School is going well for the kids. Brad started two-a-days this week and hasn’t been at all thrilled about leaving for school at 5:30 but it’s football season. I think his first game is in two weeks and I can’t wait. I love watching the kids play sports. Sidney starts volleyball practice on Monday and is on a new team; hopefully she loves these girls. And Trevor has been having nightly football practice too. I watched him last night and he has gotten even more aggressive than last year. His games start in a week or two as well. Lots of driving for sure but well worth it. These days will be gone sooner than I want to even think about. Ryan has done well getting back into the routine of school too; he is more tired than usual but I expected that. They all seem settled and happy which is a blessing.

Travis and my song is Remember When by Alan Jackson. I love this part ~

remember when we said when we turn grey
when the children grow up and move away
we won’t be sad, we’ll be glad
for all the life we’ve had
and we’ll remember when

While my heart has such conflicting emotions about the kids getting older, we both have absolutely loved this age. Sure they are normal teenagers with attitudes, hormones and the inability to keep track of their stuff or put anything away, much less clean without being asked 100 times, but they are good kids. So we are choosing to enjoy the moments we have while they are here. We pick our battles and rejoice in the moments that fill us with joy because every day is a gift. I think we have all learned that around here. The Lord has blessed us and we don’t take one single second for granted.

We are missing Travis this week but he is enjoying some much needed brother time. Tuesday he flew to Spokane and met up with his brother and they are now in Vancouver BC for several days. Brady had a dog show to work at for a bit so Travis went with him. They still have lots of time to explore and have fun while there are there. He also gets to spend two days back in Sandpoint ID with Brady’s family before he comes home next week. I miss them all terribly and wish we didn’t have 22 hours of driving between our families, but at least Travis gets to see them.

My heart has been so heavy for Travis’s cousin. I’ve mentioned them before – Steve and Penny, Sierra, Alyssa and Steven. What a beautiful, God loving family. We are blessed to be related to them. Monday Penny will be in surgery for four hours in Kansas City as they give one of her kidney’s to Steven, almost 3 yrs old, who will be in surgery for 10 hours. Please pray for them. They have been to hell and back with Steven’s medical issues and all the other stuff that comes along with raising a special needs child. Steven is adorable and has an amazing second chance. They knew before Steven was born that he was already in kidney failure; and here we are three years later watching how God has moved in their lives to get them to this point. I believe with all my heart that when Steven is older he is going to speak of God’s goodness in his life and tell his story of healing and God’s faithfulness to him. Please pray for all five of them as God brings them to mind. They will be five hours away from home for a while and this will be a long road to complete healing. I have experienced first hand the goodness of God on Ryan’s life and have seen how, even through his severe disabilities and the inability for doctors to “cure” him, God has used Ryan to change others lives for His good. How could I not trust that God will do even more for His glory through an adorable, curly headed, bright and perfectly normal little boy who happens to have non functioning kidneys. Thank you for your prayers!

God bless you all! Much love from us.