Online School

(Sorry this picture is rotated wrong, I can't seem to fix it.)

We are now in week 3 of school. We still have some kinks to work out and things to adjust to but I think that we are at least getting into the habit of doing some school work every day. Last week was spent trying to get Jeremiah up to speed in some of the curriculum. I spent a lot of time on the computer going through the subjects and units and trying to assess him up to where I think is more his level. I will not lie, this was a frustrating process! Because all of the lessons are on-line I have to sit behind the computer and scroll through each individual lesson to see what it contains. But I think that Jeremiah won't get as bored if we are working on things that are new and interesting to him.

We did take yesterday off official school. We had had a busy weekend and I was tired and overwhelmed with a messy house, grocery lists to make, laundry to catch up on etc. etc. Both of the boys were tired from a number of late nights in a row. So while we did do the things we do every day (reading and writing practice) we basically just hung out and re-energized. That is a definite plus side of home schooling!

One of the parts of this k12/GCA school is the on-line classroom. This morning, Jeremiah sat at the computer, logged into a virtual classroom, and got to meet his teacher and hear the other students (from all over the north west Georgia area). These classes will be offered once a week as well as small group classrooms (children grouped by ability) once a month. Jeremiah seemed to really enjoy it, and since he is familiar with how to operate a mouse and keyboard it was fairly easy for him to pick up the operations of the on-line classroom. These classes are not required, but I think it is helpful for Jeremiah to have a teacher other than me that he can interact with. Plus, he likes anything that he can do on the computer.

Potty Training: Season 2

While Jeremiah hits new milestones like starting school and playing soccer again, Nathaniel is not to be left out. In the middle of our new routine last week he decided it was time to be done with the diapers and put on "big boy" underwear. Keep in mind that he has wanted to do this a few times before, but only because he thought the underwear was cool. He had no real intention of using the potty and so after one afternoon of the novelty he would give up and ask for diapers again.
So last week when he started asking for underwear again I figured I would clean up a few messes, do an extra load of laundry, and have him back in diapers within a day. Nope. One day of puddles on the floor and then something clicked. He's been basically dry ever since last Friday (even in church on Sunday)! Yesterday morning something else clicked and he was able to make it to the potty for poo-poo! We did a big dance and he got an extra gummy bear (I am not above bribery when it comes to potty training, makes it go faster for us) and we were all so excited for him!
I know that there will still be accidents in the future. But we are so proud of our little monkey for achieving this milestone!

Soccer: Season 2

Jeremiah wanted to play soccer again this year. He really wanted to. Which was kind of a surprise to us because he never asks to play or practice soccer at home. But we signed him up, paid our $35.00 (which I think is a smoking good deal since he gets a uniform that he gets to keep, which actually may be his favorite part of soccer, but I digress), went to the Thursday night "try-outs", and then awaited his team assignment.
He ended up on the blue team. There is one other kid from his team last year but otherwise it is a different team and a different coach. So also a different set of parents for Aaron and I to get to know. Last night was their first practice. It was hot. And Jeremiah was a bit of a loner, preferring to kick the ball around by himself while all the other kids ran around chasing each other. All the other kids are in school and some already know each other. But once the coach took charge and got the kids practicing "drills" Jeremiah got right in there with the other kids.
So we are looking forward to another fun season.
I love the joyful look on Jeremiah's face as he chases the ball!

1000 Gifts (27)

The gifts came last week in the midst of the routine messy-ness of living. They came in the moments that I almost missed as I tried to check off to-do lists, clean house, and get things done. They came as I stilled my soul and quieted my heart. And Sunday morning the gift of God's presence was poured out in corporate worship.

"Our God is greater, our God is stronger, our God is higher than any other.
Our God is healer, awesome in power, our God, our God!"
--
"Renuevame, Senor Jesus Ya no quiero ser igual.
Renuevame, Senor Jesus Pon en mi to corazon.
Porque todo lo que hay, dentro de mi
Necisita ser cambiado Senor.
Por que todo lo que hay, dentro de mi corazon
Necesita mas de Ti."
--
Let no one caught in sin remain, inside the lie of inward shame
But fix our eyes upon the cross, and run to Him who showed great love
And bled for us
Freely You've bled for us.

