A Beautiful Autumn

As the days go by, I am in awe of God's goodness to us...

Each and every day the Lord breaths into us life full and abundant!  It is truly a miracle, and I am ever thankful for each and every day I awake...healthy and full of life!

The children are growing and changing daily... I can hardly keep up with them...

The autumn days have been splendid here in Idaho. 

The Ash in the backyard was stunning this year!

We have spent many an hour walking with friends, making soups, putting up tomato sauce and baking yummy fall pies and cakes...We have been riding bikes, raking leaves, sitting out on the back porch after dinner and basking in the miracle of being back in our home.
 

 A weekend trip to Salem, Oregon... 

We happened upon this amazing tree that Thomas had to climb.

It was a rite of passage for this adventurous ten year old boy.

Autumn is one of  my favorite seasons.  Truth be told... I love all of them... each has it's special meaning and place.  Autumn is one of warmth and storing up for the long winter.

It is a time of thanking the Lord for the bounty that summer has afforded. 

All throughout the season, my hubby has been buying me bushels of Mums!  

He knows how much I love them....

 A gift from my husband... we have always dreamed of having rocking chairs on our front porch to sit and watch the world go by in our retirement.  After this year, we have decided life is too short to wait for such an occasion...

With the lengthening evenings, it is a time to slow down a bit, eat dinner by candlelight, read books together by the fireside and treasure each other all the more.

"So we do not lose heart.  Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.  For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen, but to the things that are unseen.  For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."  2 Corinthians 4:16-18

A Long Journey

The past few months we have been rather preoccupied with moving yet again... This time, we have landed back where we started exactly two years ago!

We have spent the summer preparing, packing, loading, moving, unpacking, re-decorating and making our nest once again in our home in Idaho. (Are you tired yet?  We are for sure!)  It has been a truly miraculous experience to re-establish life as "normal" and we have all taken a collective sigh of relief.



 



Yes, our journey across the ocean was an amazing experience...we would not have traded it for the world.  Yes, our plans were different than what God had in store, but we have learned that His ways are always better than our own.  Yes, the journey has been difficult and pain filled... but it has been a time of growth and surrender... with the added gift of perspective.... that has changed the way we live our lives.  All this, while we have been learning to trust more fully in God's sovereignty in all.



Coming full circle was a gift from the Lord... it happened for a reason, and we are ever thankful for His provision in our lives.


The future is never for certain... we have no guarantees that life will go the way we plan it, but the Journey is always worthwhile.  When we walk hand in hand with the Savior, we find the strength to find joy in each and every circumstance no matter what comes our way.

As we begin anew, life in a familiar and comfortable place, we are forever thankful for all that God has provided for us and look forward to the journey ahead...

Summer Recital

It's recital time again...

Sarah has been working with diligence over the past year, and she was able to share with us the culmination of many months of practice.    She played the first movement of a Vivaldi Concerto... and she played it beautifully!  We were so proud.



She also had the opportunity to participate in a Chamber Group this spring and they performed two songs as well.  It was a joy to see our girl making beautiful music with others...

Sarah and her Violin Teacher

All of this work does not happen without the careful instruction of her accomplished teacher... we were so blessed to have found Ruth to guide and teach Sarah over the past few months.

Each year gets better and better... It is such a blessing to watch Sarah grow in passion and mature in her skill at the violin. 

A Cabin in the Woods

In anticipation of a very busy summer ahead, we decided to take advantage of a slow week and headed to the mountains for a little rest and reflection.  We found a cute little log cabin in the woods to rent in the Central Cascade Mountains, perched along the banks of the Wenatchee River.

Our Log Cabin in the Woods

 

 Charlie enjoying his vacation...

 Our lovely view for the week...

 

The kids enjoyed the loft...

Charlie and his Girl

It was the perfect place to leave the urgency of our world behind and just sit and rest, hike, read good books, play board games, and eat good food together!

 The Wenatchee River from the deck of our cabin...

 

Several of our days included exploring the area around our cabin... Lake Wenatchee was close by... and the children enjoyed playing along the water's edge...

 Lake Wenatchee

 Hiking around the lake...

Another day found us lunching in the cute town of Leavenworth.  It is a Alpine villiage that has taken on a German/Bavarian theme.  If you squint your eyes, you might almost think you are in the Alps of Europe!  Well, most likely not, but it is a fun little town with lots of character and good German style Bratwurst to be had!
 

 Leavenworth, a little Germany in America

We were able to take a fairly adventurous hike along Icicle Creek.  It is about a 4 mile hike that follows the creeks edge... the kids enjoyed getting right close to the rushing water... It was so refreshing after hiking in a few miles... The wild flowers were in full bloom as well...

 

 

 Our last day we made our way up Highway 2 and found the old rail bed of the Great Northern Railway... of course, we had to get out and explore the remains of this Historic Rail Route.

Our time away was just what we needed to prepare for the exciting summer ahead...  As it turns out, we will be moving again soon... back to Boise... We are so thankful how God is working to bring us full circle in just about two years to the day!