Summer is pacing right along as it does every year!
We have had a beautiful, lovely July! The days are hot and sunny and the rains and storms come to cool things down many of our nights! Often mornings are wet with some rain or a heavy dew. The humidity is high but things grow like crazy in weather like this!
This Saturday morning finds me here back on "The Blog"...
Javon is baking cookies, Jenika just freshly bathed Jazlyn and all of her puppies. Dave and Justin are in Utah since Thursday. Jordan just left for West Virginia this morning. He and Aaron (from school) were invited to join Ethan and his dad on a four day four wheel trip! He was ready to get away after having close to an eighty hour work week this week!
Things are changing.
Fast and sometimes suddenly.
Life does that.
If we were to see the outcome of things ahead or be able to see into the future we would all do life so differently.
God did not design it that way and we know he knows best and also he knows us best.
We trust.
We are thankful.
Things changing or taking place here in our household these days include some of this...
We have adorable baby puppies! We have a horse! We are all done school shopping! (now we pray school will open as planned and the kids can educate at a face to face level!)
We are at the swimming pond daily. The golf carts and four wheelers go in and out all day long as they always do during the warm summer months!
We hosted many parties and we will most likely host many more before summer ends. Thats just what we do here because my people loving husband just LOVES people!...:) (the most was four parties in one week)
We had a larger event here in the back yard...
The Miller family is a special family that we love! They have been in ministry with Gospel Express for twenty plus years! Dave recently raised money for a new travel bus for them. Dave and Ruthanne Miller have a beautiful family with many talents and we love when they visit our area! The money for the bus was raised in short order. Some very generous donors made it all possible and the Millers in return wanted to do a nice appreciation gathering.
A meal was planned for the donors along with singing by the Miller family. A short message about "God's Faithfulness" was shared by Dave Miller and the whole evening turned out to be very special. They had all the food done and did the set up so it was all pretty simple on our end.
We are traveling more again. Dave is doing more speaking events again and a trip to Memphis happened for him last week. He has interest in Texas and he wants to take us all there. We are still discussing this one...:)
Teeth are kind of a thing here these days! Dave got his teeth worked on in Michigan by his dental friends! They wanted him to have a beautiful smile and kindly decided to give him a deal of a lifetime to accomplish this!! It was over a year of invisalign to adjust his bite and then grinding down his real teeth and capping them. It has been a process that he is being patient with although he is excited to see the end so near! (I will share a good before and after picture of his new smile when I get one).
Jenika had her braces removed after two plus years!! Her smile is beutiful!
We are at the swimming pond most everyday. We enjoy our evening meal at the pond pavilion most every day we are home! I actually like evenings at the pond better then during the day. (I'm finding myself to be one that likes to work during the day and then have evenings out here) Even rainy evenings find us out here...:)
We often have friends randomly and its great!! How could it get better then eating homemade burgers in wet swimsuits!?..:) Cousins it was on this particular evening... These kind truly make the best of friends!
A bigger change of plans we were not expecting...The wedding that was to happen here in September will not be taking place after all. I'll share more. I'm just not sure when or how or where it will go but I'll share a wee bit of the story as it flows... eventually...;) (Maybe today yet but maybe not)
COVID 19 is still something very real in our nation today. It has become a game of politics which can make ones head spin if we take it out of context or spend to much time analyzing.
Knowing the "Ultimate One in Power" has got this. All of this. Makes all the difference.
Masks. School. Travel. Fear. Questions. Lack of education and common sense. Its all over the place but when it gets hit head on with "Truth" it makes more sense. The agenda. Its insane. "God have mercy" has become a familar plea these days. We know it all has to do with a very real spirital battle with Good vs Evil and although it can seem evil is winning all to often we know God has already won the victory. He is Faithful and we are Thankful!
We did a fun Zook family vacation this month! It was so good to be at a new location with a crowd this size! Our cabin we have outgrown for a long time now but we still just kept making it work. This year we were blessed to get a booking at a popular getaway a few hours from home.
I want to share a few pictures that were captured. As time goes on I treasure the times spent with the Zook family more and more... It felt great to have Justin and Jordan both with us some of the time to!
