The last 10 days

Ten days ago, we left northern Virigina and headed north on a whirlwind tour of the Mid-Atlantic region. Our first stop-- Penn State University & the Eastern Zone Championship. Noh-man was competing again, and he was looking forward to a crazy few days with his swimmer-pals as we looked forward to a few tasty treats in State College. The weather was gorgeous, the ice cream (at the Creamery... more on that later) was delicious, and the company (Poppa came in from SD!) was the best. The meet itself... not so much. But I snapped a few shots of the big event... and then we moved on :)

After Zones, we were off to Lancaster, PA for my cousin's Sunday afternoon wedding AND... tuxedoes. The boys have been desperate to dress "in style" at every wedding we've attended in recent years, and this go round, as Junior Groomsmen, their dream finally came true. They looked smashing (I think :), and they loved every single second of if!

And lastly-- our efforts at capturing a family photo... just the six of us.

Let me sum up that experience this way-- as of right now, I think I'm officially adopting my sister-in-love's philosophy. As long as all bodies are present, consider the photo a success. Agreeable, happy faces-- all smiling at the camera at the same time-- are an unrealistic expectation :)

It's always an adventure!

Anyhoo... next stop-- the beach.

But I'll save that for tomorrow :)

The dog days of summer

On some days, it's just too hot to go outside.

So on those days, they choose to stay inside.

On the sofa.

So they can do absolutely nothing.

'Cause that's how they roll...

Oh, the life :)

1000 Gifts: The Championship

Truly, my cup overflows.

And I am undone.

God is SO good... He leaves me nearly speechless.

But not quite :)

"Great is Thy faithfulness," Lord, unto me.

The 2011 Long Course Age Group Championship

Christiansburg, VA

July 28-31

(#995-1029)

The opportunity for all three boys to compete in their championship meet

Cheering for Big Man via the telephone, as he swam in Charlottesville while Bub & Noh-man swam in Christiansburg

Big Man's new title-- the Backstroke Champion (according to his coach :) after winning the League title on Friday

A superb team of families... of coaches... and swimmers

FAST (the team)

For Noh-man... racing hair. Or perhaps-- Uncle Dave hair? Either way... a lack of hair.

And Uncle Dave, who drove from South Carolina to cheer for the boys

And Aunt Wilma, who held down the fort at home so that Dave could come to the meet

The YMCA for a little pre-race fun

And time together to ease the stress.

God's peace amidst the storm. His presence during the fight.

Prayers for His best... whatever that may be

And His faithfulness, His blessing, His goodness... even when things didn't turn out as we hoped

Comfort and certainty... the assurance... that He has something better...

because His ways are always higher, His thoughts are always better, and His plans are always greater than anything we could ever imagine on our own

Three fighting spirits

Three champion-sized hearts

And my sister-in-love's reminder-- Man looks at the outer appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.

Just in time.

Philippians 4:13

"No fear!"

Crazy hard lessons learned, especially for Chris and me

And their courage untold, their determination... magnified, & more character demonstrated in a span of two minutes than most adults display in a lifetime.

Goals

And the opprotunity to pursue them.

Competing with the best in the state... and coming out at the top

God's hand of deliverance-- like David and Goliath

Answered prayers

A coach... from another team... who cared

The prayers of loved ones, the encouragement of others, and the little kindnesses offered throughout the day that display His love in mighty, mighty ways

Brother cheering for brother, praying for brother, hurting for brother, persevering for brother... LOVING brother more then himself

Sacrifice

And the privilege of parenting such fine young men

Life... shared.

God's grace.

"Therefore I will praise you, LORD, among the nations;

I will sing praises of your name."

2 Samuel 22:50

and the list goes on...

Observations from the beach

*** The beach (any beach!) truly is one of my favorite destinations on earth. Elegance and poise, however, will never be my companions there. Traipsing across a sun-baked dune... with a folding chair and tote bag in hand... in the 105 degree heat... will never a pretty picture make. Let-me-just-make-it-to-the-hard-packed-sand-without-falling-smack-on-my-face is more often the manner in which I trudge.

*** As much as I LOVE watching my children delight in the sand and the pounding surf, the opportunity to sit in a chair... under an umbrella... with a single book... for hours on end... is truly a heavenly treat.

*** The sound of the ocean's roar is one of the most glorious in all of creation.

*** While on the surface, time alone seems like a wonderful thing... nothing really compares to sharing LIFE with the ones you love.

*** People-watching surely is an enlightening experience... one that generally begs more questions than it answers and one that inevitably establishes for me-- over and over again-- how very blessed I am and how very much I love MY wild & crazy crew.

*** Ice-cold Dr. Pepper... on the blistering sand... is surely a gift from heaven's hand.

*** Renting an umbrella for $10/day is worth every single penny... and then some.

*** With regard to actually getting to the beach-- it really is important to jot down the directions in their entirety. Skipping even just one little step may add significant travel time to your day. Just sayin'.

*** Watching a stingray flop back to the sea after being cut loose from a fisherman's line is truly a breath-taking experience.

*** Porpoises off the coast-- who frolic and play... surely as God intended-- bring a smile to my face... every single time.

*** There's no doubt in my mind-- the splendor of creation demands a Creator, and how blessed we are that He's a creative One!!

"In the beginning,

God

created the heavens and the earth...

and [He] saw that it was good."

Genesis 1

1000 Gift: Majesty

Sometimes, I get overwhelmed. Sometimes, I find myself at a loss for words. And sometimes, I just want to run and hide. Because my circumstances seem too great to bear. But, every single time, His love searches me out. And quietly beckons. And softly reminds... that HE who is in me is greater than he who is in the world. And that He who began a good work in me WILL BE faithful to complete it. And that His mercies truly are new every morning as His faithfulness reaches to the skies. And I-- completely undeserving of it all-- am compelled... NOT to run and hide... but to give thanks. For His grace knows no limits and His love, no bounds.

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, vast, unmeasured, boundless, free!

Rolling as a mighty ocean in its fullness over me!

Underneath me, all around me, is the current of Thy love

Leading onward, leading homeward to Thy glorious rest above!

~S. Trevor Francis 1875

Last Thursday, my husband gave me a gift... a wonderfully wonderful gift.

Three nights at the beach.

In a lovely Bed & Breakfast.

All by myself.

Because He loves me.

"Men are never duly touched and impressed with a conviction of their insignificance,

until they have contrasted themselves with the majesty of God."

~ R.C. Sproul

(#968 - 994)

the generosity and thoughtfulness of my wonderfully wonderful husband

and his amazing act of love

3 days and 3 nights at the beach

with sandy toes

an 8-foot umbrella

text messages

shampoo

and pelicans

air conditioning and ceiling fans

cedar shake houses with bright white trim

gardens and flowerpots... filled to overflowing

brilliant color!

lifeguards on duty

and 5:00-- when the lifeguards go OFF duty & all the dog lovers race home...

only to return with their pups in tow, eager for a frolic in the sea

canine paradise

The Robe by Lloyd C. Douglas

the hint of coconut-scented suntan lotion wafting on the breeze

ice cold Dr. Pepper and a brand new pack of gum

undisturbed sleep (plus a nap in the sun)

peace

the line where water meets sky... where earth meets heaven

the sun on the horizon

and the stillness of the dawn

time to reflect and refocus... rest and recharge

and a Sunday morning treat-- a worship service held right there on. the. beach.

a longing for home

the majesty of His creation

and the vastness of His love

"I pray that you... may have power, together with all the saints,

to grasp how wide and long

and high and deep is the love of Christ."

Ephesians 3:17-19

and the list goes on...