Boston, Bucksport, and Baptisms!

Another week has come and gone in our lives. It's hard to believe that the summer is passing so quickly, but a look at the calendar shows that August 29th is quickly approaching! This week was a fun week for us, as Aunt Jen came for a visit!  I drove down to the Boston area to pick her up from the airport on Monday night. Roger was working, so it was a mom and kids adventure. We stopped to visit on of my dear college friends, Carrie, and her family. I haven't seen Carrie in twelve years, but it was as though we had never missed a beat. We are older now and we both have children and husbands, but we had such a good afternoon together. Carrie has children that are a few years younger than mine, and one thing I enjoyed was watching my older children interact with the younger kids. As with most children, our children have also experienced moments where older children were unkind or unwilling to let them play games. We've tried to express to our children the need to be kind to those who are younger than you as someday you will be the older child! Today was that day! Garett and Chandler were both very sweet and helpful to the little children, and I just really savored the moment. We had supper with Carrie and the kids, and then off we headed to the hotel. Jen had planned on her plane arriving at 9:30pm, but by the time we arrrived at the hotel around 6:00 pm, she had sent me a text saying it was delayed. There was nothing that either of us could do about that so I took the kids swimming (I even got in the water) and we took a short trip to Walmart. Jen's flight was delayed until 11:20 pm. The kids kept asking when she was coming, and everyone was getting stiller and quieter! Since the hotel was on the outskirts of Boston (cheaper rates), it was about a 25 minute ride to the airport. I had been concerned about traffic and not knowing where I was going, but since the flight was so late, traffic was really light! We made it to the airport and we only had to go around four or five times before aunt Jen was here! Hooray! Wyatt and Garett stayed awake the whole trip to and from the airport, but the other three were out as soon as we left the hotel. We arrived back at the hotel about 12:20 am., and we all flopped into the beds!

         

      

Tuesday was a day spent touring some of the sights of Boston, but we didn't strive to leave the hotel too early! Thankfully the boys slept in until about 8:00 am., and then we had breakfast and went swimming before heading into Boston. I had purchased a Groupon for a trolley tour in downtown Boston, so we did that with the kids. It was a hop on/hop off tour, so that was nice for the kids. We listened for a bit, hopped off, walked around a park, took a little swan boat tour in a small pond, and hopped back on the trolley. We did decide to visit the USS Constitution Museum, and it was free! It's actually a great museum for children with a lot of hands on activities, and it was air conditioned in there! We weren't able to actually tour the ship because it was in dry dock with some repairs being done, but we did get to see it. Perhaps another time we will actually get to get on the ship. We made a slight error in the fact that we didn't leave Boston before the traffic was bad. The kids were exhausted  by the end of the day, and the air conditioner quit working in the vehicle. It was a long trip out of Boston, but we survived it! We arrived home shortly after ten pm., and again everyone flopped into their beds!

On Wednesday Jen graciously watched the kids in the morning while I helped clean and organize the school library. With another school year quickly approaching, now is the time to clean and organize. It was a busy morning, but we did get a lot accomplished. The job isn't done, but we made progress.
I headed home to make a dish for teen VBS that night, and while it was in the crock pot, we took the kids to the park. We have a nice little park about two miles from our house, and it has a nice creek running through it. It's actually been hot here this week, so the kids were delighted to get wet! I did wade for a bit, but it's not THAT hot! The kids had a great day playing outside and entertaining themselves, and it was a good "down" day for them.

Thursday was "sisters" day! Roger had off and the kid were so excited to have him home for the day .   Roger did a few things around the house, but the boys had a whole list of ideas of things they could do together! Jen and I headed up to Hannah's house around ten am., and Roger talked with his boss about borrowing the boat for the kids to take a ride. Jen, Hannah, and I had a great time visiting various stores in Bangor, talking and laughing, and enjoying time together. It's so much fun when we are all together! Meanwhile the boys, Emma, and Roger spent much of the day on the water together. The boys had such a good time, and even Emma warmed up to be comfortable on the boat. We visited a fun little ice cream stop in the evening together to wrap up the day. Roger is back to work for Friday and Saturday, so it was a good way to treasure the moments as a family.

                       

   


We spent most of Friday and Saturday just puttering around our house, visits to the park, outside play, and just spending time together. Roger had a long day of work on Friday, and he didn't arrive home until close to 9:00 pm. The boys were headed to bed, so they really did not see him at all. Roger has been working hard and long hours as the company is short a plane, and the stress levels are a bit higher. He pretty much crashed into the bed, to get back up at 5:00 am.  to do it again. On Saturday afternoon, Jen and I took the kids up to Hannah and Josh's house. Their town was having a little celebration in memory of 225 years of existence, as well as a festival and fireworks. The kids enjoyed the festival as they obtained free hot dogs, cheap snow cones, and a lesson in log rolling! There had been a long rolling competition, and the log was still in the water. The lady in charge graciously allowed the boys to take several turns trying out log rolling. They were soaked, but it was a hot day! We stayed for a cookout and fireworks at Hannah and Josh's house, and Roger was able to make it in time for the fireworks. He was so tired, but the kids were so delighted to see him come to the fireworks. I am so thankful for all the sacrifices he makes for our family.

