Just a few.....or more.

My sister and I (YellowBox Photography) did the photos for our second wedding this summer.   God answered my prayers for extra strength, being 11 weeks pregnant, working in the HOT sun, and having little time to actually eat!   It is great to work in partnership!  Thanks EV!

These are a few snippets of the day!

By the way, the last photo is actually MY niece and nephew (from my brother Anton).   The bride is their aunt from the other side of the family.   Cute brown-eyed flower girl and ring-bearer.

Quote

Many of us have heard the idea that "love" is not a noun, but a verb.

I enjoyed this quote from Paul Tripp's book "What Did You Expect?"  (a book on marriage)

Love calls you to be silent when you want to speak, and to speak when would like to be silent. Love calls you to act when you would really like to wait and to wait when you would really like to act. Love calls you to stop when you really want to continue and it calls you to continue when you feel like stopping. Love requires you to lead when you really would like to follow and to follow when you really want to lead. Love again and again calls you away from your instincts and your comfort. Love always requires personal sacrifice. Love calls you to give up your life.

Splish splash.

 One fearless boy.

 Number two fearless boy.

 I'm thankful for these new puddle jumper things for new swimmers......he is independent.  And the best part is that Gideon can't reach the fastener at his back so he can't take it off by himself (unlike a lifejacket).   I really like that.

SUCH FUN!!!

Random ramblings.

The calendar has flipped and we are in August.   My brain is starting to (only occasionally!) turn to school preparations.  Eric is great and will give me (at least) one whole day where I can work on preparations uninterrupted, pretending I'm not even there, and he'll be totally in charge of kid questions, food stuff/clean-up, etc.  This body that has been sucked of energy and stomach stability due to a 3 inch little person is starting to come out of the fog!   I had my first midwife appointment last week.  It's always fun to visit their quaint little (office) house (it actually is a house...with a library to check out books, nice furniture, little day beds, and bright orange pillows- I love it!).  It's peach season in the area...my favourite.  I'm looking forward to enjoying a day this week with my sister (and children) at Safari Niagara (ZooZ).    While our friends in NZ recently delighted in a couple of inches of snow- at their houses.....we have had some melting weather during our summer.   In case anyone is wondering, the pregnant friend in the photos below welcomed a baby boy (Nathan) a few weeks ago.  Four of our children are doing the library summer reading program.  Two finished and get to go to the party at the end of the month.  Two more to go.  Gideon is doing the "read to ME" program.  Very cute to watch him talk to the lady about the book(s), pick his prize. He gets a "party" at the library as well.   Macayla is enjoying the day with a lady from our church helping at an old age home (Shalom).  She told me the other day that she loves old people.   That warms my heart.   My parents are galavantly the country with their camper trailer (for 7 weeks).  We miss them.   (Hi Mom!  Hi Dad!)   My twins are great helpers and hard workers.  Levi is thrilled to be going to play at a new friends tomorrow.  Jacob will be entering high-school.  Wow.  I'm enjoying a good novel (proof-reading for the church library).   Gideon is a complete nut-case in the swimming pool.  Jacob and a friend has organized his second air-soft battle at our place.   Time to think about lunch here......God is good, and has so blessed me.