Brotherly Love

So if you have been reading long enough, you know that we are a big soccer family.

Our kids have been playing soccer ever since they were old enough to walk and kick at the same time...

grin

Christian and Charlie started us off on this journey and we have never looked back...

most of the time anyway!

The boys are 2 years apart which meant that they very rarely got to play on the same team...

but when they did...

it was awesome...

and now...

they are together again...

and I am loving it...

except it means that both of our baby sitters for game days, are on the field instead of in our house...

 which means we tag team or we all go...

which with our crew, is not always easy...

but always an adventure!

Soccer has grown to be an important part of our family and now, I get to watch as my oldest two work together and support each other...

while having a really great time!

There has been some stiff competition between the younger and the older to see who would score the first goal and the other day...

Christian got that first goal...

however, Charlie was not far behind with a goal of his own and the best part...

his big brother was the first one he ran to for a high five and a congrats!

I love it!

I love the fact that they can be competitive with each other but supportive as well.

I love that behind the bravado, behind all the feather ruffling...

are two brothers who, whether they will admit it or not...

really do love and respect each other...

but shhhh....

don't tell them that!

Making Strides

Little Lucy is going places...

 and against all expectations...

she is walking...

tentatively...

gently...

slowly and carefully...

but walking...

after 9 weeks in two (non weight bearing) casts...

confined to a wheelchair.

I have to admit, we were concerned.

Our physical therapist told us that Lucy would have to learn how to walk all over again...

that she would need intensive therapy following the surgery...

that when the casts came off, we would start with just a few seconds of standing (not walking) at a time.

The doctor told us that precious Lucy's feet were the worst he had ever seen...

 that this was not going to improve her gait tremendously but would prevent it from getting worse...

and baby girl wasn't walking all that well before all of this.

Walking was hard for her and she fell...

a lot...

and my sweet one kind of enjoyed having a bit of a break from all of that while others wheeled her around...

so we were a little concerned and we prepared ourselves for a long road of therapy and a return of the complacency that we had been fighting so hard against for the past 18 months...

but God's timing is always perfect and while having Lucy confined to a wheelchair just a few months after Lizzie's wild wheelchair adventure was tough...

the Lord knew exactly how to set it all up cause Lucy watched her sister...

experienced her determination...

 absorbed it all and opened her spirit up to the courageousness that the Lord had already placed within her...

and on the day that they removed her casts...

 she walked...

and she hasn't stopped walking...

and trying...

and while I know we still have a long road ahead of us and while I know that precious Lucy will always need to try just a bit harder than most...

I also know that the Lord is firmly planting himself in her heart and whether Lucy will ever run a marathon or not...

I know that her journey will be filled with the blessings and inspiration that come from trusting in His strength and in His courage and in His love.

These are Lucy's first, tentative, trusting steps on the path that He has laid out before her and once again I find myself grateful to be able to witness these beautiful journeys.

Some days are hard but it is through the hard that His work is the most vibrant. 

So we press on and lean in and learn to look beyond the moment and appreciate the growth.  The kind of growth that can only come from our complete depletion that leads to our complete dependance.

 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  2 Corinthians 12:9

Happy Birthday to My Wild Animal

Emmeline is 9!

Hey that rhymes!

Nine is fine but slow down time!

We went to the zoo to celebrate you

It was fun but now I am done!

Rhyming, that is!

hehe

So, yep, my sweet Emmeline is 9 years old and this year instead of getting something for her birthday...

she wanted to do something for her birthday...

and my precious one wanted to make sure it was something that Maggie and Lucy could do as well.

cause mobility is hard for her sisters and she knows it and she wanted them to be able to participate.

Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.  Philippians 2:4

That's my Em!

 We thought and we thought and finally we thought of the zoo!

The girls had never been there before and Maggie and Lucy (even in the wheelchair) could...

do the zoo!

 Sorry, I will control my rhyme... this time!

Darn, there I go again!

hehe

So anyway...

Just as the Lord does, He worked it out so that we were able to afford an annual family pass as it was cheaper than buying tickets for our family for just that day...

and now Lizzie, Lucy and Maggie all want to go to the zoo for their birthdays as well.

I know that will make Christian's new buddy very happy!

Bwhahahaha!

Seriously though, it was an amazing day...

and even though it was raining all around us...

the Lord honored sweet Em's heart and kept the rain away from us...

amazing!

The girls were so excited and running around like, well...

wild animals!

Ha!

Em got to invite two of her very sweet friends and the 11 of us almost had the place to ourselves.

We got to see the Koalas...

and the big cats...

and the elephants...

and so much more...

but the hit of the day was definitely getting to feed the giraffes.

That was awesome...

I don't know who enjoyed it more...

the giraffes...

the kids...

or me...

It was a good day and we got to spend it with our favorite wild animals...

oh wait, I  mean these wild animals...

*snicker*

Precious Emmeline...

the Lord has blessed you with a kind, caring, compassionate heart and I watch in amazement as you are already learning to serve, to reach outside of yourself and love.

At the ripe old age of 9, you understand that it is "better to give than to receive" and you live it...

you know the gift of making someone happy is much more precious than any "gift' you might be given.

So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.  2 Corinthians 9:7

You, my darling, are a "cheerful giver"

Happy Birthday beautiful Emmeline