one of my birthday goodies

gratitude

ice cream eating contest at youth ~ Sloane
God provided the most amazing place for us to buy for Dale and Ethel. ~ Relyn
we found a house for Papa and Grandma ~ Jeffrey

from a dear friend

pretty Abigail

gratitude

pajamas with pockets ~ Sloane
a yummy dinner, time with Jeffrey, and a productive evening at home ~ Relyn
good friends who are willing to stand in the gap, time with my girls tonight, deep and real conversations with my wife ~ Jeffrey

from my photoshoot Sunday

meet Mathew and Moose

gratitude

band was really good ~ Sloane
a great photoshoot yesterday ~ Relyn
oatmeal, honey, and almonds ~ Jeffrey

from yesterday's photoshoot

yummy dinner

gratitude

my youth group ~ Sloane
watching the lunar eclipse tonight ~ Relyn
Relyn touching me during church so much ~ Jeffrey

*  cell phone photo

just a week ago

gratitude

Elf ~ Lauren
hanging out with Lauren ~ Sloane
a great Hobby Lobby shopping day and an afternoon at Barnes and Nobel ~ Relyn
my new shirt and the white picture frame ~ Jeffrey

It seems like more than a week ago that we enjoyed the morning side by side on our cabins porch. 

on one of our nighttime wanderings

gratitude

friends ~ Sloane
kissing Jeffrey ~ Relyn
the Sabbath ~ Jeffrey

OTC campus

already wishing I could go back...

gratitude

swimming ~ Sloane
an unexpected theater evening ~ Relyn
my brother ~ Jeffrey

Bull Shoals Lake, Mountain Home, Arkansas 

wearing the birthday hat

gratitude

the chance to be here for Relyn's birthday celebration ~ Arlen
Momma ~ Sloane
a wonderful, wonderful birthday ~ Relyn
Relyn (and Sloane's awesome help today) ~ Jeffrey

at 

a day on the lake

gratitude

Daddy is good at math. ~ Sloane
small group & our prayer time ~ Relyn
Even on the hecticness of Tuesdays, we have dinner together at Relyn's school. ~ Jeffrey

at the lake last weekend

at the marina

gratitude

MNEA ~ Sloane
Chick-fil-a and chat with my parents ~ Relyn
Sloane's patience ~ Jeffrey

at the Lakeview Marina on Bull Shoals Lake

family birthday

gratitude

an awesome weekend ~ Sloane
Oh, there is so much.  My new camera and the time to finally begin to understand how to work it, my perfect birthday weekend from Jeffrey & Sloane, the Canon book they got me, time to be still and quiet, time to read, time to write, time to think, lots and lots and lots of time to walk, a whole day in a boat on a beautiful lake, a party with my parents when we got home, an excellent bluetooth, I could go on and on...  I am so blessed. ~ Relyn
my wife is a photographer ~ Jeffrey

Mom and Dad came over when we got back from Arkansas for an early birthday celebration since Mom leaves for Germany in two days.  It's always good to be with them. 

on the porch

gratitude

a good day ~ Sloane
our wonderful day on the lake ~ Relyn
our cabin ~ Jeffrey

I began my perfect Saturday on the porch of our cabin.  Jeffrey was on a long bike ride and Sloane slept in.  I looked at the sparkling lake directly in front of me, and watched the six deer on the lawn to my right.  Perfect!

look at that ceiling

gratitude

weekend vacations ~ Sloane
an awesome place to stay and the great weekend ahead ~ Relyn
a great place to stay ~ Jeffrey

We spent the weekend at Deer Run Resort in Mountain Home, Arkansas.  The vibe in our mountain cabin could only be called funky-retro, but we loved it - crazy water heater and all. 

beautiful Lori

gratitude

no homework ~ Sloane
our trip this weekend ~ Relyn
French toast ~ Jeffrey

another from the engagement shoot 

Lori & Kiel

gratitude

Alex ~ Sloane
time tonight to work on my photos ~ Relyn
my brother ~ Jeffrey

save the date 

oh, what a beautiful ring

gratitude

good books ~ Sloane
our Vocabulary Parade is excellent ~ Relyn
graphic novels ~ Jeffrey

Lori's engagement ring

stacked

gratitude

fall ~ Sloane
Arlen and Lucy closed on their property today! ~ Relyn
books ~ Jeffrey

at an engagement photoshoot

on the dock

gratitude

fall ~ Sloane
a very productive day at work after church today ~ Relyn
the chance to help Arlen today ~ Jeffrey

an engagement shoot at Ritter Springs Park in Springfield, Missouri

woods embrace

gratitude

 relaxing Saturdays ~ Sloane
Jeffrey ~ Relyn
a Sabbath that was relaxing and beautiful and a great salad for dinner ~ Jeffrey

engagement photoshoot 

that smile is all for him

gratitude

good TV shows ~ Sloane
weekends ~ Relyn
it's the weekend ~ Jeffrey

engagement photoshoot

Lori & Kiel

gratitude

Alex ~ Sloane
 an amazing photo shoot ~ Relyn
I made it to pick up Sloane on time. ~ Jeffrey

at Ritter Springs Park, Springfield, Missouri

Reading railroad

gratitude

a bunch of new people at youth ~ Sloane
a long chat with a good friend and the chance to be a listening ear ~ Relyn
Oikos triple zero banana cream yogurt ~ Jeffrey

at the Ozarks Botanical Garden

one amazing house

gratitude

English class ~ Sloane
dinner with my girlfriends tonight ~ Relyn
Loren Stucker ~ Jeffrey

Bingham-Waggoner House, Independence, Missouri

I wish I could draw!

gratitude

no school ~ Sloane
 Sloane's commitment to her schoolwork ~ Relyn
long weekend ~ Jeffrey

at Crystal Bridges Museum   *cell phone photo

more museum musings

gratitude

discipleship group ~ Sloane
time with my family and we still have a day off tomorrow ~ Relyn
a wonderful walk with my family & French toast ~ Jeffrey

at Crystal Bridges Museum   *cell phone photo

funny and true

gratitude

good food & that Dad's leg is ok ~ Sloane
God's amazing provision! ~ Relyn
to be able to be of assistance to my brother & Koriya & God's financial blessings ~ Jeffrey

at 

at the museum

gratitude

three day weekend ~ Sloane
fireworks after the ball game  ~ Relyn
fireworks ~ Jeffrey

at Crystal Bridges   *cell phone photo 

someone is a wit

gratitude

candy pumpkins ~ Sloane
the way Sloane keeps our house full of zinnias ~ Relyn
a great conversation about books with students today ~ Jeffrey

at Crystal Bridges this past summer   *cell phone photo

Classics

gratitude

Sami ~ Sloane
I was very productive tonight~ Relyn
my bike ~ Jeffrey

taken in a used bookstore in Fayetteville, AK   *cell phone photo

roll a haiku

gratitude

band directors who can fix clarinets ~ Sloane
my new camera ~ Relyn
quiet time with my family ~ Jeffrey

This was an interactive part of a Crystal Bridges exhibit.  I love the roll a haiku game.  I want to make this for my students.   *cell phone photo