And now they are 14

 Hello, dear ones!

I am celebrating the preemies who came into our lives 14+ years ago a few days late on this blog. We have celebrated heartily in person, though, and we have thanked God over and over again for all His goodness in the midst of the scary days and nights [months!] of their babyhood, and all the delightful years since then. We're so grateful He holds the future and equips us for each stage. 

So far, teenagers are the best! They are sweet and hilarious and fun to be around and super helpful. Isaac was a really great teenager, too, so we're not dreading these years. The best part is seeing their friendships with each other develop! I love watching them each draw on their own strengths and each other's, and am thankful to see them increasingly learning to bear with others -- I pray that's true of me, too! -- while growing in and through their own weaknesses. He who began a good work in each of them will be faithful to complete it. 💗

Here's a smattering of photos from a fun summer of family reunions, my parents' 55th anniversary, serving with JAARS at the annual Oshkosh air show and fly-in, and just being together. I really love our crew!

Gracie, David, and Seth went backpacking with Dad for three days. I kept Will and Marcie, the less outdoorsy kiddos, with me. 😁

Beginning of the trail:

And the end 😆

Picnic on the road 

David and Seth accompanied Gavin as he represented JAARS at Oshkosh in his recruitment role.

David's new hobby is photography. He inherited his Grandpadad's big camera with zoom lens and has been putting it to very good use this summer! Here, he's getting cool shots of planes, of course.

A friend from PNG days that Gavin happened to see while at Oshkosh!
It's always fun to "run into" people from our other lives. 

We also got to "run into" my former Clinic boss/our close friends from PNG! So special!

Fun with cousins!! They NEVER want to leave their closest-in-age cousins, but at least we get to see them once or twice a year.

More cousin love. That's Seth with his arm around David and his cousin Levi.

We were so sad Isaac and Meagan and the "biggest" cousin, Ethan, couldn't be with us! Gavin's family is so very fun and loving and outdoorsy! And boy, did we eat well when we were together! Everything tastes better when running around in the wild, ha ha.

Grabbing a walk alone at sunset

My side of the family!

55 years of marriage!

Isaac and Meagan drove to see us! Hooray!

Isn't she the most beautiful daughter-in-love?!

Swimming with friends

No dog in our kids' vicinity is safe from displays of affection. (They always ask first.)

Just hanging around

I was extremely blessed to escort my parents during their 55th anniversary trip to Alaska, where my dad has relatives he's been wanting to visit for decades. What an incredible state with incredible people!