TIME... flies...

Time. FLIES. I am treasuring these last days of summer break. Merit has 6 more days before he starts first grade and then he will be gone to school Monday through Friday all day everyday. Man, we are going to miss him. This has been one wonderful summer!
Speaking of time flying I have just over six weeks till this BABY GIRL is due!! That makes me INCREDIBLY excited and a little nervous!
And I am trying to get organized... I have a bag of stuff going to the thrift store today and we will work on our little girl's room more this weekend. So for the next few days I am on an organization mission, we are soaking up the last days of summer break... the beautiful weather, the last of the summer blooms... and we are starting to think school and schedules.


Adie's blooms

Oh I wish this photo was taken in my house... be inspired by this ORGANIZATION STATION.

Have you read this book? I have heard good things. Think I will check the library for it this week.

My friend Katie has an adorable little girl, Maddie who was born with congenital heart defects. She has had two heart surgeries and has one to go. Maddie is a happy, smiling ADORABLE girl who has overcome a lot. Their journey has introduced me to other "heart families" -- this morning I visited a blog about a little girl named Bela Grace... another heart baby. Her mom shared a story about a 36 year old man who was born with a single ventricle. He has lived and survived longer than most... his name is Paul Cardall. His heart is now failing and he is waiting for a transplant. He is married and has a daughter, Eden. Paul's post, which I am sharing, may help you appreciate the little moments you have with your family. Through tears, I am certainly appreciating the "little moments" that I have with mine.

written by Paul : Our rocking chairs: In lieu of our situation I said to my wife, “Go out and buy our rocking chairs. I don’t want to wait to grow old with you. I would love to sit with you on the porch today!”Lynnette brought home two beautiful chairs. The only problem is that we need a third chair for Eden. My sweet little girl is jealous and wants her own chair. She cracks me up. And so, tomorrow we’ll start looking for a third chair. The store evidently sold us the last two black rocking chairs. I'm sure we can find a pink one for our little diva.



Will you pray that Paul has many years rocking on his porch with his wife and precious daughter?

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It was important for me to get my priorities straight today. I also have to be grateful even during trying times. My boys have had a couple of rough days. They are fighting a lot and their attitudes have been in need of improvement. My patience is wearing thin, tonight I pray for more patience... and believe tomorrow will be a better day.

Thankful Thursday

Fun in the sun!! Merit and Vance tubing!

me and Will hanging out!

Me and salt and pepper... makes me so curious to think of what this baby girl may look like with our dark haired, brown eyed boy and our toe head, blue eyed son!

Willem Vance

Merit after a swim in the lake at Grandpa's

I LOVE this picture of Merit.

sunflower fun

Foxglove after a morning rain
I am so thankful today for these BOYS! for SUMMER FUN! for this GROWING BABY! and for God's beauty

Ketchikan, Alaska

There is something about Ketchikan, Alaska. Every time I visit I wonder "could I live here?" I am not much of a rainy weather girl... I so appreciate the four distinct seasons we get here in Moses Lake, WA. But there IS something about Ketchikan... and the cabin where we stay (log house with running water, indoor toilet, and other luxuries) is a place to relax, regroup and revive... it feels good. We have so many memories with our boys there and I am reminded each time I go how precious our time with our children is... I have been thinking a lot this week about the responsibility of raising children and how I need to be diligent and prayerful. My friend Liz hosted a get together for me Wed evening. I was showered with love and support and darling pink baby girl things! My friend Marie shared a devotional, part of her focus was on our responsibility to raise our children to know and love Jesus. Then just this morning I was reading my sister Natasha's blog and was so touched by the words she included there and the scriptures she referred to. I feel motivated and encouraged to raise these boys up RIGHT (and this baby girl that's on the way!) I want to teach these children to know and love God. I want them to be honest and have integrity. My desire is for them to be self-controlled and to have a love for God's word.

