community

With our church life group and our homeschool co-op, we are surrounded by such a precious community.  As I look through pics from a couple of outings the last week of October, I can't help but pause and give thanks for these friendships for us and our kiddos.  They are kind and fun and godly and down-to-earth and many of them, life-long for the Gs.  We love them so dearly and thank God for the undeserved gift of doing life with so many that we truly adore.

Although I didn't get a ton of pics (and hardly any of the grownups), we had a great time at the Bryans' farm one beautiful Sunday after church with our life group.  It's an amazing group of old friends and new, all seriously pursuing Christ and full of love and grace for each other.  We feel incredibly blessed to have so many of our favorite people together in one place!

Gentry, Gehrig & Cole played football ALL day long...

While Greer created with Carson, Sarah Beth, Annalise and lots of others

Andrew was so kind to pull several groups of hayriders :)

And Garner loves Jack & Joe :)

We continue to pray for the Lord's leading of our sweet group and are excited about d-groups starting too and depth and growth in our faith walks through both.  So incredibly for all He's done already :))

And then...that same week, we made plans for trick-or-treating with our buds.  This is all still a little new to us, as we have never been super thrilled about Halloween and its scary parts...but.  As we consider loving our neighbors better and sharing in fellowship with others, we've come around to the fun aspects of it all.  With the Links back this year, we made plans to head to their neighborhood for the festivities there :)

I'm also not very creative about costume ideas or putting them together...enter cute and awesomely-funny (7yo) Campbell Rucker.  He told his parents that he wanted to dress up as Santa Claus (so brilliant) and that he wanted Garner to be his elf.  After a little bribing with gum, she was onboard and honestly, it may have been the cutest thing ever...

All 3 :)).  UGA football, scarecrow (to go along with the Links' Wizard of Oz theme) and Santa's Elf

We stopped at the front of our neighborhood first for a quick "parade" and visiting.  Greer with Madelyn...

And yeh...no words :))

Massey-Rucks...we missed Gentry!  He and Chris were in Jacksonville for some Georgia/Florida action :)

So love this sweet friend :)

Our two families then headed to the Links to meet up with several others there...before heading out (Links, Millers, Ruckers, and Masseys here)

Sweet Wizard of Oz crew :)

And our crew after the Pierces, Janiks and a Wiley joined us...we filled the street pretty well ;)

After pic...

Grownups...love these :))

Post trick-or-treating cuteness

Love this crew...love this community...thankful for the love and kindness they bestow on our family in so many ways.  Never want to take a minute of it for granted and pray that our kids will grow up with these same friendships throughout.  Thanks God.  So much :)

last goodbye to baby life

As many know, Gehrig's weaning from the pacifier when he was 2 1/2 was very, very sad.  It completely broke my mama heart and I wasn't looking forward to taking Garner's, as she has loved her much the same way he did.  (Greer wasn't so attached.)  So, we let her keep it much longer and finally started talking to her about giving it up as she approached her 4th birthday.  She seemed okay with the idea one moment and not at all the next, as you might imagine ;).

A few weeks before the big day, she came down with strep-like symptoms (for the 2nd time in a month) and I realized that I had not replaced her pacis, like I had her toothbrush, when she was positive for strep a couple of weeks prior.  We headed to the doc with a 104.3 temp, thinking they would swab and find her positive once again.  On the way, we talked about not using her paci in the meantime because it had germs on it.  Although I was fully anticipating going to buy new ones (not planning on having her give it up while she was battling high fever and illness), I didn't say that out loud.  Something in her seemed to click with this whole idea and although she felt terrible (and normally would've been super upset without her paci in that state), she did surprisingly well without it at the doc.

Sad and sweet baby (and also, school must go on ;))...

Although she ended up testing negative, we continued with the thought of the pacis being germy and headed home after the appointment since no one felt like stopping at the store for more (and she hadn't even thought of that).  I decided to try a nap without one (for the first time in her life!) and was shocked to find her asleep almost immediately without drama...

After she woke, she said that she thought it was time to throw the germy pacis away (wha?!)... although she couldn't actually do it herself.  "Mama, you do it."  So sad...

Nighttime that first night was just as seamless as the nap and we were so thankful!  The second night, she cried out often in her sleep but no more after that.

Amazingly, even her naps have continued perfectly!  This was probably the biggest surprise, especially with her being close to the end-of-napping age anyway.  

