UpRooted

Monday, February 11, 2013

Backyard Ice Hockey

The Pre-Game Entertainment

The Rink

The Players

The Equipment?

The Audience

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Well, it would have been our last sop if we hadn't missed our flight and ended up spending an extra night in Charlotte, NC. But it was our last planned stopped. :) On the way back to the airport we stopped in Greenville to visit with Grandmom Okie, and though she grows increasingly weak in body, she is still as quick and calm in mind as ever.

Athens

Hubry had several days of research to do at the UGA library, and after going back and forth about whether to go along with the kids, we decided to go, and I am so thankful we did. We ended up staying with the Carter family, friends who are currently raising support to go to Spain with MTW, and it worked out just perfectly. During the days Tom went to the archives and I went frolicking around the city with the kids. I even got to pop in on the Women's Bible Study at our church and see many friends including our old babysitter, Beka May! I love that church :) We spent one afternoon catching up with the Gents and meeting baby number 3 (who looks a lot like baby number 2), and it was sweet to see the kids run into the yard and play as if they never left Georgia. It's always an encouraging time, and I'm thankful to be growing along Lindsey during this stage of life.

And...we got to spend the next morning with Joanna and the twins (and their sweet Grandpa), and see their new house, which just so happens to be down the street from the last place we lived in Athens. The Lord has truly blessed them with good work and a good home, and I love being able to rejoice with her in this new stage.

Chattaboogie

I am ashamed to say that we visited Chattanooga and failed to take a single photo. We spent many lovely days out at the Staven Farm, I visited with my Grandmother, visited with the Riley's, and I went with Rachel and Aimee to see Les Miserables, which was absolutely beautiful and well done. So, so thankful.

Bosom Friends

Winter in Maine is cold with short days, so there is not much playing outside to be done. I've been noticing lately that playing inside is a totally different "art" than playing outside. While the kiddos have had plenty of time to develop their outside playing skills, we are just now being pushed to discover the indoors. They've always enjoyed drawing and working on crafts, train tracks, building with blocks, but we've been working on playing board games, Simon Says, Mother May I?, and other indoor games. One of our favorite boardgames of late is called "The Ladybug Game," and it's especially fun to have something the kids can play together. The only obstacle is little Raindrop who likes to "help" by scattering the pieces and cards all over the floor.

One of the best parts of our trip down South was the return to the great outdoors. The temperatures reached the 60's and 70's during a good part of our trip, and we laughed at the big trash bag sitting in the trunk of the van with all our winter gear. The kids spent hours outside every day (often barefoot and in shorts), and it was truly beautiful to be reminded of the joy they experience playing outside - and to see that they play outside well. This is especially encouraging since they have a long way to go with the inside playing thing :)

One of our best outside playing stretches came when we went down to stay with BMa and Daddy-O while Hubry did research at a nearby library. My bosom friend, Mrs. Elisha Boggs, came to visit us in Warner Robins, and brought her three kids (who just happen to be my kids' bosom friends). Even though we hadn't seen each other in 6 months, as Elisha said, the kids didn't skip a beat. George Wilder and Amelia came running in the door as if they'd always lived there, and a few minutes later they were all four running outside in a pack to pick up where they left off. One of my favorite images, though I don't have an actual photo, is of the four of them sitting over a little bridge with homemade fishing poles pretending to fish. There were forts scattered throughout the front and back yards, little treasures and secrets, stories and crafts, walks, more flying of kites, and a picnic at a nearby park. And of course, there were many sweet conversations between the Mamas.

Peek-a-boo

I'm going to jump...

Photo credits go to BMa and Daddy-O

Posing

In Action

Flying Kites

After we left Springville we were able to visit Grandparents West in LaGrange, along with Abe and Bethany, Adam and Ellen and family, Okie Parents, and Uncles Jim and Paul. It was a fun day that included kayaking / wading in the lake, and an amazing kite-flying expedition. Most of the fun was initiated by Uncle Jim, who Songbird says she can't wait to play with again.

Yummy Chick-fil-A

Tell us all about it...

My turn, my turn!

Kite-Flying with the Papas

Bro mesmerized by cousin Marit's violin

10 Years

Hubry and I celebrated 10 years of marriage this year, and though we had two dates in one day on December 21st, our big celebration was a romantic getaway to New Orleans. OK, so I was tagging along while Hubry went to a conference and had some interviews, and I had little Raindrop in tow, but we were without the older children, and we enjoyed long walks together in the mornings and leisurely breakfasts, so at this stage in our lives that qualifies as a romantic getaway:) I actually had a wonderful time with Raindrop exploring things on her level. It was so windy and cold the first two days that I had to find indoor things to keep us busy, and thankfully she was still free. We went to the aquarium and the insectarium, all the while toddling around peeking, pointing, exploring, running here and laying down for a break there. It was such a sweet time to get to know her alone, and every time the three of us went for a walk she would sweetly look up at us and smile as if to say, "finally, I have them all to myself!" In fact, when we returned to my parents' house, she threw a big fit when Songbird and Bro came up to give us hugs and snuggle in our arms.