The Annual Memorial Day Breakfast

What a day- eat with friends, then play football, or explore, chat with friends.

Just look at Rachel's hair!

Hi Jeff, What?

We've Got a Water Dog!!

Sheila and Michael have this new game of "War with the Water"

She enjoys the pool, but playing with Michael more

She even likes mud puddles on our way home from walks

Why do we have pain?

Since there isn't a soul who doesn't experience pain in this mortality, I'm wondering what is the need for it? Is pain soul developing, does it advance us to a better place, or teach us something we can't learn without it? Everybody - babies, teenagers, adults, rich, poor, slave, master, Australian, Swedish, Canadian, Brazilian, everybody experiences, physical, mental, emotional pain. Is that the only way we know when we are happy or even have an appreciation for it? Why do we have to have so much of it? Ahh but life is good. I like my life even with the pain.

Traditions that are soul filling - 15 years worth

The boys with strategical plan.

Always a Saturday hike

The girls rally around the flag - In capture the flag

Good friends, a fire, conversation...ahh Mother's Day camping!

It is really great to watch the children grow up into almost men, where did all the time go? I still feel the same age but they are so much bigger.

Some days are really great for mothers

A few mile stones in my children's lives are big for me too. This was one of them. We both didn't realize how this ceremony would feel. Rebekah's grandmother talked her into walking as Rebekah didn't know if she wanted to or not. Then Rebekah talked her friend Jennie into walking too. So when Jennie was announced, they said, "Jennie Mariah Ellis walking with her sister...." and I just about cried. Jennie is everything I prayed for when I listened to the boys chattering at night when we put them to bed and Rebekah's room would be silent. Growing up with a sister just a year younger was a great blessing that I dreamed of for my girl. So two beautiful girls walked into a new future.