Judas' Birthday was a few weeks ago and I made a big fuss about dirt, that was the theme of the party anyway. We had a muddy tug of war in the water filled sandbox and his side won. There was a prise for the most warms found and the best mud sculpture. We were almost rained out but it came down just after presents were opened and the food was consumed. Lucky. We had planned to have a sleepover and a swim with the boys after the party, but had to postpone that for the day after when things dried out. 
JBK is growing into a fairly responsible young man, he is very helpful and kind hearted, just like his Papa. He is mastering his reading skills at 7 and has a good handle on his math as well. The kids are taking some more swimming lessons at Southport and I call him 'The Fish' to boost his confidence.
There is one thing that I'm struggling to teach him as he is smack dab in the "Me" stage and that is being good or doing good not just because someone is watching or praising him. I'm working on having him doing his best just because God sees everything we do. It's not as simple to a 7 year old as it sounds, but I can see the progress in his taking some of the responsibility of caring for himself and others when no one is around.
He listens to an endless array of stories that build his character and I sure knot his responses to some traets like honesty and caring even when he is the center of his world for now.
I was pondering yesterday as I watched my sons giggling and eating their night lunch out on the porch in their PJ's that if this was the only blessing I ever had, being the mother of two beautiful boys, it would be all I'd ever need to know happiness.
