After a long health trial, and several more weeks looking for a new job, this guy of ours has been back to work for a few weeks now and is loving it!
We could not be more thankful for good health!
And a good job!
Grant was so purposeful and helpful the weeks that he was home, and never once got discouraged!
His joyful spirit and beautiful smile are nothing but contagious!
I miss him during the day now!
But we are so happy for you, Grant!
Since moving to the farm I think we have watched the 4th of July fireworks from the same spot every year.
We sit in a little parking lot surrounded by the sweetest friends and enjoy the evening together!
It is perfect for this Mama and her littles!
No crowds and not a lot of traffic when trying to leave.
We had great weather on Tuesday and on Tuesday night for the fireworks!
The boys played basketball until it got dark.
Eliza was watching them and cheering them on.
I love her and Tate’s little Chinese squats!
Pretty soon it was time for the show.
We got home super late, but it was worth it!
Hope you all had a great 4th of July holiday too!
So thankful to be an American!!
A little while ago we made a plan to camp out sometime over the holiday weekend.
Then we watched the weather as it got closer and put Monday night on the calendar!
The weather was PERFECT for dinner around the fire, a swim in the pool, and sleeping under the stars!!
The four youngest kiddos were clear excited, and the big kiddos and their parents might have been too!
Chad led the set up crew, and Addie Mae and I planned and made the food.
Pretty soon all of the working peeps and Auntie Gail started rolling into the farm and the party started!
The food was super yummy!
We are so blessed in the food department!
Wish I would have taken a photo of everything.
There is never a lack of conversation when you get this crew around a table or a fire!
This is the stuff that fills my cup to overflowing!
Not too long after eating, some crazy kids were ready to freeze swim in the pool!
They had a ball!
I am SO proud of Eliza for knowing she could not handle that cold pool!
Then it was time for pjs, a bigger fire as it got chillier, and some dessert!
We had made chocolate sauce and some coconut whipped cream to dip all kinds of yummy things in!
As the sun started to go down, Blake handed out some glow sticks and glow rockets!
Watching the kiddos run and run and run around the farm in the dark was the BEST.
Especially when they started catching fire flies!
We sat around that fire super late and then forced ourselves to climb into that tent and get some sleep!
Addie Mae and Hannah took sleeping under the stars seriously and slept in the back of Grant’s truck on air mattresses!
It was COLD Monday night, but we were dressed warm and each had a sleeping bag and a fleece blanket.
I am always up with the birds, but especially when they are singing to me through an open tent!
I love, love, love to be up early – but especially when camping out.
It just fills me with such a beautiful time of reflection!
I laid there with everyone sleeping all around me just in awe…in awe of ALL the Lord has done for us….in awe of the family He has trusted us with….and in wonder of all that is yet to come.
The best is yet to come!!
We have SO many amazing friends!
Our friends that we have made from the Family Camp we attend every year are spread all over the United States.
That is a bummer!
Except when we can visit!
Super grateful that this sweet family we love so much has family in our area!
Also thankful that they took photos!
And Addie Mae did too!
We had such a great afternoon over the holiday weekend with them.
Dutch Blitz is always a hit!
Chad helped with a horse ride.
The kids ran and played and ran and played!
And caught some toads!
Blake and I were pretty impressed with our sweet sensory baby – holding those toads!
We love you friends, and cannot wait to see you again very soon!
