Galveston Pics, Part II

Galveston

We spent a long weekend in Galveston with our dear friends the Shipley's and the Otto's last weekend. It was the kids' first time on the beach and let me tell you, they fell in love. From the time they set foot on the beach, they were smitten.

The first day was my favorite. I had the two older kids with me the first day and then Allen brought Easton the next day. I loved having my husband and baby there, don't get me wrong, but the first day was so relaxing. I never would have thought it, but having two preschool-age children was very restful. Plus, I loved spending more intentional time with Taylor Joy and Beckett that is harder when taking care of the baby.

The kids were having the time of their lives jumping waves, running back and forth pretending like the waves were "chasing" them and riding the waves. I felt refreshed and thankful just watching them laugh and play.

Anyway, here are some pictures from our trip. I love documenting our life together. I love that I have all of this written down and posted for us to look back on. Enjoy the pics!

Dutyisms

Taylor Joyisms:

(books fell off the shelf) "Well that was intense!"

(her answer to "what does it mean to die?") "it means you just lay there forever."

"Daddy you forgot to cut off my toes!" (referring to her toenails that needed to be clipped)

"Wow! that boy on the radio station is really rockin' it!" (about I Can Only Imagine by Mercy Me - not really a "rockin'" song...)

During bathtime as I was washing her hair she said, "This is kinda like baptism except with lots of soap."

Beckett-isms:


"I am da way, da spook and da wife. No one comes to da fodder except for me." (reciting John 14:6, the exclusive, Beckett version)

(after pooping and seeing it in the potty) "It's like a double peppy pizza!" (Double peppy pizza is an episode on Boz. Boz fans, face it...it really doesn't look very appetizing in the show. )

"Holy Poly" instead of Roly Poly

"W" stroller instead of double stroller

He refers to getting stung by a bee as when the "bug poked me."

(getting out of the bath) "I just keen (clean) and squeaky!"

(when asked about going to the pool) "It was nice and awesome!"

Pine Cove

We returned from Pine Cove family camp this weekend. We spent a week there. I don't like to spend a week anywhere. I'm always ready to come home about the 5th or 6th day. I'm quite positive I could have spent longer at Crier Creek. I miss it already.

Having been a Pine Cove counselor, I know the heart of Pine Cove is the counselors. Being on the other side of the equation makes this stand out even more to me. Camp would not be what it is if not for the counselors. Crier Creek is just a fun place. Filled up with God-loving, Christ-centered counselors, it is a ministry.



I LOVED the counselors. I loved the way they blessed us by loving on our kids so we could invest in our marriage. I loved that they had no other agenda besides us. When we were late picking up our kids from activities, they didn't hand us our kids and rush out the door, they talked with us and wanted to us to know exactly where our children were a blessing or where they struggled. They asked lots of questions about our family and about what the Lord was teaching us. They were genuinely interested in our life.

These counselors were diligent about doing the little things: feeding Easton, tending to his needs, cutting up Taylor and Beckett's food, holding Beckett when he fell asleep everyday at lunch, staying with younger children while we did special things with the older kids, asking specifics for prayer for our children...in short, blessing us immensely!

I am so thankful for the intentionality of our vacation. We spent intentional time with our kids, letting Pine Cove plan everything and we were just able to go have fun doing things like swimming in the lagoon and pool, doing the big slide and zip line, making jewelry with Taylor Joy, taking her on a guided nature walk, morning trail ride and breakfast with Allen, frisbee golf, paddleboating, picnic dinner for two date night, swing dancing, craft time with Taylor, and so much more.

We laughed together lots and spent a beautiful week with our family. I can't imagine that another vacation would measure up to this. I am so thankful to God for giving us this wonderful vacation.

Dutyisms

A prayer for Allen while he was in Guatemala (after we had heard about his car accident):

I pray Daddy has a great great great time in Guatemala. I pray that he doesn't crash anymore crashes. And that the school bus will just MOOOOVE out of the road so that they don't have to bump into it anymore. In Jesus' name, Amen.

After helping me bake a cake and giving her a beater with batter on it to lick, she runs into the kitchen saying,

I'm all done with my licker!

When we had our butterfly habitat, Taylor Joy would go over to the butterflies and blow on them, saying:

They need fresh air!

When feeding Cheerios to Easton one day, she stopped feeding him saying,

We don't want to full up his tummy!

Allen asked Taylor Joy one day if she was Ariel (the Disney princess). This is what she said:

Yeah! Not the one who swims. The one who stands. With the shoes.

