Nothing special going on.......

Nothing special? Does there always have to be something special going on or can we just be living an everyday ordinary life. Isn't that special enough? I think so. We have the opportunity to live in a nice warm (or cool) home with lots of creature comforts; we have plenty (really more than enough) of food to eat; we are healthy and that's a big thing; good jobs. We have a great church that we can freely attend so we can worship our truly amazing God. I think that all is pretty special. I get to see my grandkids almost every day and that is extra special. They even call asking to come over although I think they just want to get a snack and watch tv but I'm OK with that. I even get to travel some. Woohoo! Oh and do some "junkin". So you see, I think there is something very special going and it's called Life. And I am blessed beyond measure to be living it.

Statistics

Our little town has become another statistic, sadly. But this one is way too close to home for me. We read about police shootings all day long, pray for the people involved and their families, talk and shake your head wondering what this world is coming too but when it happens in your own community it really strikes home. We had just that very thing happen. Last week as I walked into my office, I was greeted with talk of a shooting just outside of the town I live in but not work in and it was still ongoing. As I work in the same building as our police department, we began getting reports that two officers were down and numerous other law enforcement agencies were either on site or on their way to the site. Everyone was extremely nervous and anxious. I began texting my family to see if they had heard about this and that is when my youngest boy texted me that the shooter was someone he went to school with and being from a small town, everyone knows everyone else in your class. In fact this "boy" (my kid's friends will always be kids to me) was a friend to my son, had been to our home several times while the boys were in high school. How could this be! Being raised by his grandparents because his parents weren't there I'm sure wasn't ideal but I know they did their best. We always saw them supporting him in sports he played or other activities that Jamie and his friends were involved in. I have always liked to think that Gary and I had maybe just a little bit of influence on the many kids that passed through our home. But somewhere along the line, he took the wrong turn and now he sits in jail charged with capital murder. Yes one of the officers died! He left a wife, a son and so many friends and co workers. And Yes I knew him too. He was out here at our office quite often, even fingerprinted my grandsons at National Night Out; such a kind, caring person and now he is gone. It feels so surreal knowing the people on both sides of this tragedy. I can't imagine what the shooter's grandparents are going through; how heartbroken they must be and then I think of the officer's family and what they are going through. I pray for them all. That's all I can do but prayer is powerful and maybe it's a lot more than I realize.

Summer is winding down

Summer may be winding down but we are still very busy with all kinds of activities. Since Jessica is the youth pastor at church, we do a lot of things with the older ones such as Sunday night movie nights,

Tuesday night dinners (where they cook and I eat and love it and am going to miss terribly).

 

Noah and Jonah have got me hooked on watching a TV series called "the Flash". The only thing is they watch episodes during the day and then when we watch at night, they are ahead of me. Going to have to catch up on missed ones when they aren't at the house. Let's see, now when is that? I love that they are at the house a lot and I'm sure that will end somewhat when school starts in one week. Wow, we only got started with the summer and now it is almost over.

Canning spaghetti sauce

everyone pitching in to pick the tomatoes and their are tons of them.

 Pretty girl with pretty summer hair do

 Farm family of the year (maybe?)

 Geo-caching for even more fun times.

Busy, busy, busy but fun summer time activities. Never a dull moment around this farm.