The last night of me turning 35, yesterday actually.  I laid in bed, my husband was working late, so I had pie and a book while waiting on him to get home. Knowing after he got home from work, after we laid down for the night, after we awoke the next morning (now this morning), I would no longer be thirty-five. We would be celebrating my 36th year on this Earth. It's crazy how time flies by. If time has taught me anything it is to appreciate the time I have here with the people I share this life with, and also to freeze as much of it as I can into a photograph or video, because once the time is gone it's gone. I'm so thankful for this crazy wonderful life of mine and for the people I share it with. I am so blessed. Every single day, I'm blessed. And. I'm thankful. Here's how we spent my birthday, from the Natural Tunnel to dinner it was great!...

The past week, though...

It's been household chores, and it's been looking forward to some days off from work.

It's been a FBLA trip for our daughter.  She won the State competition, and she went to Nationals.  Even though she didn't place there we are so happy with her accomplishments.  In April she went to Reston, VA., for her State competition and this past week she went to Atlanta, GA. for Nationals, so she got to see some neat places she hadn't seen before.  Here are some photos from both of those trips as well as her working hard to go on those trips.

 

I sure was happy she got to see all of these neat places, but I am so happy she is now home.

 There's been dirt bike riding for our boy.  He was so excited when we were finally able to get it fixed!

There was the 4th of July Weekend...

And all of these other photos I took during the past week...

Then, there was this...

Our family, our dear friends, and our Church family are with heavy hearts. Our hearts are sad, but we're filled with hope that we will see a dear friend and brother in Christ again someday. He made a huge impact on our Church, on our family, on our kids. 

I remember as a little girl, as I went to Church with my parents, a man there always gave me peppermint candy. Still.  After over 20 years, I remember that small of a gesture, that small act of kindness. Now, our kids have experienced the same kindness from a totally different man. Every Sunday he would give my kids a Ring Pop and a gold dollar. I think they'll always remember that. 

 This same man was the Postmaster when I was a little girl.  So, as I told my son about this sweet man passing earlier this week, he went to a small box, in which I never even knew he had, and he opened that box, and it was over half full with coins that the man had given him. My son didn't say anything as he showed those to me, he just wept. This man has touched our family's life so very much, and he will never be forgotten.  From his kindness to the great memories we have of him, as sure as those coins are in my son's box (I'm not sure if he will ever let them go now), the memories and the impact this man has made in our lives will last for the rest of our days. Rest in peace, Brother Johnny. 

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Yes, it's that moment. You know, the one where I realize that I will never again have to write a check to our kids' elementary school for their school lunch. Our boy told me the other day that I didn't need to write him anymore checks for this school year for his lunch because his balance is paid for the rest of the school year. That means next school year will be when I write another check. Both checks (the one for our daughter and the one for our son) will say High School instead of Elementary School. So, this is it! Unless the Lord has other plans for me to have more babies, I will never again write a lunch check to the elementary school for my kids. It's a bittersweet moment. A part of me wants to cry, as I'm seeing life passing way too quickly, but then a part of me wants to smile and hug them for all of who they are becoming.

Speaking of school, I am happy that I now have achieved another goal of mine. I have received my Certificate of Achievement in the Art of Photography. Photography is so, so, so very important to me, and I am so happy that I went for this goal...I went for finishing this course...I now have this certificate!





Today, I was appreciating some of the simple things. Like, look at these! They will soon have flowers on them!





Last weekend we also began the Memorial Day Weekend celebration. I had to work for a half of the day on Saturday. We visited with family at my husband's sister's place. We had a cookout and Smores here. There was Church. It was a great weekend, and we're thankful for the memories made, and we're thankful for the memories that are forever in our hearts.





















And that brings me up-to-date on this story of ours...





This Post and More Photos Are in the Members Area.