what's up with us

Here comes Summer!  Much of this past week has been in the 90's.  Of course, the last two days have been very cold and windy.  The heat is late in coming this year which is kind of nice and we have wondered if it means heat later into the fall.  I hope not, since Borrego Days falls at the end of October and the heat wipes out so many that day.  Yes, I am in the beginning stages of parade planning right now.

The warmer temps this last week or so have driven the kids right into the pool and I foresee it getting more and more use year after year as the boys grow.  I spent much of my childhood in my grandparent's pool and my summer's would not have been the same without those fun memories.  They had an apple tree near the pool and my sister and I would pick apples and toss them in the pool for a little wash down and chomp, chomp, chomp.  Yummy!  My Grandma made grilled cheese sandwiches and put them perfectly into little baskets with cheese balls and grapes and brought them down to the picnic table by the pool.  So, we didn't even have to change out of our suits or dry off.  All the while, my Grandpa worked in the yard, mowing and raking and doing whatever it was that needed to be done.  And out of the blue, we would hear a "Woohoo!" and a big splash.  He would jump off the wall by the pool and cannonball into the pool to cool off and then back to work he went.

The boys are playing t-ball and Silas is a natural.  He often wants me to throw the ball for him and I so often exchange that time with him for housecleaning.  Today, Jamie encouraged me to ditch the house for a few minutes so I could spend the time with Si.  I was glad I did.  He is such a treasure.  Brandon is a much more courageous player this year.  I love game nights because I skip making dinner and we all get to eat hotdogs at the field.  I welcome any opportunity to shirk responsibility. :)

We have added to our family.  In February, we adopted 2 guinea pigs.  In a matter of weeks, we had 5!  Yeah, one was expecting.  We are now down to three.  They are so fun and hilarious.  We keep their hay in the hall closet and every time they hear the door open, they start squealing.  They're smart little things.  Mama, Rose, and Goldie are their names.

I am officially a Prayer Action Leader for Borrego with Concerned Women for America (check out the website here).  I hope to have my training soon.  I was also accepted into the Mom Heart Leadership Intensive which will be in Colorado Springs/Denver in August.  It will be an opportunity to become involved in Wholeheart Ministries (www.wholeheart.org) which has been instrumental in directing me in my role as a mom.   I have no idea the Lord's direction for me in this ministry but am interested to see if the He will use me here.  I just received confirmation the other day and the email called us the "founding mothers."  I love this...especially as I study the Founding Fathers of our beautiful USA.  I am yielded to whatever His will is and look forward to spending a few days in Colorado (especially in August...it will be baking hot here).  We stopped there on our vacation 2 years ago and really loved the area.  I hope to have some time (maybe stay an extra day) to visit the Focus on the Family campus.


My Gramma has just settled into an assisted living home in Seattle.  Praise the Lord!  Her mind seems intact too. Yea!

Jamie has officially joined the Borrego Fire Board.  I am so proud of him in this position.  I have been reading "The 5000 Year Leap" and appreciate the importance of moral and virtuous leadership.  Jamie is fulfilling his role as a leader in our community and his integrity/character is such that he is a perfect candidate for the job.  He, also, just had his second surgery on his shoulder and seems to be doing well.  He is very achy of course but already is almost at full range-of-motion.  Please pray that he will become stronger.  He misses his work and would like to get back to it.


We are wrapping up our first year of home schooling.  Though we love life as education so I don't know that we will really stop.  It seems like it would be more of an effort to stop than to continue.  We read so much and talk and learn, learn, learn.  Every experience, exercise, and discussion is a learning opportunity.  And the Lord seems to just take us here and there and we have covered far more than I ever dreamed.  The boys are hungry for knowledge and have a love of scripture, history, our Founders, etc.  Take the time to talk and read with your kids.  You will learn right alongside them.  Such a beautiful experience.  We joined a home school group this year and they are holding their promotion ceremony in June so the boys will officially move into 1st grade.  (Below: our neighbor, Gary, showing the boys how samurai swords are made by folding thin sheets of metal over and over again.  Silas in good form.)

My sister and her family will be here in July for a short visit.  I can't wait to see her.  They will be here in time for Si's birthday.  He wants a pool party so should be a warm one, but super fun!  They are coming for a high school reunion which will be held at Indian Hills Camp where we worked a few summers when we were younger.  Our family will join them so we can have more of a visit and see a very beloved place (www.indianhillscamp.com).


At this point, we are not planning a trip this year.  Hold on....let me take a deep breath and keep from crying. LOL!  You know I love to travel, travel, travel.  Especially when it's 120 degrees out here.  We will probably take the trailer up to Julian for a week or so here and there to escape.  We are redirecting our funds toward self-sufficiency at home...if ya know what I mean.
I desire that you are well and hopeful at what is to come in the future.  Make sure you vote in the primary elections and let your voice be heard.  Live a moral and virtuous life and raise a godly, freedom-loving generation.


Bless you!