South Manitou Island

The girls & I spent some time together Sunday afternoon before it was time for Bridget to go back to camp. Bridget and another counselor were taking a group of 7th to 9th grade girls on a Pioneer camping trip canoeing and then on a ferry to South Manitou Island where they are camping for 4 days. She was so excited and said that words cannot describe how much she loves her job.

Bridget & Maria

Bridget came home from camp this past weekend so Maria came over for Sunday lunch. Not many more times for this before Maria moves to Baltimore!

The Next Bride & Groom!

Last week, Maria & I got together with her friends Josh & Hanna to check out the Frederik Meijer gardens and Hannah's backyard where they will be getting married in a couple of weeks. Maria is in the wedding and I'm doing the photography.  They were a wonderful couple, kindred spirits I would say, and I could see why Maria was friends with them. Looking forward to the wedding!

The Nellies Came Home for Lunch!

Maria & Bridget came home for lunch Sunday!

Flash Back Friday

A Few Faves

Family Photoshoot Love

So I got to take pix the other night of this wonderful family.  Emily is a friend who also works at Calvin and had her last baby on the way to the hospital!! She really has her hands full - in one hour, I took about 550 photos just trying to keep up!

Beach Day

We finally made it out to Lake Michigan this past weekend. Saw Big Red!


And kites.


And of course, Captain Sundae!

Stormy

I loved some of the stormy weather we had last week, so I took my camera out on the bike path.

Flash Back Friday

just last summer

The Bike Path, Part 2

Every day, I bike along the Frederick Meijer M-6 Bike Trail.  It runs along the highway M-6 but if you look to the other side, it's quite peaceful.

The Bike Path

Psalm 30:11 ~” You did it: you changed wild lament into whirling dance; You ripped off my black mourning band and decked me with wildflowers. I’m about to burst with song; I can’t keep quiet about you. God, my God, I can’t thank you enough.”

Canoeing, Part 2

So this was AFTER we flipped over. Thankfully, John's phone survived and he was able to take some pix.


The river was beautiful - it was a perfect day for canoeing!

Canoeing

I got a distressed call from Bridget last week and she was up north with her cabin from Camp on an overnight canoe trip.  I think most of them had flipped over in their canoes and all of the supplies for the overnight were wet. She texted later that night and they were all safe and dry back at camp!

So this past weekend, John and I went canoeing up on the Rogue River. The waters were high and lets just say, I am glad I did not take my real camera!

Flash Back Friday

Maria, 9 months, 1992

Happy

The Cairn at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

We walked by this.

Awesome Walk

Looking north

I only brought my phone to take pictures with down the steep dune but it still managed to capture some of the beauty.


Looking south

The Dune Climb

We ran ecstatically to the bottom of the great 450 foot dune climb where Edward used to do his annual dune climb challenge There are warnings at the top that it is extremely difficult to climb back up and a rescue would cost you very much etc. Instead, we walked along the beautiful beach about a mile and a half north while John climbed up the dune to get the car and pick us up.

Surprise

The modern world has had far too little understanding of the art of keeping young. Its notion of progress has been to pile one thing on top of another without caring if each thing was crushing in turn. People forget that the human soul can enjoy a thing most when there is time to think about it and be thankful for it. And by crowding things together, they lost the sense of surprise; and surprise is the secret of joy. - -G. K. Chesterton

Flash Back Friday

I took these a couple of years ago on the 30th floor of a building downtown. They were at eye level!

Blessing

May you experience grace – God acting in your life in your feelings, in your thoughts, in your rest. May His face shine upon you. May His shining face lift up over you as you lie down, as you sleep, and give you the thoughts you need to have. The blessing of the Trinity rest upon you and everything you are and do. Let it be so. Amen Dallas Willard

Poppy Lick

Resurrection

So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. 1Peter 1:6