4th of July

Independence Day! Growing up in a military family I have always been very proud to be an American, and proud of the country that I am from. We have always had a big celebration with our family on the 4th. This year was a little different in that we didn't have my siblings around :-( We were able to go to a great parade with Auntie Sara, as well as spend more time at the lake. The parade was wonderful, although it was exceedingly hot, and I felt awful afterwards. The kids really enjoyed it, although Preston was fearful of the sirens from the MANY fire trucks. The fire station also very graciously opens during the 4th festivities so the kids can climb around and get familiar with all of their equipment The kids and Matt got to go water tubing! I was anxious about it but was so glad that they got the opportunity to do something that I so very much enjoyed as a child. I actually went tubing on this very same lake as a kid. It is so funny how different little boys and girls are. You could hear MAtt and Sam laughing, and all the girls did was scream. They were screaming out of pure joy but it was just so opposite of the boys.

Wonderful weekend.... and some bleeding

Saturday we had such a wondeful day. As I have mentioned before it has been really hard for me as my siblings have moved away. I was feeling so sad for my kids, that they wouldn't be surrounded by all of their aunts and uncles and cousins. I am so thankful that two of my sisters are still around but I certainly miss my other sister and my two brothers and their families. Thankfully God has blessed us with Christian "aunties" and "Uncles" for these munchkins of mine. I have written often about the Paradis family. I feel so incredibly blessed to have Meg in my life, another sister in the Lord who is just a kind sweet spirit, who has been such an incredible prayer warrior for us. It is so wonderful to have that person that you can share faith with so deeply. We each are so thankful that God has paved the way for this friendship. Her husband Jeremy is wonderful too! These guys have just loved on us so completely. I am so thankful for each of them, and their children Abbby, Gracie, Benjamin and Josiah. We also have been blessed to get to know another wonderful family in the recent year or so, the Murphy family. Tippany blessed us so much last year with childcare when she was out of work. It was such a tremendous blessing, to know the kiddos were so well cared for.... We had an after Christmas sledding party on saturday. Meg and Jeremy have a huge hill in their backyard which Jeremy snowblowed into a cool sledding track! The kids had a blast... Well Sophia was very afraid but she did manage to go down once :-)

After Sam's severe belly pain last week I have been anxious about what was going to come of it. Well this weekend it would appear that he is having bloody stools again, not a huge amount but there is some.... :-( Please be praying for him. I am waiting for a call back from his actual GI doctor, not the oncall doctor....