The Beginning of Goodbye

Tonight we begin the dreaded goodbye to our Autumn Rain. While it's not the final farewell for myself (I get to defer that moment until Saturday), we will be having our final dinner as a family...until we gather again at Christmas. My goal is for a festive evening, with O'Charlie Rolls and Zuppa Tuscana to lift our spirits. However; the skies are grey with rain laden clouds just as my heart feels heavy with the weight of tears being held back.

There is so much yet to do, grocery shopping and packing topping the list. But all I want to do is snuggle with my girl, savoring every last moment.

Hurry up Christmastime, I can't wait for your arrival!

Final Days of Summer Fun

Willing Time to Slow

Summer is steadily marching on, I'm dragging my feet.

While I'm excited to begin our new school year and am busily doing the necessary preparations toward that goal, this beginning also signals the end of life as we've known it for the past 22 years. My oldest will pack her bags and head to off grad school come September. Our cheery "good morning" exchange and cups of coffee with the sunrise are coming to an end. I've made the most of them this summer, lingering as long as possible before starting the business of the day, savoring our last moments together. These last 3 weeks are going to be over far too soon.

I know that the future is bright for my girl. I know she'll be with us again for Christmas. And we'll be counting down the days towards her homecoming.

Allison, BA-Philosophy

Celebrating with our girl!

A Week Worth Celebrating

This is a week full of joy and celebration!

We began the week gathering with our church family to witness the baptism of 8 believers desiring to declare their walk with the Lord before their community, our church. My two youngest daughters were among those who took this important step in their christian life. It made my heart smile to see the joy on the faces of my girls as the people who love them and have come along side them in this journey shared words of encouragement and scripture verses to plant in their hearts. I'm grateful for these people who are living testimonies of God's love and faithfulness in our lives and that they are sharing their lives and love with my family.

Some of us are celebrating the beginning of our summer break, while others are pushing through the last throes of papers and finals before the end of the term....counting down days and hours until they cross they finish line. I'm cheering them on!

We will close out the week on Saturday celebrating with our oldest daughter as she graduates from Western Oregon University. She'll wear her red robe and cap with her white honors cord around her neck. We will be so proud of her achievements and excited for her future studies in Toronto next fall. But we will try not to think about this ushering in the end of her days at home.

And I will try to not cry, because this is the week to c.e.l.e.b.r.a.t.e.

Coloring
by Harry Behn

A rake, a coat, a meadow, a mill,
A cake, a boat, a house on a hill,
A kite, a spade, and a ball of string,
A wind in the leaves, and the song birds sing--
It's Spring!
We're outdoors coloring
Every bright beautiful wonderful thing.

Under a lilac bush we've made
A studio with walls of shade,
And in our painting books we spread
Pools of yellow, blue, and red--
Carefully,
Though it doesn't matter
Terribly much unless we spatter.

Green and red, and there's a tree
With apples and cherries, and here's a sea
With a wave and a sky and a gull in flight,
And this is the sun splashing light--
It's Spring!
We're coloring, and all the bird sing
Of every bright beautiful wonderful thing!

Elkhorn

Little Cabin in the Woods

Balcony Vista

Fun with my Girls

Sweet Sisters, Moonchild and Ladybird

Hoola Hooping Cousins

January Sunrise

Hunting for Joy

Here we are.
It's the first Monday of a new year.
I'm dragging my feet this morning. Time to exercise. Time to start school. Time to take down Christmas. But I just don't want to.
I want to linger awhile more in the cozy place between Christmas and New Year's Day. The place where the rush has slowed and peacefulness settles. The place where lights still twinkle and quiet music box tunes still soothe.
Usually the return to routine is welcome. But not this morning. This morning I'm having to hunt for joy and it's hiding well.

Christmas Gnomes

Wishing You A Merry Christmas!

Silver Falls

Finding opportunities that our whole family is available to spend out together are becoming increasingly rare. In fact, in the course of this summer I think we will only all be home for about two weeks! But I'm beginning to realize that that doesn't mean those of us that are at home shouldn't find some stolen moments to enjoy time spent in our beautiful Oregon countryside.

The Quiet Zone

Here I sit, all alone at my counter. Cameron is away on his senior retreat, Elaina and Faerynn are visiting much loved cousins in Washington, Shannon, Allison, and Bethany are all off to work, and Daniel and Chesterton are both still sleeping.

This house is sooooo still, just John Tesh on Pure Hymns keeping me company. It's a small glimpse into the days ahead. The days after the next three in line graduate. And I wonder what I'll do with my days then?

Yesterday I decided to take the afternoon off to do whatever I wanted. It was a loooonnng afternoon. I read a little, slept a little, watched a movie with Daniel, started a card game....then Allison and Ann-Marie arrived and we went to a riverside park in Salem for a leisurely walk. Guess what? I much prefer the busy days of caring for my family. I like the rhythm of my days.

Today I'll set to work trying to establish a new routine for the summer. I'll figure out when I'm going to do all those things I've been saying can wait until school was finished. I'll restore order after a busy few days of party and company. And I'll enjoy the quiet while I work.

Graduation Letter

Dear Cameron,

We've had a great journey together. A journey of learning, loving, and doing and you've traversed all of these well.

It's been a my great pleasure to watch you mature and persevere. You've pushed through to the completion of your Eagle Scout rank. You're leadership skills have grown through your involvement in the youth group worship team. And you've managed your school, job, and time with friends to the fullest.

I'm excited for you future! You've chosen a challenging path but I know that you are fully capable of accomplishing all that you set out to do. Never forget that you don't travel this road alone or in your own strength. You have a Savior greater than anything you will ever face.

All my love,
Mom

The Princess Musician

Starfish DeLuxe

Moonchild has a passion for nature. She is happiest outside, whether in the woods or scavening at along the seashore. Yesterday she came across this terrific find which we all oohed and ahhed over before returning him to his home on the rocks.

Winding Down

Another school year is rapidly coming to a close. Once again, the stack of books is shrinking as each day we finish and set aside math or science or spelling. Testing day has come and gone and I sigh with relief that all my young charges are progressing.....did I really doubt they were? And another graduation from our small school hovers just on the horizon of June.

I'm relishing the freedom of summer.......... the lazy mornings, the opportunity for a bit more spontaneity, visits to and from our family, and more time for our friends close by. I'm ready for long, warm days and blackberry picking, for barbecuing and summer salads, and for twilight walks with my family.

I know that once I've set this school year aside I'll be ready to think of and plan for the next. I usually begin that process in the spring, but this year all my thinking and planning has gone into our new business and all that I've needed to learn to do my part. I know that in July we'll be excited for "box day" and all the learning treasures we'll unpack. And I know that come August we'll all be ready for the return of routine in our lives.

For now, I'm glad that the end of May is just 'round corner and the promise of summer not far behind.

Monday

Another Monday, another school week.

This stuff is exhausting.

18 and New Wheels

Happy 18th to You!

Just for the record, this was not a gift....unless it was a gift to himself!