The Country

So a few years ago my aunt (and my mom, too?) started "collecting" farm animals.  

It has been great fun for the kids when we visit--they love going out to "the country" to help feed the crew (and play in the sand!).

The kids always have such a good time with Granny.  She keeps things fun! 

Here are a few pictures from our first day at the farm.  

Natalie was a bit nervous around the giant pigs--she was afraid they were going to touch her with their nose!  Wyatt loved everything, and Mason loved the dirt!

 Mason liked the little goat!

 Nolan and his tractor!

 Riding with Granny---I think they were going to look for cows?

 Cousin Aaryn!

 Mason and Elizabeth--she loves the dirt as much as the others!

MS Day 1

So the kids and I packed up and flew to MS last week.  We had a very eventful trip down and we're thankful that we actually got here!  Our luggage didn't make it until the next day and since we were also very tired, we spent our first full day just hanging out and letting the kids play!  The weather has been gorgeous!!!  I expected a whole lot of heat and humidity but we were suprised with wonderful temps and low humidity!!

Taking blankets in the yard is a lot of fun!

 The kids are having so much fun.  They always just pick up right where they left off and play so well!

Where Were You?

It's a question asked so often this time of year, leading up to anniversary of 9/11.  

I was newly married and pregnant with Wyatt.  Ben and I had moved home and I was so homesick so I flew home on the 10th for a visit.  

I remember that morning I was playing with my niece (9 mos) and feeding her something, when a cousin called and told us to turn on the news.  

I will never forget standing in front of the tv, holding Grace, and feeling so sick to my stomach.

Ben was stationed at a presidential support facility and I knew that he could be in danger if the attacks didn't stop.  

Fortunately he was okay but to say he was busy over the next few months was an understatement.

I stayed "home" for 2 weeks and refused to fly home.  My sweet dad drove me to TN to meet Ben halfway.  

I went back to our new home and spent a lot of time by myself watching the news, feeling terrified often of what might happen next.

I will say that my older kids had no idea about 9/11 until last year.  I didn't have it in me to make them aware of such hate against our country.  I didn't want them to feel unsafe when traveling, and honestly I just didn't think their innocent minds could wrap around something so evil.

This year we'll be in the same place I was that day.  In the same house, on a visit "home".  I find it bittersweet to be remembering those lives lost doing the same thing I was 10 years ago.

I pray that we will never, ever again know an attack like that.  

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."
Deuteronomy 31:6

Goodness

It's been over a month since I posted!  Yikes!  Things have been busy and they won't slow down any time soon!

We started school last week, a full week earlier than usual.  We'll be taking quite a bit of time of this fall so starting early helped me not feel to pressured.  Granted, our time off will be for lots of educational stuff, but I don't want to fall behind in our books.

We'll be taking two trips this month, so stay tuned for lots of pictures!!

Time

I haven't been a very good manager of my time lately.  

Last night Ben mentioned how fast the summer is going by, and I realized that next week is going to be August!!!   Seriously?

I have had a goal of cleaning out and rearranging our school room, yet I haven't done that.  It needs to be done--soon!!

We have a big month in September-2 big trips, homeschool co-op starts back, and somewhere in there we'd like to do some camping.  Oh, and the kids will start back to school.  Maybe I should move that to the front of the list?

The most important thing I've realized is that I haven't taken the time to just "be" with the kids.  So today I'm going to make a list of things that we want to do for the month of August so that we can make it really count!  Of course I'll have the kids involved in this list.

Stay tuned for what we come up with!

More Pictures

I scanned in some more pictures from the day we got married!

We didn't exactly have a wedding, but we didn't really elope either.  We like to say we "got hitched"!

The day before we had packed up and left MS (our stuff had been moved by the military a few weeks before).  On our way to MD we stopped in Gatlinburg with a few (important) family members and "tied the knot"!  We stayed 2 nights in Gatlinburg, spend a few days with a close friend nearby, and then stayed in Williamsburg for a few more days!  

I think we are both so thankful that we chose Gatlinburg to get married.  Not only did we save a lot of money, but we just love the area and it's one of our favorite places to vacation!

with my parents

Ben's parents

 with my niece Grace--hard to remember her being so small!

with Grace, my sister, and cousin Sarah

Happy 10 years!!

10 years ago today, outside a little log chapel

in Gatlinburg, TN, I married my best friend.

I don't know what else I can say about the last 10 years, other than Ben has shown me that marriage is a beautiful thing. He has loved me more than I ever thought possible, and I can only hope that I have done the same for him.

I only pray that we can celebrate 10 years many times over with each other!

Happy Anniversary!

To get the full value of joy
You must have someone to divide it with
Mark Twain