Happenings

So it is not that I haven't wanted to write a post in the last couple of weeks . . . . I have, really.  It is just that I really haven't had anything to report.  The summer is going along fine and the kids are having a blast.  Here is a quite recap of the past few weeks:

• Ward is still loving swim team and especially swimming in the meets. I am really glad that he likes it so much but, rest assured, we do not have the next Michael Phelps on our hands.  He tries really hard (which is all that really matters) and is great at practice.  He was awarded "Guppy of the Week" last week and was on cloud nine.

• Ann Park has been her usual, playful self.  She is such a great little girl and I love spending time with her.  Her best friend is a little boy named Paul Vincent and they have gotten to spend a lot of time together.  I am praying that they will be in the same kindergarten class next year!  Here is a picture of them on the train at the zoo and then playing in the hose yesterday.  They are truly adorable together!

• We headed to the beach for a last minute trip last Wednesday.  It was Sam's first real trip to the beach and, like most 2 year olds, he is not a huge fan of the sand.  The pool, on the other hand, well, he is a fish and loves to swim back and forth from the wall to you.  It is exhausting . . . for mommy and Sam.  We took a sitter with us which was a HUGE help since Ted had to work while we were down there.  Ted also took Ward fishing and they had a great time.  The older two loved being on the beach, playing in the water and building sand castles. Pictures to come.
• Last night we had a clerk event at our house and I did not get into bed until after midnight.  I am officially old.  I feel horrible today (and it is not due to alcohol).  I need to sleep.  Our good friend Eliot Morris came and played an acoustic set for the group.  It was so great to be with him and made me miss his family all the more (they have moved to Memphis).  Check out this video for a song called "Faultline" for those of you who don't know him:

I'll post pictures from the beach later, if I have a chance after the nap that is in my future.

Mercies in Disguise

Lately I have really been struggling with a lot . . . .   Some things have been small, personal frustrations like all the delays in our homestudy that have been no fault of ours, and some things have been big, worldly issues - like the flooding, tornados, and wartime death I seem to hear about each and every day.  I don't understand so many things that happen each day and I especially don't see God's plan in all this pain and suffering.  Then this afternoon while I was driving home from work I heard this song and it really put things in perspective.  I started bawling (yes, there was snot) in the car all by myself.

Here is the video, from YouTube (there are a couple versions):



And here are the words - so powerful and so true:

We pray for blessings, we pray for peace.
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep.
We pray for healing, prosperity.
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering.

All the while, You hear each spoken need.
Your love is too way too much to give us lesser things.

Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops?
What if your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near?

What if trials of this night, are Your mercies in disguise?

We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear.
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near.
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love.
As if every promise from Your word is not enough.

All, the while, You hear each desperate plea.
And long that we'd have faith to believe.

Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops?
What if your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near?

What if trials of this night, are Your mercies in disguise?

When friends betray us, when darkness seems to win;
We know that pain reminds this heart, that this is not, this is not our home.
It's not our home.

Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops?
What if your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near?

What if my greatest disappointments, or the aching of this life;
Is a revealing of greater thirst that a world can't satisfy?

And what if trials of this life, the rain, the storms, the hardest nights;
Are Your mercies in disguise?

Palmetto Bluff, Volume IV (Tons of Pictures)

Here are the last of our Palmetto Bluff pictures.  They are pictures of the kids at the two treehouses at Palmetto Bluff.  And don't be confused about the term tree house  - these are triple-decker masterpieces- truly a kids (and Ted's) dream.  There is one in town, near the houses where we stay, and another at Mooreland's landing, a place for parties, also on the Palmetto Bluff property.  The kids had so much fun at both places and are begging for a tree house in Birmingham.  The only problem is that we lack the tree . . . hmmm.

The first are from the tree house near the house where we stay.  There is a play set build right in to the tree house, slide and all.  It is also equipped with a zip line that the older kids loved this year.

Zipline!!

rides down the slide

Even Sam had some fun after his nap one day . . .

Ann Park in her favorite swing 

and posing for the camera! (as usual)

And here are some pictures from Mooreland's Landing that Ted took . . . the kids had a blast looking for crabs!

Ward and Ann Park heading up the massive treehouse (Ward is pretending to be an old man with a cane - always the actor!)

the view from the top 

putting on a show for daddy

Ward plays a mean air guitar

The end.  I do have a few more pictures.  Will post another time.  So many pictures . . . so little time.

Palmetto Bluff, Adult time

We had two nights without the kiddos while we were on our trip. On the Thursday night of our week at Palmetto Bluff, the adults took a much needed break. got babysitters, and took a great wine cruise and had a fabulous dinner afterwards.

 The deLaureals (with and without sunglasses)

The McCaffreys

The Holts

Bean, Kit and McCaffrey baby #3!!

Cher Cher chilling on the boat!

the crane Ted took about 50 pictures of . . .

Papa and Martin

the group

take 2

the best parents ever!

We even saw a dolphin on the cruise!

Having a little fun . . . 

heading to dinner after a successful wine cruise!

The last night we were there was Martin's birthday (Martin contends this is the true reason for the trip, but I still have my doubts) and all the adults headed out to a nice dinner in Bluffton.  Although the ambiance (sp?) of the restaurant was a little lacking, the food was amazing and we had a great time.  Martin was even given some gifts - and one in particular we know he will cherish forever.

Martin in his now-beloved gift from the McCaffreys

stealing a kiss on his birthday!