Monday, August 30, 2010

happy birthday, bryson!

bryson,

you are bright.
you are handsome.
you are inquisitive.
you are sensitive.
you are caring.
you are curious.
you are witty.
you are charming.
you are kind.
you are generous.
you are helpful.
you are friendly.
you are creative.
you are silly.
you are loving.
you are funny.
you are goofy.
you are compassionate.
you are a lover of Christ.
you are a great friend to others.

you are so loved.

you are eight....

and you are growing up too fast!

we love you so very much. we are so proud of you and who you are becoming. we are so blessed. we thank God for you, and for allowing us to be your parents.

love,
dad and mom
(brother, too!)

Saturday, August 28, 2010

you can call her charlotte

a few weeks ago, the boys and i came home (at night)...and bryson "found" this spider in our driveway. he called me over and i totally freaked...thinking it just had to be a baby tarantula! i found a plastic cup and covered it, since josh wasn't home at the time- and i wanted him to see it. there's some website he loves to visit, where you can download
a picture of an insect (taken by you) and it'll tell you what it is. josh got home and looked at it...but he didn't say much.

the next morning, as josh was leaving for work....he said....
"do you wanna see your spider?"
being the weirdo that i am (freaked by it, but still wanting to look at it)....i said yes.
he uncovered it and it appeared to be dead, but several babies crawled out immediately.
josh got really close and took a few pictures.
that's when we noticed [what we thought were] eggs.
josh went to move the spider and all at once, it darted off while tons of babies crawled off and flew away. josh just started stomping on them (sorry to any spider lovers)....
and i think i may have been shrieking!

after that, josh brought my camera to me and zoomed in on the photos.
what we thought were eggs....were actually babies all over the back of the large spider.
eeww.....yuck!!!

here she is (in all her glory), before her...uh, death.
you can just call her charlotte.

p.s. it turns out- charlotte is just a grass spider!

here's the thing...

there's SO much to blog about and SO little time.

i still have lots of pics from zion to share with you....
but i've realized that you probably don't need the play by play of our trip.
i still want to share with you the amazing photos that josh took...
because most of the ones posted so far are mine.

anyhow....the end of summer has been fun-filled...busy...chaotic....yada yada yada.

this past week was our last week of summer (sob).
i'll be honest....
it's bittersweet.
summer is my favorite season (for many reasons....sleeping in, beach days, etc)....
and at the same time, i've let myself become extremely lackadaisical...
so, while i'm sad that our summer days are no longer....
i'm also looking forward to the schedules and routines that a new school year bring.

anyhow....lots has been going on at the menashe home.
some i'll share on here...and some i'd rather not.
let me just say that we've been having lots of fun around here! the boys are such a joy and even though they drive me nuts at times (usually by 6pm, i'm totally exhausted)....i have enjoyed these past few months with them.

at the same time....i've felt that the enemy is trying to attack me spiritually.
he knows my weaknesses (fear, worry) and he likes to prey on those.
in the past....i've let him "win." a year ago, however...i attended our women's retreat and i nailed (literally) my fear and worry to the cross. oh, there have been many days that i've wanted to grab it back from God. my mind will start to go crazy and i feel like the enemy has a field day up in my head!

from that weekend on, though- i've fought to have the upper hand on the devil. i read and meditate on the verses tell me i was not given "a spirit of fear"....and "perfect love casts out all fear." one of my favorite verses says...."do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow has enough worries of its own."

the Lord has been SO good to me. each time i start to freak out over something....He's right there to remind me of a truth from His Word. God is good...and i'm not letting satan win any more.

okay....with all that said- please stay tuned. i have tons of pictures to share with you!!

(i realize that the last part of this post is very vague, and i may share more soon.
first, though- i'd make this a private blog.)


Monday, August 23, 2010

zion: day 3

day 3 was full of fun....

tubing
rock throwing
relaxing
swimming
adventuring

...then, later in the evening, we had a potluck dinner (hamburgers and hot dogs) and then went into the national park. we took the tram up to the narrows, and the weather was gorgeous. just as soon as we got off the tram and under shelter, a storm came in. we decided that a little rain wouldn't stop us...and we'd walk to the entrance of the narrows anyway! by the time we got there, we were soaked to the bone. the adults laughed about it, and thought it was fun. i actually felt very adventurous (i must not get out much) and i decided not to worry about the mascara running down my face, but rather- to enjoy the scenery. several of the kids weren't so happy about it....but we all made it back in one piece!


our skinny boy
hudson found a pine cone and brought it home
taylor was outnumbered by all of the boys....but she does just fine with 'em!
contemplative :)
wendi went rafting with sammy and marcus
jessica...a great friend!
boys bein' boys....
ready for their bike ride!
when we started on our way....it was beautiful and sunny out!

...but less than 30 min. later....it was pouring! the boys loved running around in it!
...the sky is darkening....
waiting to see if the rain was going to stop (it didn't!!)
the rain made the greenery so vibrant...!! so pretty!!
all of us wet rats who made it to the entrance of the narrows!
this one wanted to be held most of the way (and he had a fever...fun, fun...)

little hiker boy!





part of the group rode their bikes back down....

wendi


taylor and leah


josh was the only dude who rode back...and he loved it! taylor's bike broke, but they managed to haul it back...and they saw wildlife and beauty all around them!


Thursday, August 19, 2010

zion: day 2

day 2:
*build dam and play
*tube down the river
*play and eat...relax and enjoy the surroundings
*enjoy a wonderful, mexican dinner together...as a very large group!
*ride the tram up to see weeping rock
*see more of God's creation!



these are some pretty tight/messy living quarters!
one sleeping sickie
our "kitchen" in all its finery...
sleeping cuties....
sammy and hudson
look at that sky! amazing!
taylor, bryson, jake, and john
marcus..such a cutie!

the boys had fun playin' in the amico's tent!

part of the group....hanging out and relaxing
it's hard work, but someone's gotta do it...
jake and bryson
sweaty and stinky, but still handsome!
the amico family...waiting for the tram
it's hard to see in the dark...but this is weeping rock
bryson and i went to see weeping rock, but josh stayed back with hudson- since he wasn't feeling well
it was so dark up there...but it was so fun and so beautiful!