Embracing Him

The generous person will be prosperous, and he who waters will himself be watered. (Proverbs 12:25)

<

Praise God! Our air conditioner has finally been repaired, so we’re settled back at home again. Even while we waited for the repairs, God continued to provide for us through the generosity of family and friends. JT and I are so very thankful for the family and neighbors who helped us beat the heat!

Last Saturday, when the air conditioner “officially” died and the temperature soared to 94 degrees, our neighbors Gary and Maureen blessed our family with a special treat. Their church was hosting Family Fun Day featuring food and games at a local entertainment center. Not only did they invite us to join them, but they paid for our family’s tickets as well! What a wonderful blessing from terrific neighbors!

Sweet Pea and Sugar Plum had a blast! They enjoyed tasty snacks, played skee ball, and had a marvelous time jumping around in and sliding down the huge inflatable bouncers. JT and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing our girls having so much fun.

After we left the entertainment center, we packed up our things and headed over to my mother’s house. She allowed us to stay with her for several days and nights while we waited for the air conditioning repairs. We thank my mother for allowing our noisy little family to camp out at her house for several days.

It’s great to have such kind neighbors and loving friends! The Thorpe family thanks you all!

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31)

My husband has degrees in aeronautics and astronautics engineering, which makes him a real life “rocket scientist”! JT loves planes and in fact, if an airplane is flying overhead, he can always tell me what type of aircraft it is and who made it.

Recently, an air show was held in our area, and I knew it would be a fun family outing JT would especially enjoy. I had never been to an air show before, so I didn’t know what to expect. However, with JT serving as our guide, we were able to navigate through the many different aircraft displayed on the grounds and learn more about the ones soaring above us. While there, I learned a few unexpected things too.

Lesson #1: Some military aircraft are huge, really huge! Obviously, I knew aircraft had to be large enough to transport troops and tanks, but I never knew how huge some were until I saw these mammoth planes up close.

<

Lesson #2: An air show is extremely loud! When the Thunderbirds performed their maneuvers above our heads, I thought we were all going to go deaf! After listening to the roar of fighter jets, I realized just how loud and frightening a war zone must be! I was especially concerned about the children’s ears, so we purchased earplugs for them.

Lesson #3: It’s impossible to keep earplugs in the ears of a toddler! Thirty seconds after this photo was snapped, Sugar Plum yanked them out. We tried several times to put them back in, but it was a futile effort.

Lesson #4: Fighter jets fly fast. Sometimes, they move much faster than the shutter of our camera. Here’s an example of what happened when I tried to snap an F-16 soaring overhead. Notice the beautiful blue sky. Notice the poof of white clouds in the lower right hand corner. Notice the black speck in the center of the photo. That’s the fighter jet.

Our trip to the local air show was exciting and fun! We’ll definitely be looking to see when another one comes to our area. In the meantime I’ll look for better earplugs and give my shutter finger some exercise!

Your father and your mother shall be glad, and she that bore you shall rejoice. (Proverbs 23:25)

Lately, Sweet Pea has been feeling a bit envious of her little sister. If I’m holding Sugar Plum, Sweet Pea informs me that I did not hold her today. If Sugar Plum gets a kiss from me, Sweet Pea rushes over to get one too. If I’m spoon feeding Sugar Plum, Sweet Pea needs to be spoon fed too!

Earlier this week, Sugar Plum took an extra long nap, so Sweet Pea and I had an opportunity to enjoy some extended one on one time together. It was a treat for both of us. We planted strawberry plants, iced cupcakes together, and enjoyed lots of tickling time on the couch. I read her God Gave Us You and reminded her of how much she is loved.

Though I’m still in the early miles of my motherhood journey, one of the important lessons I’ve already learned is the great value of spending one on one time with each of my children. Bonding by way of day to day interactions allows me to build unique relationships with each of my girls. Right now I’m laying a strong foundation so that in the years to come, I’ll be able to communicate with each of my daughters openly and effectively.

I truly enjoyed the “Mommy and Me” time Sweet Pea and I shared earlier this week and I’m looking forward to doing it again. I plan to incorporate a regular Mommy and Me time into both the girls’ schedules. During that time, we’ll relax and enjoy each other’s company and I’ll get to know and understand them better. I’m sure we’ll make lots of memories!