On the last night of high school camp there is a special ceremony called the lantern lighting.
Essentially it is the senior class passing on the lantern of leadership to the junior class.
Each of the younger classes have leaders chosen to represent their lantern for their class.
Because of Covid...(a phrase used in almost every sentence nowadays!) the lantern ceremony was held on the last Sunday night of the summer at church.
Amy was selected to represent her freshman class and hold the lantern!
Thankful for this night and how the youth pastors and leaders have poured into our kids this summer...even in the midst of a pandemic!
I am thankful for this guy.
He lost a dear friend to suicide this month...and even in the midst of his heartache and pain he has continued to minister to so many.
I am thankful for his genuine heart to love and to serve...even in brokenness and loss.
After the funeral of Jason's friend -
we got together and swapped stories about him at one of his favorite places.
It was a bittersweet time.
The shelves are FINSISHED!!!
Jason and David went and picked out the wood awhile back.
And then David worked in his workshop/garage and made these!
It's finally FINISHED!!!
After several months of dust and disarray and HARD work...
we finally have our beautiful kitchen done!
And we LOVE it!
Our bathroom got a little makeover also!
August always means BACK TO SCHOOL!
Don't these kids look excited to be back in school :-)
This year Tyler is enrolled at the local community college as a junior.
Amy is a sophomore in highs school.
Jackson is a sixth grader in middle school.
And Hailey is a fourth grader in elementary!
During this pandemic, I have been incredibly thankful that we have homeschooled from day one.
So many of our friends are struggling with Zoom learning or part time learning..
.its been a hard adjustment.
Back to school for this girl too!
Our sweet friend, Kailey Gott is heading back to Calvary Chapel Bible College for her final year.
She was the intern for the youth group this summer -
and Tyler and Amy were a part of her book club -The Screwtape Letters.
It has been such a blessing to hear her stories of Bible College...and then to watch her ministry unfold!
My parents decided they wanted to spend their 45th wedding anniversary with us!
I am so thankful for their marriage and the example it has been to me and many others.
We were already planning on heading to the beach for my birthday - so my parents were JUST IN TIME!
Poppy rivals the kids for who spends the most time in the water.
Needless to say...they ALL love the ocean!
This is the first time we have been brave enough to take out the kayaks.
They are supposed to fit two riders each but we squeezed the little two on board.
We weren't sure how well we would do getting out of the surf and into the ocean...
and it was a bit trick but we managed.
(Do you see a little white dog that was desperate to go with??)
It was a smooth ride and we almost made it to the pier...but the storm clouds wee getting darker and the water was getting choppier.
We decided to head back to be safe.
We made it just as the storm broke loose!
It was a wonderful - relaxing - life giving - memory making time at the beach!!!
One of Jackson's birthday presents were tickets to see Toby Mac in concert.
Because of Covid, concerts look very different than they used to!
This concert was at the drive in movie theater in Albermarle.
We were a little unsure of how it would actually work out...but it's TobyMac!
And he is ALWAYS amazing...whether drive in theater or packed out stadium.
We rocked out from the top of our van and he played almost every single on of our favorite songs!
Hailey was invited to celebrate Kenna Bass' birthday.
I'm so thankful for this sweet girl and her firendship with Hailey.
She has a genuine caring heart and a fun adventerous spirit.
The Bass family (minus Josiah).
Opening Hailey's present to her...a craft box!
Speaking of birthdays and friends...these dear friends treated us to a lakeside lunch for MY birthday!
The food was great but the friendship and laughter shared is the greater gift
