The kids needed to be active and the weather was hot but somehow water play was “boring.” So Mom decided to put a little excitement back into the slip n slide!
Enter the “slide n slide!”
This proved to be just the excitement needed!
Getting a drink
Flora and Iris warm up in the sun.
Dad comes out to play and things get turned up a notch.
Enter the triple slide!
A little more speed and you catch some air at the end!
When bed time rolled around there was no protest – mission accomplished!
After more than a month off from having the baby, we needed to turn our attention back to the garden again. Time to harvest corn, till, pull some weeds and make ready new sections for next year.
After listening to a radio drama about a little boy who enlisted in God’s army and took orders from the Captain’s book (Bible), we decided to try the same thing. The morning of our harvest we read in Proverbs about honoring God with your first fruits and then your barns will be filled to overflowing. I asked the kids how we might honor God with our corn harvest. They suggested giving the first ones away to God, and we discussed which friend might be the lucky recipient.
That evening we pulled the ears and the kids had a grand shucking party while Daddy tilled and I pulled up the stalks. I set aside several good ears to give away. As we were working, the package truck drove by on his way to deliver to a neighbor. My Dad worked for FedEx for a time and I had the privilege of helping him sometimes. I have a great sympathy for these hard workers and knew this truck was out late at the end of a long day.
Iris enjoys some of the first fruits.
The idea popped in my head that the driver might enjoy some garden produce and maybe we could brighten his work day. I felt a little shy to hand something out to a complete stranger and wondered if he would even like corn, but like the boy in the story, I knew I had to obey my orders. I told the kids what we would do and then went to the end of the driveway to meet the truck as it came past.
The truck stopped and the driver was delighted to receive the corn and a cucumber. He thanked me several times and then stopped me as I backed away from the truck. He asked how many kids, then pulled out his cooler and handed me the rest of his cold drinks he had packed for the day! I thanked him and he drove off, leaving an ecstatic bunch of kids behind him! What a neat way for God to illustrate His Word and the reward of following His orders for the day.
I thought our readers might like a little background on our baby’s name.
Skye Kristine Cahill
The heavens declare the glory of God, the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Psalm 19:1
The sky is always changing. Whether regular blue, a moonlit night, a beautiful sunset or a gathering storm, each phase shows the glory and might of the Creator, God. Our prayer for Skye as she grows and changes, is that the sunny days and the life storms would also bring glory to the One who created her and loves her.
Kristine is a new friend on the horizon of our life. Her family and ours have been put together with beautiful timing. She has blessed Amy with friendship, help, encouragement and love all through this pregnancy and played a crucial role in the birth of this child.
Happy mother with her little girl.
The growing clan. The kids enjoy their new sister, giving her a cuddle and exclaiming how she is so adorable!
Our newest arrival,
Miss Skye Kristine Cahill!
Skye alerted her mom that she was coming in the wee hours of Saturday, May 30th, but dawdled about coming most of the day. She got serious starting around 4:00 that afternoon and made her appearance at 5:38 pm. Her Daddy handled a somewhat hasty entrance like a pro, assisted by her Aunt and a good friend. The midwife arrived in short order and quickly made sure all was well.
Skye weighed in at 8lbs. 4oz., our heaviest baby yet! She measured 21 in. long and has a distinct Cahill look about her.
Skye was much anticipated and enthusiastically welcomed by her siblings.
Even the one that prayed for a brother was glad to see her!
Iris enjoyed having a pacifier buddy.
Well, the kittens came and are already opening their eyes!
The chicks hatched on schedule and provide much entertainment!
Ivy has her two favorites – Tiny Tim and Jezebel. The others have been named Arrow-dart, Snow White, Stormy, Coco, Snacks and Egg Yolk. Brian and I have declined the kids’ help in naming our baby.
Yesterday afternoon we walked out to a surprise – two little goats were there to greet us! This momma did a great job handling things herself and we are blessed with two girl babies which we plan to keep.
They are so small and cute right now! Iris isn’t sure what to make of them yet but she enjoys them. They look very similar – one is a little lighter than the other. Previous goats had been given names from Disney movies and there was an enthusiastic vote that these two should be called Elsa and Anna.
And now I’m the only one left, with just a week until my due-date!
