16 !

Wow! The years just seem to be flying by! I wish we could have a rewind button for time. But since we don't, I'll just settle for looking back through the years via pictures.

I can't believe my younger son is 16 today! It seems like just last year he was crawling around trying to keep up with his big brother and sister, and banging his head on the floor whenever he got frustrated. (Thankfully, he has outgrown that habit!)

He is becoming such a mature and considerate young man. And he still keeps us laughing. Life would be so boring without him. Thankfully the Lord knew we needed a Michael in our family.( As I'm typing this, he's trying to talk his sisters into making him waffles for lunch. Come on girls- it's his birthday!)

Happy 16th Birthday Michael James!

I love you!

Good Grief !

Remember this?

Yeah, six monthes ago we had 20 inches of snow; and the temp got down to 19 below 0.

So far this summer we've had 31 days above 100.

Today, this is what my thermometer read.

In the shade.

Which is why instead of playing and romping,

this is how my dogs are spending their days.

Yeah, I am actually watering the ditches they dug in my garden.
Just for them.

Might as well get some use out of that garden this year.

Maybe that's why they call it the dog days of summer?

This,

is looking pretty good to me right now!

Tell Me It Isn't So!

There is absolutely no way this cute little blond-haired, blue-eyed boy

has already turned into this handsome 6 foot, brown-haired, hazel-eyed young man.

I remember years ago I had a dream. In my dream, I had been asleep for several years, like in a coma or something. Anyway when I came out of this coma, my little boy had grown up and was sporting a beard.

I remember waking up and crying because I wanted my little boy back.

Well, that dream has come true.

Sigh.

And even though I'll never get my little boy back, I'm awfully proud of the young man he's become.

Happy 19th Birthday Jacob!

I love you!

Happiness

Yea!

This is what I found while weeding the garden this morning.

Zucchini (yes I had to look up how to spell it :p )



Summer squash

Tomatoes


Cucumbers

And Ebenezer :)

I know, it doesn't take much to make me happy!

Twenty Years Already?

Twenty years ago today, this man

and this woman

said "I do".



Forever and ever.








Niagara Falls is beautiful in June.
Of course, I'm sure it's beautiful other monthes of the year also; we just happened to be there in June :)



Lovely, romantic, honeymoon gear was required to go under the falls.

New York City.


Happy Anniversary Honey!

As the song says, "You're still the one!"

Uganda

I realized I haven't posted any pictures of Bethany's trip to Uganda.

Must remedy that situation!

She loved working with the precious orphans and street children down there.

And yes, she's already talking about going back!

I love her servant's heart and joyful spirit!

Love ya Bethany!

Just Two Words

Cheesecake Factory!

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Graduation Day

Graduation day has come and (almost) gone. I don't know whether to sigh with relief or to cry.



A little of both has happened today. I am so glad we got through all the planning (and paying!) for this day, but I'm realizing that this chapter in our lives has come to an end. We've been working together for this for 13 years, and now it's over! Although they will only be going to our community college this next year, they won't be here with me all day every day. That's hard for this mama. I guess parents whose children go to public (or private) school when they're young go through this much earlier in their lives. When you homeschool, you just get used to your kids being around all day. Gotta let them go sometime, just going to have to get used to it. Okay, I've got to stop now or I'm really gonna lose it :(




I am so proud of both of them, and I can't wait to see how God is going to lead them in the days ahead.

Way to go Bethany and Jacob!

You did it!!!