Christ is risen from the dead, trampling over death by death
Come awake, come awake, come and rise up from the grave.
Christ is risen from the dead, we are one with Him again
Come awake, come awake, come and rise up from the grave.

Beneath the weight of all our sin, You bowed to none but heaven's will
No scheme of hell, no scoffer's crown, No burden great could hold you down.
In strength you reign
Forever let Your church proclaim

O death, where is your sting? O hell, where is your victory?
O church, come stand in the light
The glory of God has defeated the night!

O death, where is your sting? O hell, where is your victory?
O church, come stand in the light.
Our God is not dead, He's alive! He's alive!
-by Matt Maher

Armor

There were moments last week that were not pretty. As we all adjusted to our change in schedules and responsibilities there were moments of impatience and unkindness. Thursday seemed to be the day we all hit a brick wall. Jeremiah was disrespectful and disobedient in ways that I thought I wouldn't have to deal with until the teenage years. Nathaniel pitched his first ever full out, scream until you almost vomit, pound your feet in the floor, rage for a full 20 minutes, fit. And I completely lost it. Ugly words came roaring out and my discipline was harsh and angry.

By nap time I felt completely defeated. I lay on my bed sobbing.

I just didn't get it. I had been able to wake early every morning to pray and read my Bible before the boys woke. I felt like I had more energy and patience and joy than I had had in a long while. So what was going on?

Then the thought floated through my mind, "Maybe Satan doesn't like the changes that are happening here. Maybe his arrows have started to fly because He could feel the difference that came in my heart from starting my day focused on Christ." I wanted to dismiss the thought because it seemed too "spiritual." It seemed too threatening, or crazy even. But the thought would not go away.

I pulled out my Bible and decided that since I was thinking about spiritual warfare I would read the passage about the armor of God in Ephesians 6. Here are some phrases that jumped out at me
Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. v10
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood. v12
Stand firm. v13
Then the list of what to put on:
truth, righteousness, readiness given by the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, the Word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit

Once I wrote those things down I realized what a powerful list that was. I realized that I have been given powerful tools to fight this battle that does rage in our house. I don't pretend to understand all the implications of this, or how to actually go about putting on these things every day. But I am learning how to trust that a verse like this does make a difference in my daily life.

On Thursday afternoon, on my knees and with many tears, I fought a battle against the feelings of inadequacy, defeat, jealousy and despair. I chose to focus on truth, righteousness, readiness, faith, salvation, and the Word of God. And even though the afternoon was still challenging the mood was palpably different.

On Friday morning I just didn't think I had the strength to make it through another day. Even before the boys woke I could feel that my patience was thin and my mind was full of defeated thoughts. I read through Ephesians 6 again trying to believe again that the armor was real and my day could be impacted in a very real way by God and His Word.

At breakfast God gave me a gift. Jeremiah read our Psalm and his voice rang clear as he read,

On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased. Psalm 138:3

That verse contained all the truth, righteousness, readiness, faith, and salvation that I needed and I felt joy and strength flood my soul and body. What an amazing God I serve!

1st week of school

We made it to Friday! Our first official week of home school is complete and we are all still alive to talk about it. Ha ha.
Because I had no idea what to expect I purposely cleared our schedule of any daily outings so that we could get into the routine of doing school every morning. Honestly, staying home was the hardest part of the week. We are used to having friends over to play, heading out for impromptu lunches at Chick-fil-a after grocery shopping and things like that. But, it was necessary for us to take this week to establish the routine.
Here are my initial impressions after a week of using the K12 curriculum here at home through the Georgia Cyber Academy.

- So far Jeremiah is proving to be light years ahead of the Kindergarten curriculum. We purposely took it slow the first week in order to adjust to how it all works, but next week we will probably work on assessing him out of the subjects that he is ahead on so that we can get to content that is more interesting and challenging to him.

- I am not sure that I am going to like all of the lesson preparation and much of the lesson execution being on-line. I find having to be tethered to the computer slows us down and is not convenient for us. Our computer (which is a desk top) is not in the school room. So we spent a lot of time moving back and forth between the office and the school room. I think that I would enjoy lesson planning and preparation more if I had a book in front of me that I could work from.

- I do like that all the attendance is on-line as well as an outline of a general daily/weekly plan. That part makes the administration part of schooling very easy for me.

