Forty and Ten

 The end of July found my handsome hunny turning forty!!!!! years old.
  About this time last year I had thought I would throw Joel a big party to celebrate.  That was before Timothy.  And plans for an addition on our home and other obstacles to planning a big thing like that. 
We had a nice time as a family.  I made Joel's favorite cheesecake, and a chocolate cake for those of us who hate cheesecake.  Crazy but true.  At least half of us do not eat cheesecake. 
Joel and I also had a nice date night with our friends and neighbors, The Goodmans.  We went out to dinner and had a great time laughing and talking together.  It had been a long time since we went on a real date, and it was fun to share it with good friends.  My parents even kept all the kids overnight for us, except Timmy.  We got up in the morning and got coffee and went to Lowes before getting the kids back.  Very romantic aren't we? 

  Asher Luke can't eat cheesecake, but he sure loves chocolate cake!  Can't believe how much little Luke looks just like Asher did/does. 
All the children made Joel happy Birthday cards, which he had a lot of fun looking at.  Cards decorated with Mustangs (the car, not the horse), and other race cars, hearts and stickers.  These eight children sure love their Daddy!

 Now for Baby-girl's birthday celebration.  Rachael turned ten!!!!! yesterday.  Oh, where has the time gone?  I need to enjoy every minute of it because it is getting away from me.  I have an awful lot of big kids now.  Rachael is a sweetheart and we are so blessed with such a precious daughter. 

 Rachael loves all her brothers, but she has a special bond with Lukie.  Sometimes Luke does really prefer Rachael to me or Joel when he wants comfort or affection.  It is terrible to try to put him to bed if Sissy isn't going right then, or if she isn't home.  He cries and cries.  This is just a little example of Rachael's beautiful, feminine heart.  She LOVES babies.  She loves to bake, and cook and help me.  She does not love to clean though, she is a bit of a pack rat! :) 

Joel and I are so thankful for the gift God gave us ten years ago in Rachael Simone.  She was a beautiful, easy tempered baby.  Born on the hottest day of the summer, it was 104 degrees and super humid, Rachael joined the world at 7:24 a.m. after a labor of about five hours.  She was my hardest natural delivery because of the odd position she was in.  She broke my tailbone coming out.  But we forgive her, and we love her to pieces!!!  Ten years later, she is still a beautiful, easy mannered girl. 

Thanks to Bible School coupons we were able to take Rachael out to eat.  We had free kids' coupons for Old Country Buffet, which is a favorite for our children.  Not our favorite, but it was pretty good.  The last time we were there, about a year or two ago (also for Rachael's birthday) it was a Sunday after church and horribly crowded.  This time, it was much nicer.  It was fun to have my parents join us also.  The combinations the children come back to the table with.  Oh my!  And Luke loves popcorn shrimp I discovered.  And Timothy likes orange sherbet.  Rachael and my mom were sneaking him little licks when my watchful eyes were turned.  We didn't even eat Rachael's strawberry birthday cake since we came home so very stuffed.  We will save it for this evening's dessert instead. 

And a bonus shot of baby  Timothy and Jeremiah.  Timothy is 12 weeks old now.  He is cooing and can roll over from back to belly.  The problem then, is that he gets stuck that way and doesn't really like it at all.  And he lets us know about it.  Jeremiah looked an awful lot like Timothy as a newborn.  All the bigger ones are a help here at home with caring for Timothy.  He is still fussy and cries an awful lot.  So I am glad for the extra hands around to hold him and take him outside for little walks and give my aching arms a small break. 
So that is what we have been up to lately.