this summer

 Our gardens and herbs in the beginning were great, but soon the deer and squirrels ate the rest. We learned a lot. My grandpa just built an enclosure over it complete with a door for next spring.

 We ate outside a lot. Garth is the best griller and my excuse to not cook. Eden loves "torn".

 We tried to get as much fresh air as possible before the 110 degree weather hit us for a month.

 During the 4th of July we spent it with chickens and goast and gardens on a ywam base.

 Sister love.

 The pool membership was worth every dollar. We used it during the said heat wave.

 The girls' first pro soccer game, kansas city sporting.

 Bike frustration.

Who doesn't love to be swung back and forth?  This summer was full of fun. I didn't have pics of all the outings with our favorite friends and neighbors the shjandemaars, at the petting zoo the real zoo and the spray parks. We love you summer! Come again soon please!

The heart of it all

There's nothing like a heart attack to wake one up. My father had one 2 weeks ago and the doctors were amazed that he had survived. All 4 major arteries leading to the heart were either 80% to 99% clogged and he had made several trips to Colorado this year hiking up mountains, breathing thin air and working hard. He is a living miracle. He used to just want to sleep whenever he had spare time ... apparently a result of not getting enough blood supply to his heart and brain. After his quadruple bypass this past week, he's finally home and recovering. It's been hard not to tell jokes (I swear thats his love language) because they literally sawed open his rib cage/sternum and had to sew it shut with wire. Any laughing is excruciatingly painful. Every  time I look at him I am amazed he's still here with us. It is like I'm living through the greatest miracle....my dad is alive. God is so merciful! His mercies are new every morning ...Great is His Faithfulness!