One Thousand Gifts

Really - I'm just going to have to deal with the fact that 100 of these aren't digital.  If I wait to "catch up" I won't put any online.

I continue to count gifts and be thankful...

1722  Wiggly clean almost two year old

1723  The love and hospitality of family

1724  The hope of doing it again

1725  Figuring out the right direction

1726 Rain – so many places in need (gifts in water)

1727  J’s expression of adoration for and pleasure in vacationing with is family (words)

1728  Fluffy clouds – something to look at when we drive and I could look at clouds for hours (white)

1729  Five days in the Black Hills

1730  The sound of the water from the back porch fountain

1731  Bug spray

1732  A second way inside the house when the inexperienced in flying birds are flying in the front

1733  Watching them have a flying lesson last Sunday

1734  Starting book number ten for the summer

1735  Teenagers having dinner

1736  Teenagers upstairs

1737  Throwing a tomahawk

1738  New rockers

1739  Knowledge and love (I Cor.)

1740  A kindle for several years and an IPAD now

1741  Sharing family times with true friends

1742  M. going to Inner City Chicago (Gifts in Challenge)

1743  Reading before watching TV (Conflict)

1744  Hubby is in the midst of his job transition (Change)

Not everyone is looking, but I like the close-up.  I can't believe how much they've grown up!

Things I Learned in June

1.  I learned even more about phonics and some new strategies to help readers.  I had the privilege to attend a week long workshop for Structured Language Basics.  I'm looking forward to using it in my classroom and am going to take further training with it over the school year.

Before having dinner, Aunt and I visited a doll museum at a local library.

Although I had to be away from home a week (the one that was being offered in my hometown was going to be while we were away on vacation), Hubby came to visit me one night and Aunt came another for her birthday.  Plus I got 2 books read AND I made a very quick trip to Texas one night to see my niece and nephew.

2.  I learned I can conquer fears and still have a lot of fear.  I did an aerial park with Hubby and the boys.  The obstacles I did were about 25 feet up in the trees (they went on to do higher and more difficult ones without me) and we were tethered the whole time and I survived!  We did things like walk across hanging logs and ropes and grab on to this triangle wood thing and swing to the next platform.  I must say, I was so nervous that I was nauseous, but like I said, I survived.  However, I gave my last hour to my sister in law and took her zipline ride.

M has a cousin, M!  He's 8 - and he finally got tired of waiting for me!

This was after Hubby came across on the wood triangle swing.

Not too much later, I found myself taking the chairlift up the mountain with my nephew and riding an alpine slide down.  We could see Mt. Rushmore from the chairlift!  Here's where the fear comes in: before starting the slide they cautioned us that if we didn't brake around corners, we could flip the sled. So, what did I do? No, not flip, but I used the brake entirely too much!  Next time though, I'll cruise fast and furious down the mountain.  It got me thinking how I use the "brake" in my life when I'm scared. Hmmmm.......

That's it, just two things - after all, I am on summer vacation!

(Normally, when I do these particular posts I link them up at Chatting at the Sky.  However, Emily is on a bloggy break this summer.  Check out her writing though. Emily and Anne at  A Holy Experience are two blogs I try to read somewhat regularly.)