Summer is over. Well the weather is still hot but our schedule sure has changed. School has been underway since around the middle of August. Life's pace has picked up in the measure of speeds and our calender is full. I miss the summer but I'm happy for the school year to be going. There are so many wonderful things happening on campus and I'm excited about this year. Andrew is really good at his job and has a great staff and superintendent. I don't think most of you know how unique and diverse his job really is. I see him passionately work with teenagers and school staff everyday. He is in charge of residential aspect at school and takes care of some of the principal duties as well. It is a big job. I am in awe and I'm very proud of him. He has a lot of responsibility but he doesn't complain and is very patient. You have to admire a man like him. I like to hear him speak to the student body. He has great quotes and occasionally I use them on him. "Do you know that attitudes are contagious? Make yours worth catching!"
A picture I took out in CO and added our marriage date.
Daraby turned 4 over the summer. Our little girl is growing up. Nuts!
This is at her birthday party. No picture is complete without Cinderella.
The girls love their cousins and it is fun to see our girls blossom when they are with kids they trust. They act crazy and love each other. I love it.
Are they related? No! Can you believe it? This is Zoe. She is the daughter of Andrew's high school best friend. We saw them in MI this summer and ate some wonderful pizza in a great A/C building. It was amazingly hot outside.
We've spent a ton of time on the beach this summer. Our children finally love the water and I like laying on the beach. Andrew came back from sea dooing with a great afro. The girls like to ride on the sea doo much to their mom's surprise.
Our summer has been full of this as well. We bought a wonderful horse this spring and we've been putting some miles on him. I'm so glad for the girls to experience the fun of riding a safe horse. The feed him and lead him around as well. Andrew and I's first conversation was about horses. I'm glad this will be an integral part of our family life.
I've had a lot of time during the summer to work on some of my own projects- painting, sewing, making cards and re-doing furniture. The picture above and below is a sample of the baby blankets I've been making over the summer. They are a wonderful weight and texture. They do take a lot of time but I feel handmade gifts are a labor of love and are completely worth it. Every time I make one of these I am so excited for the family to receive it. I hope this will be a blanket to treasure for many years. I pray the entire time I make it. I pray for the special baby who will be wrapped up in it. I pray that the child will know and love the Lord who created her/him.
I made my own pattern and messed around with it until I got a bag/purse that I really like. I like pleats and ruffled fabric. I am happy with it.
This was another summer project that I'm incredibly happy about! I found this solid wood vintage desk online and went to town right away to pick up. My gracious husband only grumbled a little bit about another project to collect. He did well and he was thrilled with the turnout as well. It took me just a little bit to decide to paint only the top and add one of my favorite quotes. I wrote the quote out and then painted it by hand and added a solid poly. The top is butter smooth and so pretty. The bottom I left the natural wood color and added a poly coat as well. This desk went to another vintage lovers home and I'm so happy for them to use it. Another success!
There was a lot of changed on our campus this summer. They tore down two buildings and a garage. On of the buildings was a duplex and the other was the elementary/middle school building. We were able to watch them being torn down and I ran the loader one day. I had a lot of fun. It feels so good to connect with my construction roots. Our kids kept asking when our home was going to be torn down. They were fascinated and worried at the same time.
It looks so good to see the campus cleaned up and the new building coming together. The new multi-purpose building- gym/classrooms etc- is coming along. The elementary kids have classes in there now along with the band/choir room, and weight room. We are waiting to finish the gym as the funds come it. I hope they get finances this year so we'll have some games in their this winter. This will be a huge asset to the campus and kids here.
This is an aerial shot of the campus. Last week I went up in a beautiful 4 seater plane. Kendra the pilot and owner of the plane graduated from SBA and flew Tammy and me over the campus. I love to fly and we took some great photos. Our home is on the RHS in the middle of those trees. It's hard to point out.
The three brothers all have birthdays in August and we were able to celebrate by going out for pizza in CO. Andrew and Joel's birthdays are exactly 10 years apart. Joel is 20 this year and that means Andrew is 30. Oh yeah Andrew, we are becoming those people.
