Provisions

When the phrase "God provides" is heard, so often it goes alongside the thought of Him providing with that green stuff...in dollars and cents. And He does provide that way....with dollars and sense. But it's also in ways beyond the pocket book that He shows Himself faithful and how much He intimately loves us and takes care of us. Throughout this first week of school I realized His provisions in little and big ways and closed each day with an overwhelming thankfulness. Its in those perfectly-timed phone calls, a monthly bill slightly lessened, a verse read that was ideal for that exact moment, an answered prayer when options had seemed to run out....those provisions that aren't necessarily "monetary" but still great provisions nonetheless that are given directly from the Lord not to be overlooked or taken for granted. 

He gave the boys an amazing first week of school....and lots of kleenex and peace and others' encouragement for their mama. 

lots of Mason and mama moments!! :)

kinda different watching Mason play by himself!

My school boys enjoyed the provision of a super-yummy after-dinner/pre-bedtime snack thanks to their Auntie Jen! You can never go wrong with Ben and Jerry's!! (makes me think of our college days when a single container would be gone in a matter of hours....and we didn't share with one another...haha!)

God provided a dinner visit with family we haven't seen in 6 years!! It was too short but indeed an added blessing to our week. Love you Uncle Johnny and Aunt Phyliss!! :)

Other photos captured this week....

making cookies with Jovi

Austin helping Mason with a puzzle after school one day

Carson's first project of the year--his raccoon puppet!

Mmmmm...popsicle!

Austin enjoying the pool!

ummmm...."dead man's float"?! :)

We survived the first week back to school and I almost made it through the week without tearing up everyday. As you know Monday was a wash-out, Tuesday a little bit better, and by this morning as the lunches were packed and backpacks put on, I was confident that I would make it through without even a tearing up....but sometimes these boys just melt a mama's heart! As we sat in the van ready to pull away, both of the older two boys wanted to pray today---Austin giving thanks for "strength and energy" and Carson closed with: "....and it's too bad that we don't have school tomorrow Jesus, but let us have a lot of fun at home...." I'm thankful that the transition for my boys has been easier on them than on me--it may be small, but I see it as another God-given provision from a Father who deeply loves His children.

First Day of school......again

I was well aware that heading into this day, it was not going to be easy. I've traveled down this path before, this place known as the "first day of school". I knew the basics of the routine already so I instinctively had kleenex readily accessible in places that it isn't normally found. However, I also knew without a shadow of a doubt that this year was going to be a little different. Carson has now joined the ranks of 'school boy.' Just like it was for big brother Austin, this 'school territory' is a new one for him, having never even been in preschool. But as this day has been fast approaching and we've talked off and on about it all summer long, Carson couldn't wait for this day to see what Austin has been experiencing and what all the "hype" is about. :) The day we ordered his backpack along with the day that it arrived on our doorstep, he hugged me and looked up at me with tears welling in those huge chocolate brown eyes saying "thank you so much mommy! I'm so excited for school!" More tears. Mama tears. It's another faith step in our journey as we now let go of 2 boys every morning at 8:25am, growing up ever so slowly, but growing up all too quickly just the same. 

We started off our morning with cinnamon french toast, much to the boys' delight, which seems to be the "first day of school" tradition three years running.

The ever-faithful first day of school pictures!

Carson--my Kindergartener!!

Austin--my 2nd Grader!!

mama and Austin

mama and Carson

my school boys!!!

had to get an all-out brother photo!! :)

I was able to hold it together (for the most part) while releasing Austin into the second grade masses and even while taking the time to make sure Carson had his bearings within his new Kindergarten surroundings. Watching him get acclimated to a whole new setting tugged on this mama's heart strings with chords I've never heard before. The tears were nearly bursting at the seams as I pried myself away from Carson's classroom only to leave him in the hands of a teacher I barely know, but somehow automatically trust. With a final hug, a shortened-soft prayer whispered in his ear, and a blown goodbye kiss from Carson, I turned on my heels and with Mason's hand in mine, we walked the suddenly seemingly long hallway back to our van, leaving Carson to begin his experience as a 'school boy.'

Carson hanging up his backpack!

And just as in years past, I prayed my way from the school parking lot to my mother-in-law's house and once again, I'm ever so grateful for her, who understands and has just as tender heart, making my make-up mess that much less intimidating. She had the kleenex ready. And for the third year in a row, my floodgates were opened wide. I wasn't completely alone as my sis-in-law Heather joined me in tearful chorus of how saying goodbye to her little man, Daniel, was definitely not the easiest thing in the world. Sugar and sprinkle-coated donuts and countless cups of coffee were our cure-all!! :) 

Carson's seat at the table in his classroom

The first day of school is always the hardest, and I'm sure it won't be long before I find my 'new routine' with just me and Mason and I can tackle those daily to-do lists in record time! Even still, the silence of the afternoon was once again deafening and I can't tell you how many glances were stolen at the clock. Austin and Carson were picked up with smiles on their faces and an eagerness to share what their day held from the the ringing of the first bell to the last. It was N.O.N.S.T.O.P chatter from the time we pulled out of the parking lot to the time we finally sat on the couch and I let each boy share the highlights of his day. And while they chatted away, I couldn't help but let the back of my mind lift up prayers of thanks for smiles and not tears, for loving brothers who "searched" for the other at second recess so they could play together (and they were successful!), for new friends made, for another good start to another school year...and for a God who loves us and cares so intimately about us, down to the smallest of details even on these miniature milestones marked as "the first day of school."

