2016 Summer & Fall Update

It has been quite a while since we’ve done an update on our everyday lives and what’s happening!

I know this isn’t a part of summer, but I got my permit in January, and am pretty close to getting all of my driving time! (happy dance!) And all of my siblings have been kind enough to let me take the drivers seat on  a lot of occasions (there are 5 of us who like driving!).

Our very dear Texan friends, the Bradleys, came up to Indiana, and we got to get together and have a lot of fun!

Jessica has taken us on many of her fun flying adventures, and even though it seems like it takes for ever to pre-flight the plane, it’s so worth the wait when you’re up in the air watching the world pass by under you, watching the sun set, or the mist still clearing from the sunrise! She has come so far in her flying, and I’m super proud of her!

I must say we’ve all learned a lot about flight, like the aviation alphabet. A few of the girls have it down pretty well. When they see a license plate on a car, they’ll start reading it in aviation speak, “459 Tango Charlie Alpha”!

Jessica and Leah were once again in the Symphony Of The Lakes orchestra, and Leah is going to be in the Christmas concert next week, which I’m quite excited to go and hear, because Christmas concerts make it all the more Christmas feeling! ^_^

We had at least 8 baby goats this year, including two that decided to come on the morning of one of our animals shows at the fair!!

 

Bekah, Charissa, Isaiah and I all participated in the county fashion revue, then they  had all the 10 year members go up on stage, then they called out the top 10 4-Her’s, and I was super surprised when they called my name! It made my year!

Our friend Clara, Me and Bekah with our Fashion Revue awards.

 

Then I went on to the State Fair Fashion Revue which was a huge stretch for me, just because sometimes I don’t like being in huge crowds. But God was stretching me and preparing me for something bigger..which is coming in the last part of this post. Bekah and Leah came with me, and it was super fun to have them by my side walking all over the State Fair grounds and eating a lot of ice cream! When we went to order our ice cream, it was either 2 or 3 scoops. Well it ends up 2 scoops was actually 4 scoops and 3 was like 4 scoops!

Back at our county fair…

Monday was our goat show. It started at 4 p.m. and went till at least 10 p.m. We didn’t show until 8-9. So it was a long wait, but very worth it!

Then we had to go home, wash show clothes, get everything ready for Tuesday which was our Llama show that started at 9 a.m.

Costume class is always a lot of fun (as long as the llama is cooperating with the costume!)

Here I was the pirate that doesn’t do anything (Veggie Tales) , Bekah was a nerd, Charissa was Dorothy, Noah was Luke Skywalker,  and Isaiah was Woody!

Every year everyone always asks us how many ice cream milkshakes we are trying to get that week. This year we didn’t get near as many as we have in the past, due to not all of us being there all the time, and a few of us were trying to stay off of sugar. Boring, I know 😉 But we got a total of  53 milkshakes

 

Friday is our livestock auction where you stand in long lines to sell your milk bucket (with goat milk products) or your poultry duck. But I must say, it’s worth it.  And it’s fun getting to chat with the other 4-Her’s in line : )

 

Mommy is on the goat committee, so she announces each 4-Her in the goat project as they go through the ring.

 

Now into August, we celebrated my High School Graduation Open House. My friend from Connecticut flew in with her sister and mom to surprise me on the Thursday before. One of the best surprises of my life! 

I’ve been doing a little more with my photography, and have tried it again with my favorite thing…stars! I have by no way mastered it, but I’d love to take it further.

I love this one how it caught the earth moving!

 

Bekah graduates next year, and so we went out and took a few of her senior pictures this fall. Plus, she was able to get her braces off right before the pictures!!

 

 

 

Another big happening…Susannah moved to Anderson to be closer to the midwife that she is helping.  She has to attend a certain number of births, and driving two hours every time a baby was coming does not work very well!  We miss her lots…and she misses us lots…but she is doing very well and we’re excited for her 🙂  Around the elections, Susannah came home from Indy so she could vote, so we all met at Culvers to  get ice cream and hang out for a bit! It was really good to see her because she can’t always come and visit depending on how many babies are due around that time.

 

Then Mommy, Jessica, Leah, Cassia and I (Anna) worked at the election polls, Cassia was at another county. Needless to say, we all had a great time, and we all had quite a few good laughs!

We are so grateful for the several people who have blessed us with great bit loads of wood for us this winter. Because Daddy doesn’t have quite all his strength back from his surgery, he can’t go and cut wood yet and that is how we mainly heat our house.

For Noah and Isaiah’s birthday’s, Jessica took them flying to a town near us and went out to breakfast at Bob Evans! (yes I joined!) So then after breakfast we flew around our town and house.

Home sweet home!

 

At Bob Evan’s

Then Susannah came home to celebrate hers and Leah’s birthday’s, and she brought along needles! I finally let her take my blood (she only draws a tiny bit) and several other siblings let her as well. Then we would put it under the microscope which was super fascinating! (I’ll spare you and not post any blood pictures!)

Cassia is taking an Advance EMT class at the moment, and she always comes home with stories on how they drew each other’s blood! But she’s learning so much, and I’m proud of her!

Remember in the first part how I said God has been stretching me? Well this goes along with that. He’s opened the doors for me to return to Guatemala, only for 5 1/2 months this time! It’s been amazing to see how Faithful He says He is, and the way’s He’s provided, stretched and grown me.

I’ll be at the same orphanage I was last time, helping in the baby home!

And will be updating more about it here.

Daddy bought a cross bow this spring, and shot a deer this fall! We pitched in to process the meat, and even though my face doesn’t show it, I didn’t think it was that gross ; )

Noah and Isaiah have done some target shooting with it (and are quite good!), and have gotten to go with him on his hunting days!

And some of our dear friends, the Forsters were in the area, and it was so good to get to see a few of them for a day! We took a super long walk, ate good food, had uplifting conversations, and ended the night with a bunch of laughter and games!! It was so good to see you guys!

 

 

Daddy got an inside stove from a friend, and put it in our sunroom, which is super nice in the winter, because gets really cold out there with all the windows!

 

 

 

Several of us were able to be a part of the ‘Giant Cow’ children’s ministry and went down with friends from our church to watch and entertain 130 kids for the evening!

The whole family was home for Thanksgiving, which is super rare for all of us to be together at the same time!  It was a nice relaxing day, playing LIFE, eating good food, and sleeping in!

And then the next day we got our nine-foot Christmas tree, and decorated it!  Susannah wasn’t feeling well, so she couldn’t come with us to get the tree, but she did get to stay through the weekend and help us decorate it 🙂   We felt bad that she didn’t feel well, but we were happy to have her with us longer!

 

And since we were all together, we got a new family picture!! ♥ I love these people so much!

 

 

 

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