Thanks, Alice. What a lovely picture you paint of your day with your granddaughters. I really look forward to those kinds of times ahead! I just wished we lived close enough that we would be able to see her once a week. 🙁 But at least we’re not TOO far away. I drove to my daughter’s last night so I could be there this morning for another ultrasound. I so much enjoyed getting to see our little girl on the screen again!

I hope you’re right about changing diapers, Floyd. 🙂 Sounds like you’ve been getting to change a few with your grandsons. How precious! I went to Morgan’s last night and she had received boxes and boxes of diapers from her coworkers for a Diapers & Wipes Shower. Looking forward to using a few of those on our sweet little girl when she gets here!

We are hoping to make it to Arcadia National Park so thanks for the encouragement to do so, Jean. I’m hoping we’ll have good weather when we get there. It’s been so dreary and stormy here, but I have NO complaints compared to what Texas is going through. 🙁

I’m glad you’ve been able to have some wonderful pauses with the Lord this summer. We all need those breathing spaces. I’m in need of some myself at the moment! But nothing is stopping me from getting them other than myself so I will try to follow your lead and at least take short breaks.

7 grandchildren? What a blessing, Bettie! That’s awesome. I’m sure you’re a very loved woman by them all. I’m sorry your summer has been such a difficult one. 🙁 Our bodies can sometimes feel more like hindrances than helps, but your testimony to discovering God’s love in the hard places encourages me.

I love this testimony to your strong faith, Susan. To have to release your own plans for your dream house and instead shift to a season of waiting is a very hard thing to do. Obedience is sometimes so difficult, but I trust that it will be rewarded in ways bigger than you can even imagine! Thank you for sharing, friend. I always love hearing what’s going on with you. And if I get a boy grandchild next, maybe I won’t stress over it if you guarantee they’re easier than girls. 🙂

Congrats on grandbaby #3, Jerralea! You’re a pro at it by now. 🙂 What a blessing to your have s-i-l back and a full table for family dinners! That is a huge gift!

You have had some intense things going on this summer, Barbara. Hopefully fall will be a lot less eventful! Your ways to avoid stress are great ones though, for any time. And I agree—those are lifelong lessons. I know I have to continue learning them again and again and again.

Ooh, that’s a hard thing to do, Patti, relinquishing control. But what a life-giving step for you to take. Such surrender takes great faith! Blessings to you as you continue to pray and wait for your loved one to come home.

Happy Early 25th to you too, Brenda! I hope you’ll be able to get away with your hubby, even if just for a nice dinner. 🙂 Our anniversary is Sept 4. We went to Hawaii for our honeymoon 25 years, and before it was over, we got slammed with Hurricane Iniki. It wiped out the island of Kauai where we were, so we had to stay an extra few days with no electricity, no running water, etc., and got to get seasick together on a boat rescue to the island of Oahu. Lots of good memories from 25 years ago! ha. Hopefully our anniversary trip will be momentous in other ways.