It's so sad that it's only June 11, and our family vacation is already over.  :-(  We had a GREAT trip to Virginia, but it just went so fast!  We got home at 1:30 AM on Wednesday, and about 8:30 AM I hear, "Mommy!  You're growing armpit hair!  Abbie!  Look!  Mommy's growing armpit hair!"  NOT the way I prefer to be woken up the morning after vacation--with my 5 year old pointing out that I need to shave.  I think he was actually thinking that was a new development or something.  Oh my.

It was wonderful to catch up with old family & friends.  It's always so crazy to see the kids all grown up, and the kids I knew as toddlers are now taller than me.  We lived in VA for 8 1/2 years, and I was so blessed to be Children's Minister at one of the most amazing churches ever.  It's a church that truly demonstrates the body of Christ--it's not perfect, but they love each other & truly live life together.  It was great to see people that we walked through life with.  There are lots of happy endings--new babies, blooming romances (cough, cough), healthy recoveries.  Life doesn't always go the way you want--we know that too well, eh?--but it's still great to see how God is weaving His plan throughout people's lives there, even though many are facing challenges.  Our kids got to see their "grandparents" there, and that was a joy.  They hadn't seen Grampy Ed & Grampy Hazel for two years, but they caught right up.  (Yes, we call her Grampy Hazel instead of Gramma.  Zi started calling her that & it stuck!)  The first afternoon we were there Lukey pulled out a blanket, crawled up in Grampy Hazel's lap, & took a nap!  So sweet!  "Aunt" Tyna, their daughter, came into town while we were there, so the kids got to be spoiled extra!  Luke even asked me, "Mom, why can't you be nice to us like Aunt Tyna?"  I had to give her a hard time about that one.  :-)  It's so wonderful to have people to love on your kids, and yes, spoil them as well.  We loved our vacation, and will cherish the memories of laughing, and crying, with so many amazing people.  Again I am amazed that God has surrounded us with so many loving people. 

We went to VA at this time so we could attend Relay for Life there.  The team raised over $20,000!  Amazing!  Unfortunately, monsoon season decided to arrive that night, so it was cancelled. :-(  We still got to visit with some old friends & new ones at the Survivor Dinner.  If nothing else, it was nice to enjoy a relaxing dinner with no kids!!!!  :-)  (Thanks, Chrissy & Maiah!)

Now it's back to reality--but it's SUMMER!  YAY!  Last year was "The Summer o' Breast Cancer".  This summer?  "The Summer to Make Up for Lost Time Because Last Summer STUNK".  Yay!  It's just so nice to be able to enjoy the time with my kids.  I've been working on the flower beds & trying to finish some things around here so I'll be better about just dropping everything and PLAYING with my kiddos!  I'm not so good about that...but I feel like I missed so much time with them last summer that I really do want to make the most of this summer.  My surgery is 6 weeks from tomorrow, so we have lots of fun to fit in before then!  Speaking of my surgery--last time I mentioned that I have to have physical therapy.  I would like to clarify, thanks to someone  who shall remain nameless (A.B.!), that my physical therapy does NOT consist of me swinging my arms and chanting, "I must, I must, I must increase my bust."  It's actually quite dreadful.  It's my PT pulling on tiny fascia (I think that's little bits of muscle & who knows what!) along my side that have tightened from my other two surgeries.  Yowzers!!!!  But hey--if that's the only damper on our summer vacation--I'll be a happy girl!

Thanks again for checking in.  Feel free to sign our guestbook--your entries make me smile!  Enjoy YOUR summer!