Kingston camping 2012!

It's a week that we look forward to every summer, the final chapter of summertime freedom before the school bell rings. The past 4 years we've packed up with camper in tow, and headed out to Kingston Campground....a 3+ hour trek to find some solitude amidst the mountains in a canyon deep within the Toiyabe National Forest.  

Excitement from our boys could hardly be contained as the question endlessly echoed through our house the morning of our departure..."is it time to go yet?" With the camper door shut and locked, Ginger anxiously pacing in the back of the truck, and boys buckled in their belts, we are finally headed out to what would prove to be another 4 days of adventure and unplanned surprises. En route to the campground, we go through the city of Austin, NV...a quaint little town filled with rich history nestled right along Hwy 50 as some would describe "in the middle of nowhere." Well, let's be frank; it IS in the middle of nowhere. ;) We finally took the time this year to get Austin's picture next to his city sign before climbing up and around the winding mountain roads. And every year, without fail, right around this seemingly quieter town, we see smoke from a fire that either has been burning for a bit or is just getting roaring. This year, we saw two. 

fire just west of Austin

another fire east of Austin

This year, one of Austin's birthday presents was his very own tent...from Pappy...and of course we brought that with and it proved to be just another 'sign' of my boys growing up way too fast. Austin put it together with the help of his daddy and together, him and Carson set up their own sleeping quarters to their liking. The days of sleeping in the camper with mom and dad are long gone....*sniff sniff*....

so grown up!

all set for sleeping!

With camping come the stresses in it's various forms, whether kid-related, weather-related, food-flop related, forgetting-socks-for-the-little-man related, etc. But regardless, it's STILL camping and it's STILL adventurous and relaxing in the same breath and you just find ways to "make due". The boys sought out their own 'quiet times', both Andy and I got chapters in our Bibles read, magazines thumbed through from cover to cover, multiple games were played, belly-aching laughter accomplished daily, savory food consumed, need I go on? You will now see an obscene amount of pictures displayed from our days spent soaking in God's beauty that surrounded us from all sides. I'll do my best to let the captions tell the stories contained within the photo. 

campfire time!

Austin with the glasses we found years ago at this very campsite!

hiking across the 'bridge' over a little stream by our campsite

French press coffee while camping?! SOOOOO delish! :)

why do blueberry pancakes made over the fire just taste so...delectable?!

Austin heading into his tent for his 'quiet time'

Carson wanted his quiet time up top--he found the story of Daniel :)

 I'll break in here to sadly say that the reservoir which is just a mile down the road from the campground, used to be the highlight of our camping experience with it's rocky shoreline and amazing trout fishing...but as you can see, it's nearly dried up. The grassy spots are new and the rocky shore is a lot bigger....the fish were still there, but the fishing itself not so hot. But, like I said, we "made due" and still had some fun times together making the most of what we were given to enjoy!!

Andy trying to catch a fish or two

muddy Mason

walking around the whole reservoir!

naptime in the truck :)

Water snake!!!

Mmmmm.....steaks....we do it right when it comes to camp cooking :)

steak dinner!

love camping with my LOVE!

mama and Mason

daddy and Mason walking down the road

family photo op! Our campsite is just behind us

my three handsome little men!

hand-in-hand

a storm rolling into the canyon

a camping must-have....peanut chews!

come on...you know you want a bite....

Austin laughing while sitting around the campfire

a little morning card playing

Breakfast!!!

Mmmmmmmmmmmm :)

I think he likes it.

Dessert after breakfast?! A little beignet to top it off...

YUM!

just some 'down time'

sheep on the hillside!

deer! I actually had the eagle-eye on this guy! :)

happy little camper!

enjoying the stream on our picnic

brothers!

headed downstream....

...to cool off apparently :)

I love this guy......

 Another new trial adventure, thanks to the "gotta try something new and crazy" side of my man, was doing a little crawdad catching and eating. Yes, you read that correctly. Crawdads. My skepticism was high and became even higher when I saw those things literally fighting each other over trying to escape from the cooler. But when it came time to cook 'em, I dug down deep and with crinkled nose and forehead mustered up the conquering of all things fearless and put it to my mouth. I won't say the cliche, it tasted like chicken...but it did taste like shrimp scampi thanks to lots of butter and garlic. I'd do it again.

watching daddy pull up the crawdad trap!

one happy...uhhhh...crawdad catcher?! Good job babe! :)

there they are in the trap!

The boys were fascinated!!

crawdads!!!

another storm, this one bigger, brewing and heading our way! (which also contained some hail! And yes, we decided to stand outside and jump around in it a little)

it looks like fog, but that's the rain wall!

even the deer were seeking shelter!

waiting out the rain in the truck!

Carson and daddy...those boys had some laughs back there!

Carson fell asleep at dinner (with a slight fever as well...which was short-lived PTL)

haha..into the boiling pot you go mr.crawdad

Bon Appetit!

Another camping must have...Dumpcake!

All done!

hot and savory

lovin' some cake!

french toast for breakfast!

brotherly love

rocks and water...a boy's playland!

mama and mason on a little walk

playing a game with Austin

hiking around with my AA and MR while CJ and daddy go fishing

 Our campsite!!

And there you have it! Despite the random hiccups, it was a good week. A needed week. A let-down and yet fulfilling week.  And now I only have one week left until I send 2 of my boys into that sea of unknown faces on the school playground and you can bet your bottom dollar I am going to enjoy each one of these days this next week!!