Christmas in July

I bought my son-to-come a Christmas stocking today. It felt so good. The first moment I have actually been able to think ahead and anticipate this little one in any real way. It was Caroline's idea actually. We found out yesterday this little one on the way will be a baby boy which made everything more exciting and real for the kids. Today Caroline was asking again when the baby would arrive and I explained that he would come and then we would be busy getting ready for Christmas (since he will be a Thanksgiving baby). Caroline said, "But Mommy, we will need to get him a stocking!". A thought that had not occured to me yet. Not many thoughts have occurred to me yet, honestly. I have been busy trying to catch up with all that God is doing in our family, and feeling quite behind on things really. Of course, July is the best time to buy for Christmas and sure enough, the stockings were 50% off. So I did it. Not in the July budget, but I quickly typed in the numbers anyway. He is worth it.

Sorry for the absence. We have been busy traveling through different states and visiting family. Here are some fun pictures from our times together:

This is Caroline and the boys in the climbing tree. Their cousin Reid introduced them to the climbing tree and they enjoyed it enough to endure the heat several times.

Here is bedtime at Maime and Poppa's house. Maime has a big bed that the kids argue over sleeping in. Unfortunately only one child gets the honor at a time because two children in that bed makes for a very loud sleep-over.
For the child that is not lucky enough to sleep on the high bed, there is still a kind tuck-in from Poppa. He'll even crawl down to the floor with John Mac!
And this is John Mac helping LeeLee make waffles. The kids were able to have the "treat" of waffles several mornings while in the Tennessee m0untains.

I don't have pictures of Henry playing badmitton with Uncle Jack and Aunt Katie, fishing day after day with Daga (the Barbie fishing pool was a consistent winner!), the kids getting introduced up close to a horse while visiting a neighbor's barn, or playing in the pool with Aunt Cindi and Uncle Jack. (Can you tell I would rather experience an event than stop and take pictures?). It was very full and very good despite the hardships of messing with the schedules and environments of little people. And now we are home....