August Lookback

I don't know who said it first, but August feels like the Sunday of Summer.

Summer is winding down, you know school and structure and schedules are coming. So you bask in the glow of the setting sun, knowing tomorrow brings busy and movement and challenge.

We started school about a week earlier this year, so not much of August got to be enjoyed in "summer" mode. But we tried our best to make the most of what we had (a familiar mantra around here).

The first week was prep work for the Annual Gateway Woods auction, this year bringing in over $600,000. I'm still astounded by the number. But I shouldn't be. It's all God and He's all about astounding us.

Hannah got to enjoy her first ever time away from home with a week away at camp with her best friend. She's still talking about it.

We had friends over, tried out some taekwondo, watched a solar eclipse, started back to school, amped up the training for our Columbus Half-Marathon in October, celebrated 15 years of marriage, started the venture of chicken raising, and tried to figure out the new normal of this school year.

As always, I humbly recognize the gifts that are everyday life.  Serving Jesus beside the best man I could ever ask for with 3 mini-us's that we are incredible proud to call ours.

Striving to live life with what we have, where we are, with what we got. Seeking to be content but striving to make each day better than the last.

And now, August in pictures:


Notes from Madeline...by the rate of her spelling, school needed to happen.....

Prepping for the Gateway Woods Auction. Over a thousand items sold in less than 5 hours bringing in over $600,000. It seems crazy just typing that.

There were quite a few non-humid, cool mornings that I could enjoy my morning devotions on the front porch, along with a cup of coffee.

Picking up Hannah from camp, where their cabin leader prayed with them before they left....
and then they all rolled down the hill.


School shopping. We were able to reuse a lot of their supplies from last year which meant I spent less than $25 per kid on school this year (score!). Plus, they had buy one get one free mochiattos that day - any size! So one big one for me....and a free one split 3 ways (score again!)


The obligatory first day of school pictures
Carrying her stuffed animals Zambian-style in her chitenge

Helping making one of MANY batches of zucchini muffins.

Revving up the race training. Want to support Bryer's Song? Click HERE.  And thanks :)

This Cross Country season Paul is the assistant coach for the high school team.  We haven't been able to make it to many of the meets because they are far away, but the one that was in town, the kids and I went and cheered them on. Took me back to my own CC days....


The kids took a 5 class Confidence-course at a local Tae Kwon Do studio. These pics were before any training happened, FYI.



Something blissful about chitenge blowing in the breeze

We had a bumper crop of lettuce

This one LOVES mud and getting dirty. 

Solar eclipse viewing. It made some pretty cool shadows on the ground through the leaves. I didn't have the glasses so I went with the pin hole shadow (below).




Paul had access to more free stuff and since we never turn down something that is free....we now have 1000 blank library cards.

Our 15th anniversary was celebrated in his classroom with a quick bite of takeout. Paul had Parent's Night at school so after a 30 minute "date" I had to scoot out.

A hot air balloon drifted by one morning while I sat on the porch doing my morning devotions.


Found another use for those library cards.

More race training: Paul runs while we ride bikes, meet him halfway at a park with his Gatorade, and then head back home.

There is a hill nearby that I love to try to capture silhouettes of kids. They are willing participants, jumping over and over again....

So, I bought a plant labeled "cucumber" at the store last Spring....and I have given up hope that this plant will ever produce actual cucumbers.  Upside, this is the first time we have ever successfully grown cataloupe!

Newest adventure: chickens. I got to be the lucky one to pick them up. The kids are super excited and I hope that those chickens can actual produce eggs after the harrowing experience of meeting these 3.



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