August 7, 2014
On Monday, July 21st, our parents left for a nine-day anniversary getaway to Washington state. 
Secretly, we were thrilled to run the farm by ourselves.:) We older ones had pretty full schedules with work, but we were looking forward to carving out some time for making memories together.

Of course, we had to make some special foods.  A few favorites we had were waffles, ice-cream sundaes, and chocolate chip and cream cheese filled cupcakes.

There was a musical flash-card match with Huds and Rebecca.

One afternoon, Chels and the little girls went to visit our adopted Grandma, Mrs. Hoppe.  They made lunch at her apartment and helped her with some organizing projects.  
One evening our cousins, Victoria and Teresa, came over for some girl time.  
Chels has been doing some nannying for our pastor’s family.  Aren’t these kiddos adorable?!  Their ages are 4, 2, 1, and newborn and they are such precious darlings.
The little music students around our house have been quite diligent, and it is a joy to see them advancing in their skills.
This continues to be a common sight as the Bible Bee competition approaches.
I spent a day with some darling little people, as well as taking care of this little guy at our house another day.  
Some of my brothers have been on a history/politics craze recently.:)  I love it- they pick up thick hardbacks at Goodwill and devour them!
Chicken in all its glory of fresh parsley, lemons, onions, and garlic.
With everyone’s work schedules, Friday evening turned out to be the only meal all week that we were all together.  This was reason for celebration!!!  
We played Dutch Blitz, ate, and sat around the table and talked long after dinner was finished. 
Sunday we invited friends to join us for lunch and the afternoon.  After eating together, we played basketball (well, the men played:), jammed, played Dutch Blitz, and had a soft pretzel making party.  
On the very Sunday evening following so much joy and laughter with friends, my dear friend, Sadie (pictured next to Chelsy in the pretzel-making photo) flipped her car just a few miles from our house.  She called me and explained what had happened, and when I arrived at the scene and rushed to wrap my arms around her as I gasped “You’re really ok?!”, I was overwhelmed with gratitude.  It was unbelievable that her car could be upside down in a ditch while she stood before me alive and well.  
That story is just one of many in the past few weeks that have reminded me that life is short.  God is good, and not just when the story has a happy ending.  He is good no matter what.  But while our loved ones are still here on this earth-journey with us, let’s treasure every moment together.  
{posted by Allison}

Tags

family, farm


You may also like

camp recap+registration open!

camp recap+registration open!

Summer Tour Update!

Summer Tour Update!
Leave a Reply
  1. Looks like ya all r having fun w out the parents. I'm sure ya older ones r doing a great job w the younger ones. That's neat that ya all got to visit w ya adopted Grandma. The newborn is so adorable! The little boy is cute. Having friends over is so uplifting.
    In Christ,
    Lexi

  2. Looks like y'all had fun! 😉 I have read that book about the presidents before- loved it! Can't wait for the Bible Bee- wish our family could go! 😉
    ~Rebekah

  3. Another lovely post. I'm very new to this blog and I just love it. Your uplifting spirit and love for God and each other is just beautiful. Thank you. And it's good to hear your friend is ok. God is so good.

  4. Hello Brooke,

    Thank you for your kind words! We are blessed, and so grateful if this blog can be an encouragement. Yes, the Lord is good!

    blessings,
    Allison

  5. that good that your friend is ok, it has been a crazy july month for me I had my birthday on july 24th but three days before my birthday I lost one of my favorite teacher, he was my middle school teacher back in 2006, it was a sad day for my friends and I who had this teacher his name was mr.skwier he pass away on july 21st of this year and he had cancer so it like three days before my birthday. but my friends and I are getting though this together on day at time but I know that he is in a better place and not suffering anymore, and my teacher mr.skweir is with my granny, gramps those were my babysitters when I was young, my great great aunt, my grandma and grandpa, and my mom's friend nancy, and my mom's Karen's mother

    ~brittani

    ~brittai

  6. How fun!! What lovely pictures!! I especially liked the one with all of you gathered around the table! Everyone being home is definitely a reason to celebrate!!:-) God is good!!

  7. Hey! I heard you you and your family at Friendship Baptist Church in Arkansas and really enjoyed listening to ya'll! Also, Allison, I read that you do web-design. I am going to be going to school for Graphic Design! Anyway, I'd love to talk to you sometime!

    Sally

  8. Wow, I'm so glad that your friend is alive and well after her accident! Alli, what you wrote at the end of this post is so very true. May we treasure every moment, because we are never assured that next.
    xo,
    Ali

  9. Oh what fun!! Mrs. Hoppe is the sweetest! I love how excited your sibs are about Bible Bee… I wish I would've been that excited (it probably would have carried me a bit further in the competition. 😉
    I'm overjoyed that dear Sadie is okay and utterly convicted that I need to pray for my friends more. I'm missing you, my darling people, terribly but I'm equally as excited that I'll be seeing all you all at Turning Hearts!! #septembercomequickly

  10. 415638 505223I genuinely dont accept this particular article. Nonetheless, I had searched with Google and Ive discovered out that you are correct and I had been thinking in the improper way. Keep on creating top quality material related to this. 891287

  11. 823493 440770I discovered your weblog site on google and check a couple of of your early posts. Continue to keep up the quite very good operate. I just additional up your RSS feed to my MSN News Reader. Seeking forward to reading far more from you later on! 276094

{"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}