In His Shoes....

Brady literally has been walking in his great grandfather's shoes this weekend...all around the house! It's funny when we have someone over because I just kind of take it for granted, but for little kids it's a huge opportunity to start imitating what they see. Therefore...I'm pretty selective about who is around them, since Brady picks up on EVERYTHING. It was a joy to have my grandpa with us this weekend. Brayden and Trinity both got to have a lot of quality time with their great grandfather, and I definitely enjoyed the company.

We spent many afternoons lounging on the porch, feeling the cool breeze, watching birds fly around the yard picking on one another. Brady spent hours making his water concoction in the big white bucket...one evening was especially fun when Zac was home and we made a fire in the backyard to sit around. Is there anything more relaxing then to sit around and watch a fire grow, burn and flicker, and then eventually calm down, fade away...soft smoke filling the air. The scent of woodsmoke...takes me home. Isn't Brayden's face just hilarious in this picture?

Brady had fun filling up the wheelbarrow with pine cones to be burned...Zac had fun burning them. What a fireman!

And I know this picture doesn't quite *capture* the kid's enthusiasm but that's because they couldn't get their eyes off of the fire that was behind the camerman...er....camerawoman. It was a treasured weekend...Brady now will remember his Papa John forever and ever in his memory and through pictures. Wouldn't it be wonderful if our heart's were saving accounts and memories dollar bills? I would be rich from just this past weekend...but oh yah, I am. I have a warm spot in my heart now, a cherished memory to keep with me forever and ever, richness that can't be measured with silver or gold. Brady walks around fake coughing and clearing his throat like his grandpa....it really is comical. A couple days ago Brayden started calling Trin "pumpkin" after hearing grandpa say it a few times. Oh, and he'll go up to grandpa and say "hey there dahlin" (darling.) It's so incredibly sweet. To walk in his shoes...if Brady were to become a man that loved his family the way Papa John does I'd be "mighty pleased."