This Season

This Summer has been a season of change.  A summer of lots of sunshine, a new swimming pool, a garden with so many good things in it, and boys growing like weeds.   This is the summer that my Owl (boy #3) learned to swim!  Hurray!  And the summer of getting a new kitten.  And so many other good things, some big, some small....but just now words seem new to me.  I haven't written in so long.  Perhaps this is the summer that I start to write again.....

We've had more time with Joel this summer as he lost his job a few weeks ago.  I have a feeling that this loss, although scary in some ways, is a blessing in disguise.  He is obviously spending much time looking for work, but also spending time with us.  Which has been really a blessing in itself.

  

It has been a summer of growth.  Just look at how big our girl has gotten!  Flower is still the sweetest, best company around.

She and her brother have really developed a friendship over the past few months.  So super sweet to witness.  Today while we went for a walk they walked holding hands. (oh my heart!)

We have also been super fortunate to get to spend some quality time with these amazing people, which just happens to be our family!  Lucky us!  Here we are laughing at ourselves taking a selfie...oh what has happened to us that we have succumbed to this!  I love the different expressions on everyone and how much Joel and his brother resemble each other!

We spent some time hiking at Governor Dodge with Joel's brothers family.  This picture is of my niece and wonderful sister in law!  Love them so much.  We don't get to see them very often, but each visit gets better and better.  It is such a beautiful time of year to do that hike around Stephens Falls.  I was too busy enjoying the good company to take lots of pictures...just as it should be.  I will ever be practicing the art of being present. 

I'll leave you with this last picture, dear reader, of our new band.  We are going to call it "Crookneck" (just one word like Madonna) because we're cool like that.  

 Until next year, dear family......the visits always seem so short!  

And dear reader....hopefully NOT until next year...hopefully I'll write again soon.  We shall see.