The Beach

It was that time again to make the 4 hour trek down to the coast. Each trip has a little different look and this time we stayed in a little community called Pirates Cove & brought Franny with us. The big things that made this trip different were all the seaweed and the crowds. On the first day we only had about 2 feet on either side before you were encroaching on your neighbor's space. The seaweed was so bad by day 3 that on day 4 we opted to go the the Aquarium in Corpus instead. Don't get me wrong, we did get in the water and although we thought it was gross we made the best of it and had fun, but looking at the pictures I took it does look more like a big play in the sand with your swimsuits on trip.

 The making of sand castle #1

This guy's temperament is such a blessing! Here he is just hanging on sucking on his fingers. 

Crab hunting after more sand castle building on day 2.

I am not sure the final count, but all of them were pretty small.

This was the biggest crab we caught and this was taken after we released him. The kids followed him for awhile.

We usually build the kids one of these sea baths, but we did it this time trying to keep out the seaweed.

Thanks to Nana we had this kite. 

I promise she was on the trip despite the fact that I didn't get many pictures of her. : (

Sweet naps.

This is castle #3. (I didn't bring the camera to the beach on day 2.) This was the kid's sand dribbles.

This was what the other side looked like.

It kinda looked like a wedding cake with a castle top.

The Aquarium

This was the all around favorite part- the dolphin show.

If you have seen Planes then you will understand how much Bailey & Blake wanted to go see the "Jollywrenchers boat" in the background. Maybe next time we will head there.

Feeding the seagulls.

Late afternoon shadows- right to left: Franny, Luke, Mel, Bailey, Blake, Blair, and Beau (in carseat).

It was a great trip and all things considered I still think the beach is the best trip you can take with kids. The kids hardly even noticed the seaweed and they were content for hours just playing. We might look into going to a different beach next time, but you can't beat the drive. We will see. Thanks Port A!

Fun on the Third, Fourth, and Sixth

The last couple of years, we have made a tradition of going up to Santo to celebrate my mom, Robby and America's birthdays.

July 3rd- Happy birthday to Gigi! We sure do love you!

July 4th- Happy birthday to America! I can't believe you are 238!!! I am so thankful that I live within your boundaries! I too often take my freedoms for granted. We had a great day celebrating you!

Beau's first fourth. This guy wasn't feeling super great so no smiles. Gigi had given you this onesie, someone else had given you some overalls, and Tara had given you red, white, and blue diapers so you were decked out.

It was on this trip that we realized that Blair is a pretty good swimmer for a two and a half year old. I knew she was watching Bailey and Blake's swim lessons, but somehow she was able to translate that into her swimming about 5 feet on her own.

She insisted on having her own goggles.

There she goes!

 

A few cousin pictures

I know you can't see Tara's stomach, but only 2 months before we add another one to the mix.

And Luke killed a copperhead. That is always kinda scary.

We opted for doing fireworks at the house, which was fun for little kids & big kids!

  

 

 July 6th- Happy Birthday Uncle Fun!

Say So

At any Young Life camp on the last night you have a "say so". Psalm 107:2 says, "Let the redeemed of the Lord say so" another version says "Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story" and YL pauses to let campers talk about what the Lord did that week at camp. Anyways, this is how God spoke to me at Trail West and I need need to say so.

 This was my nightly view in Colorado.  

 Aren't the stars beautiful and majestic? And yet I could have totally missed seeing this had I not gone outside and looked up. I literally felt like God was whispering "look up Melissa, look up". 

Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name, by the greatness of his might, and because he is strong in power not one is missing. Isaiah 40:26

And He brought him (Abraham) outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Genesis 15:5

I love that Abraham got a sign with a visual reminder and the more I thought about it, it reminded me of the part of The Silver Chair (from the Chronicles of Narnia) where Polly and Eustance were called into Narnia, met Aslan, got instructions or signs for their mission, which was to save the lost prince of Narnia and that they would know their way by following the sign Aslan had given them.


“But, first, remember, remember, remember the signs. Say them to yourself when you wake in the morning and when you lie down at night, and when you wake in the middle of the night. And whatever strange things may happen to you, let nothing turn your mind from following the signs. And secondly, I give you a warning. Here on the mountain I have spoken to you clearly: I will not often do so down in Narnia. Here on the mountain, the air is clear and your mind is clear; as you drop down into Narnia, the air will thicken. Take great care that it does not confuse your mind. And the signs which you have learned here will not look at all as you expect them to look, when you meet them there. That is why it is so important to know them by heart and pay no attention to appearances. Remember the signs and believe the signs. Nothing else matters.”

So, as I mulled on the verses above and was away on my mountain I could totally relate to what Aslan was saying that "here on the mountain the air is clear and your mind is clear". I mentioned it in my Trail West post that I purposefully unplugged as much as possible, which wasn't hard because we didn't have a great internet connection anyways, but still. I also didn't have to cook, clean, or plan anything for a week and by the end of the week I literally felt like I could hear God again. The second part he kept whipsering to me was "Look up Melissa, look up and remember. Remember what I have done for you. Remember how I have proven faithful. Remember."