So today, I am so thankful for the time we spent in Ketchikan. Thankful for the time with Vance, Merit and Willem and also my boys' Grandpa Vic, Aunt Carly and Aunt Kelcy.

I am also grateful for God's guidance in raising our children and for the responsibility we have as parents. The Christian Reformed Church's publication, The Banner, has an article written by Bob Hostetler in this month's issue. He gives permission to share. I have shared part of his scripture list today and will include the second half in a later post.

Salvation. “Lord, let salvation spring up within them, that they may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory” (Isa. 45:8, 2 Tim. 2:10).

Growth in grace. “I pray that they may ‘grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ’” (2 Pet. 3:18).

Love. “Grant, Lord, that my children may learn to ‘live a life of love,’ through the Spirit who dwells in them” (Eph. 5:2, Gal. 5:22).

Honesty and integrity. “May integrity and honesty be their virtue and their protection” (Ps. 25:21, NLT).

Self-control. “Father, help them to be ‘alert and self-controlled’ in all they do” (1 Thess. 5:6).

A love for God’s Word. “May they grow to find your Word ‘more precious than gold, than much pure gold; [and] sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb’” (Ps. 19:10).

May your week be BLESSED and may you feel God's presence!

BLESSED

I am feeling BLESSED. I have had some fun

with PHOTOGRAPHY this week. My boys have been a JOY.

I MIGHT be NESTING. I cleaned out a "bottomless" closet this week and got to work on a second one.

I want to share this sweet brother/sister combo, along with the Bowser family. Thank you for coming out!

Also, some dear friends and family showered me with LOVE and baby girl gifts on Wednesday night! What a treat!! I feel very loved and blessed!

Happy Wednesday

more fun pictures... I could spend hours editing and going through pics... but try to limit myself
I still have our Alaska pictures to post!

Molly and Hannah on the lake at Grandpa Vic's

We have two swimmers this summer!! I love it! Gramma Kris has shared her pool with us and the boys have really developed some skills.

Look at this freckled faced beauty! HANNAH CHARLENE

Look at these blue eyed sweeties!! I posted this pic earlier this week, but played with it a bit.

Isabel... soon to be first grader... smart, "in charge" and beautiful :)

Willem Vance... this blue eyed explorer has brought us SO MUCH JOY this summer! Joy, obedience and love that I longed for. He had about three months this winter and spring where he TESTED, pushed and had his share of "WalMart fits!" Oh how I am loving this more layed back Willem
Luke and Merit... cousins, friends, partners in "crime" Mindy and I will need to keep a close eye on these two. I had to "collage" these 6 year olds.

More of our time in Lynden

Baby Kendal

Our nephew Fischer, enjoying one of Papa and Gramma's apples

Isabel

Willem and Uncle Phil -- my youngest brother Phil is such an involved FUN uncle!

Hannah

some of Adie's blooms

The group at Mindy's! Look at this Jansen gang!! Thanks for hosting this Mindy and Rick. Not until looking at this picture did I realize how big our group was! Uncle Guy offered train rides to the kids -- that was a highlight!

Sheila, Pauli, Cary, Katie, Michele (me) and Amy at Rick and Mindy's

Lynden

Lynden... my boys are overjoyed with cousin fun in Lynden!! Here are Papa Stan and Gramma Adie and ELEVEN of the grandkids! Only two missing... well three if you count the baby girl we are expecting. These kids had a ball.

Vance's sister Mindy and family

Luke and Merit, good buddies

Gramma Adie and Baby Kendal

Cary and Nate's beautiful four ladies!

Willem and his cousin Kai ( my sister Lesha's son)

Cary's four again

Lucy and Willem, I love this picture

Isabel and Merit! Lots of memories between these two... and lots of laughs

I have MORE to share... but I will wait till the next post! August has been a very fun month! A wonderful weekend in Lynden along with a fun, last minute trip to Ketchikan, Alaska! good summer memories