I am so bad at journaling. Hence, the reason this blog is rarely updated. I have good intentions, really. To keep others up-to-date on what's happening and so to lessen the "oh-my-goodness-they're-getting-so-big-you-should-keep-in-touch-more" conversations that are bound to come up, especially next week at Commissioning (big Salvation Army meeting near Chicago).

Summer is here. School is over. T-ball started yesterday for Cameron. We are grilling out more, playing outside and taking walks, planning Vacation Bible school, getting ready for camps, and slopping on the sunscreen. I'm hoping for good visits with special people and good thunderstorms.

We took the camper out for the first time last week and had a blast. We found a few ticks and Dave burnt his foot on a hot ember, and I had to laugh when I figured out that the showers cost 3 quarters. We were a little off schedule with naps and eating healthy, but it was great weather and lots of down time. We try, as much as possible, to not be crazy busy all the time, so this just reinforced the solid relationship we have as a family that is built during the time we're not on vacation (the up time?).

Today, the sun is shining and I am reminded of the verses I read earlier this morning:

Our God says, Calm down, and learn that I am God!
All nations on earth will honor me. The LORD All-Powerful is with us.
The God of Jacob is our fortress. Psalm 46:10

This past weekend, I went dumpster diving for the first time. Upon first mention of this adventure, pictures of homeless men and giant rats came to mind. After all, who digs in the trash except the hungry and animals? Well, it turns out, my two friends do. They had a route in Chicago, where they lived before moving here, that they hit up regularly and "got the best stuff!", as they explained. So, I decided to allow them to give me an orientation.

It was not as smelly as I thought it would be. I saw a lot of different food (I learned small markets are the best places to go), and no rats. It was dark and I did wonder if, just maybe, the three of us-a pastor with three kids, a young blond in Hispanic ministry, and a tall skinny guy recently back from a missionary trip to Kenya-would end up spending the night behind bars (hey, it was all new to me). But no cops came. No one even seemed to notice us. And we found the best stuff!

As of this writing, there are some wooden crates outside (that I think was full of limes) that are going to make a great little shelf. And my boys have a new kid-sized coupe that they drive around the yard, oblivious to the fact that it was dug out of the trash and thrown into the mini van as we sped off with the door still open because we knew we were being watched. But it was free! And it just so happens that I have been looking for something like it for months.

You never know how something will be until you try. You never know what you might save in the process. I'm learning to let my inhibitions go and just....try it. Okay, with some things. The tall skinny guy told me on the way to our first dumpster, "Hey, if you like this and you want to know other ways to save money, I can teach you how to cut your own hair." I think I'll stick with this for now.

Warm weather does something to people. I finally saw an elderly neighbor after about 4 months of hibernation during a long winter in Nebraska.

I have been red meat-free for about 2 weeks now. In the beginning, I just wanted to see if I could do it. I was inspired by a friend who is a pescatarian (real word), meaning she eats fish and no meat. It has been a lot easier than I thought; I don't drool uncontrollably when we pass a Wendy's or attack Dave when he makes Sloppy Jacks (in our house). We'll see where it goes.

Avery is walking, climbing up and down stairs, trying to maneuver all obstacles on his own. I just want to know when he got so big and why no one told me about it.

We set up the camper we bought over the winter and have been working on it a little bit here and there this week. It's for sure a starter-very simple and basic. But as I think about where we can go and how we can leave the t.v., Ipods, and noise behind, I think that the ultimate quiet won't come unless we leave the kids, too. Since that's not an option, I remember that vacations are not just about me anymore, but about reconnecting and remembering how much of a blessing the noise makers are.

I feel like our family is on the edge of something great. Granted, our every day lives are great; we share our faith with our neighbors, we spend each night doing devotions together, we laugh (a lot). But I just sense that I am in the middle, that the past year or so has been pretty normal, with a few bumps here and there, and that we are being prepared to enter into something else. I can't explain it, and either this will come to be true or nothing out of the ordinary will happen and I will just look crazy. Either way, our faith is increased, and in the middle of dirty diapers, loads of laundry, preschool, church activities, and cartoons, hopefully we are faithful to live it out.

It has been a few weeks now of ice and snow, snow and ice, with some sunshine moments in between. As a result, we have spent time at the mall, used our imaginations to fly in a space ship/man a pirate ship/cook a meal, built a snow fort that is now a dirty pile mush, and made big plans for what we'll do with our camper. We bought a camper. In the dead of winter. It was the best time to buy it-good price-but now we must look at it longingly, patiently, as we wait for spring to arrive and bless us with its sunshine.

Already in our minds, we have traveled to the Grand Canyon, Texas, Aunt Michele's house, and to different parts of Nebraska. We'll never purchase our own house (it's provided for us), our own vehicle (provided for us), our own anything that would require us to dive into our savings account. So this purchase makes me feel like a grown-up. Yes, I'm married, given birth to children, taken charge of congregations in a few cities. I guess that qualifies me to be an adult. But now I own a piece of property! I can keep it! I owe money on it!

I'll also turn 30 this year. But that's another post.

I picked up a book last week at the library because the cover looked so interesting. It was all about making things from what you already have. I'm not a real save-the-dolphins kind of girl, but I try to do my part and fill the recycle bin each week.

So I picked up the book, went to the hardware store and bought all the necessary supplies (even a pink utility knife...I think that's what it's called). I have actually enjoyed the quiet moments of creating a lunch bag from old shopping bags, drawer organizers from old take-out containers, and other eco-friendly projects. I'm also not very crafty, so I have surprised myself with these attempts. It makes me grateful that God took my old ugly heart and is turning it into something beautiful. I'm not a finished project, but some day Heaven will come.

Cameron has had 3 weeks off of preschool and I'm not sure he's ready to go back. He is such a homebody; if he could do anything, it would be to stay at home all day in his pj's and watch movies.

Jack is our funny guy. He says the craziest things and wants nothing more than to be like Cameron. He loves to cuddle, and unlike his older brother, loves to go places. So I take him with me to Wal-Mart and we have a great time.

Avery has some top teeth popping out and is starting to make funny faces because he know's he'll get a reaction. He wants to walk but is content to crawl for now.

We recently got a total of 14 or so inches of snow. It has piled up so high that we built a pretty sturdy snow fort with mulitple openings. It was quite a job to shovel it all out, but Dave did a great job!

I love getting mail. Minus any bills to be paid and flyers from the local tire place, I anticipate each day that unexpected card or favorite monthly magazine. I think it's that idea of connection, of thinking that someone thought about me. Living out in cow country can be lonely at times; staying home with kids all day can bring a feeling of aloneness. But getting mail....it sits at the top of my list for favorite things. In face, the mail man just came....and in his hand was a package from my mom (she sent a box of vitamins, which reminds me that at 29 years of age, you never are out of your mother's watchful eye) and a giant, ridiculous singing card from my closest friend. Someone cares about my health...someone else remembered my birthday. How could I not feel loved?