My Little Helper

It has been so fun to have James to be our little helper the last several months. I figure I better take advantage of the help while he happily offers it, because I don't know how long that will last :)

Helping in the garden

Helping Daddy fix the sprinklers

 Helping Mommy with the laundry 

Sweeping the floor

 Washing the table

And helping to put away the dishes!

But the help I love best, is helping me to know how much God loves me through his own sweet tender love.

 While talking about help and great love, I cannot leave out my amazing husband, who does so much for me and our little family. I love him dearly! He gives our family so much strength, and I am grateful for him. I am so grateful that we can be a family forever!

What is Strength?

As I was falling asleep last night, the image of lifting weights came into my mind. When you lift weights you get to the point where it becomes a struggle to lift anything anymore, even though you are giving your all. In a weight lifting situation, one remembers how many times they lifted or how much weight they lifted, and they are proud of themselves for that accomplishment, the focus is not on the weak feeling that comes after a period of working out, it is on what was accomplished.

With our own lives we sometimes struggle to see that perspective. When we get to the point where we can't lift anymore, we criticize our selves for being weak. We forget to remember all that we have already come through, and all that we are lifting. When lifting weights, you find that the more you lift, the more you can lift. You find you can lift more reps or lift more weight. Even though each time you come to the point that you just can't lift anymore, it is making you stronger, and next time you will be able to handle more and more.

"Strength isn't something you have, it's something you get."

Big Boys and Geese!!

So my adorable boy turned one a month ago, I can't believe how BIG he has gotten. It is so much fun!! For his first birthday I made him a train cake because he loves Thomas the Train and I decorated it with fruit because he LOVES fruit!!!

We celebrated James birthday at a Park-He LOVES parks too!! Especially the swing! And we enjoyed friends and food.

Sometimes Russell wonders how James can be his son, James likes tomatoes AND pickles!! But he should not have any worries- his beautiful eyes tell all! Like father, like son. :)

James also absolutely LOVED being sung to several times throughout the weekend.

He figured out just what to do....

 MAKE A WISH!!!

  squish the cake!

and open Presents!!!

It was a wonderful birthday!!

For Labor Day we went to the park to feed the ducks, well...the geese.

 James didn't quite get the idea that he was supposed to throw the bread to the geese, he wanted to eat it!!

James is walking EVERYWHERE now!!! He loves it, it is a lot of fun!

Yup, that's our big boy!!