Happy 24th Birthday, Lydia!!!

A very pretty bouquet for the birthday girl! 

 A little coffee time with the girls before being taken out by Valerie for a special birthday lunch! 

 Then, a birthday dinner and birthday cake here! 

 We love you, Lydia, soooooooo much! 

A Little Taste of Summer Today!

(Not pictured in these photos are Tim, Joe and Ben that were at a nearby lake with friends! :-) 

Joe's New Invention!

What is it you ask? 

 You know when you get your favorite lure that just caught you several fish stuck in an overhead branch of a tree?  And you really, really want to retrieve it as it would be hard and expensive to replace?  What are you to do but create a make-shift lure retrieval device! 

 Just a few on-site modifications needed . . . 

 And finding a log to put in the water to stand on in order to get another foot of height . . . 

 And there you go! Worked perfectly!  Really awesome, huh? 

I Will Live My Life to Hear You Say . . . .

I've spent the last couple of days moving the kids' beds all around and all into different bedrooms. 

It all started when we wanted to give Caroline a fresh new start to this new season 

and chapter in her life as her quadruplet siblings have moved or married.  

As I have entered into each of their rooms and helped to box up all their little life's mementos, 

there have been a flood of sweet memories filling my mind and heart.  

It is truly one of the sweetest, and at the same time, the saddest seasons for me.  

My mind also has been flooded with questions . . . 

where did those years go? 

Was I the best I could be as a mom to them?  Did I give/equip/prepare/sacrifice/love enough?
Did I lead them to Jesus?  Was I a Christlike example of Godly loving and living?  

Did I love well with a 1 Corinthians 13 kind of love, or was I just a busy mom?  

What will they remember of me and their childhood home and years growing up? 

I feel like I've fallen so short of being all that I should have been.  

But I think the bigger question that has been laid on my heart is . .. what does my Father think of my busy days?  

Is what I do pleasing to Him?

This has been my heart's cry as I've listened to this new favorite song over and over this week.

I want so much to live each day with this vision of pleasing my Father and with this goal in mind . . . . 

From the song, "Well Done" by the Afters

"What will it be like when I come into Your glory

Standing in the presence of a love so beautiful?

I'm waiting my whole life for that day

I will live my life to hear You say
Well done, well done
My good and faithful one"

Another Special Wedding Today!

Taylor's oldest sister, Amber, got married today in Oregon!

It was a beautiful outdoor setting at a farm with an amazing barn reception. 

 John and Valerie showed up! 

This is the first time we have seen them since their wedding day last Saturday!

 The flowers were sooooo beautiful!

This is What It's All About . . .

Tim was so very honored to receive a "Most Inspirational" award 

at the high school baseball banquet last night!  

That's more important to us than any "good athlete" award!