After School!

We've had such nice, Autumn weather that we've been stopping by the sport court everyday after we pick Max up at the bus stop.  Max is becoming quite the tree climber.  These pics are from a few different days.

 Max is up in the tree.  Can you see him?

Ryan wants to climb too.

 

8 Weeks!

And she smiles!  Her smile is so hard to capture on camera but it's beautiful!

 

 

Pumpkins Everywhere!

Life has been busy.  I feel like I say that a lot, but it's true.  We've taken on a new project recently so we've gotten busier and there's always school, work, playdates, dates, girl's nights, guy's nights, etc.

Ryan's joy school group went to the pumpkin patch on Thursday.  We enjoyed the nice weather and picking a pumpkin.  Then the kids painted their pumpkins.

 

On Saturday, we went to the same pumpkin patch as a family.  The wee babes were a bit tired from our busy day and so they weren't enjoying the pumpkin patch as much.  In fact, we kind of cut it short to get them home. 

 

The furrowed brow shows that Evelyn didn't look so peaceful for long and I think I'm lucky that I got a smile out of Jase. ; )

These boys were happy though!

Books We Love--Kaffir Boy

Thanks to Stacey, I got into the idea of sharing the books we love.  We have a LOT of books.  My favorite type of book store is the type with new and used books, where you can exchange your books for credit.  They have lots of rooms lined with books and not enough room so there will be miscellaneous piles of books everywhere.  The kind of store you can literally and figuratively get lost in.  I used to frequent the book store a lot when I was younger, but now the public library is our friend.  

There are so many books I love, so many authors.  Each book is loved for a different reason.  The first book I'm going to share is a favorite not because it's light, fun reading but because it changed my perspective on life.  Kaffir Boy was required reading for my high school sophomore world civilization class. 

This book took me into a whole different world, where people were suffering, where life seemed hopeless.  I didn't know of hardship when I was 14.  And even though I've experienced really hard things, I have never experienced hardship like this man has.  I started realizing that there were people (women experiencing domestic violence, children being abused and neglected) that needed help.  This is an autobiography of a boy experiencing apartheid in South Africa.  He saw things that no child should have to see.  This book was hard to read because it was devastating to know that people had to live like that.  It was also amazing to see what Mark was able to do with his life, how he was able to escape.  This book sparked my dream of visiting Africa because although this book talked about some of the darkness that African people experienced, it also shed light on the strong, faithful people there are.  The more I learned about Africa, I could also see the beauty that was there.  This book also started me on the road to Social Work although I wouldn't know it until my sophomore year in college.

She's Growing!

We did a weight check for this little cutie when I went in for my 6-week post-delivery appointment.  Evelyn is now 7 lbs. 2.5 oz.  Jason was 7 lbs. 12oz. when he was born.  I wonder how long it will take her to reach the 9 lbs. 12 oz. that Max was won when he was born.  Love this sweetheart!

Ryan at Preschool

I volunteered in Ryan's preschool.  It was so much fun.  I was able to help the kids practice their writing, one-on-one and support the teacher in all of the other activities.  These four year olds are so cute.

To My Children

Dear Max, Ryan, Jason and Evelyn,

I've been thinking lately about what I want you to know, what I will try to teach you as your parent.  I want you to know how wonderful you are.  You are children of God.  I pray that you'll always, always know how much your dad and I love you even when you don't agree with us or you're mad at us.  Even when we disagree, we love you. 

I pray that you'll lean on the Lord through happy times as well as hard times because you'll have both.  I would take away your hard times if I could or should but I want you to be strong and faithful. 

I pray that you'll always learn, through the scriptures, through other good books, through conversations with many different people.  I pray that you'll always be open to new people and new places, seeing the beauty in all around you.

I pray that you'll be happy through life,  happy for others.  Laugh often.  Be joyful when your loved ones experience joy.  Don't begrudge others' happiness just as you would never hope for them to have hardships.

I pray that you'll enjoy life and the people around you, seeing people the way our Savior does, with love and without judgment.

I know we will make mistakes but I pray that you will feel the redeeming love of our Savior.

I pray that you will be wise with your finances but not so concerned with money that you think that it is what life is all about.  Be giving.  Work hard and be grateful for what you have.  There will always be people with more than you and less than you.  Don't feel entitled to anything. 

I pray that you will be positive, examples and leaders.  I want for you to know when to lead and when to follow.  I want you to know that I want these things for you and for all of us.  I hope that you will love the Lord, because you see that I love the Lord.  I hope that you will love life because you see that I love life.  I want to do all of these things because I want them for you and I know that you see me everyday.  I want to be an example for what you want to do and not the opposite.  It is because of you that I have made many of the choices I have made in my life.  It is because of my love for you, because I believe that you were meant to be mine, because I have felt of your existence before you were born.  Because of you, I changed the path I was heading down as a teenager, because I knew it would affect you.  I've felt your love before you came to this earth with a few very special experiences that I will tell you about.  Everyday, I am grateful for you.  I can be tired or frustrated, but everyday I am grateful for you.  I hope you always know how much I love you.