It's been a great summer

Well, the long days of summer seem to be winding down already. It is with mixed emotions that I bid summer farewell and welcome a new season. The summer has been good. We've had some wonderfully relaxing and fun-filled camping trips, a visit with my Grandma, we've got lots done on the house and been with family and friends on numerous occasions. We've enjoyed sleeping in, not having a strict schedule and not needing to pack those lunch bags :) As I look ahead a week I can hardly believe that the house will be so empty as Obi starts Grade One and Lyric begins JK. I know they'll all enjoy school. I'm blessed to know that they are going to a wonderful school full of great teachers who enjoy teaching and get along well together. I also crave time to sort things in my life. I want to do some major purging in my home as well as organize many different aspects of my life: my doula business, my Epicure business, my Tienda jewellery.

Even though I know the busyness is about to begin, I look forward to the kids taking new activities and learning new skills. I may even branch out and learn some new dance styles this fall/winter as I explore bellydancing. Izzy is starting Jazz and Lyric will continue with ballet. Obi is hoping to take Karate and will take shinny hockey on Saturday evenings. It's going to be a busy year.

Here are the kids enjoying time with old friends at Zurich church camping weekend. It was great to hang out with families from our sister church that we haven't seen much of in the last 9 months! What a wonderful time when our whole church took up the front area at the Old Homestead and the kids could run wild and be amongst friends and people we knew. It was a refreshing and wonderful time for the whole family!

Here's Lyric with one of the dearest friends Abbie at their Kinderoo Graduation party. Lyric had a blast. It gave her confidence and I was able to learn how she interacted with other kids her own age. I'm sure she'll be just fine in school when she begins!

Here's a picture of one of my favourite flowers:the sunflower. Thanks Tanya! It was beautiful while it lasted (until a stinkin squirrel ripped it apart before it even went to seed :( I just can't have flowers at my house. I am so grateful for the quiet moments of summer where I had the opportunity to just BE. That's probably what I love most about camping: when I am relaxing there the noise in my head is quiet for a time. I don't have the "to do" lists in my mind, I'm not thinking of what I should be doing rather than sitting in a lawn chair listening to the birds. That is a moment of heaven to me.

And like I tell my kids who hate to leave those wonderful days of summer: if we didn't leave than we couldn't ever look forward to going back. That looking forward is almost as fun as the experience itself! I know because I'm LOVING perusing the travel sites online as I prepare for my 10 year anniversary vacation with my darlin hubby. I love to have things to look forward to.

As I look ahead to a "new year" I am excited to see what God has in mind for our little church here at home too. We are hosting a block party on Sunday and I"m really looking forward to actually meeting some of my neighbours. It's been fun to just e-mail some of them back and forth as we've planned the party. We all believe that God has great things ahead for our church, but we don't know what that will look like yet: will it be evening interest classes for ladies in the community who want to get out and connect with other women and learn some new skills? How will we reach out to Clinton to show that we care about our community and the people who live here? I look ahead with anticipation and excitement!! Bring it On!

Mel