Summer brings...

Summer has brought us
pretty peony blooms,
strawberries ready for the picking,
and busy friends popping in for lunch!


There's the arrival of a friend's new addition;
more news -- another's loved one is well,
and answered prayers for still another family
whose lovely child I hold close to my heart.


Praise the Lord!
Let's keep trusting,
hanging on to His promises,
and blessings on those we love and care about.


As I swished my brush up and down the fence 

for that family project, thankful for teamwork,

I'm grateful too for precious friends and loved ones --

someone to paint with, through life's ups and downs.

***

It's here! An old friend's great news update this morning got me all excited about God's love that never ceases and His faithfulness that reaches to the skies! 


Incidentally, this also just came...

Our photobook, with the stop-and-gaze moments from that recent family campout under the big sky that let me see He is so big! Never mind it took me more sleeplessness to put together than when I do an ironing-and-movie marathon after the children are in bed.  

Don't you love to make fun memories with families and friends?  

What are you excited about and thankful for today? 

***

Life surprises, not always in a nice way though. I don't want to forget to delight in the little joys and count my blessings. I know I'm already trying to say so much in this one entry, don't mind how my words just come tumbling out. Will like to also share this post I stumbled on, especially love the picture/analogy the writer drew. That's so true we need each other through the good and trying times: When you need a little extra strength Because someone prayed, it keeps us going; we pray also for those we love and care about. 

Paint and paint

The hubby gave our eldest the enormous task of painting the fence. The fence that wraps around the backyard -- it's huge!


Frankly, I was a bit worried. Especially when our tween did not need to do a Tom Sawyer for his younger brother and sister to want in on the fun. 


But it was more than just FUN, or FUNNY:
"Look, it's raining (dripping) paint!  Hahaha!"


It was TIRING:

"Are you aching all over like me, mom?"

Not to mention TEDIOUS:

"How much more, dad? Are we done yet?"

And the kids just wanted to go and play once they realized what A LOT OF WORK it was:

"I need a(nother) break!"

Still, every bit of help was appreciated! Cooperation, too, like relying on the younger son to play with his Meimei, when it was getting a little too messy. Think paint sploshing on every body, not just on the grass, and you aren't even thinking try-and-do-even-strokes anymore. More like, Are we (ever) going to get this done?  

It really helped also when the hubby set aside Saturday afternoon yesterday, putting aside his work for awhile. We managed to paint and paint a lot more fence altogether, than the different days before that added up. 

"It is finished!" That sounded so good.  I must be the most relieved one, hehe! 

Hopefully in the process, we also learned something about having to FOLLOW THROUGH what we started. It helped me see (beyond my pampered children) and be thankful for every willing heart and helping hand.


The fence painting helps with its maintenance. It's also the deal our scout struck with his dad for the hammock he wants to supplement the camping needs he's already equipped with. Thanks to all the teamwork, the hammock will be a shared one... sweet! :)

Three kids and two swings

Enter the longer days of summer...

And the children have all the energy in the world to parallel that!



It's more chaotic, hardly quiet, and we've had to reach for the icepack too many times already!


Life with kids is blessed also. I'm trying not to be such a nervous cop around them, for isn't summer about spending fun times together? Before they grow up so fast!


Brownie (Re)treat...
I had to make an emergency visit to the dentist. The abutment holding down my implant had come loose after flossing... uh-oh, more like YIKES! I was so relieved it could be fixed, I gave the children a snack treat in the sun. Before that, asking my middle child to help me with the brownie mix, I told him to give the eggs a good beating. "Beat it!", I said, forgetting how many seven-year-olds just like to listen out for such language lapses. "Oh, alright!", he grinned -- and promptly scooted off to play! ;p