- This week we did a few hours of school in the morning right after breakfast. This works well and I found that some days we flew through the lessons so we will still have time to add our morning visiting and outings back into our schedule. Although, I will have to be wise about not over scheduling us.

- This is a lot of work! I probably spent about 2 hours a day outside of our regular school time preparing for the next days lessons. (Another reason I don't like everything being on the computer, I would rather be comfortable on my couch in the evenings as I prepare rather than stuck in the office away from Aaron.) I expect this will taper off as I get used to the curriculum and how it is set up.

- This is a lot of fun! It really is lots of fun to learn alongside Jeremiah. He is excited about being in school, having his own desk, reading new books, and getting to do fun activities.

1000 Gifts (26) Birthday Edition

- 3 years with our little monkey

- generosity, a full house, and sharing new toys

- uncles

- anticipation, excitement

- cake

- cousin who makes you laugh when you are crying

- squirt guns
- laughter
- big kids playing with little kids
- so much love!

Join Ann Voskamp at A Holy Experience to see what the Gratitude Community is all about. I number my gifts in my personal journal (597) and choose to share some here.

3 years old!

On New Year's day of 2007 I felt that deep, gnawing, immediate hunger and nauseousness that comes only with pregnancy. We were on our way to IHOP for breakfast with Aaron's family and I knew, without even taking a test, what was happening in my body. The next morning I walked into the kitchen, speechlessly holding the positive test in front of Aaron. In my shock I had no words. Later that day I spent an hour on the phone to my mom, sobbing. Because you see, this was not what I had planned.
I was tired. I was happy with my one child. I had plans for my year. I was comfortable the way things were.
I spent the better part of the next 9 months battling sickness, depression, guilt, exhaustion.
At 9:40 p.m. on August 13, 2007 the wriggling bundle of boy was placed at my breast. He quieted and rested on me as soon as I spoke. And the tears fell fast and furious. Because this child was an amazing gift to me that I neither asked for nor deserved. He was fearfully and wonderfully made and I loved him. Looking at my son I knew that God's plan was perfect.
God knew that we needed Nathaniel.
Now, 3 years later, I cannot imagine our family without this boy who is so full of laughter, energy, enthusiasm, gratitude, compassion, and mischief.
Happy 3rd Birthday Nathaniel! We love you more than you know. God has an amazing plan for you son, may you grow to love and serve Him with all of your passionate heart.

Friends

Nathaniel and Eli make music together.

A nice ride!

Putting Jeremiah's leadership skills to work so that the 3 mama's can try and actually finish a conversation....

It is fun to watch the boys social skills develop. What a process it is! Sometimes they play well with other children and sometimes they don't. There are days when my friends come over and our kids get along great and we get a good visit. And there are days when every 5 minutes we are stepping in to prevent serious bodily injury. Yet, no matter how much fighting and hitting and yelling happened the last time we got together the boys are always excited to see their friends.

There is no telling what kind of mischief these kids are going to get into as they grow up together!

(By the way, I have no idea why the top two pictures are small and the bottom one is big. And I am too tired to figure it out right now.)

Being taught

Sometimes my boys have their own ideas. They forge ahead without listening to me, unaware of danger or consequences. They don't want to be taught. They don't want to listen. They don't want to obey because they have something in their mind and don't want to let it go. They think that I require obedience because I am mean and trying to spoil their fun. They don't realize that I lay down boundaries, require obedience, and even discipline them because I love them. They don't realize that I am trying to teach them and sometimes I am keeping them safe from unknown dangers.

I am exactly like that sometimes in my relationship with God. His Word is there for me to listen to and learn from. Yet I forge ahead in my own life, convinced that my way is the right way. Sometimes I am fully aware of the consequences of my actions and sometimes I am not.

I am convinced that God had specific lessons He wanted us to learn in the events of the past months. I have been praying a lot lately that God would show me what those lessons are. That I would be changed by what God is teaching me.

1. Trust/Dependence/Prayer
During the past few months I have spent more time in prayer and reading the Bible. I found myself praying almost unceasingly during the day. When panic would start rising I would ask God for peace. When I started getting irritated and angry with the boys because I was worried I would ask God for patience. When my comfort and security were gone I recognized that I needed God in very real and immediate ways. Seeing God answer my pleading daily prayers as well as our larger over-arching prayer has built my faith in remarkable ways.

