Summer

What a crazy, busy summer this has been so far. It's incredible that it's already half gone! I've been spending way too much time on my computer instead of outdoors, but hopefully that will change soon. I turn in my newest book on August 1st, then no more projects for a month or so, and time to relax and get some sun!

We went in together with our daughter & her hubby, and son and his wife, to buy and restore a 16' ski boat. Engine works great, just needed a battery and a couple of cables, but the boat had been a home for a family of raccoons for the past year or two. You can only imagine the stench inside! The guys ripped out all the carpet and we took the seats to be reupholstered...they were shredded by sharp little raccoon claws. It now has new seats, new carpet, new tires on the trailer and we're ready to launch and try her out. Next year she'll get a new paint job, but there's no extra money in the budget this year, so she'll go as she is. My hubby is looking forward to putting our smaller trolling motor on and going bass fishing, as well.



Then there's the huge vegetable garden and flower beds...those get me outside, as does the mowing and watering. My roses, delphinium, blue bells, petunias, geraniums, lilies and so much more are in full bloom, displaying dazzling colors in 5 different flower beds. Love 'em!

I'm also making progress on my next book release, Love Finds You in Bridal Veil, Oregon....due to come out Feb. 1st next year. I'm almost finished writing it, then will do my own editing and polishing and turn in on Aug. 1st to my editor. I'm excited about this new Love Finds You book...it's set in 1902 and I've woven a number of historical events/facts into the story line.

The front of our house....it's been so hot the lawn isn't doing well since it's a new lawn. We'll have to overseed again this fall.

Marriage...Testing Our Faith

It's hard to believe, but this good looking couple to the left just celebrated their 37th wedding anniversary tonight! Yep, that's Allen & I taken a year ago on a trip to visit our son and his bride.

I told Allen as we took a short walk this evening down to our little pond, that it's not possible we've been married that long, since I'm only 35, LOL! We sat on the porch for a few minutes after walking back up the hill and before heading to town for a very nice dinner, holding hands and enjoying being together. But it's not always been that way. We've weathered some incredibly tough times in our marriage, where I wondered if we'd make it at all. My faith has been stretched, pummeled, tested, and practically turned inside out, but I've grown so much as a person, and as a wife.

Isn't that what marriage is supposed to be about? A time to grow, to mature, for the Lord to make the two of us one in Him? Yes, it's often painful, but comes sprinkled with seasons of intense joy. I'm not the person I was when I married...a girl with an expectation of a husband who would fit into the mold I'd created for him out of my own personal daydreams...The Lord is remaking me into a woman who's working hard to love and accept unconditionally, just the way I pray and hope Allen accepts me.

Funny, isn't it? We have so many expectations and ways we want our men to change...but when the shoe is on the other foot, and they're not happy with something we're doing, it hurts. I think I've learned more in those rare times that I've been able to truly evaluate how I'd feel if Allen imposed some of the same 'conditional' love that I've given to him at times....ouch! It wasn't a pretty picture.

We agreed tonight that we want to keep going for another 37 yrs....we'll barely be 90 by then, so I think we'll make it....and I pray the Lord will continue to grow and mature us in our continuing love and commitment to one another.