"I have been BLESSED!!"

Here is Daddy in deep thought...I think he's trying to outsmart the 3 monkeys in the tub...It would appear that maybe he is really, well, TRYING! Little does he know-there are too many of them and he is NO CONTEST for their little ticking brains!!!


HA HAHAHAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Here is what happens to my days...when Daddy comes home and says, "What did you DO all day?" My answer is right here...need I say more?!

Any time I want to clean...I must forfeit one room for another! It's just a "season", right?

"Cleaning the house while the children are growing is like shoveling snow when it is still snowing!" Phyllis Diller

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Country Girls...don't they look happy? Carissa got her first pony ride at the ripe old age of 2! Anything to be like her sissy... It's almost like they like each other!!

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David is quite the student...Here he is studying for one of his tests-(brain-child!) He is such a cool kid...He is the one that we KNOW for a fact will support us when we are old...He does such an amazing job of loving us! He loves playing outside (when it's cool enough...) and he ALWAYS has a cheerful, "Yes, sure mom , I'd love to!" when asked to do something! Lauryn and Nick are supposed to be doing their school work...HMMM?

What do you think they were up to? No good, no doubt!!

As I looked through my photos today, I was trying to put some order to them...That's when it hit me...I have been BLESSED! They need no order....just to be shared with people we care about.

As the days go on, I see more and more how all the blessings unfold...sometimes it's a little smooch from one of our babies, sometimes it's a smooch from their daddy! Other times I tell my self how blessed I am (yes, occasionally that is a needed step!) and yet other times, God's grace delivers things that I cannot believe... Nonetheless, each day is a new opportunity. In the next batch of photos, you will see some of the other "blessings"!!

A long, lost friend...

I know it's been waayyy too long since I posted. Our lives have been pretty crazy here. Let me update you on the happenings of the Hawkes household. Well, we've grown-that is the biggest thing. Our blessed baby boy Aaron came to us straight from the arms of the Lord on August 11th. He is a remarkably beautiful young man. I cannot believe his sweet spirit. It was not an easy road, but we made it through by the grace of God. I'm pretty sure that is the ONLY way we got through. None the less, we are well and he is a blessing.

My incredible husband and I, we now are the proud parents of 7 remarkable children. Who would have thought 12 years ago that things would have ended up like this!!! Not to mention the major life changes we've gone through along the way. I'll tell you this, I'd do it all over again! and again, and again!!!

As for everything else, well, the weather is looking up! We had the most beautiful weekend-topping out in the 70's or so with some breezy weather-just heavenly. Our brood was outside the majority of the weekend-they were soo overdue for that kind of time!!! Being inside this summer nearly killed us all!! But, now comes our reward-7 months of pure bliss and TONS of sunshine! That's the positive side of it all!! We so enjoy the outdoors from now through May-we are a very outside kind of family.

The fall garden is going in soon. I can't wait for that! There's not much better than reaping the benefits of Robert's green thumb!!! He is an amazing man-I am so blessed to be his bride.

We've also had many, many projects completed in the last several months-of course, aren't there always? Again, I am blessed.

Enjoy your fall days-be richly blessed and keep returning for more postings-I promise!!!!!!!!