Last Day

For our "last day of summer extravaganza", we went on an 

amazing hike in the Plateau near our home.  It was right 

out of the pages of Little House on the Prairie.

Look carefully to see my guys at the center of this landmark.  

A warning posted at the beginning of the trail head.   

We were all happy to get by without this sighting.  

I had to stare at this old fence post and marvel at what would 

appear to be years of work - or maybe not.   The power of a termite!

It was great to share the awe with you Nancy!!  Miss you!!!!

Ambition

My dear, lifelong friend Kate and her husband are off to the Iron Man competition for which Bryce has been training a good part of the year.  I have an incredible amount of admiration for my athlete friends.  Both Kate and Bryce are marathon runners. 

 

I've never been a runner.  Not ever.  And I have decided after watching the Olympics, that I'm not a swimmer either.  Nor can I conceive of doing both in conjunction with a multi mile bike ride.  

And so, as I consider, here at the culmination of all the self discipline and dedication that has gone in to preparing for this weekend, I say........ WOW!  

We're rooting for you, Bryce!!  Go for it!!

Participation

We miss you CCS!!!  

Happy first day of school!!!

Overrated

Feelings are.

Sometimes I find myself wishing for things that "feel" normal.  

For example, I workout with FitTV (and I highly recommend this).  It's me and Sharon Mann each morning, sweating it out.   She's managed to travel here with me.  And I find the familiar music, along with the routine quite comforting, sweat and all.  If I close my eyes, it's almost as if I'm back in a place that I used to be.  

Or, every now and then, I'll pick up on a familiar scent (Louise, are you with me on this?).  The smell of Bill's aftershave or the scent of a familiar perfume or place.  It's amazing what the senses can do to the psyche. 

Funny.  Just these smallish things make me "feel" better.  

But, even better than the sounds and smells of familiar things, I have more than I could imagine to bring me comfort in the midst of change.  

I am witnessing God's abundant provision. 

Once again.   

Our church is amazing.  We have friends.  The kids like their new school. And we have sunshine.   Just a few of the positive parts of change. 

Things probably won't ever feel like they once did, but I'm coming to realize that it's not about my feelings, as much as it is about the peace I have despite them.  

Mercy

I was thinking the other day about the impact last month's earthquake had on me.  Funny that it takes the Lord shaking the earth to awaken the fact that we are truly at His mercy.  What we fail to realize is that each and every moment of our lives is subject to it.  

Life Through My Eyes

I found the last month too busy to spend much time with my 

camera (sigh), but I managed to put together a compilation 

of a few summer favorites.  Enjoy!

Adaptation - this is another tiny baby lizard - we now think they are adorable!

Ethan jumps his dirt bike over the newly created 

Moto X track he has spent days modifying.  It's in his blood!  

This scene from our front porch creates that never-ending 

vacation thing I've mentioned before.  

We watch these lovely creatures across the valley.

I am very grateful for the education my grandmother gave me regarding the care of plants.  As a young girl, I remember spending time in the garden with both she and my great-grandmother, learning all about gardening, as well as transplanting and caring for indoor plants.  She was the "green thumb" lady, and she nurtured in me the love of plants.  I have much to learn about the plant life here, but each time I run across something new, I think of her, and the enthusiasm she would have shown, and I smile.  

Mr. blue eyes peers through the small door at our front entrance. 

Some native plants color our front walk.

Every day skies..... 

Back to School

It was a great beginning to the new school year.  I think we found our new "first day" shot.  They went off to the 4th, 6th and 9th grades like champions!  I am so very proud of each of them.   At the all school assembly I was witness to God's amazing grace as I quietly, in the background, watched all three of them introduce themselves and smile with new friends. It was a blissful moment for one (slightly) anxious mom.  Our God is so very faithful!!  

Today's Highs & Lows

96 degrees/65 degrees

The price of gas $3.89/gallon (additionally, I saved $.10/gallon!!).  I have not seen it below $4.25 since we arrived here!

It rained today (if a little drizzle can be called that)!!  It was actually cloudy - and for most of the day (never thought I'd welcome that)!  

Retail therapy was a good distraction from the quiet at home!  I had fun shopping at Bed/Bath & Beyond for some small organizational items for our kitchen.  

Nancy left today.  We had the privilege of sharing her company this past week, and it was time for it to end.  I personally think this was good cause for the sun to hide away. 

Addendum

There was some confusion over my last post.  Apparently, some of you thought our friendly turtles were live.  Actually, these cute little guys are crafted of beautiful tiles that quite clearly prove something.   Something like....... "we look real, so enjoy swimming with us, because live turtles in a salt water pool might not make swimming at all enticing".  

No.  Not at all.  

While I love my turtles, I am very glad they are not real!!  

Pool Pals

I've done an awful lot of posting about creatures of an unfriendly kind, so I thought I'd show off some we encounter on a daily basis with little regret. These guys (along with a second set of twins) live at the bottom of our pool. We're taking suggestions for cute and creative names. Contest winners are eligible for a week's get away in our Casita (air fare NOT included.  Some restrictions may apply).  We're sure you're bound to enjoy our favorite water friends as much as we do during your stay.  

Ticking.....

We spent a good part of the afternoon shopping for school supplies yesterday.  Hard to imagine it's that time again.  

I've been thinking about where I'll take "the first day of school" picture. The favorite spots used to be our front porch, and the newel post at the bottom of our stair case.  These were places we photographed our kids each year. Having a picture taken in the same spot has made it so fun to look back and see the transformation in each of them.    

More than the dilemma of where to create memories, is the amazing impact the passing of time recently threatens to have upon me.  My breath escapes me at the notion that our oldest son will begin high school in just five days. Has it actually been so many years ago that the little boy I ran the knees out of my jeans with, now towers over me, and is only four years away from making his jump from the nest?  All that feels like a different life time. Quite honestly,  I am not especially fond of how long ago it seems.  

And yet, having just (and currently still) experienced my own leap of sorts, I am excited for our children as I think about the great things that God has in store for them.  

Moment by moment..... I am grateful for them all!

Abundance

Our little garden is a blessing in more ways than one.  

Things grow with very little effort here.  

Lots of sunshine and almost no bugs..... 

(the ones we've seen are too large to be satisfied by our menial crop) 

it's certainly a conducive setting for great gardening.

We enjoyed homemade spaghetti from part of last Sunday's harvest.  Yum!!  

Don't you wish life were that easy?  

If only we could reap with little effort.  

But then, would we truly grow?  

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time 

we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."

Galatians 6:9

  

Happy Birthday Dad!!!

We love you!!  Hope a round of golf fits into your day!!