2. Financial Stewardship
All our money belongs to God. All of it. Not just our 10% tithe, or the extra we give comfortably out of our surplus. Every single cent that we have has been given to us by God to use for His glory. I struggle so much in this area! But I have become convicted that even though our spending habits were not extravagant they were selfish. I tremble to write this but I feel God teaching us to give sacrificially. Yet, like a child I want to scream "mine!" and throw a temper tantrum.

3. Marriage
Our marriage has grown in new ways. We have had to keep learning how to communicate lovingly and effectively. We have had to learn how to give each other space for new thoughts and deep emotion. I have learned so much in just a few short months about what it means for me to be a supportive wife to Aaron; emotionally, physically, spiritually. I hope those lessons will stick with me as we head into this new job and a busy fall season.

4. Community
I have no words to describe how uplifted and encouraged I have felt by the people around us. This process would have been much more difficult without the support we felt from our church family as well as our friends and family in far flung places who were praying for us. Church isn't just a habit for Sunday morning or something to do if we feel like it. For us, being a part of this body is essential to our well being as Christians, as a couple, and as a family. I have also been challenged to question how we can serve better in the church where we are planted.

5. It's not all about us
Sure, we were going through a difficult time. Yet there were so many others who had bigger and harder struggles. We never missed a paycheck, but we know people who have been missing paychecks for months. We were healthy. We never really worried that we would not have a roof over our heads or food on our table. Even in our need we were more blessed than most of the rest of the world. There is a lot of need in the world. We don't get to ignore it just because we are temporarily struggling (and not even struggling that much).

It is a bit uncomfortable to think of God as a Father who is guiding us a certain way not only to bless us but also to teach and maybe even discipline us. It is even more uncomfortable to think of myself as a willful, rebellious, stubborn child. I am even more in awe of the grace that is poured out on me. It is my prayer that as I fix my eyes on my Savior my heart will be changed into one that is willing to be guided, taught and even disciplined by my Heavenly Father for His glory.

1000 Gifts (25)

Last week was a whirlwind of events and emotions. We went from Aaron not having a job on Tuesday morning to Aaron heading for work on Thursday morning. Next week school starts for Jeremiah (and me I guess, since I am his teacher) as well as soccer season. We have gone from having an empty calendar to have a packed full calendar. That's life though isn't it? There are seasons of rest and empty, lazy days as well as seasons of labor and schedules and giving our time. I know that God's grace and goodness is in it all because the gifts just keep flowing.

- the boys excitement for Sunday school to start again
- encouragement from friends and family
- being real, sharing real struggles
- a new chapter starting
- getting home school things organized
- Jeremiah learning to ride his bike without training wheels!
- an MP3 player
- rising early
- Aaron leaving for work
- helping someone else
- a circle of women, surrounding a friend, laying hands on her and praying for her and the coming baby. feeling the Spirit in that circle.
- honesty in small group

I count my blessings from God as a member of the Gratitude Community. I jot them down in my personal journal (#574!) and chose to share some here.

Pirates & Star Wars

It seems that our days lately have been full of playing pirates and Star Wars. Something about little boys just brings with it swashbuckling and hero fighting. When it gets loud, overwhelming and sometimes just downright annoying I try so hard to remember that this is part of how God made them. God made their hearts to yearn for adventure and heroism so that they can grow into men who serve Him adventurously and heroically.

And, the Star Wars metaphors have already begun:

Last night at the dinner table Jeremiah was telling us about playing "good guys/bad guys" with some other kids at Chik-fil-a. We were talking about how you could tell who was a good guy or a bad guy by how they were acting. Then Aaron decided to impart some wisdom and said, "The tricky part is that sometimes good guys are really bad guys and bad guys are really good guys." Jeremiah sat quietly for a minute digesting this information and then proclaimed, "Just like in Star Wars when Luke put on a Stormtrooper suit!"

Faith building

Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.
It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil;
for he gives to his beloved sleep.
- Psalm 127:1&2

This was a verse from our daily Psalm yesterday. I don't profess to know exactly all that it means. But as we waited (anxiously) to hear about Aaron's job it was an encouragement to me. Any work that Aaron got would be in vain unless it was blessed by God.

This afternoon Aaron got the phone call and was offered the job!

I am so thankful! I immediately updated my Facebook status and texted our family and friends who had been praying for us.

