shy maiden

gratitude

showers ~ Sloane
a clean house and a long walk ~ Relyn
my new grey shirt and black tie ~ Jeffrey

Victorian era (I think) statue.

lace detail

gratitude

discipleship group ~ Sloane
Sloane ~ Relyn
Pastor Jerry and his excellent preaching ~ Jeffrey

lace detail from a Victorian dress 

mini-sculpture garden

gratitude

getting to go to Branson ~ Sloane
a fun family evening and lots of great shopping ~ Relyn
Reeds Spring Pizza Company ~ Jeffrey

Galileo Pavilion at the Johnson County Community College

group hug

gratitude

weekends ~ Sloane
a successful tie dye party today ~ Relyn
reading beside my wife ~ Jeffrey

group hug after our tie-dye party, with our Friday mom.   *cell phone picture

zig zags

gratitude

clothes ~ Sloane
my parents ~ Relyn
Relyn ~ Jeffrey

I liked the way her flip flops matched her crazy pants. 

life changing

gratitude

my friends ~ Sloane
The Books of the Bible New Testament, version of the Word (see above) ~ Relyn
beautiful weather ~ Jeffrey

I have been reading the Bible for nearly forty years.  This version, reading it this way, has absolutely changed my life.  * cell photo

Jeffrey, my love

gratitude

not having very much homework ~ Sloane
a comfy bed and wonderful pillow ~ Relyn
oatmeal ~ Jeffrey

Jeffrey, my love, last Father's Day.

Bye-bye, JD

gratitude

blankets ~ Sloane
a wonderful team to work with ~ Relyn
a little less hectic day at work ~ Jeffrey

This is the last self-portrait I took with my faithful first "big girl" camera, JD. 

lace curtains

gratitude

my friends getting to come to church ~ Sloane
all Sloane's friends coming over last night & time with Morgan ~ Relyn
getting the mowing done ~ Jeffrey

Independence, Missouri

flowers and bricks

gratitude

family memories ~ Arlen
my phone is fixed ~ Sloane
His mercies are new every morning. ~ Relyn
Friday ~ Jeffrey

Independence, Missouri

Ibu & Bapak

gratitude

my screen is fixed ~ Sloane
chocolate milk ~ Relyn
Relyn ~ Jeffrey

Relyn's parents, last Father's Day

Sloane and her grandparents

gratitude

youth group ~ Sloane
that Sloane says youth group every Wednesday night ~ Relyn
zucchini and asparagus ~ Jeffrey

Sloane and Relyn's parents last Father's Day

stop smoking

gratitude

my friends, and that my phone didn't break more than it did when I dropped it ~ Sloane
Jeffrey ~ Relyn
Relyn ~ Jeffrey

public art on the campus of Johnson County Community College

Jeffrey, my love

gratitude

a good day at school ~ Sloane
Jane Austen, and this movie ~ Relyn
the lawnmower is working ~ Jeffrey

Jeffrey, last Father's Day

my two loves

gratitude

youth group ~ Sloane
good sermons ~ Relyn
the problem with the car was a very simple fix ~ Jeffrey

Jeffrey and Sloane on Father's Day.  I just got the picture off my camera.  It doesn't usually take me so long. 

Dads

gratitude

shooting and prayer ~ Sloane
poetry ~ Relyn
Jason Harms, and also my wife ~ Jeffrey

Sloane's Daddy and mine on Father's Day. 

silly girl

gratitude

the weekend ~ Sloane
 friendship ~ Relyn
a lot of kids in the library looking for books ~ Jeffrey

I was running late on the first day of school so Jeffrey took Sloane's back to school pictures. (Which turned out wonderfully, by the way.)  But, I couldn't stand not taking one.  This is what she gave me.  

back to school

gratitude

good school supplies ~ Sloane
Rhonda, a mom who worked so hard today for my class and all of third grade ~ Relyn
kids who are enthusiastic about books ~ Jeffrey

Jeffrey, parent orientation 2015 

eighth grader

gratitude

youth group ~ Sloane
a long walk with Jeffrey tonight ~ Relyn
Jason and Emma, our youth pastor and his wife and  our walk tonight ~ Jeffrey

I was in a rush this morning so Jeffrey took Sloane's traditional first day of school picture. She started eighth grade at Nixa Junior High today.  We pray that God makes her a blessing this year. 

last day of summer

gratitude

pedicures with Mom ~ Sloane
a great last day of summer with Sloane ~ Relyn
unexpected extra hours to work ~ Jeffrey

Sloane and I spent a wonderful day together celebrating the last day of summer.  Girl time!

birthday kiss

gratitude

cool ties (She's learning to tie her Daddy's tie at the moment.) ~ Sloane
a great Parent Orientation tonight ~ Relyn
a nice dinner with my family and their help in the library ~ Jeffrey

I always give my students a red lipstick birthday kiss. So, this year I gave them to my nieces and mother-in-law, too.   * cell photo by Jeffrey Lawson

another Sloane selfie

gratitude

discipleship group ~ Sloane
We got Jeffrey's library done tonight.  ~ Relyn
Relyn and Sloane helping in my library. ~ Jeffrey

I love that silly girl.   *cell phone pic

blow you a kiss

gratitude

friends ~ Sloane
 prayer ~ Relyn
a working AC in one of our cars ~ Jeffrey

Sloane at a girls' retreat a while ago.  I love this picture!  Photograph by Sloane Lawson; it's a selfie.

the alien on my buck

gratitude

Hallie and Mason and God being pretty awesome ~ Sloane
family prayer time ~ Relyn
getting my reservations calendar finished ~ Jeffrey

Isn't this cool?   *cell photo

found in the garage

gratitude

getting my schedule & having ice cream with Alex ~ Sloane
Sloane's new English teacher seems excellent. ~ Relyn
Sloane got to hang out with Alex. ~ Jeffrey

I'd been saving these cookies from a thoughtful student so I could photograph them.  This picture isn't exactly what I had in mind.   *cell photo

It took a solid year...

gratitude

spending time with Sloane ~ Alex
Alex ~ Sloane
seeing old friends today ~ Relyn
baked potatoes ~ Jeffrey

... to save up for my new camera and lens.  I am so thankful for the chance to participate in before school tutoring.  I wish it were a lovely product shot, but I am thankful for it, lovely photo or not.   * cell photo

napping

gratitude

my cousins ~ Sloane
time with Alex  ~ Relyn
time with Alex ~ Jeffrey

* cell photo

cousin play

gratitude

all of the Lawson kids going to Silver Dollar City ~ Marisa
my brudder ~ Julian
Alex is here and chocolate chip cookies ~ Avery
family ~ Alex
a strong, sturdy son (Alex is here.) ~ Lucy
all my kids being here ~ Arlen
self-propelling mowers ~ Sloane
Alex and a great day with Krista  ~ Relyn
Alex being here and Proverbs 3 ~ Jeffrey

I love the way Sloane and her cousin, Marisa, always have so much fun together. 

the lone peony

gratitude

my puppies ~ Sloane
I am so thankful for the way our family pulls together. ~ Relyn
Jason Harms ~ Jeffrey

our only peony, taken in May    *cell photo

funny t-shirt

gratitude

new clothes ~ Sloane
our whole small group (minus the travelers) went to see Allie Rice in Annie today  ~ Relyn
a delightful dinner together as a family ~ Jeffrey

one of my students' shirts   *cell photo