We are Bad Seeds

It is quiet here on this Friday afternoon. The two older boys are napping; Lincoln is asleep in my lap. It is an idyllic spring day -- perfect sunlight, temperature, and breeze. And half the morning Brad and I were sullen, irritable, annoyed, rude with our children and slightly less openly with each other. Why? I don't know. I hate how sin just seeps its way in on the wave of moodiness or hitch-hikes with frustrated plans for a day, or just kind of sidles up to the elbow of an unstructured empty sort of day. It's so much harder to clearly/cleanly repent of a mood or disposition than a forthright verbal spar or a full-tilt loss of self-control/temper. Sin that insidious little creep -- I want to punch him in the face and twist off his ears.

Lincoln

Comin' Clean

Mother's Day in a Cold, Gloomy, Beautiful Park

After church on Sunday we drove out to William Bryant State Park to hike and grill out. My favorite parts were reading my new book enjoying the hour and a half ride out to the park; Dietrich clearly saying "dog", "stick", and "no" for the first time; and playing frisbee and soccer (together) with the two older boys. It was quite a bit colder than we had expected so we left before dinner and drove back home with the kids taking very late naps in the car. Bekah left for her Bible study group and Brad and I got the boys down to sleep for the night. We had a very sweet time playing our new game Blokus (thank you Lohstreters for introducing us to it and to Kara & Brian for giving it to Brad for his birthday (-:) and some truly excellent zinfandel (Seven Deadly Zins -- thank you, Gollihers, to introducing us to this; It's the first timewe've had some since ourred wine party right after Dietrich was born). We stayed up very late and enjoyed talking and being with each other. It was a wonderful Mother's Day for me.

Dietrich & Bekah

Throwing rocks in the river -- the boys favorite part of the day. They probably would have happily done this for a few hours.

This slippery, crazy rock that was a fantastic natural slide

Lincoln Late at Night on My Bed

Asleep

They are both asleep -- and smiling

Happy Birthday, Atticus!

Atticus turned 3 years old on Saturday May 9th!

Aunt Kara and cousin Max visited from Des Moines.

Grandma Nancy holding Lincoln & Grandpa Tom

My folks, my sister, Kara & Max, and Nancy & Tom!

The Grandpas

Dietrich & Max played so well together -- They've only seen each other a handful of times and this time it was so sweet to see them actually play.

Atticus running down Saturday morning to open gifts.

His first big-kid Legos

Atticus the Pirate -- Thank you, Aunt Kara & Uncle Brian!

Brad, Isaac Joslin, & Eric Miller starting out the breakfast party with conversation.

Ike & Cal Miller, Madeleine Joslin and Atticus

Leah & the kids

Ike & Dietrich sorta playing by each other

Isaac & my dad enjoying a talk

Naomi & Rachel Caneday

Elizabeth, Naomi, Rachel & John Caneday

Jess Rodriguez holding Maxiel Joslin

Me & Lincoln, Laura & Maxiel Joslin

Cool basketball hoop Millers, Joslins & Rodriguez' gave Atticus

Trying to get a picture of all the cousins together...

Gigi Deems came by for a few minutes to wish Atticus "happy birthday"

Cousins watching a movie together...
(Max is sad because it isn't Cars -- the only Max-approved film (-:)