may is our december

So it's taken me even longer than usual to get through a month of pics and posts, but we've all adopted the mantra here that May really is the new December.  It is full and fun and crazy and non-stop and we are obviously still behind from it all :)  Finishing up with our monthly randoms from May here... and may have one more post before we dive into June ;)

Learning to read...she decided this day to look in the Bible for words she knew and copy them.  Love so much.

Her first whole book ;)

Prepping for the neighbor potluck :).  We're always visiting too much to get pictures after everyone arrives...

And some checkup time at the doc after our spring of strep...Greer drew a pic of Garner's favorite things and it was spot on :)

Celebrating some sweet babies being born to families in our SS class!

And enjoying the co-op yearbooks over breakfast one morning :)

The neighborhood pool opened for the summer!

And the girls and I got a treat one day while we ran errands :)

A little more girl time while Gehr hit golf balls in the backyard (his new daily activity).  I love these days so much :))

Cheering on the Links as they graduated from their gymnastics classes

And finally finishing up some decorating in our dining room.  Love how the kids' artwork and gallery wall turned out.  Thanks for your help, Jenn!!

Things Greer leaves for me to find...I love her :)

And worlds colliding...Garner and Sam's way of compromising during playtime ;)

When Gentry spent the night with us for Gehrig's birthday and trip to Atlanta, the girls happily stayed over at the Links.  We are so grateful!  And the cuteness is too much...

Picnic playdate with Wiley

And a fun pic from Mrs. Rucker's art class.  The bigs LOVED it this year!

Another day, another fever.  Man, we run high temps like it's our job around here :(.  Hanging close to home while we wait for Garn to fight off the germs...

And a sweet Gehrig/Luke visit.  Found them studying the Word together first thing in the morning. Oh my heart...

A little time in the big kid section of the library with Christopher

And day-to-day living with our besties...May marked a year that they've been back and we have loved every minute!

Thankful for such a great month and for the slow-down of summertime following!  Love :)

miller farm

We've so missed time at our country home with the sweet Miller family.  For the past several months, every time we've schedule a date, something has happened to interrupt our plans.  So at the end of May, we finally got our day and enjoyed it so much :)

We had great playtime and fishing time and yummy dinner, all while loving the time to catch up with all of them...

Here's to hoping our next visit is sooner than later!  Sure do love them :)

britt and marg visit

We so loved having Uncle Britt, Aunt Margaret and their cute boys visit in May!  The first night, we scheduled a little 6-player Catan with them and the Links, so Andrew and Collier got to meet :). Andrew was so cute and excited to hold the "baby!"

Girl time with Aunt Margaret...so sweet :)

And finishing up snuggles and bedtime routines for the 8 before game time...

It may have been the longest Catan ever, but very fun and funny :).  Love these!

Saturday was a little busier than we would've liked, with a trip to Gehrig's baseball tourney.  The girls and Collier ended up heading home a little early and got some visiting in there :)

Last-minute coffee date for the 4 adults...lovely :)

And a little after-church time before they had to head home :(

Thank you guys for making the trip!  We're already ready for another visit :))

bjbq

We always enjoy our local Memorial Day music festival and are super proud of our bud who does so much to put it on every year.  So love the time with the Rucker fam and lots of others too.  We missed more than usual this year with a few other commitments that weekend, but were thankful for some time there both evenings :))

champs!

B's new middle school is on campus with the high school.  The HS always has a great baseball program and won another state championship this May!  We enjoyed spending several days out there as part of that crew and with friends and Daddy alongside us.  So fun and exciting!  Lots of hot and stormy weather made it take a bit longer to get in all 3 games, but they finally were able to get them in and take home another title :))

ten

10 years old.

Sigh.

I feel sure he skipped a couple of years.  And I'm almost positive that the next 10 will go by even faster.  It is such a challenge to balance the strong temptation to hold on to our children for dear life, while slowly giving them more and more independence.  To love and nurture with intentionality without helicopter-parenting.  I'm so thankful for the God-grace that meets us here :)

Our buddy continues to be such a great combination of easy-going, fun, careful, God-fearing, smart, happy, dependable, constant and kind.  He loves sports, most recently adding golf to his list of favorites, along with baseball and football. And still loves art and drawing too, combining those things by drawing sports figures and logos.  His other current art obsession centers around his geography and history interest and he will spend hours on maps and historical military drawings.  I've so loved learning about American history with him the last two years...and am hopeful that he will remember great lessons from it and lead well in the next generation.  Our conversations about it all challenge us both :).

As a typical firstborn, he enjoys a schedule and knowing the plan for our days or activities. And, he's honest about his struggle with disappointment if things don't go his way or the way he expected them to.  As he gets older, we are watching him work through the hard process of making his own choices to do the right thing, while learning how to put others before himself.  Although there have been a few hard moments, I'm so grateful to have so much time home with him to talk and pray through it all.  And thankful too for the precedent that B has set to have weekly breakfast time for the two of them.  There is no better man for Gehr to learn from when it comes to selflessness and work ethic... and there's nothing better in Gehrig's eyes than time with his Daddy. As they've started working in neighbors' yards together, he's also getting to see the fruits of good hard labor...and starting his first money-earning too.  It feels so big and growny :/

He is the sweetest friend and is blessed with great buddies and so many fun activities...and literally counts down to every social outing with buds.  He is tender-hearted and loves younger kids and is amazingly patient and fun with his sisters.  His love for the Word and transition into his own daily quiet time has continually filled my heart to overflowing.  I love to hear his prayers and have my favorite heart-conversations with him after he has done or thought or said something that he is convicted about.  To watch his heart grow in grace and righteousness is the greatest mama joy I've known.  He shares and talks about things (including lots and lots of details sometimes!) so much more than he used to...and B and I trade hopeful looks that we can continue to encourage such openness as he enters these next several years of growing up.

There are days that I feel like he is another grownup here and am so thankful for his help around the house and with the girls.  But I'm so thankful that he still isn't too big to climb into my lap or hug me tightly every morning when he gets up.  He loves his family well and thanks God for us sincerely and I truly love his company...and having him and his buddies around the house too :).  Praying for wisdom as we head closer to those teen years, girl stuff, peer-pressure and real-life questions.  And really just cherishing the incredible gift of being his mom.

Happy 10th birthday, Gehrig!  Words can't describe how much we love you :))