It is a hot mess right now!

 Sorting and purging and packing...and procrastinating...any which way you can think of at this point!
We pack the van tonight...will she or won't she be ready?  Hmmmm!

Home happenings

 We are savoring the last few days of summer with our kiddos before everything changes!  Dad had a game to teach us.  Mom is good for making yummy snacks for family nights...carmel corn and puppy chow for the win!

                                    A game about dealing with life...another lesson in finances!

                                A cup of coffee and a puppy or two to make it all complete.

7 weeks of calling about our broken trash can...which was broken by the garbage man one week in his haste and then as I was watching the following week...the second garbage man dumped the wheel into his truck and drove away....7 weeks to get a trash can with two working wheels. OI!

Baking and trying new recipes this summer during the cool downs that occasionally come to Michigan!

 A girl who is packing up her belongings this week and getting ready to load the van on Thursday!  We leave for college on Friday, August 16 at 6:30 am!

 Teddy got off work early so he drove his crazy mother to the airport to pick up Grandma!

 Waiting for everyone to get home from work...or soccer practice.  No matter how long or how short we are gone...we always get a happy welcome home!

8 days and choosing to count with JOY

This girly is packing up to leave for college...in 8 days.  I don't even know how we got to this point!  I now understand what was meant those many years ago when people said, "You will blink and they will be all grown up!"  Ashlynn has brought much JOY to our home as our firstborn daughter!  This picture makes me laugh.  She calls herself a princess.  She has a contagious laugh.  She still sticks out her tongue when you want her to be serious.  She is still our little girl...but not.  Ashlynn and I have enjoyed various dates these last few weeks as we gathered her college gear.  Often we would end our time with lunch out.  I am seeing the transition of our relationship 

take shape as we move from child to friend.  

I love all her words for mother that she uses with me.  MUM, Momsies, Mom, Mother dear.

Today...we had an orthodontist appointment and I asked her if she would like to go to lunch with me "one last time before leaving for college".  She consented matter of factly, "Yes, because we probably won't have time next week."

 I sat across from her and realized once again...she is grown up and ready to move to the next stage of life.  She is confident in this decision...and my heart is at peace and happy for her. 

It dawned on me...there is going to be an empty chair/bench around our table, an empty bed, an empty space on the couch, a vacant seat in the vehicles, and all the other things that we will soon notice!  I am not sad.  I know things are going to be different...it is what we have been preparing her for her whole life.  I am excited for her.  

My word for this year has been JOY.  The thought of having JOY in this journey of life was really impressed on me at the start of the new year...knowing we would have some new things happen. Little did I know how often satan would attempt to thwart that choice...

to choose JOY as I walked this year of 2019.  

What I have learned...

You can still have JOY with tears streaming down your face.  You can still have JOY when fear makes your heart race.  You can have JOY when your throat constricts.  You can have JOY when your heart breaks over bad choices.  You can have JOY in the midst of change and uncertainty.  You can have JOY when hurts come your way.  You can have JOY any time and anywhere no matter the reason!  It is a choice we make!

Celebrating the 21 year old cousin!

Aunt Kari made a pavlova.

                                           Aunt Mari made supper and bought cute favors!

                                   Sweet girls and fun conversations with coffee and pavlova!

Tried something new

I have been experimenting this summer with some new recipes.  Today...I made fresh lemon curd.  Yum!  Now to have some yummy things to try it on or with.

This is what happens when your puppies are hot and restless all night long...they sleep all day!  Wish I could have!  I feel just as tired as they are...but momma has a to do list to get done.  Ugh...adulting is not always fun.

Time with girls...

 to help a new couple celebrate their start in life together.  We brought out some pretty dishes and girlie foods.  It was nice to spend an evening with some of our friends as the summer starts to come to an end.

A week of nice weather...

 and this had to be done!  After the hot weather and rains, the weeds were making our driveway look like an English foot garden path.  It took me two days because I am noticing that my hands cannot take that much-used-strength anymore.  Those weeds hung on tight in those cracks!

The finished product was worth it!  Now to spray for weeds and fill those cracks in soon!