The Hicks Family

This week I flipped my off day from Friday to Monday.  So, I decided that Collier and I would head out for a zoo adventure before the heat of the day took over.  This was Collier's second trip to the zoo.  I wasn't sure how into it he would be.  My biggest goal was to get him to play in the water area (for those not in Alabama, our zoo has an area that shoots up water from the ground and lots of bubbles and the kids can run and play.  perfect for cooling down in this Alabama heat).  I just knew that he would love it since he has taken to the water so much this summer.  I was very wrong.  He wanted nothing to do with it.  Which is really fine with me, I just know that he is missing out!  But we did get to see lots of the animals, ride the train (he loved the train...it was his first train ride and loved hearing the whistle), ride the carousel  twice, and did lots of running.   I thought that it was a fun morning and enjoyed my time with him.  I had to be really silly in the car on the way home to keep him from falling asleep.  Needless to say he took a long afternoon nap!

All of that after our weekend trip to Eufaula.  He got quite a treat to go fishing with his Popoo and Uncle Ryan and Daddy....Daddy bought him his very own fishing pole so that he would not try and use the big boys.  That was a really good plan since before the weekend was over it was just about broken, thankfully Justin had the right tools to fix and repair.  We are working really hard on understanding that everything can not be slammed on the ground like a hammer and NOT be broken.  I am not sure why or how he is so rough...but he in deed is!  And as I am reminded in my memory verse he is 'God's
masterpiece' (Ephesians 2:10)...indeed he is, this Momma just needs to have Godly wisdom in teaching how to be gentle!  He loved riding in the paddle boat  - I even took him for a paddle in it!  Great exercise, although I am not as comfortable in the water as it is back in a slew (is that how you spell that? do you know what I mean?)  and Justin saw a little alligator the day before cruising around....I was more than concerned about his momma being around.  Although Justin assured me that it was no longer in need of its momma!  I was not so convinced.  So I basically went in circles in front of the dock in case I needed to make a quick escape! Thankfully that wasn't necessary, either way Collier loved it.  We did go swimming over on an island where there are not alligators and Collier went 'uder wader' twice and did really good both times.  He is so very comfortable in the water and I am also thankful for

I was thinking about the heat and the weather and was starting to complain about the amount of heat that we had and suddenly our troops and soldiers popped into my head.  I need to be more thankful for them and the fact that they are in horrible heat and circumstances that I can not relate to yet they do it so that I can have freedom.  I am so thankful for those men and women.  I am praying for them today!