We have been having the best summer. And school starts 5 weeks from today. It will be here WAY too soon. Harper keeps asking me about school supplies and backpacks. I'm not ready to do that. She's excited to go back. She also wants to wear a "light scarf" on the first day? I think she thinks she is very sophisticated now that she's a 4th grader. :-)
I thought I would share just some little things we have been doing during our days.
We took the kids to a movie a week or so ago. We have a newish movie theatre downtown and it's really nice - has big comfy seats and recliners that you can reserve your seats when you get tickets and they also serve food. Will Holden did pretty good. He's getting there on being able to sit and watch a movie. (Harper has reading glasses for school but she thinks they are fun to wear).
Last Sunday I spoke to the college Sunday School class. They asked me to share my testimony and story of "waiting" and kind of "when life turns out different than you are picturing when you are 20".
One of the highlights of my summer is that my friend Amanda and her family came through town and we all met up for lunch after church on Sunday. I started reading Amanda's blog "Baby Bangs" about 12 years ago and we became "internet friends" and then were able to meet in real life several times even spending a weekend together at a conference and
we travelled to Ecuador together about 7 years ago with Compassion. This is us in our matching bug repellant outfits. We rode a boat on the Amazon river and stayed in this open air cabin on the Amazon. It was a crazy experience but I'm glad I have that memory with her. She is one of the kindest people I know - I just adore her. I loved seeing her whole family.
We also got to have lunch with our friend/principal one morning. She had a friend in town who has read my blog for a long time and thought it would be fun for us to meet. We had a great time visiting. They had just been to NYC and I loved talking about that. My girls were THRILLED to eat with their principal who they love.
Will Holden was there but refused to get in the picture. ha!
I took the kids to First Friday on the square and we walked around and did a few things.
We thought about going to Silver Dollar City on Saturday but it's just so hot so we went to the Roaring River Water slide instead. The Ormons met us there. This is in Cassville, MO - it's about an hour from us. It's this water slide carved into a big hill and it's been there 40 years.
It is REALLY fun. You pay by the hour. I didn't do it the first hour - I just hung out with Laurie and watched and took pictures. There was a HUGE group there but they cleared out after an hour and the Ormons had to leave too so I did the second hour with my family and it was SO much fun!!!!! My friend Jennifer Francis and her family showed up there too so that was fun to visit with them.
Some friends and I took our kids last year for the first time but Hollis was scared and wouldn't do it. This year she was all about it. Will Holden didn't love it. He doesn't like to get water in his eyes so he went a few times and then we traded off staying with him.
When you REALLY love your sisters and will do anything they ask you to. :- 0
Hollis can't wait for soccer to start back up. We were hoping she would do a camp this summer but the timing didn't work. But she is ready for the season to start. She keeps putting on her gear to practice.
Hollis got to spend time with her best friend yesterday. They have both been gone or busy all summer so they have really missed each other. It's been almost two months since they have been together. I love their little friendship.
We have a conference on the Enneagram THIS SUNDAY that I would love for you to join us at!! It's going to be so good. Ian Cron, the author of "The Road Back to You" will be the speaker and Jenn Jett and Sam Hannon will also be speaking. You can get tickets here:
