Kayaking the Buffalo Videos

This is the morning after the rain, a video of our campsite (Jim's Bluff) and the flooded river.

This is J "showering" off in Hemmed-in-Hollow".

This is J rescuing our kayaks after the river rose.

This is the power of Hemmed-in-Hollow after a hard rain. My guesstimate would be that there were at least 40 mph gusts coming off of the waterfall. If you watched the waterfall you could see water drops on the outside of the column of water being pushed back up the fall because of the air that the waterfall was pushing back up the hollow.

Here is J trying his hand at withstanding the waterfall.

Here is the section of river that we eventually got out of after we got dumped. This middle of the river is fast flowing but the rapids arent terrible, but what is dangerous are the trees and rocks that are normally on the banks are now acting like a strainer with very fast moving water flowing through them on the edges of the river.

Here is our campsite Fri night.

And here is the river bend and the fallen tree. With the river flowing as fast as it was, there isn't a ton of time to get out of the current and to a gravel bar before that tree gets you.

Finally Finished!

Last night, I finally finished the book The Mission of Motherhood: Touching Your Child’s Heart for Eternity by, Sally Clarkson. I think that this is the first book that I have read cover to cover since B was born…it only took me three or four months to finish, but I am so grateful for the little bits of time that I was able to have to read through it.

I found the last chapter both challenging and encouraging…

“God designed mothers to partner with him in his eternal work, and he has promised to reward our faith and our faithfulness. The precious children he has placed in our hands are hoping that we will be faithful and endure so that they will have a reason to hope and an example to follow in their own lives….

Each child longs for for a heritage in which he can have pride; a home where he can see the faithfulness of God lived out everyday; a family in which love is constant, forgiveness and graces hold everyone together, and faith and endurance conquer all obstacles. This is the kind of foundation upon which a child can begin to build the fortress of his own life.”

p. 234 The Mission of Motherhood

That (and much more) is what I desire to aim for as C and I continue in this adventure of parenthood…I know that I can’t do it on my own and am so grateful that I have C by my side.  Even more, I am  thankful that C and I have the Lord standing next to us cheering us on as we continue to learn what parenthood is all about.

Happy Friday!

Happy Weekend!

Be blessed.

Happy Birthday C!

Thank You Lord for so graciously blessing this past year for C. I ask that You would continue to bless him as he embarks on whatever adventures this next year may hold…thank You for his sense of humor, for his desire to seek out adventure, for his “even keeled-ness”, for the incredible dad that he is, for the husband, friend and confidant that he is…please bless him today!

Amen

Please Join Me…

We have a dear, dear, dear friend who is in need of a great deal of prayer right now…

Would you please join me in praying for this friend…the Lord knows every aspect of the situation and it is all in His hands…

Please pray for peace that may transcend our friend’s total understanding…

Please pray for wisdom and discernment for our friend as they move forward with hopeful anticipation wondering what the Lord may have in store…

Please pray that our friend may experience the Lord in an entirely new and authentic way through this major trial…

“Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is my strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalm 73:23-26

It’s Official…

As of this weekend, all of B’s aunts and uncles have walked across a stage, in various parts of the country to receive a diploma (though B can only say he has one commencement ceremony under his belt)!

On Saturday, B was a trooper during the ceremony…he spent time on many family members’ laps and also worked on some walking laps outside the coliseum while holding someone’s hand (he is still not walking on his own)…

 

These photos were taken near the beginning of the ceremony, I would be stretching the truth if I depicted B as being this content towards the end of the ceremony!

Uncle J getting his diploma…we are all so proud of him, he worked so hard!

Uncle J’s  “item of flair” for his special occasion…and for the record he tied this bowtie this way on his first try, pretty good and straight, if I don’t say so myself! I’m not sure if he was more proud of his degree or this bowtie?

 

B tried to sneak into Uncle J and Miss K’s photo, (thanks to his older Uncle J)…

The photo sans B!

