Blessed Assurance

A couple weeks back the moon was supposed to have some SUPER MOON phase that is only does a few times. That was the day Dallas got back from one of his trips, so we thought it would be a fun welcome home for him and a fun thing for the boys too. So I threw together this ladder in about 30 minutes Thank goodness for good scraps :) and we decided to make our MOON Viewing on the roof.

Did anyone see a really big moon? Maybe we were watching it at the wrong point. Maybe we should have gone to a spot to watch it rising over the water to get the full effect...not really sure, but it didn't seem any bigger than usual to us. The fact we were up on the roof was a huge hit with the boys though. Stressed me out a bit, so I didn't spend a lot of time trying to get my settings better on the camera (not that I would have been able to get the right one anyway) so these are not great shots, but I don't want to forget it :)

The boys asked if we could read stories on the roof since it was story time anyway. These guys never like missing stories. Which I love, but unfortunately some nights I have to use that as leverage for good behavior, and sometimes it does get taken away :( Not this night though!! Reading 'Thomas Christmas' on the rooftop in May= perfect fit to them!

We were very cautious on the way up and down and made a huge deal about it when they boys did well.

Don't worry, the homemade ladder is lying in the grass so they can't possibly climb on it. In fact, I think they have probably forgotten about the ladder because we made such a big about it being a big NO NO unless we were with them. They really can be great listeners when they want to be!

A few days later we had a Staniel Cay charter to do with some of our kayakers. We also just happened to come across a huge boa (snake) the day before. Which trust me, worked out perfectly. We are trying to get a rat problem under control (totally eliminated) on one of the cays and it is a little ways up the cays so it isn't always easy to just 'run up the snake' when we get one. This guy was jumbo and perfect for our job. According to Dallas, "this snake would make a great pet..." and he went on to list the reasons why. He had snakes all growing up, and is just itching to get one as a pet with the boys. YIKES!!! I'm not scared of them, and I point them out to the boys when we come across them, but still...I'm not totally ready to have one as a pet yet either.

I will say this though, this snake was really 'pretty' for a snake. The light bounced off it in a way that was really cool. The boys were helping daddy set it free at its new home.

Joss was really worried the snake wouldn't find his new friends.

Brothers :)

We got some new masks for our little dudes and they absolutely love them. Joss just took off with the snorkel and is now swimming all by himself all over the place, including reefs and deeper waters. We are right there by him. I know my dad is terrified of Joss swimming without his life jacket on all the time, but rest assured Poppy, we are there, and he's never further than arms reach from us. He has to learn though being around the water like we are. I don't know how most Bahamians go through their lives not learning how to swim. And truly, more of the population can't swim, than can. It is really sad.

These new treats gave them both the confidence they need in the water to really 'up' their swimming game. Emit is so funny when he has his on. He'll go to put his face under for just a second, but in order to do so he must lean his head all the way back and just smash it down in the water. No subtle entry for this guy...go big or go home :)

He's growing so fast!!!!!

And this little stinker is not letting Joss get too far ahead of him in anything. I'm truly wondering if I won't be schooling them at the same time in a few years. He is picking up on everything sooooo quickly.

Going in to Thunderball with daddy!

It's hard to get pictures in here, or at least nicely exposed ones, of my little moving targets.
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It is such a peaceful cave to explore. I never get tired of going to these places, and I always want to spend more time in the water when we are there. So I guess it is a good thing we live here and the boys will be exploring all of this with me even more pretty soon. It's quite an emotion to 'snorkel', really snorkel, next to your child for the first time.
We even found a little buddy inside the dark shadows of the cave. We had to flash the camera on him to really see him.

This electric blue is not enhanced at all. It was awesome in there! I used this photo for one of our praise songs in worship :)
Speaking of praise music...I've really enjoyed being in charge of the praise songs for our little church service. I love pairing a beautiful photo with a powerful praise song. Even if no one else enjoys it as much as I do, I  know each week I will get to listen to some amazing songs and really get to know them well as I'm adding the lyrics for everyone. Makes it an even more meaningful time to me.

Happy Hubby :)

Crazy little guy #1....I posted this little story on Facebook when it happened, but it hasn't made it on here yet. My little guys don't just look for shapes in the clouds, or their food, oh no.. it doesn't stop there...almost every time Emit does his "business" on the potty he'll tell me what shape it is in. The other day it was a "J", then a "monster", then a "hairplane"...at least I don't have to worry about their little imaginations getting exercise :)

They have changed our saying of "I love you from the sky to the moon" around a bit. Well, they haven't changed it really, they just add to it depending on their thoughts at the time. "I love you from the sky to Planet Earth!" "I love you from the sky to the pole (as in North Pole)!" "I love you from the sky to the stars!" I could care less what they love me TO, just so long as they love me and know that I love them :) 

Crazy little guy #2....Let's see, a cute little Jossism lately was one that you really had to be there and hear him for it to be really funny, but hopefully Dallas and I will remember how it went down when we read this down the road. We were in the house and it got to the time in the afternoon that we usually head to the beach. I was trying to finish up something, Dallas was waking up from a nap and Joss was doing his typical begging. He'll ask for something over and over and over and over and over and over (even after we've given him an answer) and over and over and over. He was ready to go the beach, and we told him we would go as soon as we finished up. Finally he changed his tactic and said, "I want to go to a place that has sand.......and water................The Beach!" He did  a little shrug with "the beach" part that made it so funny that Dallas and I both were rolling in laughter for a good ten minutes. Don't worry, that poor baby got to go to the beach :)

Always use caution around these psycho pigs. Once again, poopy got the boys really excited. They saw one go potty right next to the boat in the water and were laughing for a long time over it.

Beautiful day in our lovely cays!

Emit and I took the back seat on the way home..well, he took the seat and I sat on the floor next to him reading a good book.

My heart is overwhelmed at moments like this when I can so easily look around and see just how much the Lord has blessed me, someone so unworthy of His grace, His love, His generosity. Lord, let me NEVER take it all for granted. I am truly thankful!