Prepare for words.

Stephan is at basketball practice. That makes me smile. He joined our church's brand new team that plays in a city-wide church league. Assuming the best, the Sylvania team charged the court for their first game last week and were handed a powerful loss by a team of super-ninja ballers. After this loss, and in looking at their future competition, the team decided that it might be best for them to start weekly team practices. I love it that Stephan is doing this. He deserves some manly, down-time activity. Also, I really want to watch him play!
 While I was driving my boys home from the Skinners tonight, I glanced behind me to see that Noah was out cold. As I've mentioned before, Noah has decided he doesn't need naps. (I was hoping for at least 2 more years of regular afternoon naps, but alas...) Well, a combination of no napping and intense wrestle mania reenacting with Lydia wore him slap out, and he was asleep in the car at 7:00. As I was glancing back at my sleepy big boy, I see Witten staring at his brother with a goofy smile on his face. Then, Witten looked at me, pointed at Noah, and, holding a chubby finger over his mouth, shushed me very loudly and with a lot of spittle. I laughed very hard. These boys wear me out daily, but there are so many moments of superseding joy and love with these two that I never ever regret my situation or long for another life.
  I wrote in an earlier post about Sias Du Toit's health scare. Now that the best has happened and the trouble has passed (praise God forever!), I can share the extent of this health scare. Sias' tumor was cancerous. Stephan's father had cancer. I say "had", because the doctors removed the tumor and a lymph node gland and checked the gland for cancer as well. The lymph node came back clean. Sias was, and is, completely cancer-free. He's also lost upwards of 15 lbs and the doctors fixed a hernia while they were in there. The weight of the possible, horrible medical battle that Sias might have faced had the cancer spread outside of his tumor has never settled on my or Stephan's mind, and I thank God for that. My grandma battled 3 forms of cancer and surpassed all the doctors expectations, and still she was only with us for 7 more years. If Sias had been given a possible expiration date much sooner that we were ready for, I don't think this family could have handled it. God is good, He is good, His loving kindness endures forever!
  In other news, Noah and some of his similarly-aged friends are learning to swim!

Lucy, Noah, Wyatt, and Lydia, only a little afraid of the water.

I love Wyatt's face in this one. He's clearly a little bit proud of himself for jumping in the pool.

The kids are actually quite good at listening to Miss Amy. Most of the time, anyways.

It's Noah's turn to jump!

Yeah, Noah!!

 These 3-ish year olds are (hopefully) going to be swimming in no time! Especially Madi. That little girl is a fish! But don't call her that. She will very seriously tell you "No, I am not a fish."
   last Saturday we went to the Jacksonville tomato festival with the Robersons, sans the daddies. It was muggy and warm and there weren't a lot of actual activities, but Madi got to have her picture taken with Dora the Explorer, so she can die happy now, and Noah got a free balloon, so it was a successful outing after all.

This is before the sweaty, flushed pictures. And Wyatt was also there for a bit. 

This last one is a picture of Noah hugging brother Witten and cousin Bear at the same time in Oupa's hospital room when we went to visit him. It was sweet, but they didn't really pay much attention to Oupa. Silly, loud boys!

  Well, friends, you have been updated and I have the hiccups. Oh wait, we closed on out new house today, so that's some awesome news to add to the list. If you take anything away from this post, dear readers, let if be this: God is good all the time. His methods may seem questionable to us at times, but He can see the big picture and knows how to cause all things to work together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. Therefore, be of good cheer!
  Be blessed, readers!