Take Me Out to the Ball Game ...

but first let's go to the theater!!

As the summer days seem to be flying by over here, we are busy checking off things on our List of Things to Do.  Yesterday we had our busiest most productive day so far, checking off two things in one day!  Our church had a summer "field trip" to the Atlanta Theater of Puppetry Arts in the morning and 5$ family night tickets to the Atlanta Braves game at night.  Richard took off yesterday morning and watched Olivia while I dropped off HE at Volleyball Camp and then took the other 3 to the theater.

The Atlanta Theater of Puppetry Arts was such a treat!  We watched a performance of Aesop's Fables and then made our own shadow puppets.  There is nothing like sitting in a theater full of children and hearing their chuckles and listening to the pureness of their joy.  And what a gift to see them all busy creating their own shadow puppet lions ... I just love how unhampered their creativity is at such a young age.  Such an example of how we are created in the image of the ultimate artist!

"For it's root! root! root! for the home team ..."

sweet patterson

our lefty:)

parker surprised me with this!

a beautiful view

waiting for the rain to stop

a new friend

We were able to schedule a sitter for Olivia for the Brave's game, and while I missed my little munchkin very, very much (and reminded Richard every five seconds or so of her absence), it was a whole lot more enjoyable not having to "keep up" with her at the game.  It also rained, of course, and so the game was delayed from 7:10 until 9:30.  BUT we had a fun time letting the girls tour Turner Stadium, eat cotton candy and see how fast they could pitch a ball.  We only stayed for two innings, but had enough memories to help us all fall asleep quickly and contently.  

Yes, the summer has been following in line with the days that preceded it.  I feel like a Jump Master standing at the door yelling "GO! GO! GO!," and praying that we have no failures to hook up along the way:).  Life is so different than when we just had the three and HE was 8.  I will forever treasure those s.l.o.w. days.  I'm really not sure if I'll ever "figure out" how to manage where we are now.  I'm not sure I'll ever recoup from the past couple of years and the whirlwind they've been.  I'm not sure if I need to.  A part of me is just working on trying to find my groove ... our groove where we are now ... a family of seven; one big girl, one almost big girl, two little girls and one tornado.  I guess I just want to make sure I don't miss this.  Somewhere between longing for the way it used to be and looking forward to the future is the now and I don't want to miss it.  I also just want to see progression from many of the struggles that just seem to have invited themselves into our life and are determined to stay a little while longer.  I know we all have those "issues" that we wish we didn't have and with which our neighbor with the greener grass doesn't seem to have any familiarity.  I took a much needed break today and was able to get a little email chat with Richard.  He wrote these very encouraging words to me ... 

Yes, progress has been slow but you know, 2 Peter 3:8 - But do not

forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a
thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.  God has a timeline
for us, our lives are in His hands, our progress is in His hands.  

Oh, how I so forget so much whose hands I'm in.  Oh, how I forget that it is not my hands but God's that are truly holding the lives of my children.  

How much beautiful sleep I've missed forgetting this!  

How thankful I am that I have a husband to remind me ... to point me back to where my strength, my peace, my surety comes.  

Matthew 6:25-34

To God be the Glory.

Goodnight!