We ARE Family...

No matter what the stress, what the week may have thrown at us, good or bad... We are a Family!! More and more I am finding solace in the retreat of our team of 4!!! I don't know if it is because the boys are at that age now where their personalities outshine any circumstance, or that we are just learning to lean on each other more? Maybe God is just showing us that above all the most important thing is 'US' in this crazy busy world?? Either way Team Lewis had another strong showing this weekend!!! And I loved every minute of it....

It started out with an awesome and almost "whine free" drive around Dallas :))) We stopped after a while and had lunch that at a place that just called out to us...

How could we not eat at a burger joint named Jake's???? It was delish... 

Matt being his normal unique self, got a salad... at a burger joint!!! But hey... he was happy!!!

Next stop was the Dallas World Aquarium... even tho the lines were long and the place was more than crowded, the weather was blessed with rain and a cool breeze (believe it or not), so we were good and patience was on our side!!!

 

I didn't realize this place had as many exotic animals as it did... not just your average aquarium! Maybe that's why it dons the "World" label... but for us it was a fun additive that made the adventure that much more fun!!!

 

Each time we go somewhere, even if it is a small trip to a store or a big trip to an aquarium like this, we always ask each other... What was your favorite part?? 

Here are our answers:

Dad/Shane: the monkeys with the babies on their backs! 

(not pictured, too far for my phone) 

Jacob/Jake/Snake: the sharks, especially the sword shark with razors on it!

Matthew/Matt/BamBam: the monkeys too... cause that's how Dad carries me around!

Mom/Abbey: This picture sums it up...

It is the reflection of our boy's sweet faces in the water tunnel window... being that at a place like this you usually only see the backs of everyone's heads looking into the exhibits, pictures are hard! But for me this captured their wonder, their innocence, and the sweetness they hold in life! If only I could look at the world around me with the wonder and preciousness that they do! I think that it's sad that as we grow and as we mature we loose that wonder, that excitement each new experience could bring. We are too busy to just stand there, with our eyes wide open to take it all in!!! I love this picture, it is a reminder to me that I need to take the time to pause and stare wondering at what is before me more often... I might just catch a glimpse of something spectacular!!

And to cap this day off we ended with a 

little Purple Berri... such a sweet ending!!

 

Smiles all around!!!!

Always - Abbey