summer fun!

Rodney was all over the country this week for work, so us girls headed up to Dallas to spend a couple of days with new babies and friends, yet another bonus of being a stay at home mom. Baby Daniel is beautiful and we got to share some ice cream and pizza to celelebrate his birth(a family tradition). Abigail loves her baby doll Buttercup, but she's an even bigger fan of real babies:) Bennett got lots of lovin' this week!

Our apartment pool is already warm enough for evening swims, which is a bit alarming since it's only the end of May, but makes for fun times when daddy is home! Abigail loves the water and even likes to hold her breath and dunk her little head in the water....I have a feeling I'm going to have to keep a very close eye on her this summer.

We head to Destin on vacation next week with friends and are looking forward to some rest and relaxation, especially with Rodney's very busy travel schedule up ahead. Summer is here and hot but so far has been filled with friends and fun:)

"Daddy, I'm so glad you're home! We missed you this week."

We went swimming with daddy this evening to test out her new inner tube and swim hat. We're ready for vacation:) And she is very much attached to her new Camelback sippy cup. Who knew drinking water could be so much fun?

home away from home...

I grew up living all over the United States and all over the world. Never having lived anywhere more than about 4 years, I find that I am resolved to make wherever I live my home. And though the Lord helps me find contentment and new family wherever he brings me, I still leave memories and loved ones behind.

Many people ask me whether I want to move back to family. And the answer is always complicated. I have settled into life down south. The Lord has blessed us with a good church and many friends. And yet, I am looking forward to being able to see Grandparents during the week and on weekends and to being able to walk to a handful of friends' homes for playdates. It was so good to see the new church building and grow excited about the work God is doing. Soon we'll get to be a part of that again. But for now, we have our own unique purposes here down South.

We had a sweet Mother's Day celebration in Rockford with my hubby's family. I couldn't have asked for a more lovely day. We saw friends at church and enjoyed one last meal before heading to see my family. We relaxed (and recovered -- we picked up a bug on the plane) during the week while Rodney worked. We even got to go on a date to a close friend's wedding. Abigail stayed behind with Grandma and Grandpa, her first bedtime without mommy and daddy, and did great! She is already missing Camus, Cobi, and Salem (and her grandparents too!)... The airplane rides were relatively uneventful, but one traveler did comment, "Wow, she really is squirmy!" Thankfully, she's also cute and very sociable - her saving grace:)

I actually didn't take very many pictures during the week, but here are a few of the highlights.

Happy Mother's Day!!!

Camus shared his toys happily with Abigail...

toys at Grandma and Grandpa's house...

15 Months - toddlerhood!

Newsworthy:

We ordered a TV. Yes, to our close friends, you may need to read that again. It's true. After almost four years of marriage, we now have a television. The decision came easier for Rodney because I am a creature of habit. I love my quiet home. I love that Abigail is more interested in real people than cartoons. I love that Rodney and I play games, go for walks, and play with our sweet daughter in the evenings. The idea is that we don't want to change our current lifestyle....
But, we are looking forward to watching movies on a larger screen and having the flexibility to have people over for movies, sports, etc.

And we are going North for 10 days. Rodney actually has work in Peoria (so we get one free plane ticket out of the deal). As a result, we won't be sunning ourselves by a pool eating bon bons, but it will be good to see some friends and family all the same.

Rodney has been CRAZY busy with work. He has the big oil convention (the biggest event of the year) this week, so he's gone every night until we leave on Thursday. This leaves me tired, and it doesn't help that I haven't been sleeping well. We are sleeping on a different mattress, so I'm hoping that's why I've been waking up every couple of hours during the night. Regardless of how tired I've felt, the Lord has fit some extra prayer time into my life! So if you get a chance, please lift us up in prayers this week -- that I will have a joyful, servant heart and that Abigail will do well on the plane.

Lately, she's been responding with a very angry heart to correction (biting, on the floor tantrums...). She is her own person and likes her own way (aka...sinner...). But she is also fiercely affectionate and loves to express her joy. For example, on Sunday a friend stopped me after church and shared that Abigail was worshiping the Lord in the nursery during music time, bouncing and swaying to the music. She said, "She's a bit of a free spirit!" And so I pray that the Lord will continue to give me wisdom as I shepherd her little heart.