Whew!

Well, things are getting back to normal around the Hicks household! Trista and Carli are with Grandma Carol and it's just me, Shawn, and our four left at home. We had a fun time, but I'm gonna be glad to get some rest this week-end! I also learned that God is Good! He is so good that He chose not to give me two sets of twins! Having 2 around the age of 6 and 2 around the age of 20 months was a new experience for me. Maybe if I did have twins, I wouldn't say that, but I don't and I said it.

Whew!

We played tickle torture, water sprinkler, sidewalk chalk, coloring books, picture drawing, duct tape purse making, dress-up, jump on the trampoline, swing, make a swimming pool out of the sandbox... the list goes on! And oh the concerts I got to hear! I wish I had a good video camera to record them on. It was a hoot!

I got to hear Trista ask the blessing for the first time at Papa's house. It was voluntary, but she was so nervous. You would have thought she was being asked to perform in order to win a prize or something. When she finished the smile on her face was questioning, "Did I do a good enough job?" Oh, Trista! God doesn't judge your words to see if they were good enough for Him to offer His blessings! He looks upon your heart and hears what's truly going on in there, and He smiles with gladness because you were brave enough to talk out loud to Him! I did my best to re-affirm her, but a parental/role model figure is always left questioning ourselves, "Did I go a good enough job?" I told her I was very proud and that she did very well.

Carli is a parrot. Don't say anything you don't want repeated around her. She just says whatever she hears. And she speaks so clearly. I wish Hazin would, but I'm sure soon I'll be wishing he'd just stop talking for a little while. Maybe that's just a difference between boys and girls. I remember all of my girls talking early and ALOT! It seemed like all they did was talk (and still is). In fact, Grace has a shirt that says, "Talking is my best subject." If any of you know Grace, you know it's true. Maybe boys just don't start off talking as much. He's my first one, so I don't have anything but girls to compare it to. He sure knows how to make truck and horse noises though! He drives and rides with the best of them. "Brrrrrrrrrrr" and "Yaaah" and "Whoa!"

It was sweet to watch the kids love one another and help each other out. It made me feel good to know Beth and I are doing fairly well at teaching them to love each other. Beth's kids are good at quoting Ephesians 4:32 "Be kind to one another...." anytime she asks, "What does the Bible say about being mean to each other?" It was fun to hear them say it and watch their attitudes change accordingly. Thank you, Lord for giving us your Word to learn from and teach to our children!

Now, what's been going on with you? Are you wondering if you did good enough for the Lord? I can assure you we all have those questions and that none of us do good enough to earn the grace of salvation He offers. But ever are we thankful that He offers it to us!

I hear that God is doing good things in Omaha, Nebraska where FBC Foreman is on mission. I miss Beth so much, but am glad to know that God went before them to prepare hearts and is there now doing a work through them! Lord, bring them home safely.

Hope you all have a good week. Maybe later I'll be able to post something intelligible. Right now, my brain is still mush.