Well hello there!

Hello. It's hard to know what to share sometimes ... and I have been intentionally weeding out some things that require extra effort. You haven't seen us on Facebook in quite a while either, I know. I do check the blog just about daily, as if to see if I've posted anything more - really, it's to see if any of our friends have. If you haven't checked out our friends' blogs, please do! Lots of stories of joy, fulfillment, kiddos, happiness ... they're great. It's great to be able to get a glimpse into the thinking of our friends and the special - or sometimes simply normal - events going on in their lives. Because I enjoy your posts so much, I suppose we should share one in return.

We realized recently that summer is just about over. Oh wait, it IS over! September 22, right? The official first day of FALL? Well not for us - we're busting out the barbeque, enjoying burgers, steaks, corn on the cob, biking as a family, and enjoying walks in the city on Sunday afternoons. We tried fishing one day a few weeks ago, but it was quite anti-climactic.

My analysis on our allowing summer to pass us by? Aside from the loss of my dad, I used to have a huge picture window in my office, which would inspire creative summer behaviors in years past ... this year I'm sequestered away in a little box where my only window to the outside world is outside of my door, and across 5 rows of cubicles - just a small sliver of a window, really. I'm going to try working from home one day a week during the fall; we'll see if I can get more exposure to light at the kitchen table.

Graham gets more and more precious every day. I am, of course, including pictures - enjoy them, I'm hoping there will be more. I have not downloaded since the beginning of August, again, it was something that got "weeded" out for a time, but now I'm feeling more in the mood to share ... and taking advantage of it while it lasts.

Love you all, and thanks for your prayers!

This is at the coast with friends in August - Graham loved reading with Kurt!

... at the coast with friends in August

... waiting for Daddy in the car before leaving for the coast with friends in August :)

... still waiting ...

Graham's favorite place right now - the couch and trunk make this quite the cozy little book nook; and he's content quietly turning pages and reading to himself. Hasn't torn a page yet!(okay, maybe just one when Uncle Andrew was here)

Just hanging out playing ...

Our first family fishing trip!

Little fisherman ...