A Little bit of Abram

Here's just a glimpse of the sweetness we get to enjoy everyday.

Gresham Skate World--Revisted--Happy Birthday Jonah!!

Little did you know that 13 years ago last month Jon and I met in front of the very lovely rock wall (circa 1967) you see us standing before now. 11 years of marriage and 4 kidlets later here we are, back again (by request, mind you), for Jonah's 9th Birthday Party! He wanted a co-ed party and there ended up being more girls than boys there (uh oh!). . . As you can see, we pretty much had the place to ourselves. There were only a few others that skated.

As soon as Brynne saw that everyone was going to be skating, she whipped her shoes off and demanded some skates, too! She did pretty well (with Daddy's help, of course)

Clara and Makaena (with Tim in the background) making their laps

Clara and Jillian just chillin' (oh, it begins so young)

Daddy and the Boo skating away. The decor hasn't changed since 1967, either.

Melody and Audrey workin' those fancy moves, or about to fall, I can't tell which...heehee

They announced on the loud speaker after this "Please do not hold children while skating"

Olivia & Jaden (sisters)

Roller Girls (Ava, Olivia, & Paige)

The Birthday-Boy doing a "Skate-by"

Jon helping Paigey (he's good like that)

Makaena taking a little rest

Simon & Jonah

Audrey Rose

Mimi (Miriam) & her Mama (Jenni)

I love this pic of Jonah doing fish lips while waiting for us to sing to him! In leiu of a cake Jonah wanted these rice crispy treats made with butterscotch, chocolate, and peanut butter. This was waaaaay too easy!

Miriam, Jillian, Ava, & Olivia

Ava & Olivia (looking a bit glazed at this point!)

Audrey

Makaena & Clara (yum!)

Face-first on the treat!

Aidan and Timothy

Abram and Nana

Opening presents (and some finger-licking, too)

"I can't get it out!"

That's our Boo!

Encouragement From All Sides

Thanks for all your prayers and thoughts as we battle through this hard season of sickness. We've been encouraged by many of you; offering meals, offering to drive up and nurse us back to health, offering any help needed. I can't help but be reminded that my friend Tonya had an unbelievably hard situation just over a month ago, as her daughter found her youngest son (18 months) at the bottom of a swimming pool. They were able to resuscitate him and he is completely fine, Thank you Jesus! As she processes through what happened, she sent me the words to this song yesterday and I bought it from amazon.com today. It's beautiful and exactly what I needed. I am sure I will be listening to it often. I am hoping that you will be encouraged as well. If you don't have it already, you really ought to buy it.

"If You Want Me To" by Ginny Owens.
"The pathway is broken and signs are unclear
and I don't know the reason why You brought me here
But just because You love me the way that You do
I'm gonna walk through the valley if You want me to

Cause I'm not who I was when I took my first step
and I'm clinging to the promise You're not through with me yet
So if all of these trials bring me closer to You
then I will go through the fire if You want me to

It may not be the way I would have chosen
when You lead me through a world that's not my home
But You never said it would be easy
You only said I'd never go alone

So when the whole world turns against me and I'm all by myself
and I can't hear You answer my cries for help
Then I'll remember the suffering Your love put You through
and I will go through the valley if You want me to."

Halloween?

You might be wondering where the elusive Halloween pictures are. Well, so are we! We all got super sick (minus Jon and Abram-thankfully!) the day before Halloween and despite our best homeopathic, vitamin-taking, water-drinking methods remained that way. Most of us to this day. And Halloween waits for no one, evidently. I could have posted some truly scary photos of the day (think pale faces and green noses) but thought I'd spare my readership (all 5 of you *wink*). Jon went to the grocery store and bought our kiddos some candy to ease their depression and despite it all Jonah said it was one of the best days of his life. That was after eating his allotted two pieces. That's optimism for ya!

Sissys

Each morning Brynne climbs onto Ava's top bunk and says, "I nuggo yoooooooouuu," which, evidently is the cutest thing in the world to her newly awakened sibling, who laughs and replies, "Okay!"
Parenting is hard. Having a family, hard. Keeping the house clean, yup, hard. But I love this part.

Wook at my Minnie's Mama

This is how Brynne rolls these days. She would wear that dress everyday (and sometimes does--I have no idea where she got that from). And despite the blister-inducing stiff-as-a-board Minnie Mouse shoes I got her (at the Goodwill, thank you very much) she would wear this combo to bed if she could.