It's a Zoo!

 Recently we made the time to go all the way to Milwaukee to the zoo! Since we had studied land animals for the last school year, we promised the kids a trip to the zoo. And my, did we ever enjoy it. Especially meeting up (and spending the night!) with some very special friends whom we hadn't seen for awhile.

Watching the monkeys is always a highlight.

Some weren't so sure about getting so up close and personal with the snakes! 

A couple of Ibex buck fighting. Quite entertaining.

By far the cutest little creature we saw!

The Cheetah stopped to take a good long look.

We had a very sweet weekend, complete with late nights, lots of talking, and fun activities. Even wading in Lake Michigan! (Well, it was supposed to be wading, but you know how that goes. "Don't go in over your knees." quickly ends up with kids soaked from head to toe, and blaming the waves. Thankfully we had a long walk back to the car for them to dry off!)

I was reminded again how important fellowship is. Deeply sharing our hearts, crying together, being honest when it hurt, accepting challenges, laughing together... all of these make up such an important part of a complete and healthy life.

I've admittedly lived through the other side of the coin as well. Feeling very, very alone. Not knowing who to trust. Wanting to walk away from all relationships altogether. Because people hurt. People let us down. People are too much work. Please, let me go live in a cabin in the middle of nowhere, where I can go to town and check email when I feel like it... maybe never? Some days I still feel it!

But the truth of the matter is, we were created for relationship. We were created to need each other, to need that deep heart caring, loving, challenging, and uplifting. It's sometimes hard to find people safe enough to open up to, and we become cynical and jaded... but let me tell you, it's worth it. Worth trying one more time. With caution, with wisdom, with hope.

First Day of School

It's the first day of school for the 2018-2019 school year!

Aren't my scholars adorable?!

This tyke, now a big 3 year old, is doing school officially for the first time this year. She is SO delighted to be included. AND so cute I might add!

And this beautiful girl is finishing up a bit of 1st grade, and doing a bunch of second grade since she's determined to be ahead of "schedule". Her favorite pastime this summer was reading books like the "Little House" books. I'm impressed!

This sweet boy is going into 3rd, and he's been begging to start since we finished in the spring! He loves to learn new things. Especially if it has anything to do with machines. Like his daddy, maybe?

 SIXTH GRADE. 

How can that be?! I mean, wasn't it yesterday we were digging out the kindergarten supplies? Somehow, he's growing up.

Time Out at the Lake

Last weekend we drove up to visit my sister Michele and her fiancé Aaron at their new property on a lake in Minnesota. What a fun time! They don't have a house built yet, so we essentially camped with them on a raw property. And we spent a LOT of time on and in the water! I think this quickly became a favorite summer vacation spot for us! Here are a few highlights in pictures.

Aaron's lovely mom brought some small fireworks, and the kids LOVED them!

Returning from a walk.

The view from the top of the bluff where the campers were parked and their house will be built, out towards the lake.

Out on the boat.

Tubing fun! He managed to stay on despite become airborne a time or two!

The two middles decided to try the tube together. One was utterly delighted and the other wasn't so much. Can you tell which is which?!

Then the one who enjoyed the tube went back out all by herself!

Jere tubed a bit, and then tried his hand at water skiing. He did an amazing job!

Playing in the water.

We were so blessed to spend this time together, and made lots of great memories. Shellie and Aaron, we'll be back!

New beginnings

Yesterday, July 15, Jaron chose to be baptized as a profession of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. 

We couldn't be more... well, not sure what the right word would be! Proud? Happy? Blessed? Thankful? Awed? There were tears in my eyes as I saw his joy and confidence. Tears of amazement. A lot of excitement. And just a tiny spot in my heart was feeling a bit of a quiver of apprehension. After all, we've never done this before. We've never had the opportunity to disciple a child, now a brother in the Lord. It's a great responsibility and I feel woefully unprepared! How do we lead this little boy, fast growing into a young man, so full of life and hope, visions and dreams? His exuberance, his whole-heartedness in everything he puts his mind to, his total love of people... He is such a blessing!

