Smiling at {July}

Being away from home is a gift of many facets.

We were gifted with visiting out of state friends and family, and really- they fill us, love us, and encourage us in so many ways.

It is also a gift because we can come home and appreciate, perhaps more than before, how blessed we are to have a home. Not just these walls and this roof, but the people. We are rich. Our family, our church, our dear ones here and there. - Feeling very blessed tonight.


We have turned a new page in our calendar. Oh if you could see my grin (as our dear K would say "look! My mouth and face are turning into a smile!")… July is being welcomed with open arms. It's not just the calendar on the wall that has transitioned. It truly is a new page for us.

So much unknown here, but here is what I know:

On Friday, June 30th,  Dave and I snuck in a teeny tiny little date at a favorite coffee shop and together we pressed "send" on an email to the professor who taught his final class. We sent off his final paper, from his final project in his final class. Then we looked at each other like giddy teenagers.

It's over. And why is there an inkling in the corner of my brain saying it has only begun? Shhhh.. brain, please quiet yourself. ;) This stage of his education is over. We made it to the final chapter.


That Friday was also the final swim class for the two middles. The week before we left for our family vacation to Iowa was filled with tying up loose ends. Busy times all over the place. Finishing up, spinning around, passing like ships in the night and meeting ourselves coming and going.

And then we put 1000 miles on our new Relay, had a fabulous time away, and are back home.

Home. 


Home now to a new normal. A slowing down of sorts. Alot more of him (my man)… and alot more of Him (my Savior).


Our schedules are changing and our hearts are changing. We are hungry for what God wants. More and more everyday.  We are reaching for more of him and less of this; this world, this "stuff", this lie that our life is about us. It's not.  

We can't settle for average and we are discontent with "comfortable".

Dave and I have each been through the book "Crazy Love" multiple times. Some chapters still sting. But reading it, as well as discussing it and being sharpened by our small group, was a turning point for us. We can't turn back. We don't want to.

We are being called up. To obedience. To leadership. To bigger things that could equal smaller things. No, I'm not trying to talk in riddles, but if you know my Jesus, you just get it. :) He's good and he is surprising.