Sometimes I don't do a good job of showing a picture of what our lives are really like. Sometimes it's because I am just so tired... like Tuesday when we had 20 extra people in and around our house at different times of the day. There are also times though that I just want to cry when I think of this amazing place that we are living right now. Our family has changed in a way that I never would have imagined... and we are so thankful for that... tiredness and all.

This is a somewhat typical evening at our house. A sport is always played at some point after dinner... it's just usually played outside, not in the living room.

Here are Steven, Fred, and Jose' after football practice Thursday. I had to beg them to let me take this.

Carter camped for the first time this weekend at our church retreat. We were supposed to camp both nights... but the Woita's graciously allowed us to crash in their room Friday night because of the pouring rain outside.

Amanda took this picture (she actually took all of these retreat pics) of some of the horses on the property. The place where we stay each year is beautiful.

Carter hanging out with Manna Lindman and Chloe Brouwer at the water slide.

At the top of the slide with Daddy...

and the bottom.

Swinging before we left on Sunday.

Carter was so tired he just crashed in Amanda's lap. Just to tell you what an amazing church family we have... Audrey took Carter Saturday morning so we could sleep in and Amanda took him Sunday morning.

The guys football game was canceled because of the rain on Friday... we were happy because it was rescheduled for Monday. I snapped this shot of the High School/Middle School building while we were at the game Monday.

We beat Brentwood by a lot... I can't remember the score but our JV team was even able to score on their Varsity team.

Carter brushing his teeth before bedtime last night.

Basketball in the backyard on Tuesday. It was our guys and Dan against some Middle Schoolers that live close by.