Our #9

My darling boy. Number nine. Dealing with hard things and choosing goodness
and light, in spite of it. I’m so honored to be his mom.

And so grateful for his incredible dad, who took this picture that I will love forever,
and who is always there for our kids, no matter what it takes.

There never was a girl as blessed as I am.

Back home

She’s finally home. Oh the happy.

Even though she’s headed back to college in a day or two. And even though
she had the greatest summer ever and the adjustment won’t be the easiest.
She’s back for the school year and I’m just so grateful.

Everything about life is lighter, brighter and more exciting and fun when Annie is around.
I’m so thankful for her and just can’t believe God let me be her mom and her friend.

I’m for sure the luckiest.

Disc golf and amazing sons

Ben has become obsessed (the good kind) with disc golf the last few months. As in playing
5-6 days a week throughout the entire summer, often multiple times a day. He’s become amazingly
good (which he is going to hate that I said and he’ll want to offer a rebuttal, but I’m right so…)
and even when he doesn’t have time to make it to a course (and even when he does), I can often
hear him outside or in the garage (when the weather isn’t great), practicing with his basket.
Over and over and over and over. I love it so much. I love him so much.

Which is why I wanted to post this incredible photo he took the other night while playing
 at a course nearby. Just to remember our amazing boy (more man these days, but let me
live my life in Pretendville please and thanks) and how when he puts his mind to learning
something new and becoming really, really good at it…he does it. Every dang time.

Oh that Benjamin Allen, he’s the coolest. I’m so glad he’s ours.

Love these two so much

I took this picture of these darlings at a family gathering yesterday and can you
even with these two? Honestly, they are just the most amazing.

So deeply good and kind, hilarious and hard working, the very most fun to be around and talk
and laugh with for long periods of time. I’m so grateful for them and the family they have created,
the incredibly wonderful choices they make and how they truly make the world a better place.

We are forever the luckiest to have them in our family and man, I just adore them like crazy.

This boy

This boy, beautifully playing the piano before heading out the door to a high school football game on Friday night
(it was a tropical out if you couldn't tell). He just makes me so dang happy and laugh so ridiculously hard.

Another first day of school

11th, 7th and 5th. One in each school. I’m just so thankful they all had a really good first day.

Gah, I love them so much.

Gracie girl and HOPE squad

Yesterday, this darling girl had a HOPE squad retreat to kick off the upcoming school year.
She was so excited to be chosen by her peers and teachers to be a part of this club that is "a school-
based peer-to-peer support program that empowers selected students to take action and help foster
a culture of care where all students feel safe and a genuine sense of belonging." I love everything
about this idea and feel so grateful Grace gets to be a part of it this year.

Just so thankful that now that Grace is our only child in elementary school (we haven't had that happen in
our family for more than seventeen years), she has this happy, fun, growing opportunity to reach out to and
care even more than she already does (and believe me, she already does) for everyone around her.

Love this beautiful girl so much and love watching how amazing she is at bringing
a constant increase of light and goodness into the world.

Seventh grade darlings

 

The cutest boys, ready to start junior high in just a week and headed off to try their luck at
finding their way around the school this morning, to be better prepared for their first day.

Oh time. You are the thiefiest thief in all the land.

Sure love that Nathan boy of ours something fierce.

The bestest summer for our girl

This beauty of the incredible heart left on her last regular river guide trip this morning—it’s been
the absolute happiest summer for her. And it isn’t quite over yet, but it’s for sure drawing to a close.
The transition will be hard, but she’ll do it. Because she’s just that amazing and good. I definitely wish
 she didn’t have to go back to regular life for her sake, but I’m selfishly excited to have her a whole
lot closer for the next several months. Oh our Annie Allen, she’s just incredible times a whole lot.