The Last Day of Summer

Summer is almost a thing of the past.  We took our friend Laura to the airport so that she could fly home to Germany.  We had a wonderful visit and a month of memories.  We already miss her and can't wait for her to come back in another year or two. 

For our last, official day of summer, we drove down to the valley of the sun where the temperatures went over 110 degrees and the heat practically melted the pavement.  We stopped in, hot and tired, at Aunt Therese's house and said hello to her wonderful pool.  The kids practiced jumping and diving and swimming until the temperature went down to 90 degrees and we had to head back up the mountain.  They, of course, fell asleep immediately and slept nearly the whole way home.  For them, it was a very short three hour trip.

Miracle has had a tough month and it was so wonderful to see her splash and play for the day and just forget about everything going on.  She is such an amazing young lady who has taught me a lot about trust and faith and taking things in stride.

Anya had a wonderful time playing even if she can't swim.  I have failed to have that one very important thing taught to her.  Where we live, there are no pools and no place for her to learn.  The closest pool is 45 minutes away and I have not been able to organize my time to squish in the swimming lessons.  As you can see, she never lets anything stand in her way of playing in the water!  She is calm and cool and happy.  She literally just lets life float on by.  

Kayla took the time to put on goggles and swim underwater.  She loves doing that and is quite good at it.  For her the day consisted of a time to hold your nose and jump!  She never looks back.  She just keeps going forward and having fun.  Kayla is all about being busy and enthusiastic.

Most of all this day included plenty of opportunities to smile!

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

1. To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
2. A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3. A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4. A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5. A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6. A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7. A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8. A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

And so I have learned that in the midst of adversity there is still time to rejoice and laugh and play.  There is still time to be thankful and to praise.  There is time to serve and to be served.  Our Heavenly Father knows so much more than we do.  Who am I to say that trials should never happen.  I have learned that years from now, when I look back I will see His hand in every part of my life and the lesson that I will learn, will be worth it.  May we each set time aside in our busy lives to reflect with gratitude on our many, many blessings.  We all have them, sometimes we just have to be willing to be thankful before we can really see.