Summer Recap One - July Version

Wow, 1 post in July...one post in August. It's been busy and blogging has taken a very backseat! But I do want to recap some of the fun we've had this summer!

Here's July, briefly:

(Okay, this is technically the end of June, but I had to add it.)

Richard brought home a turtle he found at work.

One little boy thought it was wonderful.

 July 4th weekend, we spent up north with my side of the family. Since our kids are getting bigger, there's not room for us to board with family members so we stayed in this fabulous lodge. It was a great weekend!!

The little goofballs, ready for the day

Richard and the boys went fishing with Grandpa Mike

Big catches!

Enjoying the pontoon ride

Coffee, anyone?

The proud fishermen!

We got a lot of use out of our little kiddy pool in July! It was HOT out! Sometimes the kids would get dressed in the morning and head right into the pool. I made an observation this year: I do a lot of laundry in the summer.

 Richard brought the work truck home with a load of dirt and we did some landscaping out front, in order to resolve a wet basement problem we've been having! Good thing we have such strong helpers.

Ready to start digging dirt and raking rocks!

In the dirt pile....

Clementine wants to help too

They LOVE the work truck

Working together to maneuver the wheelbarrow

Grace had to leave us for a week of vacation with her dad. We missed her terribly.

This girl is sweetness itself.

Papa and Clementine enjoyed some quality time

We ate outside a lot, we played outside a lot, and we generally enjoyed our backyard to a great extent!

Clementine has learned to leave her hair decorations alone (mostly) and I had fun "doing" her hair. She seemed to appreciate it too!

We went to this great, FREE, wading pool/park in Minneapolis a couple times. Super fun!!

Ahhhh....

chooo!!

So that's what I have recorded in photographs for July! We've spent so much time enjoying our backyard, walks to the library and the park. We've done a lot of bike riding too, thanks to our new set of bikes! (See this post). Richard celebrated his last birthday in his 30's in July as well.

i miss you

I miss this little boy today! I often wonder what he would look like if he were here with us, what he would be like, who he is. Every year on his birthday we set a place for him at the dinner table, just as a reminder that part of our family isn't here and to show that we feel his empty spot. Last year God gave me a brief image in my mind of a brown haired boy, five years old, sitting at the table with the rest of us. He was a quiet, sweet, thoughtful boy with a gentle smile and deep, knowing eyes. The image came totally unbidden to my mind, just a flash and it was gone. But I think God understands my longing to know more about Matthias than the 2 day old baby that I remember. It was very sweet and I treasure that image, whether or not it's exactly what Matthias would be like.

It's often odd to me, to watch our large, rambunctious brood playing together or wrestling on the floor or reading books with us, and remember that one of our children isn't here. Our kids are all so wonderful, and all so sweet, and all so different. I can't help but wonder what it would be like to have Matthias in the mix.

I believe his spirit is in Heaven now with Jesus, but I don't know much (I don't think anyone does) about what happens to baby spirits in Heaven. Does he grow? Can a spirit grow? Will his resurrected body be a baby still? Has he been cared for and mothered by heavenly beings? It's made me think about Heaven so much more than I would otherwise! But I'm settled knowing that Matthias is in perfect peace, fullness of joy, and without any sadness or pain. He's the happiest little heavenly spirit that he could possibly be. (Sweet boy! I'm so glad you are There, but I miss you so much!) I'm pretty sure he'll know me as his mother and I'll know him as my child when I see him again.

In the mean time, I remember the very, very brief time I had with him. I remember the pain and shock of letting him go. I am thankful for the healing God has brought in our lives. And I rest in the sure and steadfast Hope we have in Christ!

"Therefore you too have grief now; 

but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, 

and no one will take your joy away from you."

John 16:22 



Matthias' Story 
Photo Montage of Matthias
My Journal Through Grief

happy birthday husband father

I have to say happy birthday to Richard today. I'm glad he has no problem with me telling you that he's 39 today! That's one of the many things I love about him - he's not vain and he thinks getting old is cool. There's a lot more I love about him but I'll just list a couple:

 2.  Even thought he is pretty old, he still does fun stuff like this with his kids. And lots of other super fun stuff, like taking them fishing, working on their bikes, taking them to the park to fly kites, taking the boys on errands with him even though he'd get everything done more efficiently without them, playing in the sprinkler and pool with them, reading and watching movies, and of course lots of wrestling.

 

3.  He loves his girls. He loves to be silly and sweet with them.

 4. He loves me a lot. He still likes to be with me best, even after 7.5 years of marriage. He still thinks I'm beautiful, even after 4 babies/20 extra pounds/some gray hair/all the other *wonderful* changes that come between the ages of 24 and 31. He likes my cooking, he appreciates the work I do, he supports me in my mothering. He's totally, 100% committed to me, which I sometimes find pretty amazing.

4. He's pretty darn sexy.

5. He loves Jesus more than anything. That's really the best thing I can say about him and the basis for all the other good things.

6. He is an amazing provider and protector for our family. I know no matter what happens, he'll take care of us and he'll never leave us.

7. He's insanely funny and we totally get each other's humor and he makes me laugh all the time. I asked him what it's like to be so funny and he said it's a gift and a burden. See what I mean?

8. He knows how to fix pretty much anything, and what to do about any problem, and he's really handy. That's a pretty good feature in a guy.

9. When one of our kids does or says something super funny, he always glances and me so we can share a look that says, "these kids are insanely cute and amazing and we made them together and I'm so glad this is our life."

10. He changes diapers, even the most offensively foul poopy ones. No problem.

11. He's cool, without trying to be.

A Little Babywearing Love

Kozy Carriers from Karla Jean Davis on Vimeo.

 I love this little video and how it captures the joy of babywearing.