Counting

I keep seeing this drawing online and am reading the myriad of answers.  The question is::

HOW MANY SQUARES DO YOU SEE? 

Most people are saying 26.  They are counting these squares that I have numbered here:

18 + 8 = 26

But MORE squares can be found when putting four blocks together to make a 2 x 2 square.  Which can be done 9 times:

Notice I chose a different color to represent each 2x2 square.

THEN, there are the squares that can be made using 9 blocks

for a square measuring 3 x 3:

 

There are FOUR 3x3 squares (each labelled in a different color)

Finally, there is the most obvious square, which is often the most missed.  The large 4 x 4 square:

SO let's add them all up:  

18 + 8 + 9 + 4 + 1 = 40

40 squares.  

Now, there are others coming up with larger numbers.  I can not see more than 40 right now, but would love to be proved wrong on this count.  

:)  

Down!!....Set!!!....

"E" is now able to get in on the school football fun.  

We are all pretty excited about it and I cannot believe how big 

and TOUGH

he looks in his football gear.  

Yep!  

He is the 

best looking and most compassionate football player I know::

Release

My cousin and her little family are all home from the hospital.  We are so thankful that everyone is off of ventilators, out of medically induced sleep, and taking it one breath at a time, just hoping to make it through the next minute, and then the next one after that.  We covet your prayers on their behalf.  You can imagine what pain and despair can come from their loss.

Though my cousin was not well enough to leave the hospital for her son's funeral, many gathered with her after their hospital release to celebrate her boy's life in a sweet, poignant, beautiful, and tearful memorial.  At the end of our time of sharing memories and encouragement, we released balloons.  

The symbolism of this release was not lost on any of us.

We took our cues from my cousin and her husband.  Once their balloons were released, we let ours fly as well:

A few days after the memorial, I looked at these photos where I tried to capture just the balloons floating in the sky...and it was the photo above where I can see my cousin and her husband...
it was this unintended captured moment that tore at my heart 
all over again.
Do you see them?  In that bottom
right corner?

Even though we know that this precious little man has flown to a better and more glorious place, 

Letting go

 is never easy