hold.....hold.....

For those of you in Oklahoma, you know the best time to play outside is anytime before 10am. It was a Sunday, so the boys were already dressed, the babies were taking an early nap to prepare for the long day, and Kevin wasn't feeling well, so he was resting too.

I stepped outside and it actually felt nice; Davis and Ronin were ushered outside and I joined them in a lawn chair with my coffee cup. I went in to check on the babies and Kevin, after talking with Kevin for five minutes, I told him I needed to go back outside because I had told the big boys I would. The sound of the sliding back door told me I had already waited too long.

I looked up and this is what I saw, two little Braveheart boys ready for battle. Not only were their faces blue, their arms and legs were too. I sent them outside to take off their shirts (which were smeared with blue chalk too). Kevin looked at me, smiling, and said, "It really is pretty funny."

The not-so-funny part: we needed to leave for church in twenty minutes and I wasn't even ready yet. I rotated them through the shower, leaning in and scrubbing their faces, arms, and legs. They were being exactly what God created them to be: boys. Thankfully, God gave me the grace to laugh and not scream when I saw blue-faced-boys standing at my door.

9 months

Here are the beautiful boys at nine months, pictured above is Evan, who started scooting just a couple days ago! Evan is our cuddler, he loves to snuggle with his family. Davis loves holding this guy (and sometimes carrying him around the house). His new found scooting ability has brought him a lot of happiness. As they continue to grow, it appears they will also be looking just like their Dad!
Evan on the left, Eli on the right, they are all smiles! These days they almost always need something in their hands to be chewing on; though they don't have any teeth yet, they do enjoy eating! They love each other. Both manage to get around the living room floor pretty well by rolling and turning, it's pretty funny to watch them maneuver over and around each other.
Pictured above is Eli, and if you can't tell, he really enjoys food; he thinks puffs are the stuff! He has been sitting up on his own for a couple weeks now and thinks this independence thing is pretty awesome.

We had the opportunity to tell their story recently to some new friends, and found ourselves in awe again of our great God who is still in the business of miracles!

seven

I am beginning to understand why my parents, grandparents, and others are constantly in awe when looking at our children. Look at this kid, he is seven (he is holding up the sign for 7), and he never ceases to amaze me. From his love for Jesus to his love for chocolate milk, he is a passionate boy.

We have been through a lot, he is the one boy who will always remember the ache of Kevin's absence through two deployments. He fiercely loves his Daddy, and wants to be like him, which is the only reason I ever let him cut his hair almost completely off.

Davis loves his brothers and wants to lead them well, he has even called himself the "leader of the pack" He is learning how to be tough, how to communicate with Ronin, and how to hold and carry his little brothers.

He has an appreciation for the wonder and beauty of nature, he will exclaim to me, "Mom, isn't that sunset beautiful!" My response is always, "Yes, yes it is." I am confounded at how God has given him such a sensitive heart and eye for the things of Him.

For his birthday, we buried some treasure and hid a map; he and his friends searched the backyard and eventually dug up the box of money. We are so thankful for seven years with this wonderful boy and thank Jesus for the treasure of our son.