What a Summer it was!

***Disclaimer!  Turn the music down!  I have no idea what posted with the video, but it's not the music I chose this morning!!!!****

Well, we've all been alive, just wonderfully busy enjoying a fantastic summer.  One of the gifts that I'm finding from not moving for 4 years now is a great summer knowing where you are at, where you can travel to and truly enjoy the time with no school work or outside demands!   Here's an update from all the goings on.

1.  Adam graduated from High School and received a wonderful scholarship that will pay for all of his Freshman and Sophomore years.  He had a quiet summer at home, worked a bit at a local coffee shop, and got back in the swing of cooking for the family.  We always enjoy when Adam gets out the spices and kicks things up a notch.  Adam left for college in late August.  He's studying at Richard Bland College in Petersburg, Va.  It's a 2 year Community college that prepares kids to enter William and Mary after graduation.  Ofcourse, it's my hope that he'll find his way to one of the great Nazarene Schools and graduate from there.  (Hey, a Mom's got a right to a say, right?)  Adam's keeping us all abreast of fantasy football and I am happy to hold over his head that the Bears beat the Giants in preseason before he left home.

2.  Lyndsay came home and starting pounding the pavement immediately looking for a job and place to live.  She sent out no less than 60 applications all over the USA and after 3 months found a job working in Winchester, Va for Valley Health.  Lyndsay works on a telemetry floor caring for Cardiac Patients.  Her preceptor is a Youth Pastor's wife from Purcelleville, Va. She is very comforting to Lyndsay from a professional and spiritual perspective.  They've become fast friends, for which, I'm very grateful.  Lyndsay found a brand new apartment in historic Old Town Winchester and she and Joy Bug are very happy there.  You'll find a picture of her with her new apartment keys at Olive Garden where we went to celebrate.  Lyndsay comes home often to do her laundry and hangout with Emily and Jesse.  They are very happy to have their sister again!  Oh, to break some of the employment stress this summer while waiting, Lyndsay helped out with the kids at their swim meets.  We had a blast cheering them on.  Our community at Urbanna Swim Club is just a blessing to us.

3.  Emily and Jesse had a blast of a summer.  We went to Hershey park, rode rides and made chocolate bars.  We took a trip to Hilton Head South Carolina and rode bikes, pet the horses, ate at Salty Dog Cafe, swam in the ocean, ate amazing Italian food, watched TV and made plans to take the entire family with us next year.  Hours at the pool, helping me can jams, jellies, soups, green beans and on and on.  Well, it was such a summer for childhood fun and they have had it!

4.  John is doing great at Integrity management consulting.  He's taken trips to Kansas City, San Diego and how now attended working breakfasts at the Army Navy Club in downtown DC.  He's very happy there, loves civilian life and we are all enjoying the easier hours.  He wore his Dress Blues for the last time on Active Duty to Adam's graduation.  I treasure those pictures.

5.  I've joined a local gym, workout 5 times a week, and try to keep in some sort of shape.  My new favorite thing is Body Pump.  Total blast with girls weight lifting and getting tone.  I now know for certain that I have triceps because they often hurt after working out.  I've enjoyed restocking the house and canning all summer.  We thought we were moving to the middle east, again!  So, I'd gone through all of my stash everywhere.  It took about 4 months, but we are all stocked up and ready for winter.  Classical Conversations has taken a lot of my summer time this year.  I took a 6 week Latin Course and now understand enough to try and tutor my 10th graders on Fridays.  I also had the dining room a mess with a leaky ceiling for 4 weeks of the summer while it was repaired TWICE!  But it now looks beautiful and there was no real damage thank goodness!  Oh and to top the summer off, 2 weeks ago I went cow shopping with my girlfriend, Emily in Amish Country, Md.  Yes, cow shopping.  Total hoot!  Long story, good memories!

This fall we are looking forward to visits from the B family after Sukkot and my mom for Thanksgiving.  I also wanted to give you a heads up on some cooking/ canning books you may want to consider for your library:  Blue Ribbon Canning is a new favorite of mine.  A new girlfriend of mine here in Va will have her cookbook released 1 OCT it's called A Farmer's Daughter, recipes from a Mennonite Kitchen by Dawn Stotlzfus.  Also, look for her blog!  I'll try and get her button up soon on my blog roll!  That's it for now.  Time to hit the school books!

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