What can I say

{I really have no idea why the margins are wonky....} 


It's not that there is nothing to say...it's that I'm not sure if or how I should say it. And that is as best as I can explain my absence. 

Let's just go from here, m'kay? And I'll tell you what I can.

When I last left you, Sweet Man had just arrived back from Cedar Falls. We gathered Bug from a cousins' sleepover the next day.

After the weekend of packing and gathering, we made our annual trip to Creation Festival. The weather was perfect...low 80's during the day and low 50's at night. Staying in a pop-up camper for the first time was great, until  4:30am when we were trying to pack up and leave and it didn't exactly cooperate. Sweet Man saved the day with his Fonzie move.

A new-to-me speaker shook my world...Louie Giglio of Passion City Church. He spoke on the glory of our star-breathing God by explaining the the Creator's design in the heavens and in our bodies...whooweeeee! tingles...really crazy stuff.

I went to the worship tent one afternoon...pretty randomly...not expecting anything...really to just enjoy some alone time. What a blessing. God was heavy there and whispered into my ear as soon as I walked in. He said many things I needed to hear...won't tell you all of it, but at one point I stood with my eyes closed, my arms palms up and bent at the elbows and He told me, You can't even catch everything I want to give you. And friends, I'm sure that's not a message specific to me....He's so good to keep talking even though I'm not listening most of the time. Oh, teach me to hear You more. 

The weekend of the 4th was anxiety-inducing, to say the least. We left Creation early. Straight from the mountains of Pennsylvania, we cruised into the Valley and dropped the kiddos off so that we could de-funkify and rush off to my *gulp* 20th high school reunion. Not at all worth the worry...it was good to see all who came. And then track down the others who were in town for the Fourth, who, ahem, didn't make an appearance at the official party. 

The next morning, we roused our sleepy selves to pick up the kids and charge on to church....for church...and a wedding...my father's wedding. Yes, again, anxiety-inducing...tangled-up knot of emotion, but joy and peace are in there somewhere.

There has been much live music...the mark of a great summer: 


**@ Creation: Switchfoot, David Crowder, Casting Crowns, Chris Tomlin, & TobyMac {I've been saying for a while that we listen to Toby because Bug likes him. Time to come clean...I *heart* TobyMac...he rocks.} 

**There was a reunion afterparty at Brew's where my brother was playing with his band, One Under from very afar across the bar.

**Sweet Man was a trooper, this past Wednesday, as he attended his first hippie-infested fest: Dark Star Orchestra...oh, poor guy...at the first notes, I closed my eyes and was transported back 15+ years with that fine music. {They're coming to the Midland in August, in case you're interested.} 

The rest of the holiday was spent at parties, the parade, and street fair. Oh, yes, and there were naps and swims.

Now, we pack again...off to camp for two weeks...to have my little family in one place, at one time with nothing but fun on the agenda. 

Let me know if you want to come for a visit....