October Highlights

October is the best time of the year! My family celebrates an anniversary and two birthdays.  We take a fall break vacation up at Lake Michigan.   The weather is less humid but still warm.  It's just a fun month. 

This year, Jeff and I celebrated 23 years of marriage on the 8th.  We had a lovely meal at a favorite restaurant while our young ones were at youth group. 

The biggest stressor of October seemed to be a few of us going through various infections of which we are now all healed, thankfully.  Taking the PSAT on the 11th was also a bit of a stressor for the students at home.  Not only did they have to go the local public high school, but they had to be there at 8AM.  I was so proud of them. 

Grace had an NHS service day!   When you go to an online school, meeting in person at a nursing home is exciting.  They enjoyed interacting with the residents and fellow students. 

Jeff worked like crazy to meet the increased workload associated with the tax deadline the first half of the month. 

Then we got away for a few days around my birthday to my happy spot, Lake Michigan. 

Quickly we got home on Friday and then went to homecoming at our oldest's college to hear his marching band. 

And then the next day, we had a birthday party for me, a big birthday! My precious mom made this coconut cream pie for me. 

And finally, we celebrated another wonderful birthday this past Sunday. 

How can he be 16? 

Life These Days

Wow, it is hot!  We have had a string of 6 days over 90 degrees F which is very unusual for our part of the world.  We have also been in a drought.  Our world is brown, yellow and fading green.

Otherwise, things have been in a good routine with our schooling.  The kids are excelling in their online school.  Grace is active in the National Honor Society with weekly peer tutoring and a new mentorship program starting up.  Both Trevor and Grace love their youth group.  In fact, Trevor is going with some friends from church to watch another friend's soccer game and have dinner tonight. Grace and I are starting to explore colleges.  It is an exciting time to be her! It is an exciting time to be them.

As for me, I have been taking meals to others in need.  I have found that a good roasted chicken makes a nice meal for a new baby's family or someone who has been ill.  Plus, it covers a lot of the different restrictions on grains, eggs, dairy, and whathaveyou.  This last week I took a meal to someone who has an egg, gluten, dairy, soy, red meat free diet.  Challenge accepted!  I took her a roasted chicken with honey/cilantro glazed roasted carrots, mashed potatoes (vegan butter) and a cut up cantaloupe.

We have all decided we need to be more active physically, so we have returned to riding our bikes. It has been too hot to walk, but I feel that we will be back to walking when things cool off.  Jeff is back to playing disc golf.  I will join him, again when it cools off.  And we plan to bowl at least once a month.  Bowling can be expensive though.  

Grace and I have been enjoying being a part of the Kindness Rocks Project.  We are painting rocks, hiding them for people to find and be encouraged.  Have you found any rocks in your area?

Well, that is us in a nutshell.  We are blessed.  We are trying to bless others.  What more can one hope for?

Dearest Lake Michigan

Jeff and I got away for a quick overnight trip up to the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. This was our only trip this summer.  It was like a dream.  I am looking forward to our next trip during fall break.

There is Beauty All Around Us

Just another lovely stroll around one of my favorite city parks not far from my home.  I am so thankful to be back here, back home!

University Drop-off

Part of my heart now lives 99 miles away.  It might as well be 9900 miles as my son has no use for me at the moment.  The last almost two years he has chosen to walk a different path, one that will lead to destruction if he is not saved by the grace of Jesus.  My inability to reach him has been one of the most difficult and sad times of my life.  And now he is away and there is nothing to do but pray for a miracle.

Leaving your child at university is a hard enough adjustment to make on top of this stressed relationship.  I feel as if I have failed at times and then I receive encouragement from others around me who know the details.  I am thankful for these precious ones the Lord has sent as a healing balm to me.

So far my son is making good on his promise not to talk to me.  Thankfully he will talk to his father and grandparents.  I am alone in my exile! (No, not alone.)  I would so love to hear how things are going and how he is adjusting to having a roommate.  I have sent him a care package filled with things he likes hoping he will be comforted far from his family who loves him.  (Isn't Pinterest just filled with fun ideas for care packages?)

This season of a mother's heart is a complex time for me.  Yet I know that I am going to be OK.  I am reminded that I am blessed to have two Christ loving children at home. I am grieving the loss of my firstborn, but I am not without hope as long as there is today, there is hope for his salvation.

Blooms at the Fair

One of my favorite places to linger at our state fair is the master gardener's exhibit.  It gets more elaborate each year.  So many people labor over this garden.  It is a work of art.  It's an excellent place to have fun with my camera.

2017 Indiana State Fair in Pictures