it's important to be diligent, I looked at these pictures, and they made me giggle. And I needed a giggle. And within that giggle and laughter, I was reminded why I homeschool....

Learning Music...

Moose and The Bob started taking guitar lessons with their first lesson being last week. The first lesson wasn't much to it....parts of the guitar, kind of an overview of what's what, etc., etc. Yesterday, they had their second lesson, and they found out what will be the first song that they'll learn to play. Fep takes violin lessons, and her first song was Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. I know that piano students learn Twinkle or Mary Had a Little Lamb or Chopsticks or something like that for their first song. You want to know what Moose and Bob's first song will be? No Twinkle. No Mary. Their first song will be.........Sweet Home Alabama! All I can say is....rock on....

Mowing along....

I'm not sure where the time goes? I'm quite certain that just yesterday he was scooting around on a plastic toy tractor? Or wasn't it just yesterday that he got a bike? And was it yesterday that he got to take the training wheels off his bike? I thought it was.....so now here we are. I'm certain it must be a definite passage into manhood when you get to drive....even if it is the lawn mower ;)

And when you have almost 10 acres to mow, you'll let anybody get on the lawn mower....and often you have two mowers going at the same time......

"Hey Dad. Beep. Beep."

The Woobie Revisited

I had a blog a year ago that I deleted, and on that blog, I had a post about The Woobie. See The Woobie pictured above. Before I deleted the other blog, I printed off two posts that were meaningful to me. The Woobie was one of those posts. I am going to repost that old post and then share my thoughts on The Woobie one year later...

The Woobie

Sitting on my couch is a piled up crocheted blanket called "The Woobie". It belongs to Moose, and he has carried it since he was a little baby. The Woobie is multi-purpose really. It's his trusty blanket, or its Spiderman's web when all stretched out and thrown across the room. When he was a baby, he would pick at the yarn and eat it. Odd, I know. Moose will turn 7 in just a few days. He's really getting too old for The Woobie. But I know soon enough, he'll sleep with his Woobie one last time. And gone will be the last visible, tangible reminder of him being a baby. The pacifier is gone, the bottles are gone, and thank goodness, the diapers are gone. But I must say, I will be sad to see The Woobie go.

So, that's it. Just as it was written one year ago with the same picture at the top of the post. Moose turned 8 this past Friday, and he still has The Woobie. When I posted that a year ago, I just knew somewhere between 7 and 8 that he'd give up The Woobie. Nope. He doesn't even act interested. Fep is starting to get almost repulsed by the fact he's a blanket toting 8 year old. She's telling him that kids are going to start making fun of him. Fep, she's so tenderhearted toward Moose. A year ago, I was going to be sad to see The Woobie go. Now, I just think it's time. My 8 year old is obviously not a baby anymore, and try as I might, I can't keep them babies forever...except in my heart. And I do think it's time for The Woobie to go, but I'm not forcing it either. I'm not going to be the one who strips him of it. Fep, maybe. Sooner or later, The Woobie will be gone (at this point it's looking like later), and sooner or later my babies, my children will be grown up and gone, too. I know it's going to be sooner than later. And those are the thoughts that makes a mamma's heart ache.

Finding the good...

The past week was pretty crummy to say the least. I won't even bore you with all the details. Really, why bother? Shouldn't our focus be on finding the good? Yes, in the midst of a not so great week, each day had a treasure of it's own.

Monday - Memorial Day. Remembering self-less sacrifices of others. Time spent with The Bob and the kids.

Tuesday - a quiet day at home. Just me and the kids. Front porch swinging. A special young lady comes over to announce she's engaged, and asks Fep to be a bridesmaid! Awesome.

Wednesday - A rainbow. A reminder of God's unfailing love and always kept promises.

Thursday - a loved dog that likes to lay with her rear end sticking out from under the bed. I'm not sure if she thinks she hiding or what?

Friday - Moose turns 8!! Swimming with friends. Opening some birthday presents. What gets better than that?
Saturday - Missing dogs give us a scare, but return safely home.

Sunday - Moose's official birthday bash. Swimming. Hot dogs. Hamburgers. And lots and lots of friends. He got to spend time with his friends, and I got to spend time with mine...

Might I mention that the lovely blonde haired lady on the left is 50 years old and has 9 children. Yes, I said nine. She is amazing! I heart these ladies.

And I heart Heathahlee. Oh, I do.

Yep, it was a good week after all. There's just no telling what treasures I'll find hidden in this week....

Captured

After a stressful start to the week, I find myself drawn to these images. Images of simple pleasures. Images of a little boy without a care in the world. His only care is thinking about all of the cool bugs that can be caught....

And catch them, he does...

And with these images, I find that the day's stress seems to fade at his delights. It fades at his simple pleasures. I find my joy at simply watching him. And I find that it's not only bugs he's captured but also my heart...