Obessions....take 2

We just returned from the annual family reunion!!

Just a quick little trip to my perfect retreat...

a quiet sandy beach..a little lake at Uniquoi State Park near Helen,Georgia ..i just love this place!!

(it's not fancy...just wonderful!~= wonder-filled)

This butterfly was not camera shy at all...
should we say...social?? ;)



Get ready..there is much to see...
i'm obsessed with this place...
oh..and changing...





obsessions....
upon our arrival...
Myles' "need" to keep it clean..no litter please...or leaves for that matter... kicked in!!
You cannot see his face here..but look at that shadow...
i can tell here how concerned/serious his face is..and well, i did have the benefit of recieving all of the found items...


We have been spending time ,here and there, at sweet friend's pools this summer...so i knew the boys would like the water..






you'll see in these pictures just how much these boys
FEEL..




yeah..i think i'm gonna like this...

speaking of insecurity...(aren't we all..?)

My amazing friend Jess (hey girl..i just love you..)

recommended that i read Beth Moore's book SO LONG INSECURITY..

one might feel a bit insecure at the mere recommendation..but i adore her for sharing this gift with me.. Thankyou my Friend!!

I barreled through half of this massive book (bigger than most books around our house)

while on our vacation..

hmmmm.

obsessions...

insecurity..

me???

The Lord is changing me..

i will not have a spirit of timidity..

i will not let my heart hang in the balance of what if and why not..

i have come to realize that my obsessions with change are because sometimes its hard to let go of what you are so accustomed to doing..but sometimes it is the only way...

THE ONLY WAY!!!

His ways are far greater than mine...and the conditions by which he has chosen to carry me through this life on earth are not intimidating...they are anticipated...

i truly DO anticipate great things...even...especially... in the discouraging times..

He has given me a heart for him..a heart of JOY!!

A HEART OF JOY!!

(as i read back through that....you should know this is not something i would normally say..just sayin...:)

Sooo..i HIGHLY recommend this book to all of you!!

Do NOT be afraid!!

FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD IS WITH YOU...

WHEREVER YOU GO...

(even as you turn the pages of this book..especially..)

Back to the beach..

experiencing the sand...
when was the last time you experienced the sand...

??

this picture must have been worth putting in twice..

:)

okay..here we go people..

my heart is all giddy just looking at this picture..

and this one..

oh heaven help me..

My Love..

this will go in our collection of US pictures..

look in his glasses at all the people on the beach...

what's that??

you cannot see anyone??

yep!

my favorite little beach...

he cannot get enough of this sensory wonderland!

;)

do you think we could get a little beach for our backyard??

I love pictures of our Sammy when he is looking at the camera..

but i have become So fond of this type of picture too..

we have lots of the tops of his head..

you know...eye contact is fleeting..

let me just tell you what i LOVE..

the way his lemony hair stretches the length of his beautiful head to meet up with his eye lashes...oh those eyelashes
...

eyelashes that frame those beautiful blueberry blue eyes...and whatever they are discovering over and over again...

oh to know what he knows!!

and then the cheeks..

the angle of this type of picture lends itself to displaying his apple cheeks..

oh i could gush over this kid all day..

Watch out for hippos in the water!!

my heart is racing with feelings for this kid...

his autism has seemed to carry him away from us recently..

AND

we have seen more of SAM this summer too..

being in the water has "brought him out of himself"...
do you understand what i mean..??

He is our sensory kid...he needs LOTS of sensory input to get his motor running!!

like most of us need our coffee drinks..he needs revin' too!

the water incorporates all of him!!

and we SEE him..

Here's another thing too..

oh my heart aches..

the pool/water is a "normal" situation..it has a "normal" look to it..

where other times he may look not so ...you know...

i like to think of all the ways he sees things..

and wonder...what that must be like for him..

Lee loves these next pictures...i don't think they really need any explanation..

but i will anyway..

:)

It looks like he is swimming here doesn't it!!

I like this picture because I LOVE..

like seriously over the top blessed-o-rama...

to see him with our boys!!

They love him!!

He adores them!!

He rocks..

a whole lot!!

so...

a day at the beach would not be complete without an animal adventure...now would it!!??

i could not miss this photo op!!!

What are you waiting for???

(a preview of more to come)

THIS IS SO TYPICAL!!

(i am laughing as i type that...no really...i'm no liar..

i don't know if i have ever had the chance to say that about my guys...
i'm so funny)

more exploring...

and discovering...

oh my word!!

The last night Dada took over..

he made the kids dinner..and made sure they ate it.. while i got to relax with family members..

yeah...he's the man!

A happy ending to our fun little trip!

I've been working on new stuff..

new crafts..

and gearing up for school to start..

still 2 1/2 more weeks to go..

just getting myself ready to start getting ready...

revin'!!

and lovin'...

and playin'...

and prayin'...

Have a Love-fully!!