#year38

this past week we were able to get away for a couple of days and spend some time as a family in the wisconsin dells. it was such a sweet time of swimming, sunshine, mini golf & fun! the boys loved every moment and we loved watching them have the best time!!! here are a few little highlights from the trip! :)

i LOVE creating special & unique memories with our boys! being able to go on little adventures is one of my favorite things to do as a family! this past weekend we were able to go to a baseball field which has been turned into a drive in theater and see the movie “the sandlot.” the boys had so much fun sitting in the back of the car and enjoying seeing this classic movie for the first time!

watching the boys experience new things is such a blessing and seeing the excitement in their faces makes it all worth it!!! today i am feeling overwhelming blessed! to be able to serve & care for my family and watch these little people grow and learn. 

i have also lately felt challenged to pray fervently for our boys - pray for their relationship with the Lord, for their safety & protection, for their minds as they grow & learn, for their future - where they live, work, learn & their wives. i know that the Lord hears our prayers and that they’re powerful, so i want to encourage you to continue in prayer for your family & loved ones in your life. the Lord is listening and he is working!

this past Sunday we sang the song “waymaker” at church and i love what the bridge has to say:

even when i don’t see it You’re working

even when i don’t feel it You’re working

You never stop, You never stop working

You never stop, You never stop working

the beginning of july is a busy couple of days for us! we first celebrate canada day on july 1st - since i am from canada and our boys are dual citizens. :) i love to get them dressed up in their canadian gear and they love to wish anyone who will listen “happy canada day.” ;)

then on july 4th we celebrate the USA for them & their daddy! this usually includes playing in water and some sort of fireworks/firecrackers! this year we had our own fun with firecrackers and then our neighbors ended up setting off some fireworks! :)

i love that our boys are dual citizens! i love that they will have the opportunities to live, go to school &/or work in two countries and travel easily between the two. i love that they have this extra special little piece of me & their daddy! :) 

i will always encourage them to cheer for team canada (especially in hockey), but they can support all of their daddy’s chicago teams! ;) 

this monday our micah turned SEVEN! for some reason this birthday hit me more than others. it truly feels like only yesterday we were bringing our sweet little blond haired baby boy home from the hospital and yet he is growing into such a sweet & smart little boy.

we continue to pray that micah grows in his relationship with the Lord - that it becomes the most important thing to him! and we try our best to model that to him in each & every circumstance!!! so proud of this little boy and how much he has grown in the last year - can’t wait to see what year seven brings!!!

he wanted “interactive” type gifts for his birthday this year - walkie talkies, binoculars, a little camera (which we found for a great price on amazon). he has been walking around using all these little things since his “space” birthday on sunday! :)

this man. my hubby & their daddy! we loved being able to celebrate him this past sunday for father’s day. this man loves us unconditionally, protects us fiercely, and provides for us sacrificially! he is such an amazing example to our boys and i am so blessed that they have them to look up to! he plays with them, cuddles them & teaches them! he’s always there to answer any question they have and listen to their little voices share their hearts & hurts.

our imaginations are powerful! i see it on a regular basis with our boys. they are buses making their stops & picking up passengers, they are fireman fighting fires or policemen catching robbers.  their imaginations can also scare them - at night when they think zombies are real or they hear sounds that make them nervous.

in those moments when their imagines are scaring them - we remind them that Jesus is always with them and to think on things that they know are true!

philippians 4:8

finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.