Not good bye...just see you later!

Summer is a time filled with lots of fun activities but when you live on a military base it's also a time when the streets are filled with moving trucks. This summer is no exception. My good friend April and her family left recently and my friend Krystal is leaving in about a week. I have a special friendship with these women because our husbands were all deployed at the same time and it was such a blessing to have other women around who knew exactly how I felt. We had many play dates, dinners together with all the kiddos, girls nights out with no kiddos, babysitting swaps and much more...so it's hard to see these friends leave. However, I have learned that I'm not really saying good-bye...just see you later. One way to look at military life is that it provides you with friends across the country, or even the world. And when you've really become close with people you know that you'll make the effort to keep in touch. So here's to good friends, good times, and seeing each other again!

The pictures below were taken at the Botanical Garden. It was our last outing all together.

I never thought I'd do it...

I've been battling diaper rash for 7 years now. Some times I feel as if I'm winning the battle and other days I feel defeated. I have tried most of the products out there for a long time I was satisfied with Balmex but I felt so bad when I would rub it on some very red and sore buns and my Little would cry from the pain of the zinc oxide. It was almost too much for a mama to bear. So then I'd switch over to the brown and greasy A&D which has a funny smell but doesn't make them cry. I've been a user of powder and even used plain old corn starch a time or two.
Recently we were out to dinner with some friends and somehow our dinner conversation turned to diaper rash cream and we got to talking about "Boudreaux's Butt Paste" (honestly I can't remember how 4 adults out to dinner with no kids got to talking about this issue). I've just never tried it because it's called Butt Paste, it was a matter of principal, especially now that I have readers in the house who will get great joy out of saying the name of the product over and over again. But my friend pointed out that this particular product was French. He admitted that they had never actually used the product either but he personally thought it was cool. The conversation convinced me to try it on some sore buns that showed up recently at our house and let me tell you...it's not stinky or sticky and IT WORKS! I love it. Except for the fact that you only get a tiny tube for same price as the big tube of Balmex if it clears up red buns and doesn't make anyone cry I'm going to keep buying it. Now I just have to figure out how to keep my big kids from seeing it!

31 years and counting

Today is my 31st birthday. It was a good day. It started with a morning run, followed by play time and lunch with friends, more play time this afternoon, family time at the playground, Bob grilled up some yummy dinner and he and the kids made me a cake. On top of that Bob decided that I needed my favorite concoction at Cold Stone (can you guess what's in it?). After getting home and putting the kiddos to bed we spent time sitting outside talking and watching lighting strike over the mountains. Yes, it was a good day!
During my run this morning and I was thinking about the many ways I've been blessed over my 31 years.

• Wonderful parents who love me
  
• my big brother, who I still wrestle with when we're together
  
• my big sister...all I can say is shenanigans live on
• so many friends who have been rock stars in so many ways
• awesome church families wherever we go
• a husband who loves God and loves me
• 4 children who brighten each day and present me with challenges that I never imagined

I could go on and on and still not recognize all the ways that God has filled my life with joy and gladness. I know that there is so much more to come and it's always exciting to see what will be next. :)