And it's been a very reassuring journey for me, as well, watching God work. Without constraint, without us pushing, begging, pleading, or even asking, Jaron freely chose to follow Jesus. I credit much of this to the freedom and joy Jere and I have been discovering in the last year or two on our own spiritual journey. Now God has more room to work, and He is proving faithful over and over and over again. We are also slowly learning to change our parenting techniques, to parent with an open hand and allow Jaron freedom to fly, freedom to make his own choices, and the freedom to govern himself. Within reasonable limits for an 11 year old, of course! I'm finding it a little hard to transition from raising a little boy where I oversaw every detail of his life to a young man who has his own choices in life. To find the balance between instruction, command, and allowing him choices... and the consequences, good or bad, of those choices.

One of the biggest things I've been learning lately is in not dictating attitudes. God does not dictate to me what attitude I'm to have, and it's come to the point where I cannot dictate to my son his attitudes either. That's a hard thing when I feel he is being disrespectful and I just want to make him respect me! What a picture of a God Who desires our love... and yet allows us to choose to love, or not. Forcing compliance on the outside has only been netting us resentful respect. However, quietly pointing out the problem "Son, you are having a bad attitude." and then walking away and allowing him to grapple with right and wrong in his own heart has to this point ALWAYS provoked a heart change and a heartfelt apology with a change of attitude and a child who is anxious to love and honor us. Not to say we don't have our clashes and issues, but God is proving faithful to do the work behind the scenes.

Please pray for us as we begin a new chapter in our lives. A fresh, exciting, beautiful chapter... that also has it's challenges ahead. Pray especially that Jaron would grow into a strong and tender man of God, who loves Jesus with his whole heart! And that we as his parents will learn how to nurture and guide through the coming years.

Vacation!

We finally splurged on a vacation! And what a great time we had. Our first stop was in MN, to visit Aunt Kay and Uncle Robb. The kids enjoyed a swim in the lake, and getting their first rides in a kayak. Plus S'mores and sparklers and glow sticks...

Second stop was at the Lake Thompson State Park, near De Smet SD. A lake that was talked about in a couple of Laura Ingalls books. We had an enjoyable time despite the rain off and on while we were there. We rode bikes and waded, and visited several of the Laura Ingalls historic sites, including their homestead.

View of the Ingalls homestead... replica claim shanty on the left.

Now if he isn't the cutest...

… or maybe she is??

Helping with the laundry.

Learning to work a treadle sewing machine, and making button and string toys. 

The kids all got a chance to drive the pony and cart.

And the kids all got a chance to drive the mules pulling the covered wagon!

Making rope.

Umm... is this supposed to be yummy? It's messy!

Stop #3 was the Black Hills, where we spent 3 nights. We biked, went panning for gold, hiked, drove the wildlife loop and Needles Highway, and tried to dodge raindrops. Somehow it rained pretty much every day of the entire trip! (Not complaining, I know it's normally drier out there and they are grateful for moisture. I'm happy for the ones who live there.) Most of the activities I only captured on my phone, sorry.

The final bit of our trip was a delightful visit with my brother, his sweet girlfriend, and my sister in the mountains of Wyoming. We went hiking, exploring in the mountain woods near where we camped at 9,000', and the kids did a lot of bike riding, picking up rocks, and playing with the dogs. The views were breath taking. Again, it rained/sleeted numerous times, but rarely lasted for long. My favorite activity of the entire trip was when my brother's girlfriend, who is a horse lover too, took me out looking for wild mustangs. All the thrill of a hunt, with a trophy of watching those beautiful animals enjoying their natural habitat. Most of them never even saw us.  Despite a wrenched ankle those hikes will be fondly remembered for years. (By the way, I felt like I could finally really breathe out there. I guess I'll be a prairie girl to the day I die! Sorry to all the Wisconsin folk...)

Eliott spent most of his time chopping firewood!

Sooo, we're home again safe and sound... tired and happy. The camper is cleaned out, the laundry is done, and we're back to normal life. A calf died while we were gone, and we got two bottle calves to replace it, hoping that our kindly older cows would take them in as they have a reputation for allowing any calves in the herd to nurse. We'll see how that goes! Otherwise things look great here on the farm. And I'm trying to reacclimate to the crazy humidity!