Thankful for Time Together

This summer is ticking away! The heat mixed with muggy weather has me dreaming of knee boots and October leaves, but we sure have enjoyed the longer days summer brings.

In all honesty, this month has left me feeling like a single mom with the hours David has been working. His company's merger has been requiring 6:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. hours for weeks with Saturdays. I am so proud to have a husband blessed with such ambition and work-ethic. He works hard for our family to provide all we need. It makes me thankful for opportunities to be together as a family of three. I know all trials are for only a season, and I thank God for creating a more patient and less-selfish spirit within me. Knowing that David is hard at work for our family makes me take my job as wife and mommy with much seriousness and prayer.

Our sweet Rachel has been by to see Harbor several times this summer. We are so proud of her- she is a full time summer student at the University, lifeguards weekdays and weekends, works for the University in one of  their offices on campus, and babysits every week. I don't know how she keeps her head above water. In the next month, we are excited to look for her picture to be plastered on billboards all over NWA. She also just finished shooting two commercials that should air in the next few months as well in our area. Maybe I will be able to post a video link once they are airing!  : ) 

My parents returned from their long vacation bearing many gifts. One was a little water canteen from the Grand Canyon. Harbor likes to take it out to the pool and use the little lid as a cup.

My great grandmother recently turned 100 years old and all the family got together to celebrate her long life. There was a great turn out, the mayor of Fayetteville came and announced that her birthday had been named "Ola Wood's Day" on the city of Fayetteville's calendar (what a neat honor!), and the news crew even came. We took pictures with my dad's family and I got to see my two step-sisters and their husbands and families. If you are from here, the video link is on the local news' web site.

This is the mayor of Fayetteville- I grew up friends with his daughter and it was so special for him to come and make an appearance for Ola. I know the family appreciated the kind gesture.

If you can believe it, all of these people pictured are Ola's remaining children- two have passed already, but she has many children still living.

And just for fun.. here is my family above, twenty years ago (minus the husbands, of course!)

Funny, isn't it?  : )

This Saturday, David had the day off from engineering duties at the plant. He had a big PowerPoint presentation Friday and several employees from other plants in other states flew in and I know he was relieved to have this week behind him. As a family treat, he loaded our bikes and Harbor's pull-behind and took us out to the Fayetteville bike path. We ended up riding about 6.5 miles. We are enamored with the Fayetteville bike path- if you are from here and haven't taken advantage of it-wow! It is so peaceful and really makes me love Fayetteville even more- if that is even possible!  : )

Here we are, heading out....

And just to keep it real... this is what most of our family pictures look like these days....  Harbor is just at that little wiggly-worm stage.  : )

My Christmas cards are done- Christmas in July, right? : ) All I need to do is type the newsletter and attach the picture, but all the individual pieces have been cut and stamped. I'm so relieved to have that task behind me. I love Christmas cards and I keep and scrapbook them every year, but the job of hand making almost 200 can wear anyone out.

My mom just turned 51 and we are celebrating her birthday tomorrow with a family dinner out on the town. I hope this work week has passed fast, and that this weekend is playing for you in slow-motion!!  Pull out your bikes, get away from the house (and the computer), and spend some time with the ones you love! I hope to check back in soon!