We spent July inside mostly, because it has been the rainiest summer that I've ever seen! We had a "stay at home" vacation, and we spent it sitting inside our garage relaxing and watching it rain. At the end of July, Laura and Christine went on a mission trip to PA (Pittsburg) and Ava and I spent a little time with Alice and CA, and we also spent time helping my mom find a new house and pack some things up in order to move. Laura and Christine both had an amazing (life changing) time on their mission trip with their cousins church. I'm so glad that they got to go.
Ava and Laura
Ava and Christine. "Look, Mom....No hands!!"
Ava and her daddy!!
July vacation...in the garage!! haha
This was taken when everyone got back from the mission trip. Ava was SOOOOO happy to see everyone. She missed her sisters and cousins (especially Kahbah) like crazy. She was extremely sad that they were gone for such a long time. (one week)
Laura, Ava, Rebekah, (aka Kahbah) Christine, and Ellen
August-
Ava and Christine both started back to school on August 7th, and Laura moved into college on August 16th. Everyone loves their classes and is doing wonderfully in school!!
Ava and Christine. First day of school!!
Little Miss!!
Yummy Noodles!!
Laura's pretty dorm!!
August 9th
My baby Laura turned 18!!! Oh my my.... I love her:))
My precious mother in law passed away early Sunday morning. She was taken to the emergency room on August 16th and never was able to go home. We were able to be with her the last several days of her life and we were able to love her and tell her good-bye. No one was prepared for her to die, I think we all thought she would just get better. But God had other plans for her. I think this is one of the hardest things in my life that I have had to deal with. I can't tell you what a void I have in my life without her. She was not a mother in law to me, she was like a mother to me, and a dear friend. And I know that she loved me as her own. (As she did all of her "daughter in laws") She took care of my children full time when they were little and I had to work. She taught me so much. But I know in my head that she is happy, healthy, and praising her Lord!! And for that I am soooo thankful. But my heart is broken, and I miss her so much.
CA and Alice June 2013
September 11th
Today is my Dad's birthday. He would have been 68 years old. We would have called and sang Happy Birthday to him, and I would have probably bought him a box of golf balls! That was pretty much my standard birthday gift to him because he loved golf so much! So today has been a day of "remembering." Remembering all the events of 9-1-1, and remembering my dad. Grief is just not fun. Anyway you look at it, and any way you try to rationalize it, it's just plain hard. It's because we don't truly know how wonderful it's going to be when we (as christians) die. It's just hard to say goodbye to the people we love. I do pray that we can have a reprieve in my family from "death" and "funerals" and grieving. It's just been way too much the past several months.
My handsome dad. This picture was taken at Laura's 16th birthday party, and it's one of the best pictures we have of him.
Ava
She is our little pip squeak!! Our true joy:) And she's doing great! I'll write more about her later.
Going to school!!
Ready to "GO!!"
These past months have been filled with great joy and thanksgiving, and sadness and tears. There has been tremendous stress getting Laura ready for college and the passing of my dad and Craig's mom. I know that God is carrying us through this, and we are stronger because He gives us the strength we need. There has been joy watching Laura grow up and find her way these past several weeks at college. I'm so proud of her and thankful she is doing so great. I'm also so proud of Ava and Christine. They are drama free and such great helpers. Christine is precious and loves to just hibernate in her room and putter and draw and who knows what else! Ava loves to help me cook, and she's entertaining herself so much better these days! She makes me laugh everyday:)
God is good, but I'd still like the next few months to be a little "BORING" if at all possible.
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