It Takes A Whole Body

I'm sorry that this post is a month overdue. Smith Mountain Lake Pictures will be here in the next couple of weeks.

1 Corinthians 12:12-14 "For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--Jews or Greeks, slaves or free--and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many."
It takes a whole family to raise a child!
Micah and Paul got to spend a WHOLE week with their cousin Jack, Grandma Jo, Grandpa Doug, Aunt Andrea and Uncle Steve! I was proud of what a grown-up boy Micah was! As I was briefing him on how to take care of Paul in the car with Grandma Bev and Grandaddy (who drove them to PA), Micah was eager and equipped to be Paul's translator and babysitter. While they were gone, Paul's speaking got so much clearer, so his translator became less necessary! Here he is displaying one of his favorite pastimes -- putting on big shoes (e.g. Grandpa's) and saying "heeaaavy."
Papa Jay took the boys in a ride behind Duke and Dan. In the meantime, Anthony spent the week working hard with many research students while I worked hard scraping, priming and painting the exterior (shutters and scalloped siding) of our thankfully mostly-brick house.
What a treat!!!
Ever feel like you are drinking from a hose? Actually, I spent some great alone time painting while the boys were gone, and sometimes it seemed like I was similarly bombarded with all of the ponderings I don't have time to consider while being "mom." Papa Jay is training up two intently focused future farmers! A big smile saying "thank you" to Grandma Jo and Grandpa Doug! It takes friends to get over, under, through, up and down!
The next weekend, Laura, Melody and I went on a great backpacking trip!
The hikes were rigorous and exciting! On the first day, we bushwhacked for 3 miles and didn't think we had ever been so happy to see rocks before (Laura's husband Billy had marked the beautiful, non-existent trail with them.) then we crossed streams for 2 miles until . . .
Melody found a comfy campsite for us that we thoroughly enjoyed. The next day, we hiked 10 miles up and down a mountain that had beautiful Mountain Laurel's blooming, but you'll have to take my word for it. You see, my camera wasn't working, Laura forgot hers, and Melody's fell into the stream during one of the many aforementioned crossings!
My idea for the theme of this post came from our backpacking trip, because I was amazed at how the three of us fit together so well with different talents! If it hadn't been for Laura, I would have left the trail at a key point and would have been VERY lost. If it hadn't been for Melody, I wouldn't have had such a comfy place to sleep with such a soft, leafy mattress. Such examples of needing each other were numerous! It takes a whole church to have this much excitement for children!
We had our Vacation Bible School last month, too. The theme was learning about Jesus' power and Micah again learned SO much while having SO much fun! I was the Preschool teacher for the 10 sweet children in the two above pictures. Micah chose to invite 3 friends who don't go to our church, since he had been looking forward to VBS for months and telling them all about it.
The crew leaders I got to serve with were awesome!
I loved seeing Micah help friends have a good time! He was even brave enough to go up in front of 400 kids . . .
Twice! Paul enjoyed playing in the nursery with Ben, but they also thought it was quite a treat to sing and dance with the big kids!
By the end of a long, fun week, a tired Paul was needing Noah to care for him.
I suspect that I looked as glassy-eyed as Micah by the end, too.
It takes a community to reach the world!
So many of our friends (Chases and Lookabills) desire to serve people in Japan and our community is trying to help make that financially possible. However, when they come home for a visit, like the Nolls did, it is so wonderful to see them! Paul was happy to see his sweet friend Noa!
Even though these three had been together all week, they were happy to see each other at Liam and Phoebe's 1st birthday party! I envision these guys being members of one body working together, too!