Playing with the Snyders and Pappas' in South Carolina

After lots of driving around, we finally arrived back in Columbia to spend a week with the Snyders and the Pappas families. Here are some of the things we did while we were there.

Karah and Micah had fun playing the drums at Uncle David's birthday party

Ashlyn enjoyed swinging with Daddy...

and running around.

Happy Birthday David! Glad we could be there to celebrate with you!

And it was fun to be there to congratulate Niki and Stephen on their engagement!

The family diamond that has been passed down since my great-grandmother looked so beautiful in the new setting.

Stephen and Niki with all the kids!

Karah and Micah decided they wanted to set up a lemonade stand. Here they are making cookies to sell at it.

Looking good!

Micah had so much fun serving all their customers!

And they all had fun playing games while waiting for new customers.

Emily and Ashlyn both love the tub!

Playing "pooh sticks" during a nature hike.

Ashlyn loves trying to keep up with the big kids!

So cute!

Micah was proud of his find down by the river - a clam shells with both shells stick stuck together.

Emily and Melody

Recording their findings on paper

Ashlyn wanted her own piece of paper

Very proud of the lizard they found in the backyard

Everybody contributed to making pizza one night.

We spent one afternoon at the South Carolina State Museum where we met up with an old friend of mine from high school...

Here's Micah digging up dinosaur bones at the SC State Museum

Karah is helping Ashlyn to get in on the action too.

Learning how to weave

Playing in the train car.

Ashlyn loved the telescope!

Checking out an old musket.

The kids all had fun playing "school" in an old one room schoolhouse that now resides in the museum.

Playing in the discovery center.

The highlight of the day for all of the kids was sadly not anything educational that they learned, rather it was having Uncle Mark spin them around and toss them on to the huge pile of stuffed animals in the discovery center. With 8 kids all clamoring for a turn, Mark got quite a work-out!

Tiffany and Barb ~ It was so fun to see you again Tiff! Thanks for driving down to Columbia to visit with us. It was great to finally meet your kids!

A Day at the SC Zoo

Although it rained off and on while we were there, we ended up with wonderful weather on the day we went to the zoo. We met all the cousins at the picnic area and then headed inside to see all the animals...

Crazy cousins...

We were impressed with their Bear exhibit - the bears were in clear sight and actually quite active, something we aren't used to seeing at our own zoo.

Micah was excited about the pony rides at this zoo.

Riding like a pro!

Ashlyn practiced her cow milking skills.

And they all had fun feeding the goats!

The goats were very willing participants in this game!

All the cousins in the wagon.

Micah nearly got thrown into the alligator exhibit! Oh-no!!!

I think the highlight of Ashlyn's day was climbing in and out of the tree over and over and over again!

Playing at Uncle Loui and Aunt Kathy's

The kids enjoyed a stop at the italian ice shop! A great way to cool off from a hot day!

Micah and Daddy got to drive Uncle Tim's convertible over to our evening at the Pappas'

What great adventures Micah found in the South - here is the frog he caught in the Pappas' front yard!

When Nathan and I used to live on the East Coast it became sort-of a tradition for us to all make a pyramid whenever we visited the Pappas home. Well, now we all have kids, so we decided to let them be part of the pyramid this time!

Of course, piling on top of each other for a pyramid quickly turned into horsey rides by all the Daddies!

And what's a night at the Pappas' without any games? Although we didn't stay up until the wee hours of the morning playing, we did get in one game while the kids watched a movie. Guess David was excited about Nathan's farkle roll!

Celebrating Grandma's 86th Birthday!

On our last day in South Carolina we were able to celebrate my Grandmother's 86th birthday! The kids had fun baking a cake and making cards for Grandma!

Singing Happy Birthday!

The kids all helped her blow out the candles!

We all enjoyed a yummy brunch before the cake was served.

We also got to celebrate Aunt Jan's birthday that day as well!

