A happy heart does good like medicine!

The summer of 2010 is flying by so quickly. There haven’t been too many days to kick back and relax – especially relax by the pool!

But after a grueling day yesterday, morning Doctor’s visits, running errands, and getting prepared for tonight, we took a break and headed to the pool.

I have enjoyed every phase of the girls growing up – but I’m loving this age! Monday afternoon the 5 of us spent about 5 hours together doing “stuff” that needed to be done.  I still marvel when I watch the four of them walking in front of me – all as tall or taller than my 5’8″, laughing and chattering like best friends and sisters should…and I see the stages – babies, toddlers, chubby little girls, learning to honor one another, – learning that they are each other’s best friends!

I had a woman once say to me that she would keep her sons but she wouldn’t have children again if she knew she was going to have daughters. I thought I was going to be ill. I couldn’t imagine life without my four girls. The conversations, the laughter, the opportunities to invest in their lives on a daily basis is so rewarding – and honestly for the most part just flat out FUN!

There have been days when we’ve all thought we were going to pull our hair out – (maybe Matthew most of all – poor guy – in a house w/ 5 women) – but those have been some of the sweetest growing times in the end.

Family is such a wonderful design by God. In the family unit we SHOULD have the complete unconditional love to grow, the freedom to fail – but not be a failure – to gain knowledge and move forward, to have many shoulders to bear the burdens of life, to have sandpaper that softens our rough edges with love. Family is there to hold our hand when the heart hurts, when the souls sings – they sing with us…even if we’re off key!

I didn’t know where I was going to take this post when I started typing. We have had a crazy kind of summer. Not one that I’d like to repeat again. It’s been so fun just to hang out with my girls the past two days – to laugh with them – at them – and to enjoy, really enjoy the sweet days of summer!

I’ll close with this request – Grace, our daughter in the above picture is dealing with some medical issues. We are so thankful for the way that we have seen God work so far and for the Doctors that God has given us to work with throughout this process. As she comes to mind – we would appreciate your prayers.

Enjoy your summer days – cherish your family!

Sheila

grace, Hannah, Mariah, summer, swimming