Edisto

I have recently been working on a major photo project - sifting through all our digital files and trying to put the best photos in albums.  I used to be much better about this - before you could take pictures on phones and every other device.  Now they just collect virtual dust.  Anyway, I made a great effort to catch up and printed up 5 years worth of pictures.

Although I took great care to order them chronologically, when I got them back from Aspen Photo (which I will probably not use again), they were completely scattered and disorganized.  So now what was already a big project turned into an even bigger headache.  The point of this story is that the hardest part of organizing the pictures was all the photos of Edisto Beach.  We have been going every year now for the past 5 years (at least), and it is becoming harder and harder to distinguish between the trips!

What I love about this is that our trip to Edisto is turning into a tradition, and the house and space and beach and activities are being woven into the fabric of our lives and our kids' memories of growing up.  So now we can all begin to expect that Hubry will most likely find the first sharks' tooth, and that he will probably find multiple ones throughout the week (while others of us continue to search in vain).

We did make a few new traditions this year.  On the way in we stopped for coffee and donuts at the Geechie Boy Mill.  The donuts were so amazing, and we even got a quick tour of the building and an explanation of how the mill works - which the kids loved.  We ended up buying our animal watchers some corn mill, which turned out to be the perfect gift.  The only sad part of this tradition is that when we stopped back by on our way out of town they were already sold out of doughnuts (which the man said never happens).

Another new tradition was the addition of the Hoovers' youth kayaks.  This was awesome, and Ellen and I even got to take some turns paddling out in the waves.  Before we learned that it was illegal, the kids enjoyed "chasing" the dolphins, who seemed to enjoy being chased.

We also took a hike at Edisto State park where we saw some Summer Tanagers, Phoebes, red-bellied woodpeckers, blue-grey gnatcatchers, and multiple other shorebirds.  We were excited to learn this year about a new shorebird that passes through Edisto in May, and we were able to observe this Ruddy Turnstone engaging in different activities.

Cuatro enjoyed his first trip to the beach, though we couldn't convince him that the sand was not for eating.  I should be thankful, because he really is not a picky eater, but it makes keeping an eye on him a full-time job, as everything goes into the mouth!

We are so thankful for family we call friends, and for cousins who love each other like brothers and sisters.  I look forward to having more family joining us in the future on this wonderful tradition!!  And, I barely took my camera out the entire time, so I only have a spattering of photos.

Ten

My baby is double-digits!!  How did this happen?  Yesterday we were patty-caking around the field in Athens, GA, and all-of-a-sudden you are big and strong and 5 feet tall!!!  Your foot is officially bigger than mine, you are officially faster than me, and I have no doubt that you will be taller than me within a year or two.

You are such a unique girl - full of adventure and constantly brimming with new ideas.  Somedays I still feel like I'm chasing you around trying to protect you from danger :)  But these days you are so much more capable of pushing back, and so I am trying to step out of the way more and more, and pray that the Spirit would be guiding you.

This week you are at camp, and it's the first time you've been away to an overnight camp.  This is a big stretch (at least for your Papa and me) because we have no idea what you are up to!!  More and more I am having to lean into prayer and trust that you are God's child and that He has you in the palm of His hand.

It is hard to be the oldest and be the first to experience every new thing.  The others miss you greatly this week and have been walking around bored half the time :)

You love to canoe and kayak and fish and climb and run and create and make.  You love to read and tear through books so quickly it's hard for me to keep up with your appetite. You continue to "write" intricate and creative stories with all your drawings, and I can't wait to see some of the stories written down some day.

You love chickens and kittens and horses, and we are looking for ways to put you in more and more contact with animals so you can learn to care for them.  You say you want to be a vet when you grow up, and you love reading the James Herriot stories (though I'm afraid being a vet today is not nearly as exciting).

You have started a succulent business.  We have had fun looking at yard sales and thrift stores for pretty teacups, and then you "glean" broken pieces of succulents of the floor of Home Depot, or find them in the woods, or root them from plants you already have growing.  You've already sold at least 5 plants, which has been fun to watch.  Soon you hope to have a vegetable and plant stand on a Saturday morning and sell eggs, squash, blueberries, and succulents.  We will see how it goes!

Next year you will be in 5th grade - one of the oldest kids at Masters' Academy.  I was thinking about how much you have grown in confidence and peace.  Four years ago when you started the program, you were only 6 years old.  I was afraid you would hide under the tables when you got nervous, or run away if the situation felt overwhelming.  Now you are taking piano lessons, a huge help to me in art class, and one of the leaders.

I continually pray that God would use your energy and creativity and sensitivity for His glory.  May you grow in wonder and awe and thankfulness day by day.  I love you, my little Songbird!!

Cuatro is busy

Cuatro is nine and a half months old now, and he is busy. So busy, in fact, that we can't seem to find time to write about him unless it is 4:30 am like it is right now and he is asleep. So here is a list:

- he loves to wrestle. Sit on the floor -- or better, lie down -- and he is after you in a moment, climbing on top of you, growling, whacking your face, grabbing your glasses

- he has taken his first few steps! He does it intentionally but also kind of thoughtlessly, as if he's really too busy to focus on it. "It'll come eventually..." He's been cruising around the couches and chairs, and now every so often he'll just let go and start walking.

- he falls down a lot. We are glad that we have carpet, though we've often discussed putting in hardwood, because his head would be bruised and there would be a great many more tears. As it is, 90% of the time he falls he just rolls over and starts moving agin.

- he has discovered some favorite things in the house: the pots and pans cupboard (so loud!), the dishwasher (an endless supply of metal objects to stick in his mouth and throw around!), the bathtub (he's learned to lean over, grab on to the cold water knob, and climb up on the edge of the bathtub. Our bathtub, however, is not carpeted. So this makes us a bit nervous.

- he loves to eat! he might be our most adventurous eater yet. Only a handful of times has something caused him to pucker up and spit it out. He especially loves sandwich crusts and fig newtons and dairy-free smoothies.

- favorite words: "Mama," "Pba Bpa", and "Ah duh"

At the Pumpkin Patch on Signal Mountain

GranJan and PapaRJ's backyard

Hanging with the boys

Peek-a-boo

I'll help with this, Mom!

I wanna run!

Eight

You are 8!  You are strong and brave and extremely hard-working.  You love to take note of the garden and flowers and let us know what is blooming or what is ready to pick.  You love climbing - rocks, swing-sets, trees, doors - anything and everything.  You run fast and steady.  You love playing soccer.

You are sensitive and gentle and understanding - unless a rule is being broken, or someone is not doing something the "right way."  In those moments justice swells up in you and passion overflows.  I pray this will be used in great ways to honor God.  That you will notice the weak or the broken and fight for justice.

You are still our most cuddly kid - looking for opportunities to sit in a lap.  In the mornings when Papa gets out the Bible to read, you jump out of your chair and find his lap as fast as possible.

You love understanding how things work.  Sometimes you'll surprise me with questions hours after the fact, and I'll realize you've just been thinking it over all morning.

Your new favorite book is The Green Ember.  You never want it to stop, and now we are listening to it over again so Papa can catch up.  You named the knitted rabbit that Melanie made for Liam "Picket" after the main character.  It has been agony for you to have to wait to hear the sequel.  This pushes The Children of the New Forest down to second place.

You like to help Papa cook the breakfast in the morning, and you rarely complain when asked to help out or do a chore.  You are a hard-worker.

We love you so much, and are so thankful to call you son!  Happy Birthday.