But listen to what else God did:

We have good friends who are in our small group. He was originally unemployed for one year. He finally got a job working in a prison. The job was horrendous and scary and stressful for their whole family because of his scheduled shifts. We have been praying with them for over a year now that God would provide a different job for him. Today he got another job!

Both of our families have had our faith built in amazing ways as we have walked these paths together. We have cried together, encouraged each other, and prayed fervently for each other. What an amazing thing to see the prayers of both of our families answered on the very same day! To God be all the glory.

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
-Psalm 34:8

Trying to trust...again...

I am taking a break from my regular 1000 Gifts posts on Monday. Not because I don't have gifts to list but because I would like to ask you to pray for us.

Aaron has been looking for a job since he found out in the spring that his teaching contract would not be renewed. This is a tough year to be looking for a teaching job. There are fewer jobs available and more applicants for those jobs. We have been discouraged by the lack of response we have seen to his applications and inquiries.

Last week Thursday Aaron actually had an interview. However, it was an interview at a school that Aaron was initially not very excited about because it it an "alternative school." That means it is a school for kids who have some pretty severe behavior problems, or have had some legal problems and spent time in youth jail. He went for the interview and thought is was interesting but just wasn't sure that the job would be a good match for him. On Friday he received a call back from the principal. She had looked even closer at his resume, which includes youth ministry work as well as his DFCS work, and thought that Aaron had lots of background that would really qualify him for this position. She talked to him for a long time, wanting to know if he was serious about the job, what his concerns were and so on. Aaron had the feeling that she wanted to offer him the job but she told him she would be in touch with him on Monday.

We talked and prayed a lot over the weekend. As we began to think it through we began to see how Aaron does have unique gifts that would be a good fit for this job. He decided that if the job was offered to him he would take it. I was excited, thinking that this would give us financial stability for this year.

It is now past 8pm on Monday and we have not heard from the principal. I have no idea if that is good or bad. I am trying not to be too anxious. I know in my head that God is good and that His plan for our family is good. But tonight, in my heart, I am full of questions and doubts. What if Aaron doesn't get this job? Do I still trust that God will provide? Will I be able to react with grace and trust?

Will you pray with us? We want God's will. We want to trust God's goodness. Thank you.

No-fear Nathaniel

Nathaniel loves the pool!
He jumps off the diving board, likes for Aaron to throw him from the side, and even likes for Aaron to hold him and jump off the diving board with him.
He likes the slide best of all as you can see below.

(Nathaniel is the little blond head you can barely see under the water. He doesn't mind being under water at all.)

3rd annual berry picking

I love picking blueberries at the local blueberry farm. Sure, it is hot and sweaty work. But there is something so fulfilling about it. We chat with friends while our hands are busy. The kids wander around searching for berries on the lowest branches, their teeth and lips stained blue. I love the feel of community and shared labor. When I pull a bag of the frozen berries out in mid-winter they are reminder of heat and sun and summer bounty. I think we can safely call the berry picking a yearly tradition now. The boys look forward to it and are getting good at helping pick (although they do still eat more than they keep). The berries were plentiful this year and the work was relatively quick. If I had more freezer space I would go get more.

This was the best I could get for our yearly shot of the berry pickers.
None of the boys really wanted to be still.
Oh well, look how much they have grown since the first time we went berry picking!
(see below)

(July 2008, Nathaniel 11 months & Jeremiah 3 years)

1000 Gifts (24)

The gifts keep being recorded in my journal. In a week full of the normal work, conflicts and joys that come from living as a family I keep jotting down the little moments of grace and blessing that remind me of the goodness of my Heavenly Father in all circumstances.

This week I share with you my most encouraging gift. A song sung Sunday morning in worship. A song I have sung so often it rolls easily off my tongue. Yet, Sunday morning the words struck me with their truth and my soul was refreshed. My misdeeds dark are covered with grace! My soul can rest on His word, I don't have to doubt or fear! His helping love will meet my need! One day I will be free from sin and sorrow! Hallelujah!

Psalm 130 (From Depths of Woe)
(Words by Martin Luther)

From the depths of woe I raise to Thee the voice of lamentation
Lord, turn a gracious ear to me and hear my supplication
If Thou iniquities dost mark our secret sins and misdeeds dark
O who shall stand before Thee?