I can definitely say that the "air is thicker" here in Austin with all the distractions and to dos, but that is where the second part is so important to remember. I can't make the day-to-day burdens go away and I still find it hard to have joy for example as I am changing all the bedding for the second morning because of an over night accident, but it goes a long way to remember "my signs". One of which is when I prayed in the front parking lot of Galindo Elementary discouraged trying to get a teaching job. Wouldn't you know that 6 months later I had a 5th grade job at Galindo. Funny thing was that I somehow didn't connect that prayer to Galindo because for the first 6 weeks or so I parked in the back of the school. It wasn't until I was running late one day and parked in the front (in the same spot) I prayed that prayer and was pretty much blown away. I will never fully know why God waited to answer that prayer, but I think he wanted to show me how much I would enjoy 5th grade as opposed to Kindergarten, which I was certain I was supposed to pursue. I would have also totally taken the credit had I just gotten the job, so maybe it all happened so that I would know that He did it. Kinda reminds me of the story of Gideon- "And the Lord said to Gideon that the people who are with you are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel claim glory for itself" Judges 7:2 God then whittles the army down from 32,000 to 10,000 (which was still too many to 300). Those 300 then went on to win by blowing trumpets and breaking pitchers.

ALL THIS TO SAY, I know God has a purpose for this phase of my life and that if I could just jump to the next phase that I would take credit for something or not have learned something I need to or not grown in some way, so while I am here I need to be content and remember the signs. So this is nothing new, but I felt very clearly God was telling me to remember this. The last part of the Psalm 107 verse that I started with is this "Let the one who is wise heed these things and ponder the loving deeds of the Lord".

Beau at 4 Months Old

He is 14 lbs, 6 ozs (30th percentile) and is 24.5 inches long (25th percentile).  Just for comparison- Bailey was 11lbs, 8 ozs and 24.5 inches, Blake was 15lbs, 13 ozs and 26.5 inches, and Blair was 14lbs, 2 ozs and 25 inches, so Beau is not my biggest or my littlest.

He is grabbing at everything, drooling & making bubbles, rolling from tummy to back, almost laughing and sleeping from 8:30 to 6:30*. (*Trail West and a cold messed this up temporarily, but we are back on track I think).

This was actually at 3 months, but is one of my favorites.

This one is at 4 months old.

Blake at 4

Blake,

You are at such a fun, fun age and there are just some things I don't want to forget about you and age 4. Some of these might stay the same and some may change, but here is a glimpse of what life is like in your world.

• You have the sweetest heart (most of the time), but especially so when it comes to your brother. For example, you want to sit behind Beau in the back of the van so you can help him if he cries or put his paci back in. You are great at getting him to stop crying. If you get something you always ask if Beau can have it too. Oh, and you still love to give me the I love you sign when we you have to say goodbye.
• As best as I can tell you are a physical touch and quality time kid.
• I would describe you as sensitive. 
• I would also describe you as dramatic about injuries and/or when your feelings get hurt.
• You are kinda shy in new environments & don't always transition well.
• You are the most particular person about your clothes and room I have ever met. Often times you will pick out your clothes the night before by laying them out perfectly flat and you wear your favorite outfits as soon as they are washed. I also often find you cleaning your room because it got too dirty. Everything has a specific place. On the dirty note, you will change clothes if they get too dirty. 
• You are a creature of habit. I mostly see this when it comes to the fact that you like to listen to the same CD every night and want to read the same books instead of new ones.
• You get very embarrassed when you are disciplined in front of others and your response shows it.
• I think you are going to be a perfectionist. When learning how to write your name you would get frustrated that it wasn't just right.
• When it comes to your friends you stick to the boys. Same with adults, you prefer men to women. You also seem like you will be the kind of kid to have a few close friends rather than many friends that you aren't as close with.
• You do NOT like or want to get bossed around by kids. It is very frustrating to you! You also don't always like when you think you are getting bossed around by an adult or maybe you just don't want to do what they are asking, but you handle it differently than with kids.
• You are more of an introvert than Bailey. I am not completely sure you are an introvert, but if you have been doing lots of social things you just naturally retreat to your room for alone time. There are also many times you need a 5 minute break while at a playdate before rejoining the group or your friend.
• If you thinks you have been misunderstood, you will say, "no, no, no, no, no, no, no" before trying to get whomever to understand. 
• When ask what your name was the other day you responded with "Blake Colt Penny Mezger." It's really Blake Colton Mezger, but we always tell you that your middle name is like Colt's so I guess there has been some confusion.
• Legos and coloring occupy hours of your day. I would be shocked if you didn't get out your colors and draw or color something one day. I am so proud of how well you can stay in the lines.
• I know you can go to bed without your back rubbed, but you sure do like it.
• You love to climb just like your sister. 
• Superheros and construction are still your things. 
• You often talk about working for your dad one day. 
• The past is always "the other day" or "yesterday".

Thanks for lighting up my days with your smile. Here are some pictures that capture this time.

 

The first time you wrote your whole name legibly.

What your people look like.

Other art work