A walk in the park...

What a joy to be with mom and dad in our new home and new life. The house now smells like coffee and candles, giggles from the girls abound, and adventures are around every corner. For example...

Mom and I went for a walk in the park across the street on Sunday evening. Immediately upon entering the park we heard loud hip hop music and saw that a graffiti contest was going on. Then, under a pavilion, mom spied break dancers and said, " Oh, I love break dancers! Let's go watch." I looked at mom in her bright pink running shorts and me in my capri jogging pants. We are straight from OldNavyland. She doesn't even think about that. We march straight up to the break dancing circle to sit down and watch. It was really fun and little did I know that this was just the beginning of our adventure in the park...it would take forever to document it all, but in one lap around the place we saw break dancers, pink flamingoes, a hippy drum circle complete with hulahoopers and fire dancers, a bag pipe player who was ever elusive and who we only found after mom spied his bagpipe sticking up over a bush, and oh so many more random things. I truly don't know if things like this go on in the park all of the time and I am just oblivious to it with my head phones on, or if it really was a crazy night in the park. I have a feeling things like that abound and because mom is so brave and willing to jump into experiences that I would only watch from afar, we got to experience it. It was so random and wonderful and totally classic mom time.

We have done many more things such as read bunches, go for a picnic by a rushing river, drive along the most beautiful stretch of road in the world, thrift store shopping, garage saleing, talking into the wee hours of the morning, eating good food,and discovering a syndrome called PYS that Joel claims to have. That would be Pre Garage Saleing syndrome:)

Here are some of my favorite pics from the trip so far...

The Hunt Hotel...

Mom and dad are in route to Salt Lake City! We are so excited and scurrying around like mice to get everything ready. Well, at least one of us is...

I left to go tutor one of my students, but gave Joel specific instructions on what I needed him to do in the guest room while I was gone. I don't think "take a nap in the guests' bed" was on the list:)
If you haven't heard Joel's big news, click on the "Joelie's blog" link to the right and you can read about it. Then you'll understand why he especially needs rest right now with all of his new responsibilities:)
Guess that's all for now. I've got a bathtub to scrub,a guest room to prepare, flowers to buy....I'll try to keep this updated with our adventures with the folks during their stay at the Hunt Hotel!

A walk in the woods...

We had a great hike today. It was one of those times where I just wanted to belt out , "THE HILLS ARE ALIVE WITH THE SOUND OF MUUUSIC!!!" I refrained, though, as I had already embarrassed myself by putting flowers in my hair and humming the tune as another couple snuck up on us:) Anyway, it was good to get the exercise, to be in the outdoors, and to have uninterrupted conversation time with Joelie. We talked about everything from homeschooling/unschooling to firefighting(long story) to natural birth (yeah, that was mostly me)to family happenings(happy engagement to my dear bub, happy touring w/ Sheryl Crow to John Mike, yippie for moving to wimberly to my parents, we miss and love you to Jim and Shari sharing love with orphans in the Ukraine, and love you too to Shanny, who is living life and holding down the family fort in TX while the rest of us are spread out all over the world:)to Hawaii hiking memories and beyond. Good times...







What a crazy experience to hike in snow with sandals! Other weekend festivities included breakfast Sat. morning at the coffee shop down the street, laughing heartily at Jack Black in "Nacho Libre" and grilling on driveway/patio. Here's a picture of Joelie and our yummy dinner...


Of course, today was also Father's day. I was thinking about dad on our hike and trying to think of a way to sum up his love for us.
My favorite picture of him is one on Christmas day in about 1992. John Mike was about 8 and dad gave him a Michael Jordan rookie card--which, of course, is every 8 year old's dream. The picture is of John Mike, in shock, hugging dad tightly. If you look closely you can see a single tear running down dad's cheek. That to me is the perfect picture of him. Joy in the giving. Thanks dad, for giving us your time and encouragement and love always. For hours of shooting baskets, catching softballs, reading poems, listening to dreams...words are not enough to express my thankfulness.

Hope you all had a great weekend too, Jen

"The mother's heart is the child's schoolroom."

For our precious mommas for which no words can express our love and gratitude:

From my mom's heart I have learned of grace, forgiveness, unconditional love, creativity, child-like faith,eternal hope, endurance.... Thank you mom for being such an example of God's love to your kids and to your husband.

From mom Shari I have learned the art of hospitality, to see the best in everyone, the joy of genuine faith, the goodness of order, and in this moment I am learning from her the joy found in obedience as she has followed her husband to the far off land of the Ukraine!

Thanks to the Lord for these amazing women and for creating the role of "mother"-- I know of know greater love other than His than that of a mother for her child.


In other news: Joelie starts school tomorrow! We are excited, sad, thankful, emotional...well, I'm emotional. Joel says I've been more emotional about him starting school than when he went to Colombia and was in real danger of death! I must admit that he may be right. I think it's because he and I have gotten to spend soooo much time together this past year and four months since he got out of the military and I'm just really going to miss it. My love language is time and so this has been heavenly for me to have him to myself so often. We've been dreaming of this day for so long though, and I really am thrilled that it's actually happening.

Nothing too exciting happened this week after the road trip. Just working on the house, working on my data entry....We did have our friend Tonga over twice.He is this huuuuuge guy, from Tonga (his really name is Uaisele), that Joel'll be in school with and we had him over the last two nights for dinner and to play cards. He's great and reminds me of a Tongan David Zapp(hi Dave and Becca if you're reading this!!)Tonight we're having dinner with Erick, who is in the class ahead of Joel. He's an interesting guy and fun conversationalist, so we're looking forward to that.

Oh, I've been meaning to tell you that Joel has a blog documenting his journey to, and now through, PA school. It's appropriately titled www.joelsjourney.blogspot.com , so check it out if you have time. I'm hoping one day he'll get it published into a book for people interested in the PA profession. He has worked on it diligently and think it'll be a great venting place for him during these next 27 months. Gotta run, coffee shop closing. Jen