FF: July

Yesterday was the last day for the summer class I've been teaching.  It's been many, many years since I have worked with such a delightful, responsive, bright class.  I feel a little cheated that the term lasted only six weeks. Now, while I grade their final projects, here's a glimpse of July with the rest of the family.

The month began as we said, "See you later,"  to one of our favorite families.  What a gift friendship is! But instead of getting all teary again over their relocation, I will focus on how wonderful technology really is now in allowing us to keep track of our far-flung friends.

To brighten our sad selves, we began to play more board games.  Our friends have convinced us that  Yahtzee rules,  but we're pretty fond of Headbanz.  Of course, if a certain middle boy memorizes all the cards in the deck, he will always win.

In the middle of the month my two older boys and their dad left for a week of Boy Scout camp.

They endured record-setting temperatures and biting insects, but they survived.

With half the family gone, the other half moved into my room and my bed.  No, sweet husband, the dog is NOT on our bed!

The day after the boys returned from camp, my oldest boy (on the right) left for Southeast Kentucky on a service trip with his youth group from church.  He spent the week drywalling, and his tender heart was very touched by the poverty he saw.

And finally, on the last day of Boy Scout camp, Checkered watched a teen boy do several pull-ups and he decided to show off his own pull-up skills.  This is how his detached bicep tendon now looks from the outside.  Next week the surgeon will see what it looks like from the inside.