Five at six

Here is a guessing game:  Can you tell which boy is which?  Sometimes they look so distinct, so different from each other, and other days they are complete clones of their Dad.  Either way, these guys are pretty cute!  And we are head over heels in love with them!

Did you figure it out?  Did some hints?  Here are their newborn photos, in the same order.  Good luck!

Therapy

The last two months, while really good month have been the hardest months our family has ever experienced. Lots of trying experiences and lots of heartache.  I feel the Lord is trying to stretch us, but boy, does it hurt.  After a really long and stressful week, we decided to break from the scheduled requirements of the day and drive through Banff national forest. It's only about an hour from us.

Normally when I think of nature that can soothe the soul I think of the ocean.  It is my first love and the first part of nature that really spoke to me. With that said, these mountains and forests have a special spirit.  There is something truly majestic and almost divine about them.  These pictures don't begin to convey the feeling we all experienced. But even with a picture that is snapped out of the window of a car you can sense there is something special.  For me it was a drive well worth the effort. Our trials have only increased but the feeling of peace and serenity I received that day still lingers.  And the boys feel that too.

Stampede and pets

Every year in July there is an fantastic event here in Calgary called the Stampede.  It is the world's biggest rodeo combined with venues and events common to state fairs and combined with massive country/western entertainments. All in all it is 10 days of a good time, cowboy style.  This year was the Stampede's 100 year anniversary.  It was over the top.  My favorite part of the whole shindig was something rather small.

   The Stampede celebrates cowboys and cowboys eat pancakes, right? So each neighborhood hosts a pancake breakfast. Free food, music and games during the morning.  Then on the weekends the malls take turns hosting a breakfast and draw really big crowds-70,000 to 100,000 people. We went to the breakfast for our small little condo neighborhood at the boys had a great time eating and getting their faces painted.

It was just a lot of fun and very encouraging to see a neighborhood doing something together.

Since we moved into our place, William has become enamored with the idea of having a pet.  Usually he will show me his "pet" fly or ant or spider and we have a good laugh about it.  Yesterday I went out on the patio and saw this:

William had broken about 2 pounds worth of carrots and thrown them in the grass, trying to catch himself a "pet rabbit".  There is a hare that comes and eats some of the plants in the common area (our backyard space) and William tries to catch him every morning.  I guess he decided if he wasn't fast enough to catch the hare, maybe he should bribe him!

Park time

My boys are true desert rats.  They are getting the biggest thrill out of playing at the park, in the summertime and when the sun is out.  Seth and Jeffrey mention how neat it is every time.  Mom and Dad are enjoying the longer evening hours (the sun has been setting now around 10:30), which affords more playing with Dad.  We go to the park and have quickly found our favorites.  Mostly we play on the swings or have a game of football or soccer but sometimes there are more interesting activities.

Jeffrey has become quite the little squirrel.  He is constantly climbing and jumping all day long.  Combined with his fearless- don't take can't for an answer- type attitude, he has gotten pretty adventurous.  This day at the park, Bryant had dared Jeffrey to climb the tree and sit down.  I think it might be the last dare Bryant issues for awhile.  Then Seth wanted a lesson.  And Ethan wanted some more attention :-)

Seth is not quite a squirrel yet... but he'll get there

Eight

This Friday Bryant and I will mark the eighth anniversary of our marriage and sealing.  Eight years!  I can't believe it. Sometimes I feel like we have been married for such a short time, and others times it seems like we have always been together.  The time before was just a dream.  I mean look at it.  We were just kids when we got married :

 So since this is my blog I am going to take the liberty to get mushy for just a little bit.  The last few months have been fairly stressful and trying on us, but we remain committed to and in love with each other more than ever. Why do I love Bryant? Why not?!  He is so easy to love and is the most authentic and sincere person I know.  He is loving and patient and generous and pretty funny.  He always gives 110% in everything he does, from changing diapers to managing complicated international tax  and estate issues.  There is a light in his eyes that I have never seen in anyone else. He not only inspires me to be a better person, he helps me in my quest to become one.  Plus there are a lot of moments like these.  I love, love, love you.  (te amo, para que sepas)  Here's to eight more- and an eternity afterwards