Pinch Me

You've heard it said when something seems too good to be true...
This is Sam.

Sam-I-Am.

That's what I call him.

And now he's five.
Already.

My Little-Hunter-Man-Samuel.

 He makes me smile.

Samuel was not always a part of our family plan. He came to us as a surprise package.  :o) 
I was just 40 and, well, being pregnant right then wasn't even on my radar.
But he was an answered prayer.
After Joshua, I really wanted to have more children. I didn't want Josh to be a lonely "caboose". I prayed hard for more, but, long story short is that the answer was "no". At least that's what I thought.

When the + sign that says "yes" appeared, our family life was a bit frayed. We were letting go of a lot of things.  But Samuel came, and he was something to hold on to. And I held him a lot. He was one of those babies that needed to be held all the time. And I was one of those mamas needing something to hold onto. So we held on to each other. I held him and he held me. Literally.
(Funny how right now as I am plucking out this little story, I hear Samuel singing as he goes down the stairs: "Our God is an awesome God, He reigns from Heaven above, with wisdom, power, and might. Our God is an awesome God" . How fitting.)

I would hold this little snuggle-bundle and while he was little and nursing, he would find my skin and roll it between his tiny chubby fingers. And squeeze. And pinch. And roll some more. Always holding on.
When we were not nursing anymore, he found my neck. His little hands would reach up and squeeze the skin on my neck. Roll and pinch.

And now, my little man, my Sam-I-Am, is five.
F I V E.

He's the present. He's the gift.
And I think he's too good to be true!!
And guess what? I don't even have to say "Pinch me", because he still does.
He brushes my hair away from my neck and finds me. Holds me.
Such a reminder every day of God's goodness. His faithfulness. His sovereignty.

So I will say it.
Pinch me.

So good and so true.

Fly Boy

It finally came.

It wasn't his first choice, but by the look on his face you'd never know.
For months he's been looking through magazines and websites, mowing grass and weeding the flower beds and finishing wood for a kitchen project and sealing the swingset and washing the vehicles.

And then the birthday cards came in the mail and his savings was finally enough.
So, he looked again for the hundredth time, and picked out a Euro-Fighter Typhoon fighter jet and we placed the order. It was the body only, and then there were still all the other needed parts- the transmitter, the battery and charger etc. We continued to "shop" but it seemed you couldn't get all the parts in one place and it was turning into a major headache. We finally found a site based down in the cities with a phone number. Hubby made a call to a very knowledgable and helpful salesman who told him that the plane we ordered was way out of the ballpark for a beginner. Thing is, these sites don't tell you whether the plane is best suited for a rookie or an advanced flyer. How were we to know?? After some friendly conversation, Hubby placed an order for a great 'beginner' plane that included everything needed to get it in the air.
It's not a fighter jet.
It's a Super Cub.
And a Super Cub is pretty exciting when you're eleven.

 It didn't take long to put it together.
Maybe we should read through the manual and watch the included dvd and call it a night. Tomorrow will be a great day for flying.
Not.

So it was a slow start. Josh was getting the "feel" for things.
While he practiced accelerating and turning his plane on the driveway, I continued to weed a flower bed.

Have you ever seen this before??

Me neither. But isn't he so cute?  Hubby made sure this little fella wouldn't be making another trip up a sunflower.

 And then, he was just as eager as Josh to get that plane in the air, so Josh let him have a go of it. And it went.

And then...

It crashed.

Nothing too serious.
 All of the excitement infused a greater confidence in this wanna-be flyer and he eagerly took the wheel. Or the remote.

A picture is worth a thousand words, isn't it??

We've got some sky...

And then again....

Crash. Across the road and in the woods.
 This new plane will be grounded for repairs.

But this boy who dreams of being a pilot someday went to bed tonight with a smile on his face and wings to his dreams.

Let's Hear it for the Boys! Linking to MOB Society today!

This Little Light of Mine

Sometimes known as 'Little Ray'.
Or 'Sunshine Boy'.
Or 'Little Hunter Man'.  Hunter yes, but the weight is quickly shifting from 'Little' to 'Man'. How does that happen??

On Saturday, Joshua had his 11th birthday.

We made a small splash.


Josh and his friend Isaiah



On Friday after working hours, we loaded up our towels and cupcakes and drove over to the Holiday Inn in Baxter so sisters and nephews and niece could join us in celebration.  Too bad the mama and head party planner forgot to check the battery in her camera before leaving. It died before everyone arrived. :o(

The first morning of Sunshine Boy's 11th year, we had to wake waterlogged boys from their sleep to make our traditional Saturday breakfast at the Cottage House Cafe. Grandpa and Grandma Hunter drove over in the afternoon for some rhubarb cake and coffee. It was a beautiful day for sitting out and catching up.

The evening stretched out before us and turned out to be a perfect night for a game of monopoly,

a bon fire, and some s'mores.

And a little bit of blue light silliness.

Turns out it's more fun to burst the ballon and play with the light inside than it is to play with the balloon.

 Boys.

BOYS.

Happy Happy Birthday to this Little Light of mine, my Sunshine Boy!