Summer Break is Over

The kids are back in school and life is back to a routine.  This is helpful for us.  It was time to get back to a routine.

Here's a look at the way our summer looked for the past couple months ...

Rebekah was baptized this summer!  I'm so proud of her for taking this big step in her life.

Anna played travel softball with J-Shock this summer.  J-Shock is the Jimtown Middle School summer league.  She did great ... playing 1st or 3rd base every game.

John Michael got a new wheelchair this summer!  It was like Christmas that day.  His old chair was 5+ years old and very beat up.  It's so nice to see JM in a chair that works so much better for him.

We spent a lot of time at the pool this summer.  We have a friend who lets us use his pool anytime.  It was wonderful.

(I'm the one in the pink bandana) I went backpacking with 12 other ladies.  We left on a Thursday to head to Seneca Rocks, WV and came back late Sunday night.  It was the most challenging hike I've been on!  It was challenging in every way ... physically, spiritually, mentally and emotionally.  I have a new appreciation for ladies who are willing to hike 8 miles down a mountain, get lost and set up camp next to a beautiful creek by a 30 ft. waterfall.  It was a great place to spend the night.  We did a day hike on Saturday then hiked out 5 miles on Sunday morning.  We were all so glad to see the van after hiking all those miles.  We were all physically spent.  It was a weekend to remember.

The day I came home from WV, John Michael went to Wheelchair Sports Camp in Grand Rapids.  After coming home, unpacking and doing a load of laundry, I headed to Grand Rapids to spend the rest of the week with him.  Clint and I spent a day together which was so great.  We biked 26 miles on the White Pine Trail.

John Michael turned 14 this year.  Him and Clint went on a 23.5 mile bike ride as a 14 year mark ... moving from boyhood into the young adult/manhood season of his life.  This was a highlight in JM's life.

 We finished the summer with my sister and her family spending two weeks with us.  It was so great to spend so much time with them.  We spent time with my whole family going to a local park ... taking family pictures, having chicken on the grill, playing cornhole, playing on the playground and simply enjoying each other.  In the evening we went to my uncles pond to fish and hang out with more family.  What a great way to end the summer break.