Gift #146- A Warm Welcome

Tonight we were "hailed" into Hank's new squadron- The Bats.   It was so nice to get out and enjoy the evening together.  The party was outside and the weather was perfect. The ladies were very nice and made us feel so very welcome.  It is nice to feel like a part of team again.  I look forward to getting to know our new Bat Family.

Gift #145- Slurping Coffee

I like to wake the kids up each morning by singing to them.  But I don't sing just any old song.  I like to make it up as I go along.  I really like to sing opera style.  But I usually save my opera voice for mornings when the kids are extra grumpy.  They love that!  This morning as I was about to go upstairs to wake them for school, I remembered how my dad would wake my sister and I sometimes when we were little.  He would come and sit in between our beds and slurp his coffee really loud and slow!  And then he would say "AAAHHHH".  He would continue his slurping until one of us smiled or finally put our feet on the floor.  I decided to try that with the kids this morning.  Sam and Macy smiled.  I think that I got a smile out of Jack too.  Especially when I told him that was how his Papa would wake me up in the mornings.  Josh did not love it however.  He looked at me like he wanted to throw his pillow at my head.  I can't say that I blame him.  When the coffee slurping didn't work, I moved on to alternating between the slurping and my opera voice.  Worked like a charm.  The memory of my dad sitting on the little desk in between our beds slurping his coffee made me smile this morning.  I have so very many wonderful childhood memories like that.  Each special memory is a gift.  Thanks Dad.  

Josh thanks you too.  :0)

Gift #144- Little Things

I have gotten a little behind on my posts this last week.  I let the laundry and the dishes and swim team practice get the best of me.  Some days, I have a hard time finding a gift to post.  But that is only when I get too busy and fail to see the gifts in the little things-  like the smell of homemade yeast bread, or the excitement over a lost tooth, or Turbo curled up in a patch of sunlight.  Each day brings so many precious gifts.  Both big and small.  It is just a matter of slowing down to see them.  

Gift #143- Meatfest

This is one of Hank's favorite restaurants.  It is called Kikutei, but Hank and  his buddies affectionately refer to it as "Meatfest".   They frequented Kikutei quite often before the kids and I arrived.  All you can eat and drink for 2 hours for a great price was just too hard to pass up.  We all went on Friday night and had a great time.  The kids got to pick their own meats and vegetables and put them on the grill themselves.  Their favorite was the bacon of course!  It was a fun experience for all of us.  Afterwards, we went through the McDonalds Drive Thru for ice-cream.  It was very entertaining listening to Hank try to place the order.  The employee finally told us to pull to the window and we used a picture menu to order.  :0)  Another great evening in Iwakuni.

Gift #142- Little Voices Singing Sunday School Songs

My Little Nephews- Noah and Tyler

My sister-in-law Annie posted this on Facebook today...

Best part of Sunday afternoon: catching the boys singing songs they learned at Sunday school when they think no one is listening... ♥

Her post made me smile.  Because isn't that just the sweetest sound?  I can't think of anything that fills me up much more than hearing one of my children's little voice singing This Little Light of Mine or Jesus Loves Me- especially when they think no one is listening.