Memor-lily Day Weekend

Miss Lily, welcome to the life of a Stockstill. With the close of Dylan's first grade school year we've hit the summer with both feet running. Last Sunday we loaded up the kids and a few families from church and headed to the Long Leaf Rails to Trails for an afternoon bike ride. My bike turned into the multi-faceted-all-terrain-kid-train-that-doesn't-hurt-my-legs-at-all caravan that hosted Micah in the backseat and Lily in the rickshaw. Shauna and Dylan each biked the 15 mile route solo.

Dylan swept the end of the year awards, aka The First Grade Oscars, winning the Citizenship Award, P.E. Award, Music Award, and the Accelerated Reader Award. I had to whip him with soggy noodles when we got home just to remind him who was boss. Seriously, we are super proud of all our kids. We are blessed to the full extent to parent such great kids.

Last night we headed to the Gulf Coast for "Sounds by the Sea" a Patriotic Performance by the Gulf Coast Symphony. It still gives me chills to see the men and women who so galliantly fought for our country stand as their military branch's fight song is played. One man, in his 70's stood and waved a small flag as the first notes of "anchors away" filled the air. Very powerful. They closed the show with a phenomenal firework display. Micah liked the ones that "flash and sound like a huge gun." Yeah, I like those too.

Shauna and I celebrated the big 13th anniversary today and I must say, it's been the greatest 11 years of my life :)

Julia Roberts has nothing on these lips!

The Kiddos and RoRo!
Her Synchronized Swimming pose (after her NeNaw).

Robin Hood and Lily John

My neighbor Tommy is one of those guys that everyone on the planet wishes they had for a neighbor. He is the master chef, mighty hunter, yard-of-the-monther, and loves kids. Anyway, he dubs everyone he meets with a nickname- Mine is Padre, Shauna's - Warden, Dylan- Matt Dillon, Micah - Big Buddy, and tonight he christened Lily with - Lily John (apparently the name is still in flux until he really sees her personality). But, at this point it is simply a reference to our looks, which is nice considering I don't even look like Micah's neighbor. I must say that babies for the most part look like babies. If their eyes are shut in sleep... then they look like me. If they are open and awake... they look like Shauna. So, depending on what time of day you stumble across her will determine how you finish this sentence, "Oh, she looks just like _______!"

As she grows, however, I am seeing more and more of Shauna (for that she will be eternally grateful). She is precious. The boys have adjusted with flying colors. Laundry has multiplied exponentially. Now, if she will only sleep - life will be good.

Just a lily bit more...

It's finals week at NOBTS (New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary) and all of my creativity has been wasted on the theological dissection of John Bunyan's view of paeto-baptism. (Yes, it is as drab as it sounds). Anyway, here are a few pics of the week gone by.
Steve and Steph (Shauna's dad and sister were here for the week)
Dylan is finishing 1st grade.
Micah is in the middle of a Cpt. Jack Sparrow Crisis.
Lily is growing and giving us hints of a smile.
Shauna is looking like a hot mama of three.
Weather is beautiful (fished in Biloxi with Steve today).
Lot's of yardwork.

That's about all I have to say about that...

The Lily-putians

In Jonathan Swift's masterful "Gulliver's Travels" we are introduced to a mighty lot of mini-people known as the Lilliputians. He uses the infamous six-inch minis to allegorize the bloody nature of the English politicians. He records in detail the cruel methods they bounce around to kill Gulliver. Then out of nowhere Gulliver is confronted with another side of the Lilliputians. A side of mercy, decency, generosity and justice. It is amazing the complexity of the human spirit.

One minute our little ones will be angelic in their sleep.

Then they wake to a dirty diaper.

One minute they seem to be studying every wrinkle in your face with longing affection.

Then they get hungry.

One minute they are cradled in your arms.

Then they poo.

One minute they steal your heart,

the next minute they steal your sleep.