Mid-Summer Faves

Today is another FFF...a time to reflect back on our week and find those 5 things that made it special...a way to say thanks to the Lord.  The person who coordinates this for us is Susanne from over here...link on up to participate!

I just returned from the beach house on the cape so most of my faves will be from our experience of driving our oldest to college for the first time and of a mini-vacation afterwards......it's nice to be home and I'm savoring every minute until we go back to school in 2 weeks.

MY FAVES

• DROPPING DAUGHTER OFF IN DORM!  This was actually so much fun!  I don't have time or space to write everything I could convey about the experience...it was amazing, we are blessed to have her in a Christian college and that part of New England is just beautiful.....she loves it so far, and here she is right after I made her bed (yes, she wanted ME to help her organize the room/closets/bed...she did the desk and my hubby did the fridge/computer/printer, etc.)  Orientation was loads of fun....and we were able to connect with the parents of the other 4 teens from our youth group who are also attending the college. (I'll write more on that another time after I've had time to process all of this!)  I still can't believe I have a daughter in college but the hugs and smiles were awesome....always a fave with me! 

E, Hanna, Claire
on Buzzards Bay 

• CLAIRE SAILING!  This past week, my niece Hanna and her boyfriend were at the beach house with her mom and the 3 of us.  Hanna's friend is from England ; it was the first time we met him. It was great of him to help Claire get out to the sail boat & hold it steady so she could climb in. (they did it in low tide). This was Claire's first time on a sailboat!!  Hanna is a sailor...she has a true passion for it and does it during her school year off the coast of Scotland.  Claire had a blast and has informed me that she prefers sailing over kayaking.  Great.  Oh well....a happy child having fun on vacation...always a fave with me!

• CANOE TRIP!  Dave has always wanted to canoe with me on the river in his hometown (south shore/Plymouth area).  So on Monday, we borrowed his dad's canoe and took it over to the town park.  We paddled for about an hour which is when my arms were getting tired.  I prefer kayaking as I think it's easier to paddle (and steer!) a kayak but it was fun to spend some quiet time on a very quiet river.  We only saw 2 other canoes out there......a lazy, beautiful day...and then we walked around his town park trails.....always a fave with me.....

• MINI GOLF!  While we were still on the cape, we played a game of mini golf late one afternoon, followed by ice cream at a local fave stand.  Dave and I took Claire and my sister in law Karen. We had so much fun....and we all played a "hole in one" (Dave had 3!!).  It was so much fun just hanging out doing the "tourist" thing.  I really needed that time to just unwind, relax and enjoy a summer evening....  always a fave with me.

• ETHIOPIAN COFFEE from our missionary friends.  We help to support a couple from our church who have a little girl and boy (they adopted him from Ethiopia) and they just sent us a pound of some of the world's richest, best coffee! I am so excited!!  We just received it tonite (Thursday) so by the time you are reading this, I will probably already have had my first steaming mug.  Mmmmm..this is the 2nd time they've sent us coffee from over there....a gift and rich coffee...always a fave with me.....

And that wraps up a few faves of the week....there were definitely more than five this week...along with a few worries...but...let's keep on pressing on, finding the Lord in all those little things...and enjoy the rest of summer vacation...for those of you in the south, I hope you had a good week back at school!

HAPPY WEEKEND!