Fun times and fellowship with friends...

Double rainbow!! (The second is to the right)

  Today we had the pleasure of meeting with the other families in our small group for an end-of-the-year barbecue. We all ate some hot dogs, brats, chicken legs, and all the picnic fixins and watched the kids play as we enjoyed each others' company. To me, the most special part was when the whole group (children included) gathered around Bennett and me and prayed over us for Bennett's surgery next week (I can't believe it's next week already!). It helped to have so many people around us praying for us. I know there are many people we don't see praying for us- it's overwhelming the response we've gotten since we first got the news about Bennett's condition. Praise the Lord for putting so many wonderful people in our lives! We had such a good time of fellowship with our friends- and leaving we got to see a double rainbow!! My kids thought it was the most wonderful thing they've seen and proceeded to tell me all of the colors in the rainbow. Noah made me stop four times in one mile so he could look at it again (which I did happily). I told the kids that a rainbow was God smiling down on us and showing us his love. Sophia asked if Jesus had a big mouth... I love my kids!
  When we got home, it was straight to the bath for my filthy kiddos. Clothes off for a tick check (they were playing in the long grass in the country where the barbecue was) and each of them had two ticks- gross!! Sophia had one on her belly ("Is that a spider??") and one on her back that were both attached pretty well. Noah's were both in his hair (only one was attached), which made me very glad for Sophia's short hair as I searched diligently for ticks on her head as well. They scrubbed and scrubbed to get off all of the dirt and blood. Yes, blood. They were climbing a few trees and got scratched up on their heads, especially around their ears. Can't have too much fun without a little dirt and blood, right? After they were finally clean again (as was my bathroom floor since that's where most of the water ended up), it was jammas on and off to bed- without a fuss!! It was great not to have to fight for bedtime! B got home and tucked them in, then it was cuddle time with us and Bennett for a while. B even brought home some ColdStone ice cream for me as a surprise- yum! It was a fun-filled Sunday- thankfully, since it was the last we'll all spend together until after Bennett gets home from the hospital. His surgery is in 12 days, and we leave in 10 days. It's all coming so quickly! God bless you all this coming week!