Marshmallows and Prayers

Over the weekend, I think the temps were in the single digits where my parents live in Michigan. And I think the temps were in the single digits where we used to live in Chicago. The temps were pretty cold where we live now, too. But guess what? They weren't in the single digits. 

Cold enough to feel like winter, but warm enough to be bearable outside and warm enough to be comfortable by a fire. And that's just what we did!

My boys could hardly make it through dinner because they were so excited to "be by the fire and roast marshmallows on a stick. But not too close to the fire cause we don't want to get burned. But it's okay if our marshmallows burn. But I don't like them when they burn. But I can roast another one if that happens..." The excitement was too much and they weren't even talking in normal sentences.

Annalyse enjoyed watching the flickering flames for about 15 minutes, and then made it clear it was bed time and she was through with the whole smoke-in-the-eyes thing. I plopped her in a swing just inside the door and she was snoozing in no time. Grady Lee's response? "Now I can can have more marshmallows cause she won't eat any, right Mom?" He's an optimist.

I lost track of how many marshmallows we all ate, but that's okay because sugar and calories never count when it's for something special. Micah tossed a few rather crisp marshmallows over the deck and into the woods "for the raccoons and the squirrels in case they get hungry." He's a giver.

Sunday morning was another one of those I-really-wish-we-lived-closer-to-family kind of days. Our Baby Girl was publicly dedicated in front of our church family.

Grady and I tried to really talk this up and do all we could to help encourage and motivate the boys to be on their best behavior: Hands go in pockets but not on each other; Feet go on the floor and not on each other; Mouths stay closed and not full of yelling questions; Whining and pouting weren't options.

Be still my beating heart, but my boys were angelic. Saint-like. Scarily perfect.

That settled it: we're now going to find some kid to borrow every Sunday from here on out to have dedicated if it helps ensure proper and obedient behavior from our boys.

(A shout out to our friend Heather for snapping a few pics and to our friend Bryan for videoing the whole thing.)

While waiting for our turn to go on stage, Grady Lee drew a picture of our family. After the service, a sweetheart of all sweethearts handed me a picture she drew of our family. Both pictures are precious.
The funny thing though? Grady is missing in one picture and Annalyse is missing in the other. Oh well... at least I made it into both. (Ha!)