Long time, no blog

I noticed that tomorrow is AUGUST and I haven't blogged since June. I wanted at least one blog in the month of July, getting it in just under the wire. We went back to Oklahoma and saw family, introduced Hayes around. Unfortunately I didn't take a single picture! The had a photo shoot with my sister, though.....Walker flashed some gang signs.

They wandered through the wilderness.....

And soared through the air.

There were a few good ones of them together, too.

Thank you sista! Love their sweet faces! And do you love their shirts?? They are courtesy of Tom's "Houston fam", as we call them. Love it!

The kids were spoiled, Tom and I relaxed, and my sister and I did a 5k on the 4th of July. I actually do have a picture of that but I look like an oompa loompa next to my tall and tan sister so it's not going on this blog. I think this was the most celebrated birthday I've had in years. Tom and my mom conspired to make me a hair appointment, so it looks better than it has since pre-kids. If someone could come to my house everyday and blow dry it, though, that would be helpful. Tom also went overboard on the birthday presents. I wanted a Garmin and that's it. Nothing else. He gave me a bagful of cool running gear.......no Garmin. After I got to the bottom of the bag he gave me one last package. Ha! Nice move, Goolsby. Our sweet life group brought me some gourmet cupcakes (RED VELVET!!) to celebrate my birthday, and I had a night out with my playgroup friends. I am so blessed to have such great friends to go through life with. It just makes everything so much sweeter.

Other than that, we haven't done too much. It's been so hot!! If it doesn't involve water, we really can't go outdoors. This is what we did tonight. I love their smiles.

Harris had a minor breakdown at being that wet and not in a bathing suit, but he got through it.

Tom got Hayes in on the action.

Here's Hayes, wishing his mommy was holding him because she doesn't do things like that.

Or maybe that isn't what he was thinking.

I could have cropped Tom out of this pic, like he obviously wanted, but that wouldn't be any fun.

The boys are all doing well, growing way too fast. Harris has totally succumbed to the lure of Legos. He is totally hooked and just likes to admire his creations. Here he is with them all assembled.

He got a few of those as a reward for sitting quietly through my entire root canal. THE WHOLE THING. I was there 3 hours and he was a rockstar. Some of them he got from Mimi and a few he earned by doing some chores.

Walker is thinking about potty training. It seems he's thinking that he doesn't want to do it.

I think he'll just decide one day that he's ready and then he'll be all set. He's so determined, once his mind is made up he's going to do great. I just hope he makes up his mind sooner rather than later. Either way, there is never a dull moment.

He's been calmer lately and lets me read to him at night and naptime now. Our routine is to read nice relaxing books, then he climbs on my back and wants to be tossed over my shoulder into his bed. The rowdier the better! Only little Walker would want to go to bed that way. By contrast, Harris insists that his blanket be perfectly straight before he lays his head down.

Hayes is doing great! He's just happy and chubby, so content. He found his hands.

He's content to just be.

He really loves to have his clothes changed and just beams every single time a shirt goes over his head. It's so funny what random things they like. Harris and Walker always giggled when we changed their sheets, for some reason.
So summer is winding down but I'm not sad at all. It's time for jeans and sweater weather. We have a little getaway planned in August and then Harris starts pre-school and we can get back to a routine. I'm most excited about going back to my favorite bible study (CBS, woo hooo!!) and getting back to a training routine.

This is on my agenda if anyone wants to join me. All the profits go to fund adoptions and you can sign up to support specific families if you know anyone going through the process now. It's a race for a GREAT cause.  Training officially starts next week (if you follow a 12 week plan) so there's still time to do it!

I'm watching the Olympics as I type this and a Russian gymnast just blew her balance beam. I'm glad that's good for the US but there's just not anything satisfying about seeing someone let themselves down after a lifetime of hard work. The message at church Sunday was about viewing life from God's perspective instead of our cultural perspective. This is one of the passages referenced.

1When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 3He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra tunic. 4Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. 5If people do not welcome you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave their town, as a testimony against them.”
Luke 9:1-5

Jesus knew not everyone would be receptive to their message. Jesus expected failure, at times, but wanted obedience in spite of the certainty of failure. Our culture may focus on winning but that isn't God's view. He would celebrate the obedience and participation in building his kingdom regardless of the outcome. He would cheer that you perservered and were willing to do as he asked. This video shows a kid that finished a race though it was over before it even started. Not a "winner" but his father is SO proud.


I've had a hard time with a failure lately. I put myself out here on this blog and it makes it that much harder to stomach when I miserably fail to represent Christ. But I'm in the race. It was a release for me to remember that and to just keep going, regardless. To learn from it, certainly, but to move forward and put the past in the past.

But still, I love to see my team win.

                          USA! USA! USA!

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.
Romans 12:1-2