B has started to point back to you when you point to him…here he is trying to point back to J’s diploma…

 

My brother and sister-in-law (who live out east) were able to make a quick trip to celebrate J’s big day…they almost didn’t make it, the two (and my mom and dad) deserve merit badges for their efforts to get to the ceremony on time!  (There efforts included several legs of air travel, circling around severe weather,  awful turbulence, landing at a private airport to get refueled, an impromptu stay in Houston and a drive to Houston in the middle of the night). BUT THEY MADE IT!

 

Two very proud mama and papa bears!

 

B enjoyed stretching his legs and vocal chords after the ceremony!

After graduation, Uncle J, and some of his friends hosted a crawfish boil for every ones’ families who were in town to celebrate…

 

This was C’s & my first crawfish boil…we really enjoyed the bread, soda and bbq sandwiches…

 

B watched everyone dig in, while he enjoyed some Cheerios and milk from the back row…

 

A jumped right in, I was impressed…she was much more brave than I!

After the boil,  we all made sure to stop at our very favorite “watering hole” to get some coffee…

This is by far my favorite coffee shop in the entire world! Whenever we are in town, we try to stop as many times as we can…even if it is 2-3 times in a weekend). I will admit, that I am a little sad that I won’t be able to enjoy coffee at this shop near as often any more.

B and C were able to enjoy some time in the hotel pool…B was quite hesitant initially, but slowly warmed up to the idea…

B liked making splashes with his hands.

On Sunday morning, Uncle J and Miss K made one of my family’s favorite breakfasts.  They made french toast (with cinnamon bread), goop (a family tradition) and berry salad. Breakfast was fantastic… even more it was special to be hosted by Uncle J at his house as this chapter of his life is coming to a close.

B and C watched intently as the french toast was being made.

After breakfast, we made one last group trip to the inFAMOUS coffee shop. 

B joined in on the tasty fun and  “ordered” his very own treat (milk).

After coffee, we all went out separate ways…which always leaves my heart feeling a little bittersweet.   It is so hard to have family members dispersed across the country, we make sure to savor all the time that we have…even if it is just weekends here and there.  I am grateful for the time that we do have together and grateful for the memories (even if there is time in between) that my family is able to make with  B.

Congratulations Uncle J! I will admit that I am sad that my little brother won’t be south on 35 any longer (I have found quite a bit of peace in knowing that you live so close)…but I am so excited for you and the new chapter that is opening in your life…enjoy the adventure!

M family…thanks for a fantastic weekend!

Happy Sunday.

Be Blessed.

Toddler?!?

No, he isn’t graduating from college this weekend, but doesn’t he look all grown up in this photo?  Where has the time gone?

A great reminder that we need to work to savor every minute!

(On a side note, B enjoyed a little breakfast on the go as we ran this morning…we have become huge fans of  the snack trap…possibly one of the best inventions ever thought of!)

Happy Thursday.

Be blessed.

Daddy Day

The other day, C & B were able to spend a fun filled day together…just the two of them!

They started their special day with a run (Ella joined in on the fun)…

And later they found themselves at our favorite bakery for breakfast.

 

B is still learning how to use his sippy cup that has a straw, he likes to tip it upside down which prevents the straw inside from doing its job…slowly he is getting the hang of it…and I think he deserves and A for effort! C reported that B was rather hysterical as he drank while the two sat together.

After B’s morning nap, the two ventured out to spend the afternoon at the zoo…

 

The giraffes…

C thought that B’s sunhat was inhibiting his line of sight so when they were out of the sun, C flipped the brim up…quite a fashion statement if I don’t say so myself!

The elephants…

C said that this elephant walked into the water and actually fully submerged itself…B was quite impressed!

 

I love this photo…those little hands and those little legs make me melt!

 

Later, C and B were my knights in shining armor (and cheerleaders)…as they dropped everything to help me work on one of my random tasks…which I continue to be SO grateful for!

All in all, the two seemed to enjoy their special day together.  I hope that C is able to continue having special Daddy Days with our kids…I know that it will be time that he and our family will come to treasure!

Happy Tuesday!

Be blessed.