Bubble Bath and The Carpet of Many Colors

For a Bubble Bath:

Take one of these...

And add a couple of these....

And you get this....

And now we have no more shampoo. The end.

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The Carpet of Many Colors:

Zakkai worked very hard to do this:) Whoever said kids need toys?

Spring?

Spring? Is that you? Could it be that spring isn't a myth after all? Winter is not going to last forever? Long, long days of endless cold, wind, snow and hibernation over? Endless cycles of sickness and weariness?

I really really enjoyed my time outside today, spring. The sunshine, the warmth, the fresh breeze on my face. The children. Oh, did you see all the children outside enjoying you, spring? Please stay, I'm begging you! I was beginning to think you'd never come!

I'm promise I won't complain when it rains a lot and the grass is a mess of mud. I really won't mind, if you'd just hang around for awhile. The pure joy on those pale little faces running through the playground was priceless. The pure joy on my pale face was probably priceless, too.

Ah, spring! I missed you!

My Samuel

My firstborn son, whom I held in my arms for hours, amazed at the precious gift of you.

Your smile is so genuine and beautiful (except when it's cheesy for cameras, of course:). You have such a sweet, tender heart and I really hope you never lose it.

You make the silliest faces and I have really been enjoying them lately:) And you love to laugh. Oh, your laugh. The sweetest giggle in the world! Your face beams when it is filled with joy and your daddy and I always comment to each other on how beautiful you are.

Daddy can make you laugh so easily! You come to him to be tickled over and over again, even while claiming you don't like it. We don't believe that anymore:) You look like Daddy so much and almost everyone agrees. You learn like him, you even bug your little brother just like he did. Drives me crazy but I know you love him so much. I guess it's just what big brothers do.

You often don't get the same attention from me as Zakkai does because you don't demand it in the same "loud" way. I have to make sure that I really pay attention to what you're saying because I know it makes you feel loved to be heard and valued. I value you, Samuel. I always want you to know that I love you.

You melted my heart when you asked me to sleep with you the whole night last night. I asked what daddy would do when I wasn't there to keep him warm and you made me laugh when you responded after a pause, "He can have Zakkai!" :) I love that you still want me to be close to you. You forgive easily and love easily. I laid there next to you for several minutes and traced your hairline with my finger. And my heart swelled.

With love for you.

You are precious, my Samuel.

Where am I?

I hear a burst of giggling from the boys room and a sweet little voice call, "Mooooooommmmy! Come find me!!"

I come in the boys room and at first scan find it empty.

Another round of giggles changes my first impression.

A peek beneath the train table reveals a nice surprise!

"It's Zakkai!!" he cries with glee and a smile to light up my days:)

Boys

Had a super busy day yesterday with not even a spare moment to sit down, let alone blog! I was so exhausted by the end of the night that by the time we got the boys in bed (really late!), I was in bed~before 9pm! Old. I'm getting old:)

Learned some sad news today that one of Ben's former professors from his bachelors and masters programs, passed away this weekend due to a virus that is deadly once it enters the brain. He left the school a few years ago to become the senior pastor of a church in columbus. There are many people mourning the loss of such a nice man!

On the other hand, I forgot to share some good news we learned last week (in case you missed it on FB!). Our compassion sponsor child, Daphka was found alive and uninjured!! She and her family have damage to their home but are okay. We were so relieved and excited to hear this! Thank you to anyone who prayed for her!

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The other day, Samuel was begging me to write his initials on his mouse that Grandma gave him because Zakkai has a matching one and they didn't want to mix them up. I was busy and asked him to wait just a moment but being Mr. Impatient, he went and found the permanent marker and tried to mark on mouse's tag by himself. He was very distraught when he accidentally made markings on mouse's rear and was informed they wouldn't come off. I finally convinced him, after many tears and pleadings to get a new mouse, that the marks were "scars" just like he has:)

Well the next day he snuck the permanent marker out again and decided to decorate his mouse a little more...

The thing was he had to get punished for disobeying and sneaking out the permanent marker (note to self: move permanent marker to safer place...) but he actually did a great job being artistic! As you can see, he outlined the pocket and the cuffs.

Samuel and his decorated mouse:) At least he didn't color on the walls like Zakkai...

Such a sweet smile from such an ornery little boy!