I'll just share pictures down below to show all the action the past few weeks...:)
Zook Family vacation 2020...
Spike Ball...
Volly Ball...
Pole Table...
Corn Hole...
Jen enjoys doing hair...
Expresso... It went on and on all day long!!
Of course there is always Aquire...
Miller Family Appreciation Event...
Puppy cuteness galore!!
Cody...
Brody...
Miles...
She is truly the best animal owner ever!!
Her favorite is Miles... He is the tiny one.
These pups get fed, snuggles and played with all day long! The only time they lack anything is if Jen sleeps to late in the morning then I have to hear them making all kinds of racket in the garage! She keeps the garage mopped up but they also do great doing all of the puppy business out in the grass! This is a very smart and playful breed and the cuteness is just so fun!!
From the beginning Jenika wanted to do all the puppy care and the sales and all. She is great with people so we let her do her thing. She called the photographer and set up a date to take pictures of them.
She told them the price she wants for each one.
I waited in the car while she took them to see our vet.
She asked her dad to take her for the best puppy food on the market. (he took her...:))
The day they went online for sale my phone started to blow up!!
She talked to the potential buyer like a professional. I could tell they all wanted to buy from her!...:)
She sold "Miles" first. A cute ten year old girl and her dad were in our area all day looking at puppies andmeeting Miles here was the last stop for them. They didn't even blink and bought him on the spot! Jenika had a few tears after they left because she loves him that much!
She could have sold "Cody" probably ten times over but she negotiated the price a bit for a family from Colorodo that did a Facetime with her and Cody! They are a fun outdoor family that loves hiking and she saw a great life ahead for him with this family so she took the down payment info from them and marked him sold.
Today "Brody" has a family from Virgina coming to meet him. If they pass she has another family from DC hanging around in the area until after the first family meets him to decide because they want him to! If these families both pass she has a waiting list to call!
She thinks she is pretty lucky to have puppies when the puppy market is so high but it matters more to her that her puppies will be loved and well cared for! If she hears they will be in an apartment or something in that line she was quicker to tell them she has other people interested...:)
If I were an animal I'd love to live with Jen!!
Last Saturday Jenika landed at a horse training challenge show! She loves this kind of thing! Lots of people everywhere and oh so much action!! Right up her alley! Me... I dropped her and Leanna off there in the morning and told them I'd be back to pick them up when she calls me later in the day...:)
Well she soon did call me but it wasn't to come pick her up.She was all excited!!! "Mom can I please buy a horse?!! Joy has one here for sale!! An 11 year old quarter horse and she is perfect!!"
Mom said "Oh Dear, Call dad".
Dad then calls mom and we both decided we did insist she parts with Rage and she has been begging for another horse ever since. We have a perfect horse pasture and barn set up and ready so why not let her purchase him. (she paid half her dad paid the other half) She is BLESSED!
Here she is.... With Jen. Her name is Tulsa. Jen can do anything with her so far!! Now all she needs is a riding buddy. She does ride her some on the trails around here but I'd like it if she had someone else with her.
Javon got to go with his dad to Michigan...:) He enjoyed his time so much!! Brad and Mariyana are wonderful hosts and while Dave got his teeth worked on (he spent five hours in the dentist chair half out!) Javon was well cared for!
They did all kinds of fun stuff in between dental care and investment conversations (Brad is an investor of Dave's and he has become a wonderful friend to!)
Javon LOVES cars!! If he is in the front seat with me he is always hitting me and telling me the names of the nice cars he sees! He tells what and what not for cars I should buy!
He got to sit and even ride in a few in Michigan! High end but he thinks he will own one someday!...:)
His spot while dad was in the dentist chair...:)
He will remember the days of "Masks".... (Here in Michigan if you are caught without a mask in a public place you can get a five hundred dollar fine!) Our family wears these as little as possible but we are the minority for sure!
Dave and Justin in Park City Utah...
When Dave has to go away for any reason he almost always invites one of us to go with him...:) Me first but if I balk he asks one of the kids... We love him for it!
This time he is with his "Doctor/Dentist" group at "High Speed Alliance" and he took Justin.
He speaks and has his sessions mornings but then afternoons are free. He and Justin found all kinds of activity to do in Utah and it looks so pretty there!!
