Summer Turns 15

We had 48 hours at home between the mission trip and our family vacation....and in that gap we celebrated Summer's 15th birthday!   She is still looking forward to celebrating with grandparents and friends at a future date, as we weren't in town long enough to make that happen yet, but here are a few pictures from her actual birthday.

Because her birthday was on a Sunday, she scheduled her permit test for the next day - and passed!

Summer, you are one of the most amazing people I have EVER met.  Your love for the Lord and for others is so encouraging, contagious, and inspiring.  I am so grateful God gave me you as a daughter, but even more so as a FRIEND.  I love doing life with you!  Happy 15th birthday, kiddo!

***

added later:

Mission Trip

The kids and I had an AMAZING week together on a mission trip to Jackson, KY with Chapel Hill Church.  I absolutely loved watching my kids serve with joyful hearts, worship the Lord, and bond with friends.  Our trip started with a 14 hour drive on Saturday.  On Sunday, we joined Happy Church for worship and youth group, and also prepared blessing bags to take with us as we went door to door, praying with them and inviting them to a picnic at a park near the church.   On the weekdays, we did various things such as completing work projects for the church and hanging out at the senior center.  In the evenings, we put on camps for the kids in the area.  Colton and two friends led a soccer skills camp, Summer teamed up with another student to teach piano, and Larkyn and I were on the crafts team, helping kids make bracelets, shrinky-dink key chains, and origami.  On Thursday evening, we prepared an evening of games and food for the community, and had a blast despite needing to end earlier than planned due to torrential downpour and thunderstorms.  On Friday, we worked on work projects in the morning at the church, and then had a fun afternoon of hiking to and playing in a local waterfall.  On Saturday, we drove 14 hours back.  It was so much fun to see a lot of the kids and people that we knew from our mission trip to Happy Church last year, and our team bonded so well, making many wonderful memories.  Here are some pictures, and this is a link to a highlight video.