We taught Daraby about Coldstone. "Mommy used to work here and Daddy waited for Mommy to get off work so he could eat leftover ice cream." Daraby loved it and ate the whole thing. WOW!
We were able to see Susan and Michael. The girls are super excited about Susan's baby belly. They asked her everyday about the baby. They continue to ask me if Susan had her baby yet. We told her that having a baby takes time and then it is painful to have. She replied, "Mom I'm not going to have a baby in my belly when I get old. I am going to adopt like you and I want a girl." My sweets!
A good photo of Mom and Dad Boersma out in CO. 
I've always wanted to ride on a gondola and that dream came true in Breckenridge, even though I'm scared of heights. Those things wiggle and sway but I was so excited. This is my kind of climbing. Take me to the top baby. The girls loved it and had no worries. Huh?
Good friends are essential in life and we are so blessed. Over the summer we spent some time at Grace Adventures with our good friends Scott and Alicia and their three children. We love them and really love connecting and relaxing. There are those people in life that you can connect with instantly and start off right where you left off. It is a summer thing. We are so thankful to connect but wish we lived next door. Just not like we did in college- in teepee's and tents. We all worked at the camp together. Who says camp counselors don't date.
Another special friendship is with Aaron and Jess who just had their first baby, Lauren. The girls were so enamored by baby Lauren. Jess was so good and loves our kids so it is easy to connect and hang out with Jess and Aaron. We are thankful for their relationship. We are excited for them! They are great parents.
This summer we stopped by Nick and Delores' home on the lake. The girls enjoyed swimming and we had some great laughs. I couldn't have imagined our college years without them. They are like a set of grandparents for me and really influenced Andrew's and I relationship. We spent many hours at their home playing games, staying up late and eating food. They are so joyful and I'm so glad for their love. I can't tell you how many times I would worry over something and Delores in her sweet way would say, "Well let's just pray about it." She would grab my hands and say a sincere but short prayer. She taught me a lot about living out my faith. It is great to share them with our children.
Over the summer we also took the long one lane road to our (former) home in the Nebraska sand hills. My heart still aches over not living there but I am content with where God has brought us. The beauty there is amazing! I really feel like that I was born there in my heart. My souls was so full every day. I'm so glad that we lived there even though it was so short. I grew so much in those years. Someday I hope we'll return- only if God says yes. In the meantime, I will be patient and enjoy my summer trips.
Of course we stopped in at Alice's home and enjoyed playing with all her pets and chatting it up. Dakota was named in honor of my home state, my Mom and Alice. I'm so glad to have photos of Dakota with Alice. Dakota is accurately named: Dakota Joy Alice: Dakota means friend and she is friendly, Joy and she is very joyful and Alice- strong and tough. Names have meanings and I'm glad she fits hers.
Some friends of ours took us out in their boat to do a bit of fishing this summer. Andrew didn't catch a fish but our friends' little guy did and that was fun to watch. This was Andrew's face as he watched little Spencer reel in his big fish. This is the heart of the man I married. He is excited for kids to accomplish things. This is the face I see him have at work.
It is true our year, as as a family, will be a bit different. Daraby started preschool this year and this is a picture of the girls in the car right before we got to school. They are having a hard time being apart for 2.5 hours -three days a week.
Dara was so excited about school but clams up as soon as she gets there. She is very shy at school. She is having a hard time adjusting but wants to go every time. I know she will blossom throughout the year. She is learning her letters and tells me about everyday she comes home.
This last weekend we went to the state fair and Daraby's highlight was holding the bunny. My daughter has a gift with animals. I believe she got it from her parents.
She also loves all dolls/babies. We are dressing and re-dressing dolls a lot around here. I've never played with dolls so much in my life. They are set up in cradles, pack-n-plays and wrapped in blankets. I am constantly being told to, "Be quiet Mom. My babies are sleeping!"
It is time for me to be quiet and go since I just spent their entire nap time writing this blog. You see if I blog I don't get to nap and naps are critical for my line of work. Now you know that I do care enough to skip my nap to write this blog for you! Hope you enjoy!
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