This is what we look like when we do have to wear a mask...lol
Golf...
Four Wheelers...
Hiking...
Today they are here... I think I'd like to be there to...:)
Justin...
He made a purchase...
Of course we have concerns because other drivers sometimes don't see motorcycles and this causes accidents. He says he always did want one so here goes I guess. (My prayer life got ramped up a bit more)
The summer around here looks different now. We are talking about doing some getaways that we didn't have planned. We will not be thinking all things wedding now. We did do some new landscaping, extra flower planting, painting and some repairs around the house but hey it all needed to be done anyway.
Justin's house is on Airbnb still and busy. A guest is there for three weeks right now and Justin has more longer bookings coming up to. Jenika and I clean it right now until I feel comfortable with her and maybe a friend doing it alone. (then I'll just be the walk through person to make sure its all done right)
He lost a friend...He played ball with Marlin. He died suddenly one evening a few weeks ago. He was engaged to a beautiful young woman and she is shattered at this loss! Justin took this hard.
Life... Its tough to figure out but one day we will understand it. The "why's" and the "what if's" were never part of God's design. He is all knowing and he knows every single one of us ~his creation~ BEST!
HE IS FAITHFUL!! Even in our questions!
This is another HEARTBREAKING story taking place in our community ever since Fathers Day!!
Linda was last seen carrying her shoes as she walked home from church on her very familar country roads. A man in a red car came along and kidnapped her. Just like that. Duh!! Who even does that!!??
They have arrested her kidnapper but he won't talk and the search still continues for Linda! Her family and friends are living a nightmare since she has been missing!
We are filling out all the school papers once again... Jenika and Javon are so excited about going back and especially now that we have shopped and the full backpacks are ready to go!
Jordan... If he continues at all it will be online. I did not fill in his papers this week.
He is working and thriving at his job. He has great opportunity at Stoltzfus so he is diving all in.
His education has not stopped because of his job or because of COVID!
He puts so many hours a week in doing the prefab structure part!
Justin has just set up his new shed hauling delivery truck though so Jordan is getting set to take over in this truck! He will become that delivery driver that delivers your shed!
He will be delivering the sheds as soon as he comes back to work after his four wheeling trip this week. He seems nervous and excited at the same time! His first run is a few day trip to Illinois. Thankfully Justin will be going with him for this one!
After such a busy season in his life I know school would not be as fulfilling as before but we are encouraging him to finish his senior year one way or another. He made a really "Hard decision" over this one because he loved seeing his friends everyday.
These are a few things that BLESS me on the daily right now...;)
This very large Fennel plant!! I don't even give it a chance to get new growth because I can't get enough of this stuff right now!! I eat it like candy...:)
I have two egg plant planted and they both have lovely egg plants hanging!
So very many Black Berries hanging!!
I didn't even plant a single squash!! They have taken over my whole garden!! I have been pulling them out of all the corners because they are growing like wild! I must have had butternut sqaush in the compost pile when it got spread on the garden in the spring and the seeds then all took root!!
We will have butternuut squash out of our ears!...:)
A few summers ago I asked on here what tree looks like this!? The feedback from you guys told me it was a "Mimosa Tree". I soon planted one because I think they are to pretty not to have one on this property somewhere! Here it is doing great!! I dream of hanging a hammock from this tree on day!
Of course these two always bless me!...:)
Morning "healing" walk/runs for Dave and I...
Dave tells me his creek baths are pleasant this time of the year...:) I just smile.
Nub just loves these mornings out to!! I watch from the bank as they bath and cool off after a hard run for them... I just walk. Most times fast but sometimes slow. I even stop to pick the wild berries sometimes!
My Health Journey testimony is one I hope to do on here next. I know my body is doing something unusal when I can eat (and crave) tons and tons of this... I eat it as a meal or snack all day long!... I can't grow enough of it in the garden and tower garden so I buy it to!
I crave more salt then sweet these days.
So much I can share about this year of healing and all this healing journey and even still now today its all still taking place...
Time....
It. Takes. Time. To. Heal.
I hope to be back soon... (As I always say)
Good Hot July Saturday to you all...
WE ARE BLESSED!
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