Micah At 5

This weekend I volunteered to work at a children's clothing and toy resale that my sister-in-law works at every year for an organization called Step-by-Step. Before you think that I'm such a good person to donate my time, I worked one shift so I could shop an hour earlier than the general public. As I sorted through baby clothes, it suddenly hit me just how far out of the baby stage we are. It seems like only yesterday I was carrying around a snuggly little chubby-cheeked baby with the cutest fro you've ever seen (left: Micah's 1st birthday), but it's been five years since God placed that Brazilian baby boy right into our arms. I could never have imagined just how much joy and life he'd bring to our family. This past Saturday we had a farm-themed birthday party for him (okay the farm part was for me), and it was extra special to celebrate with cousins from both sides of the family.

Micah's not in many of these pictures because he was having so much fun running around with friends and cousins that he rarely stopped for a photo.

John Deere fabric, miniature bales of hay, and "chicken feed" in pails out on the picnic table.

Kids ate hotdogs, corn on a stick (thanks, Luciana), chips, watermelon, and haystack cookies (again, Luciana to the rescue)

The farmyard cake (my crowning glory) made possible by Hobby Lobby. (Please note: This is not an organic farm. The ducks and chickens have been pumped full of hormones making them the size of cows and pigs:)
Micah finally gets those trick candles blown out.

Everyone left with a favor bag of popcorn balls (wrapped to look like farm fresh apples), a seed packet of chocolate-covered sunflower seeds labeled "Farmer Micah's Incredible Edible Seeds," Cow Tails, and a bundle of colored pencils (absolutely no farm tie-in).

After the party, we all went to Kline Creek Farm, a local living history farm, where an old-fashioned country fair was being held. The kids saw a cowboy perform gun tricks and each got to try to crack the whip. They visited farm animals and saw a large hay wagon pulled by horses. They played some old-fashioned games for prizes and just had fun running around. It was a great day!

We love you, Micah!