Strawberry Festival and Family

Spontaneity, song and dance, running until you fall in a heap on the grass, laughing so hard at nothing...not something I do much of these days. In fact if I am tempted to do something spontaneous, it's usually more along the lines of breaking a couple of plates, yelling loudly into my pillow, or running out of the door to never be seen again. Thankfully, the only spontaneous thing that we did was to travel to York for a day to see PaPa and Greatmama and fam. This was the first time PaPa and Greatmama had met Corwin in person. He was a bit of a crank, but Greatmama graciously held and rocked him anyway.

We also discovered that it was the Bush n Vine's Strawberry Festival that day. We couldn't resist.

Look at those little sprouts.

Corwin sporting the country look.

Alden could have spent a millennia in here watching the bees.

Going out to pick strawberries.

I told Wally to remind me next time that kids do not pick strawberries.

Photo-op one. Did he actually pick it? Maybe, can't remember!

She looks intent, but is she really?

Kids, do, however, ride ponies.

Alden's first pony ride!

Hand painting. (she didn't want it on her face...makes sense to me except then you don't want to wash your hands). She cried when she saw it was coming off. I said, "Well, you don't want to grow up with a strawberry on your hands. How would you like to get married with a strawberry on your hand?". This seemed to console her.

That's right. Clemson all the way.

Goin' on a hay-ride with Grandmama.

We finally figured out how to slow Alden down. He usually runs everywhere. In fact, one night Wally told Alden to walk, not run, to his room, and Alden literally could not do it even though he tried! Well, just stick a strawberry slushy in his hands, and he'll slow waaaay down.

With Greatmama and PaPa.

Back at home enjoying the swing.

We have a bit of country here too.

Corwin is using his hands and bringing things to his mouth now. It's amazing watching him learn. (And yes, we are sick with nasty coughs. It's a mammoth effort to keep the kids away from Corwin and probably is just prolonging the duration of sickness since I think it's likely futile and eventually Corwin will get it. But God can work miracles. I just wish I could figure out the balance of caring for my sick ones and trying to keep the well ones well. I'm terrible at it. Most of the time it makes me grumpy and jittery.).

Life has been pretty overwhelming lately. Mommyhood is challenging, and I often find myself wishing I could be a free-spirit and just ignore the painful moments and not care about unpredictability and the loneliness of being stuck at home with either sickness or little baby needs and not mind the fact that I haven't heard an entire sermon in months and that getting a haircut takes months to accomplish. Then too, my own sinfulness seems so hopeless to overcome. It gets to me daily, but I know God has said He leads those with young gently and that children are a blessing. Then I look at National Geographic with families whose houses have one foot of water in them, the men holding the kids, while the women cook and I realize, man, I am so self-centered! Well, I have much to learn, need much forgiveness and grace especially from my children. I just pray, God will work that in their lives as much as He works it in my own with them.