JOYS found in August

August was a mix of end of summer fun and

the start to a new school year ...and full of JOY!

1.  a week spent serving God and participating in MEGA Sports Camp

(this is a mix of VBS and sports camp that our church offers each summer)

As a family, we represented Free Wheelchair Mission ... 

each night we shared about a child that we gave a wheelchair to

while in Peru last October ... and how this gift changed their lives.

During Mega Sports Camp, the children and their families raised 

enough money for 25 ....

did you read that?  TWENTY FIVE!

 more people to receive wheelchairs!!

Praise God!!

Matt and I were also Huddle Coaches

 (helped with sports time and lead the spiritual time)

Nathan participated in archery.

Grace played soccer.

This was an amazing and exhausting week!

And our hearts are on fire to head back to Peru!!

2.  Produce from the garden! 

Fresh produce from your own garden is the best!

Nathan and Grace are so proud of their "gardens".

We enjoyed small ears of corn from Nathan's garden!

3.  sunflowers, black-eyed susans, zinnias, and cosmos

Flowers make me smile!!

4.  blueberries, blueberries, and more blueberries

 We spent the second week plus of August "playing" 

since it was the end of our family summer time. 

5. Relaxing afternoon at the beach

6. Dinner with friends at Deet's

 (our FAVORITE ice cream place!)

7.  Movie day (it rained all day)

8.  A day at my Uncle George's picking

blackberries, having a picnic and fishing.

9.  bike ride and picnic at Titusville bike trail

10.  morning visiting with our sweet friends

followed by a picnic and bike ride on the

Franklin bike trail

11.  Matt starting a new school year without dread

and at the same school as last year

(a first in a few summers since teacher cuts started)

12.  the kids and I just slid right back into "school"

more to come on changes we made and new things we are trying

13.  having friends over to swim and have ice cream cones

14.  Grace lost her first tooth

15.  afternoon on the hammock reading for me!

16.  an old white stand found at a yardsale for $2

17.  Civil War reenactment ...

so much to experience at these reenactments!

Matt and I even got in on the games from

that time period.  The kids got to send a "telegraph" 

across the camp using Morse Code.

And now here we are at the beginning of September feeling abundantly

blessed, content to be back into a routine, and looking

forward to celebrating Grace's birthday ... and peaceful knowing

we serve a God who is good all the time!