Christmas in July

The last few days have been so nice....there have been ups and downs but all-in-all, things are going very well.  I am in awe at how God has put together our family and how He is growing us.  Each one of us is being stretched.  I titled this Christmas in July because when we had our first baby Parker, she came home from the hospital on Christmas Day.  She was born on December 23.  It seemed to stay Christmas for a good year or so.  We felt so blessed and like we had gotten the best Christmas present we could ever imgaine....next to our relationships with the Lord and grafting into His family.  Yesterday ended with standing at the front door looking for the "de" which is deer in Jake's new English.  The night before we had seen a mom and 2 tiny baby deer.  It was so awesome.  The deer visit our yard each night around dusk.  Last night I was out of fresh, clean pajamas so we went to the Christmas ones.  I was totally fine with it.  It feels like Christmas here again in the Stanley household anyway.  Both yesterday and today we spent time out in the yard enjoying the waterhose, bubbles, popsicles, our new picnic table (thank you again friends!), and today we had a mini pizza party and movie at lunch time.  It has been so sweet.  I am so enjoying getting to know Jake and also seeing each of the children and their budding relationships with him and him with them.  There is so much more to tell, but enjoy some pictures for now.  Blessings and thank you for the prayers!!