To wash away the crimson stain grace, grace alone availeth
Our works, alas! are all in vain in much the best life faileth
No man can glory in Thy sight, all must alike confess Thy might
And live alone by mercy.

Therefore my trust is in the Lord and not in mine own merit
On Him my soul shall rest, His word upholds my fainting spirit
His promised mercy is my fort, my comfort and my sweet support
I wait for it with patience.

What though I wait the live-long night and til the dawn appeareth
My heart still trusteth in His might, it doubteth not nor feareth
Do thus, O ye of Israel's seed, ye of the Spirit born indeed
And wait 'til God appeareth.

Though great our sins and sore our woes His grace much more aboundeth
His helping love no limit knows our utmost need it soundeth
Our Shepherd good and true is He who will at last His Israel free
From all their sin and sorrows.

The school room makeover

When we arrived home these 3 boxes of Jeremiah's curriculum were waiting for us. We waited a few days but then Aaron and I just couldn't resist digging in and seeing what was there. Looks like good stuff! I hope to make a specific post later about what we got and what we think of it.
After going through the boxes they were put out of sight in the guestroom until we had a place for them. Last week I started to get motivated to work on making our sun room/playroom into our school room when I realized that we were supposed to start school on August 16th. We had some ideas in mind of what we wanted to do so last Saturday we decided to scope out some stores in our area to price things like book shelves and desks.
We were so thankful to actually find some pieces at a thrift store for a good price! A piece of furniture that was originally a sideboard but we saw as a perfect storage shelf for books and supplies. And a student desk! Jeremiah is very excited about having his very own desk.
So Saturday afternoon we cleaned and rearranged and ended up with the basics of a very bright, cozy room for learning, playing, and relaxing. We still need to do some painting and replace the nicotine saturated window shades (the lady who lived here before us smoked like a chimney) but the room is basically there and we have been enjoying it a lot this week already.

(view from the back door)

(view from the kitchen look-through window)

I had 3 main goals for the room
1. Comfortable and inviting. Since I figured we will be spending some time there every day I wanted us to want to be in there.
2. Place for Nathaniel. Nathaniel is going to want to be with us. There is a designated toy area so he can play and amuse himself during the times that I need to give Jeremiah undivided attention. Who knows? He may even end up learning something!
3. Not expensive. For obvious reasons.

I think we have accomplished those goals so far. Jeremiah already loves to sit in the comfy chair during quiet time and look at his new reading books. He was so enthusiastic about helping me unpack his school boxes and organize his school books on the shelves. He can't wait until we get a chair for his desk so he can use it. Nathaniel has rediscovered his Lego's and Thomas toys and has spent many hours playing all kinds of make believe games out there.

We already have some seeds planted for pumpkins and cacti sitting in the widow so it appears some learning has already begun!

1000 GIfts (23)

While I have not been posting my gifts here on my blog I have been continuing to count them in my journal. There were so many from our trip to Holland (one of them being the poppies pictured above)! It was a great way for me to jot down the events and memories of our trip without feeling the need to write copious narrative in my journal every night.

But, I am resuming my list on the blog with my entries from last week. The week Aaron was gone and God's grace and peace sustained me.

- a drive through softly falling rain
- singing along to "Peter Pan"
- kids playing while cousin and I visit
- a chubby, smiling baby
- patience when I feel I just can't take it any more
- a nice pool, and friends who share it
- Jeremiah getting over his fear of getting into the water in his own time
- Nathaniel doggie paddling, "I doin' it mama! I swimmed!"
- sunburnt shoulders
- picking cucumbers on a sweltering, humid summer evening
- exhaustion
- late nights watching chick flicks
- reading books in bed
- missing Aaron, absence does make the heart grow fonder
- Aaron home!
- boys wrestling with their papa
- boys chatter, telling papa all about their week
- candy land

What grandparents do...

...keep you from falling off a boat...

...let you help plant flowers...

...enthusiastically help with your latest project...

...treat you to an "ijsje" more times than is probably good for you...

...take you for walks in the woods (almost every day)...

...carry you when you are tired...

...climb up the tower to see the view with you...

...help you balance and find frogs...

...take you to feed the ducks (almost every night after dinner)...

...not to mention play countless games of "Bunny Hop", paint, go to the store, let help with the recycling, and give great goodnight hugs and kisses.
Thanks for all the great memories oma and opa!