birthday boy.

• you have a sweet tooth.
• you loved the desserts ... especially the train car filled with gummy bears.
• you finished off every pop can you could find.
• you weren't sure about presents at all & had no desire to open anything or rip any paper.
• you wandered around the yard & kept to yourself.
• you loved the bubbles.
• you didn't want to get wet.
• you watched your brother play with your toys & then cried until you got them back.
• you were celebrated ... and although you didn't seem to get the whole {party} thing ... you are definitely a loved little boy!

{2} today.

God is great, beer is good & people are crazy!

Our family's favorite song right now ... pretty much sums up our Friday night!

yep ... God is GREAT ... beer is good ... & people are crazy!

our family is living proof.

Field Trip.

I was shy as a child.

I had one friend that I did everything with.

My sister.

We were fine just playing together.

No one else.

We made forts, played with our Little People, cared for our Cabbage Patch kids, and rode bikes.

I have great memories of my childhood, and although I don't really remember being shy, I know we were.

Both of us.

In fact, as soon as we were a part of a crowd, I'm told that my sister and I became mute with eyes as big as saucers.

Taking it all in, but never volunteering.

Watching, observing & never saying anything above a whisper.

Quietly keeping our distance.

......................................

.......................................

The boys and I went on a little {field trip} today.

I think I was more excited than they were when we pulled up to the station.

Mason had been talking about it all morning, but as soon as he stepped out of the car this afternoon, his voice almost disappeared.

He watched quietly as kids and parents mingled outside the front entrance.

He listened intently during the tour of the living hall, the meeting rooms and the truck & ambulance bay.

He didn't talk.

He didn't give the firemen high fives.

He just watched & listened & smiled a goofy little {I'm not sure how to feel} smile.

..........................................

Today, at age 4 1/2 Mason was ...


One who watched from a distance.

One who didn't want to volunteer to go first.

One who didn't shout out answers.

One who listened and processed everything he saw and heard.

.........................................................

Someday, he'll be different.

Or maybe not.

Either way, he'll be perfect just the way he is.

{and I'm going to keep telling him that for the rest of his life}

...........................................................

Mack ... well, that's a whole different story waiting to unfold. {grin}

...........................................................

Field trips.

Opportunities for everyone to learn a little something.

Style.

One of those days.

It was beautiful today.

It really, really was ... despite everything that seemed to go wrong.

People to be celebrated, wonderful friendships, good food, and lost possessions found.

Funny how putting everything into perspective at 9:00 at night will change everything about the day.

..................................

I awoke to the sound of sprinklers and birds. Mason was up at the crack of dawn - ready to go {farm} & I prayed silently that he would quietly find his way outside.

Not the case.

Mama. Mom. Mom. Mama.

Mack's words are becoming more and more {clear} and I can't help but smile when I hear his soft voice calling to me when he wakes up. He was still sleepy, but his brother's boots clomping by on the hard wood floor seemed to be the alarm clock that wouldn't turn off.

Morning had arrived.

I wanted to bury my head underneath the pillow, but couldn't.

Mason was awake, but grouchy.

Mack was teary and tired.

Fruit smoothies were made, toys were fought over, spills were wiped up.

This day was not off to a good start.

I silently prayed as my patience wore thin. {Lord, please turn things around ... it's only 8:00 ... we have a whole day ahead of us & my patience seems to be missing ... is there any extra in reserve?}

Sunscreen, swim lessons, bills paid, home again. More tears, frustration, another spill, exhaustion ... and all before noon.

Mack fell asleep before I closed the door.

Mason fought and fought and fought the heaviness of his eyes. Every excuse. Every reason. Every twist and roll seemed to keep his mind from resting. {why Lord, why?}

I yelled too much today. I cried. I prayed. It had to get better.

I realized my wedding ring was missing about 4:00. I don't wear much jewelry & I only wear one ring ... and honestly I can't figure out why it took me most of the day to notice that my hand was bare.

When had I taken it off? Where had I set it? I searched the house and car for several minutes ... which eventually became a hour.

My mind tried to rehash the day as I continued to search.

Sprinklers. Shower. Smoothies. Fighting. Tears. Spills. Swim lessons. Sunscreen. Camera. Outside. Inside. Tears. Spills. Dishes. Dirt. Attempted naps. Beth Moore study. Uploading pictures. Phone calls. Journal writing. Snacks. Tears. Yelling. Crying. Exhaustion.

I called the pool. Was a ring found today?

I drove quickly. Mason fell asleep before I turned off our road. Figures.

How did I forget to put it back on? Where had I set it when I was slathering the boys with cream? Oh how I hope it is mine. It has to be mine.

I arrived 12 minutes later and when she opened the envelope, a wave of relief washed over me. My ring had been found. Praise God.

.................................

We celebrated Neely tonight. A new home, a new job, a story of determination and success at its best. My boys ran around the sea of adults like maniacs, but I expected nothing less. We definitely made our presence known.

Dairy Queen blizzards and swirls in dishes ... the best way to end a completely frustrating and exhausting day. The back deck of Kristie's new home was our last stop & definitely needed.

.................................

We made it.

We lived another day.

Another day full of {life} with all sorts of things learned along the way.

..................................

I'm going to be more patient tomorrow.

I'm not going to yell & I'm not going to push {us} to the limit.

I'm going to be the mom I was created to be & love my boys the way they deserve to be.

It's not going to be perfect, and I know there will be tears & spills, but it's going to be the best tomorrow we've had in quite some time.

...................................

This is us on 6.24.09 at the end of {one of those days}.

Far from perfect, but living life the best we know how.

evenings around here ...

look a lot like this.

A life I always wanted & have definitely grown to love.

from across the campfire ...

♥ you dad!

life is better for many {but especially us} ... because of you!

Living by Faith.

We must live by trusting God for what we can't see.

......................................

Studying {faithfulness} this week in Living Beyond Yourself ... no coincidence.

Hebrews 11 is alive and well in our world.

God is good and faithful.

All the time.

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and to the readers of Bales & Tales :

Thank you for your faithfulness to uplift and encourage us on this adventure called {life}.

It is such a blessing & truly a gift from God to be encouraged daily by you - through prayer, emails, phone calls, wall posts on facebook, conversations along the side of the local pool and at the grocery store, and by commenting here!
I'm continually amazed by God's timing and presence through the faithfulness and kindness of others. Thank you for following His lead, and maybe even stepping out of your comfort zone!
Each form of encouragement - even prayers that are unheard by us physically - have arrived at just the right time in the past several months. God's so good like that. {smile}

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Faithfulness - What does it look like to you?

hands wide open ...

eyes looking up ...

waiting for God's plan to unfold.

If I could take a picture of myself right now ... this is what I would want it to look like.


There are so many {uncertainties} in our life right now.

Which really amounts to lots of opportunities to question and worry.


But my eyes are looking up and my hands are open wide ... knowing and trusting and believing and praying that Romans 8:28 will soon be our testimony of His goodness.

..........................

His plans ar bigger and better than ours, and as I repeat this verse over and over again throughout the day, I know and believe that the gracious and mighty God we serve is at work!

Romans 8:28
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

summer sweetness.