Bettyfae, Ashlyn Fae, and Barbara Fae

A rare picture of Barbara and Melody. After 9 days together, you'd think Melody and I would have more pictures together, but this was the only one, and our babies wanted to join us for this lone picture!

Grandma with 6 of her 20 great-grandchildren!

Soon after the party we headed to the airport to return home to LA. Only in the south would you find rocking chairs while you wait for the plane. How fun! We had a wonderful time visiting with so many people during our vacation. It was sad to leave (especially for Micah), but it was also nice to return to our family and friends at home. Thanks to all of you who hosted us while we were back East. We are so thankful for all these new memories!

"Home" with her Savior

I received news this evening that my grandmother, Bettyfae Sullivan, went home to be with Jesus, after a long battle with Alzheimers. Although there is a sadness that I will not see her again in this life, I rejoice that she is finally with her Savior. What joy she must be experiencing right now!

I am so thankful for the godly heritage that my grandparents have given me and my family. I am so blessed to have had a grandmother who loved God so much, and who diligently prayed for me every day.

And I am so thankful that God granted me the privilege of seeing her one last time, just one week ago, and of introducing my children to their Great-Grandmother, a woman who has impacted our family so greatly through her continual prayers. We will miss you Grandma, but look forward to one day seeing you again in heaven! I praise God for your life that was faithfully lived to the glory of God!

Bettyfae and Wendell, engaged

Wendell and Bettyfae on their wedding day

Ashlyn, Barbara, Grandma, and Micah

Celebrating at Disneyland!

The boys had a fun day celebrating Daddy's birthday ~ they went to Disneyland!!! It's been 2 1/2 years since we last went, so Nathan said it was like the first time all over again for Micah. So fun! And he is tall enough for Splash Mountain now ~ he loved it!

Happy Birthday Honey!

Happy Birthday Nathan! I love you and I am so blessed to be your wife!

Thankful for God's Grace!

Sunday night was a scary time for us. Ashlyn woke up in the middle of the night crying with a high fever. As we were trying to bring down her temperature she had a febrile seizure that lasted six minutes - which seems like an eternity when you are watching it happen to your own child, and there is nothing you can do to help her.

Ashlyn is doing well now and we learned that this type of seizure is very common with young children whose temperature rises quickly. She is still recovering from the illness that caused the high temperature, but today her fever finally broke. As I thought back to what happened late Sunday night, I was so grateful and awed to see God's hand so evident in the midst of it. He has given me so much to be thankful for!

• I'm thankful that Ashlyn woke up and cried so that I was awake and with her when the seizure happened.
• I'm thankful that Nathan was home, and also that he woke up just a few minutes before the seizure. He is so calm and controlled in the midst of crisis situations, and I am not. God is so good to give me a husband who helps me through these times.
• I'm thankful for the 911 dispatcher who stayed on the phone with me, continuing to answer my questions as the seizure seemed to go on and on.
• I'm thankful that my mom immediately woke up to the phone ringing in the middle of the night so I could know that someone else was praying for us. And for my other family members whom she called and prayed for us as well.
• And I'm very thankful for David and Cheryl, our wonderful neighbors who also answered their phone in the middle of the night and came over to be with Micah while we went to the emergency room.
• I'm thankful for a doctor who was kind and gentle with Ashlyn, and very patient with us. He even gave us his cell number when we left. Do ER doctors do that?
• I'm thankful for Steve and Judy, and David, who came to the ER to encourage us as we waited to find out what was wrong with her. It was a blessing to have other people there with us.
• I'm thankful for the timing, that we were in our own home and not on a plane. Only 24 hours earlier we had been on a long flight from Chicago to LA.
• I'm thankful that the seizure is not something that will cause permanent damage for Ashlyn and that she is starting to feel a little better.
• I'm thankful for God's faithfulness to teach me to trust Him just a little bit more through all of this. God is so good!

"The Lord's lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Thy faithfulness. 'The Lord is my portion' says my soul, 'therefore I have hope in Him'." Lamentations 3:22-24