One day this is the conversation I heard between Taylor Joy and Beckett:

Taylor Joy - we love Daddy and Mommy and they love us.

Beckett - Yeah! And they keep us safe from bugs.

When I go into Beckett's room after his nap and smell poop, I say, "Buddy, did you poop? And he says:

No, I just tooted. Vewy vewy bad.

or he's been known to say,

I thirsty. Vewy vewy bad.

Since Beckett has transitioned to his big boy bed (a toddler bed from a crib), he has been staying up a little later at night, rambling to himself. Here are some quotes I have written down,

If I knock over the basketball hoop and hit sissy wif it, I get spankin' and that would make me sad.

Aww! that kitty's so cute! Aww! (about a picture of a kitten on his wall)

I want get out and play with mommy and dadd. No. He's a curch (church).

He also loves to talk about his new "bi-boy bed" and his old "cib".

They are such funny kids. I love them.

Dearest Taylor,

Happy Birthday, sweet girl!

4 years on this Earth and unnumerable blessings you have brought to me, Daddy, Beckett, Easton and basically everyone you encounter.

Your helpful spirit blesses me so much and when you are loving and caring towards your brothers, it brings so much joy to my heart.

Your thoughtfulness towards me is such a reminder of God's grace and His kindness toward me.

Your curiosity about everything is inspiring and causes me to seek out answers and learn with you.

Your insightfulness reaches far beyond four years. I pray that God gifts you with insight into His word as He draws you and as you seek to know Him.

You catch on so quickly to most things that we teach you. I pray that we will always teach you according to God's word, in the way you should go, and that as you grow and age, you won't depart from His ways. I pray for grace as we teach you. Grace for you to learn and grace for us as we seek to teach and shepherd you well.

God entrusted us with a treasure when He gave us you and we fear God and want to steward you well.

We love you and we will always love you, more and more each day. I hope today is a blessing to your heart, sweet Taylor Joy.

Love,
Mommy

(I can't believe my baby girl is 4! She's such a little grown-up and I love her so dearly! And...I'm SO glad she wanted to have a tea party for her birthday this year! It was so much fun to plan and put together and the girls had a blast.)



We read books about tea parties and hats...


We decorated hats and made necklaces...


Ate petit-fours...


and enjoyed our dainties together...

Come Thou Fount

Music time at the Duty home! Check out the little peeping tom in the background!

Guatemala

I have wanted to write about Guatemala for awhile now, but I have been a little preoccupied with my husband. Let me explain.

He was gone the week before last at a Pastor's conference called Together for the Gospel. He came home for ONE day. Then he left for Guatemala for an entire week. He's been home for a week now and I still can't get enough. I think all of that being gone can really spice up a marriage. We've been so intentional about spending time together this week and it has been so bonding and refreshing.

While Allen was gone we became socialites. Allen will tell you (and if you know me well), it takes him prodding me to pursue activities outside the house. I generally love to be home and doing stuff with the kids around the home and in the home. If we have a free night, I like to spend it with my kids and my husband. So it takes him to encourage me toward calling up friends and inviting them to do something or hanging out. It's not natural for me.

This past week was opposite. I needed to stay busy so that I wasn't dwelling on my missing him so much. We had stuff planned every day and every night that he was gone. As I was worshipping at church one night (alone with the kids in the back of the church), God overwhelmed me with thankfulness for our body of believers. I'm not exaggerating when I say that at least half of the people had either offered to help with the kids, hang out, bring a meal or pray for me while Allen was gone. I felt so cared for and loved by our body.

Meanwhile, Allen was persevering through trial after trial in Guatemala. From the get go, he and Nathan got lost from the group at the airport and the other part of the group (from Redeemer) was looking for them for 4-5 hours. They found each other while Rebekah (Nathan's wife) and I were on the phone with the team. What a great start to the trip! Phew! Later in the week they got in a car accident and several of the team members sustained minor injuries, a complete miracle of the Lord that no one had anything major happen to them! And yet, others trials along the way (such as their ride not showing up to take them to the airport on the way back), learning how to trust God all over again. And back home, God teaching me how to entrust Allen to Him even more. So, the theme of this trip: TRUST IN GOD. So thankful that God, in His mercy, is teaching us this.

Here are some pictures (many thanks to Brittany for the amazing pictures!):

Oh my! How did he not smuggle one of these cuties in his suitcase? I am smitten with these little ones!