Watkins Glen--Family Day in NY State

 After our road trip East, we had a bonding day at Watkins Glen State Park in New York, just a short drive from our base in Northern PA.  Here are the guys ready for the hike!

 Here's the fam, Nate's parents, and the Beckers 5 (so make that Beckers 7!).  It was a perfect day with great weather, strong bodies to hike and wonderful memories.

 I reached down to grab a walking stick for Malachi, but almost grabbed this instead!  Ah!  A snake eating a frog!  Ewww!  Some of you may wish I hadn't posted that, but for others it will be your favorite picture.  We have to keep the male audience interested you know!

 Here is the beautiful scenery!  Apparently there are 19 waterfalls!

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Eastern US Road Trip--Nate, Jessica and Luke

 August 13-20 Nate and I left our older 2 boys with Grandma and Grandpa Becker, our longest apart from them as 2 parents.  Luke was a peaceful guy, who wouldn't want to be left behind.  We had our map quest print-outs and had finally coordinated with just about everyone we would visit.

 First stop--New York City!  If you read my previous post, you'll see we are staying in a small town.  Amazing the contrast you can see in one day!

 Taxis and bridges--I was sorry Elijah had to miss this.  He would have loved it!
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Smalltown, Pennsylvania

I've almost always lived in cities.  The only exception is when I went to college at Briercrest in Canada (lovely town!).

Now for the month of August, I have been getting to know this small town in Northern Pennsylvania.  It is very cute and classic, almost like a setting for a movie.  The Pennsylvania Grand Canyon is nearby, so the tourists keep the town up-to-speed (with things like wireless internet and MacDonald's).

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County Fair in PA--Many Firsts!

 It was our first time to a county fair with the boys!  I have tried many times to explain a "Ferris Wheel" to the boys, but this time they actually got to go on one. 

 Malachi peeks over the bar on the ferris wheel.

 Nate and Luke are buddies in green.  See the lovely view beyond?  PA is such a pretty state.

 These really long, fast slides you ride down on a potato sack.  Malachi looks nervous!  CLICK TO SEE MORE PICS FROM THE FAIR

Family Mems in OH and PA

 Nate's sister, also named Jessica, and I!  She is expecting her 3rd son also!  Fun cousins for our 3 boys!

 Malachi and his 2 little cousins feeding the ducks together.  Buddies!

 Nate pushes E and M through the park.  Such great parks in America!

 Malachi is such a fun boy.

 On the road heading through Pittsburgh, PA.  The boys did better than I thought they would.  Praise God for that!  Keep praying for our travels and visits =)

 At Grandma and Grandpa Becker's house in North-western smalltown, PA.  Fun tractor rides with the grandkids.  CLICK TO SEE MORE PICTURES, INCLUDING SOJO's VISIT!

Wood to Fire

"As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire,

so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife."
Proverbs 26.21

We had all been at each other's throats for a couple of hours.  It seemed like we were constantly quarreling: Elijah against Malachi, Elijah against me, me against Nate, Malachi smashing Luke...

The 5 of us were in the car and decided to buy firewood for the smores.  While Nate and the 2 boys were out getting the wood, I turned on the Kindle for a few quiet moments alone to resume my Bible reading for the day.

I thought it was totally ironic that

Uninviting or Welcoming?

I was on an early morning walk with Luke through a neighborhood of Ohio, when this sign struck me. It is something I have noticed in American culture that really strikes me as unwelcoming.  I thought, "Gosh, I guess I will stay clear of that area!  I wouldn't want the dog to come get me!"

In Asian culture people are much more welcoming of kids, but in America they seem to be in the way.  I must try to hush them or apologize for them.

In Asia they have a view "There's always room for more", and you can see them squeeze a whole neighborhood of people onto a Jeepney.  In America they ask how many kids you can have based on how many car seats fit in the car.

I'm risking a little here, putting my real thoughts out there on this one, but I am going to give it a shot anyway.

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Ohio---Becker Blast--30 Pics

 For one week we stayed with 5 couples and 5 little kids in this cottage at Maumee Bay State Park in Ohio.  It is bigger inside than it looks outside, though it can be a challenge to sleep under one roof.  Nate's parents were gracious to sleep in the living room!

 It was a joyous reunion--the last one was in 2008 when Elijah was only 2 months old. Now there are 5 grandsons (Grandpa Becker is peeking out below).  This is one of the grandfathers that Luke's middle name, Robert, was named after.  Nate is on the left, Stephen (his bro) in the middle and Tim (his bro-in-law) on the Right.  Malachi pictured also.

 Here's the whole clan!  What a loving family!  We had family devotions and dinner each night.  Then we did various other activities during the week.

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