All in all, it was such an easy process and we were thankful to not have to spoil her birthday with anything sad.  BUT, sad for us, any day, because there is nothing baby left now :(...don't know how all these years snuck by us so quickly...

apple store and more

Our co-op had a great first time field trip to the Apple store in October.  The trip was so organized and the employees so good-natured with the kids.  Jenn took the big Gs and the Rucker boys (who were staying with us) with her and Madi while I kept the littles at home this time :)

Our crew :).  (Another group from co-op went to the TV station at the same time...we split up to keep the crowds a little smaller and allow for different technology learning options.)

The littles had fun at home, meanwhile :)

And were super silly

Until they visited timeout after being ugly.  They are like a little old married couple ;)

Afternoon school work with the Rucker boys.  I love this sight and their lifelong friendships, but feel a little heart twinge when I step back and realize how big they are getting...

Thanking God for Fridays, field trips and favorite friends.  These days are pretty great :)

birthday party fun

Greer's request this year for her birthday was an American Girl party at the county fair.  Since we went to the fair last year for her 6th, we went with the American Girl part of the request and let her invite her friends over to watch the Isabelle movie and "almost" sleepover.

Getting ready...she asked for a cookie cake and Publix came through well for us at the last minute.  With sweet girly party favors, pink lemonade, pizza and premade ice cream servings (thanks for the idea, Jenn!), we were all set!

So grateful for so many sweet girls in her life.  Many from co-op and some from church and our neighborhood too :)

Present time!

Meanwhile, the dolls took a break on the couch ;)

Cake time!  And my favorite picture of the night...her expression is priceless and captured the sweetness and fun of the evening well

After the party stuff was taken care of, they all settled in to watch the movie...love this.

A quick shot before heading out of everyone and their dolls...

So thankful for such an easy and fun way to celebrate our sweet Greer.  And loved the idea we borrowed from Aunt Lindsey to almost sleepover...it was perfect!

greer's 7th

Oh, this girl!  She is so many things to me and brings so much joy.  It's hard to know where to start :)

At 7, she is full of love and generosity and grace and fun.  She cares for others and forgives others and reminds us to do the same.  She is cuddly and loves to bury her face when she wraps her arms around us tight.  She is hilarious and full of energy and loves to dance and sing.  She is girly but tough.  She is a great organizer when she wants to be, but rarely puts things where they belong (a messy-room child like her mama was).  Soooo creative and incredibly smart, she loves to read and says that Bible and History are her favorite school subjects.  Her transition to 1st grade has been seamless and she loves co-op and any time she has with friends.

She learned to crochet this summer (it's one of my favorite things to watch her do).  She loves her dolls, her legos, drawing/coloring and can keep up with a good bit of football talk because of her big brother.  We find her copying passages of the Bible and listening to her favorite worship music long after bedtime...and never know what time she may get to sleep ;).  She sets up elaborate "stations" everywhere...in her bed with all the things she may need to keep herself busy before she gets tired, in her closet for her dolls' living area, etc.  She never stops thinking of others but admittedly doesn't always show that thoughtfulness for her sister.  They alternate between arguing and collaborating closely on dance performances for the family... sometimes in the same minute ;).

We continue to see phases of excess energy that make it hard for her to sit still...literally every six weeks or so.  It's so interesting to watch.  During these spurts, she struggles to listen or follow directions exactly, but never loses her zeal for happiness and fun.  It's then that I often find myself frustrated and amused with her in the same moment!  I long to train her up well without forcing her into a box that God didn't design her for.  And as I've said many times, I can't help but wish that I were as carefree and big-hearted as she is...oh, to see the world through her eyes for even a day!  There's a lightness to her spirit that I've never known.

Just as a quick example, an exchange we had when she was bouncing off the walls at a doctor's appointment...

     Mama - "Greer, why can't you just sit down?"

     Greer - "Yeh, sitting just isn't my thing"

It really isn't...and I'm learning that a good bit of the time, that's okay ;)

We are so thankful for you, Greer!  So thankful for your heart for God and your love for others and for the great fun that you bring to our family.  We smile and laugh so much more because you are here!  Happy happy birthday to the happiest and sweetest girl I know :))

We love you so much and pray that your heart never changes.  Thank you for showing us how to see the best in everyone, love so well and give so easily.  We are amazed and so proud of you :))