His little attitude was relatively short-lived. He is smiling again, but that may be because he was given a new Cars outfit which is even cooler than Tigger and Pooh!
if he wanted only an orange-colored cake or orange-colored AND orange-flavored. We opted for orange-flavored because we had recently had every combination of vanilla and chocolate cake/icing between Joe's birthday and cakes at the Grandparents. So we made a yellow cake and a delicious, cooked seven-minute orange icing using fresh-squeezed orange juice and orange peel. We also had vanilla and orange sherbet ice cream to go with it. When I tasted the first bite of cake I said, "Yum, it tastes like sherbet." Samuel then takes a bite of orange sherbet and said, "Yum, it tastes like sherbet." (Well, I should hope so!). Then David takes a bite of his and said, "Yum-my! It tastes like Clemson!"We are all very familiar with that middle passage, about the two copper
coins. We have been conditioned to expect a certain kind of sermon and
application on this passage, perhaps because we have heard it so many times. The
application is something like this: “You need to give sacrificially, like this
woman.” “It’s not how much you give, but what percentage you give.” “God is
really pleased when you give beyond your means and trust Him to take care of
you.” This may be one of the more controversial things I have ever said in here,
but I don’t think this is what Jesus meant at all!
Why would I say this? For a number of reasons: (1) It doesn’t seem to
fit the context of the surrounding passages at all. Jesus has been on a roll
condemning the leaders for several chapters, and He is quite blunt in verses
45-47. And in the following passage, He goes on to say that God will allow the
whole temple to be destroyed! Why in the world would Jesus squish in between
these things praise for a woman who gives all to this very system? (2) Jesus
never actually commends the woman! He doesn’t say He is pleased with her gift.
He doesn’t say He is pleased by her sacrifice. All He says is look: she has put
in more than the others; indeed, she put in everything she had. He doesn’t make
any of the applications I mentioned earlier. They are not in this passage, and
they are not in the parallel passages in the other gospels. (3) I believe there
is another explanation that makes more sense.... Jesus’ point was simply this:
“Look at this poor woman: she just gave all she had! Beware of the teachers of
the law! Look what they will do to you!”
Tina filled David's hat with stuff so that it stood up and he was waving to John who had to run something by a friend's house.
After watching this video this morning one of the other kids said, "I always thought Samuel just talked alot but really he was born that way."
This picture is especially touching, because I know that Samuel is faithful to pray for Pop-Pop often. Samuel was not quite 2 months old in this picture.
Samuel and Legos. He was probably about 5 months in that picture. Samuel actually taught the other kids how to play with Legos. The other kids didn't ever really understand the concept of "creating" with them. They pretty much limited their building to a base and four walls. He built everything from cars to transformers to rockets to robots... and houses too. He still loves Legos and plays with them everyday. 
Sam didn't have the luxury of being the youngest for long. But he has always been a good big brother and I expect him and David to be close all of their lives.
Samuel had little curls in the back and he was about 2 before we actually cut them off. Curls were a novelty in this house of stick-straight hair.
She named him Samuel, saying, "Because I asked the LORD for him." (1 Samuel
1:20)
We had asked the Lord for another son and based on this verse we decided to use the name Samuel if it was a boy.
He is such a playful and imaginative little fellow. Here he was apparently protecting the girls from danger with his tinker-toy and masking tape sword. 
Happy 5th Birthday Samuel. We love you.
"Most of us would be upset if we were accused of being "silly." But the word
"silly" comes from the old English word "selig," and its literal definition is
"to be blessed, happy, healthy and prosperous."
--Zig Ziglar
We are very, very blessed!
1 When the LORD brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men who
dreamed.
2 Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with
songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, "The LORD has
done great things for them."
3 The LORD has done great things for
us, and we are filled with joy. Psalm 126
Hay in the loft.
Other food.
Stew.
Pie.
They have this system to make their dirt very fine. They dig it up, 
and lots and lots of laundry!
