Career Paths?

It's fun to see the kiddos personalities and natural abilities already surface.  Makes me wonder, what does God have for them to do when they grow up?  I have just loved Ephesians 2:10 as I've gotten to work in Girls' Club and BSF the past couple years - brought clarity that it was God's work for me that He had already prepared!  It's on the heels of some amazing verses about what salvation truly is - a gift from God through belief in His Son Jesus, nothing we've earned!
  
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" (Ephesians 2:8-10).

Praying my kiddos would receive God's gift, and excited to see the work He has already planned for them.  

Micah may make a great engineer (here's yet another Lego set successfully completed).

And Joy, yikes, may be a high-powered CEO (here she is loving getting the lay of the exec land in Papa's office). :-) 

Joy's Babies

For Christmas Scott and Lisa got Joy two baby dolls, and she loves 'em. Just the other day I caught her trying to give water to one out of her sippy cup. Her baby doll collection recently grew with a new little girl from California (thanks Papa and Mama Sovilla). Joy's in love again...I found her in her crib hugging her baby Monday morning.

I'd say she's getting ready for being a big sister quite well!

One things for certain, she is still daddy's baby girl though. ;-)

PS - thanks for this birthday dress, Papa and Mama Sovilla - fit her perfectly for Easter!

26 Weeks!

Goodness me, I think I'm making a bigger baby this time around...I still have 3 months to go (and grow)!

Everyday Life

Here are just an assortment of photos documenting some of the things us Ruths do on a regular basis - school, walks, chillaxin, reading books, having family adventures and helping daddy with BraveBit work. ;-)  We're so thankful to God for giving us good health and a beautiful place to live to enjoy it all!  "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change" (James 1:17). 

Papa's on his way home!

As I type, my dad is heading on a plane west.  We had such an incredible 40+ hours together.  The kiddos couldn't get enough of him!

Papa and Micah doing one of his favorite pass-times - Legos!!

Here's Joy still warming up to Papa while he took a snapshot.  What really broke the ice is what she's holding in her hands - Papa let her hold the deodorant he had just bought at Target.  Before you knew it, she was handing it back to him and then climbing all over him.

One of Micah's famous lines while dad was here was, "Papa, would you pick me upside down just one more time?" I lost track of how many times I saw Micah being carried this way.  The last "upside down" was curbside at the airport - right after his goodbye hug when we dropped him off!

"Uncle" Luke is up for a quick couple days visit too, so that's been nice!

Papa reading Joy one of her favorite books.

This morning Papa treated us to DELICIOUS homemade omelets.  We had considered going out to breakfast, but I'm so glad we opted to stay home instead.  It was fun to sidle up next to dear old dad and cook with him (I handled some of the sides). :-)

Breakfast!

See any resemblance?

Miss you already, dad!

Papa from California

My dad's here for a quick weekend trip, and we're all just loving it!  Joy can't take his eyes off of him and Micah was talking his ear off all night long...

Wheels

God has given us AMAZING weather this week - 70+!  The kids and I are loving it.  I seriously think Micah has spent more awake hours outside than inside since Wednesday.  With the outdoor play came lots of wheel time - riding a bike, driving a jeep, taking walks with the stroller, scooting around in a "go-cart" (Joy's walker) and charging up a handful of remote controlled vehicles to race around the yard.  It has been a real nice way to pass the time, as Scotty has been away at a conference for 5 days...we will be glad to have him home again tonight!

Joy sitting in her stroller chomping down on a baby-sized green pancake for St. Patrick's Day (thanks Miss Jen!) at a breakfast wrapping up the Girls' Club overnighter at my church.

Staying hydrated while getting ready for a walk in the stroller.

Here's Micah taking a spin on his old 12" bike for kicks...

...but really enjoying riding around on his new 18" bike (thanks Papa and Mama)!

Joy watching from her bedroom window while big brother drove his jeep around in the backyard.

Enjoying the great outdoors in a "go-cart" (thanks for lending it to us, grandma)!