Father's Day

For Father's Day, I had each of the kids choose a favorite picture with their dad and
write a letter to go along with it about what he means to them. I love this sweet photo
collection of one amazing dad. Happy Father's Day Jacob Ethan! You are so very loved.

My darling theater kid

Annie and I just saw Tuck Everlasting at the new Hale Centre Theatre and it was incredible.
We just loved it. And meeting this handsome actor after wasn't the saddest moment of Annie's life.
Or maybe I was the one making it a big deal. Either way. What a super fun afternoon for both of us.

A celebration of life

My sweet friend's husband passed away this last Monday from brain cancer.
Today was the celebration of his life and I am a different person having viewed
their journey of the last year and most especially, from watching them today.

I am working to process my thoughts on everything and it will take a while, as they are
deep and profound. All I know is how thankful I am for watching the faith and grace
and humor and love this family displayed throughout the last long while. I want to do
better and be better. And have been praying constantly since I drove away from
the cemetery that the Lord would tell me what He needs me to do to change.

I don't want to be the same person I was before I watched Rebecca and Tyler
and their children trust in the gospel and the plan of salvation in the way
they have. I want to be like Tyler and figure out what God is asking me
and then move forward saying with confidence, "I'm not afraid."

Because there is actually very little that matters in life.
But what matters, matters a lot.

World Cup 2018

Lest you think we are only crazy about March Madness.

Oh the happy.

Our Olympic leaper

We missed our little "farm" while we were gone. Especially this little sweetheart,
because she just seems to like us a whole lot. And the feeling is mutual.

But a fun fact we learned while we were away, when a previous owner says
your dog can jump an eight foot fence...she can. And apparently it is a sight
to see. She didn't run away. She just jumped it and waited on the other side.
Okay then. Apparently her athleticism is even more impressive than we thought.

What a little knucklehead. But a talented knucklehead to be sure.

Our Kauai vacation ~ Day 9

Our last day on the island was for kayaking, hiking and flying through the night to get home.
That last part had us all sad, but we were mostly just grateful for nine glorious days in such a
beautiful place. The uninterrupted time as a family was beyond wonderful and we felt so spoiled.

Aloha Kauai. Thanks for being so good to us.

Our Kauai vacation ~ Day 8

The eighth day was my absolute favorite. It couldn't have been more wonderful or
perfect. We were able to take a boat tour around the Nā Pali Coast and everything
about it was incredible--the dolphins, the sea turtles, the snorkeling, the views,
the color of the water, the guides, everything. All of us really enjoyed it. And then,
we ended the day by watching the sunset on a nearby beach and letting the kids
play in the ocean. Those memories are some of my favorite we have ever made.