Enjoying the first raspberries of the season

I can almost reach...

I'll help you...what are big brothers for?

My children found a few raspberries already!  I must admit, I think that they were still not quite ripe but they were so excited to spot a change in color, they couldn't resist.

The days with our little ones are passing quickly and I want to enjoy them.  I never realized that it would actually take work to learn to enjoy parenting.  I'm glad for all those encouraging words like, "Enjoy it, it passes quickly."  or "Just focus on raising your children,"  or "You're doing enough." 

For an over achiever and a people pleaser, as I was gently reminded yesterday, I need those reminders to slow down and enjoy what God has given me. 

Oh, if only I didn't need repeat reminders, but alas I am only a human, created in God's image, not in the image of  SUPER MOM. 

Am I just getting Old?

Yes, we've coined a new term for our last trip to a popular theme park in California....

Insanity Land...

Blankie's make everything better....

However, after we got over the impatient feelings of waiting in lines, we did enjoy our times together....

Sisters enjoying a ride together....

Brothers too..."as long as I get to operate the controls..."

Why insanity?  Lines.  Long ones.  Dark and noisy and never ending.  People.  Long ones, short ones.  Noisy and never ending.  Expensive food.  I was warned but not prepared for the $10.50 turkey leg and $4.00 piece of corn on the cob....it was cooked....with butter, does that help to ease the pain?

I did enjoy seeing the smiles on my children's faces and my niece's and nephew's faces, however.  I enjoyed the laughter of my in-laws and their smiles too.  But I was already enjoying those for the past week as I got to witness my husbands' parent's celebrate their 50th Wedding Anniversary.  It was grand, glorious, and beautiful to see family coming together and enjoying one another.  We ate lots of food, enjoyed visiting everyone's friends, playing with new friends, cousins too, and just basking in a bit of heaven on earth.  We were all "living in the moment."

Enjoying seeing the WHOLE Gerhardt Family together again!

So there weren't any wild rides, except for the few spent in the traffic lanes where motorcycles zoomed by on the white lines between vehicles.... but there were wild moments like water fights, climbing trees, lots of food, great desserts made by my sister-in-law, hugs, kisses, and people hanging out without any......LINES.  It was wonderful. 

Brothers and Sisters in the front and in-laws in the back....

Saying goodbye and a few last hugs...

We enjoyed a new found family friend's swimming pool and home and just kicked back and relaxed.  Perhaps "Insanity Land," just couldn't compare with real people, sharing real stories, enjoying real laughter and real times together..