Welcome to the new site! I am excited to write here…and to continue to preserve our story for the kids. It took us a while to get it up and running…and there is still a lot of learning to do. Uploading pictures is super different. There’s a lot of “transition” going on around these parts. (In more ways than one.) It should be really easy to leave comments…which I LOVE…and engage with us. After all…I do consider this little community a part of the family, of sorts.
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I was just reading a book…(fiction, of course)…nursing a cup of coffee in our lodge room. Have I told you about our “lodge” room? Well…it is my favorite room in the house. At the moment, anyway. Admittedly, at times, it is one of the kid’s rooms. Or my bedroom. Or the newly re-arranged kitchen or living room. I am waiting for it to be the patio. But we have to get the round, stone fire pit built and the 7 adirondack chairs purchased first. 7. Just in case.
Anyway…Chad walked in, kissed my cheek and told me that I could start reading in James with the kids this morning instead of us all going to church. This was welcomed by us all. I’m just not quite ready to step back into our normal lives yet. I still feel like I’m on vacation.
Speaking of vacation…
We spent the last 18 days in Iowa. Like every Summer since we got married…our summer vacation in going to visit Chad’s family in Iowa. And at some point over the last 13 years…they have become my family too. Sometimes I wonder if I’d like to go somewhere else, for once. Like Disney World…or Destin…or the river at Garner State Park. But, in actuality…I’m always content with Iowa in July. Friends are there. Siblings are there. Nieces and nephews are there. Links to Chad’s past are there. Family. And…fireworks. We can always count on seeing fireworks. It’s tradition. And we all know that there ain’t no way that I can fail to live out a good tradition.
Speaking of tradition…
Every year…Chad’s Grandma Janice takes all of her children and their families to Lake Okoboji for a long weekend. This year was the 40th year. We make it every few years.
This Okoboji weekend was the first time that I pulled out my camera. I’m realizing that the iphone 5 and instagram have become the down fall of real photography. It’s too easy. But on this day…I wrapped my good camera in a beach towel, tucked it in my tote bag, surrounded by goggles, and captured unforgettable Okoboji moments.
The above picture was about 15 minutes before Chad took me out to the middle of the Lake and threw us both off the jet ski. That’s ok. I was dying to swim in the middle of that clear, blue lake. “Just off the dock” just isn’t the same.
Tune in tomorrow for the fireworks and sparklers. Part 2 of Iowa coming next.
And once again…welcome to our story.
I’m off to do “home church” with the kids. Talk soon…Okay?