Singing In the Rain

We've had our share of rain. It's especially trying for the cherry farmers. They are blow drying the cherries with their sprayers in hopes of salvaging their crops. The weather was suppose to be all clear starting Friday... but it rain that day and when we came out of church Sabbath it was raining again.

Hot and sticky, but in good spirits.

Some of the wildlife we saw on the trail... He wasn't the only one, but he was the biggest.

Isaac expounding

Buddy needing a hug.

We ate our planned picnic at the dining room table then chose a new hiking spot away from the big black clouds. It was HOT and HUMID; so humid, like we are not used to around here! We were all sweating on the hike. James was struggling. He didn't want to be out hiking which is strange. He loves our family hikes normally and he had my sister's boys to hang out with. So hard to figure out.

It's beginning to RAIN!

Alas the foul weather found us.... and we got caught in a major downpour!! It rained really, really hard on us. There was thunder and lightening and the whole works. James is especially terrified of thunder. It is his worst fear and he was in freak out mode. His fear is not unfounded. Two years in a row when we have had lightening storms we have ended up having major wildfires and he has connected the dots. BUT an interesting thing was about to happen to him. None of the rest of the group made anything of the thunder though it was so close it literally made me jump with a start. While James stayed close, he finally quit crying and fussing you could almost see his anxiety being washed away with the raindrops. Truly there was not a thing we could do about any of it. If there was we would surely not be out in a downpour and thunderstorm with babies. The little guys were absolute troopers. Buddy just enjoyed the ride. Duckie only started crying after he was thoroughly cold. The older bunch were making the most of it singing "God Wants to Hear You Sing" and "Send Us Rain" in four part harmony and having a grand time as they sloshed through the ankle deep creek that our trail had suddenly become... and I noticed that when the group stopped singing, there was a quiet little singing voice still. James was singing to himself, "Tis Love that Makes Us Happy". And ever since, he's been his old self. LITERALLY HIS OLD CONGENIAL SELF! I guess sometimes you have to find out how good you actually have it by going through rougher times and facing your fears. I have often thought that we need to expose this kid to a LOT of experiences. A trip to Africa would be a good thing for him ;-)

Missy thought it all one big adventure but she makes us laugh when an hour into the storm she is still announcing with great urgency that she's "getting all wet!!"

warming the baby between us

no longer hot and sticky but certainly wet!

Well, we had our second planned picnic at the table at home after everyone had a quick shower to warm up and wash off the mud. Afterwards the kids got out their instruments for worship. I love it when we gather to make music.