While at Hannah's house, the boys were playing with some sticks that Hannah and Josh had left over from a construction project. As with boys, the ideas quickly escalated to practicing karate chops. Chandler accidentally broke one of Hannah and Josh's new chairs, and he didn't say anything about it.  I didn't see it happen, but a short while later Chandler said, "Mom, I have something to show you". He showed me what had happened, and he was very upset about it. I asked what he thought we should do, and he said, "I should pay for it". He asked me for some money and said he would pay me back with money from his bank account. I told him to go take care of it with Hannah and Josh. He tearfully walked into the house and explained to them what had happened. He offered them the money, which they didn't take, and he apologized. While I was initially frustrated with his lack of making a good choice, I realized that I had much to be thankful for in this situation. This son had  come forward of his own volition, admitted his mistake, and offered to pay for his mistake! This is a huge deal! We've been struggling with things getting broken or destroyed, but failing to get someone to admit wrong doing. I am so thankful for the moment of character that showed up in this son.

It was another late night for this week, and I had to work hard to engage Roger in conversation on the way home! We did make it home safely though, and I am thankful for that!

 Sunday was a big day for our family, as Garett and Wyatt were getting baptized! Hannah came for the baptisms, and I am  thankful that my sisters were able to be here for this special day. Make no mistake, baptism does not save us from our sins! Only the blood of Jesus Christ can cleanse our sins, and it is asking Him  to forgive us from our sins that gains us entrance to heaven. Acts 16:31 ..."Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved..." However, baptism is a public profession of our faith in Jesus Christ, and it was exciting to see these boys take that next step. My prayer for my children is that they will " grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." I know that they will make mistakes along life's journey, but I want them to love the Lord with all their heart. I'd appreciate prayers on their behalf as we work to raise a "revival generation ".  We love you all, and we thank God for the special friendships we have been blessed with both here and across the nation.

Vacation Bible School, and More Vacation Bible School! Week #4 of Summer Break!

This was the craziest of weeks we've had in a while, and I don't even have very many pictures to show for the craziness!

We started off by spending Sunday afternoon with Roger's boss and his wife, Terri. They invited us to their cabin on a lake to spend time relaxing and swimming. It was such a good afternoon with them, and I am very thankful that we made the effort to get to know them better. The kids had a great time jumping off the dock, swimming with the dog, and trying to sink each other on floats. We enjoyed a late lunch at the cabin and headed home late afternoon. I am so thankful that God has blessed Roger with a boss that is not only a good employer but also a good friend. I enjoyed getting to know Terri better, and the kids came home ready for a good nights rest!


Monday started off with a bang or a scream rather! I walked into the kitchen to discover a big fat mouse crawling out from under the stove! (I hate mice!) I was not a happy momma, but the boys were more than happy to stick brooms and sticks under the stove, but we did not have success in catching that mouse. Next order of business was to go to Walmart for mouse traps! Actually the boys  attempted to make their own off of a you tube video, but as Wyatt said, "No mouse is going to be dumb enough to actually go in that trap!" Yeah, I think we will just stick with the store bought ones  for now! I spent the morning running to Walmart, helping the boys set traps, and getting them ready for the soccer camp they attended this week...oh, and getting ready for the four young men we were having stay overnight in our home!

Our church hosted a Mennonite choir on Monday night and 49 people needed beds for Monday night. That's a lot of people for a small church, but the church folks willingly opened up their homes for the  people. We moved the boys out to the tent for the night, and two men slept in the boys room, while  two more slept in our basement guest room.  We had already told our boys that they could attend a sports soccer camp (kinda like a Vacation Bible School, but with sports) in the evenings this week. Our church was also starting VBS this week but in the mornings. I knew it would be a crazy week, but the boys were so thrilled to be going to sports camp. Roger and I often feel like there are way more activities to say "no", so it's nice to have something they can attend and enjoy that we can say "Yes!". The sports VBS started on Monday evening about thirty minutes before the choir started at church. Roger was working, so I dropped the boys off at sports camp. Then Emma and I headed to church for the choir group. There was good turnout for the choir, and their music was a blessing to me. Sometimes acappella music can be very enjoyable. I had to leave before it was over to get the boys from soccer camp, so Roger brought the four men home that were staying overnight. We had a great evening of fellowship and food, although it was a late night!

Tuesday was also an early morning as the choir members had to be back at church by 7:00am. I made breakfast of fruit, blueberry muffins and breakfast casserole, and then Roger took them back to the airport. It was a short visit, but I certainly enjoyed the opportunity to welcome people into our home. We were certainly blessed! Those men left some very thoughtful thank you notes as well as a small gift of money and a music cd.  While Roger was dropping off the choir members, Chandler spotted a mouse in the living room! He managed to grab a tennis racket to pin the mouse down, while Wyatt grabbed a pot. Chandler hit the mouse on the head, and the mouse was dead! Hooray! It wasn't caught  by the trap, but we do have one less mouse!

The choir members had to be at church at seven, but rest of us all needed to be at church by 8:30am. Vacation Bible School started at 9:00am, and we needed to be ready to welcome all the children. I admit I was dragging a bit, but we made it. I taught the preschoolers this week, and we started out on Monday morning with 14 of them! They were such a fun group of kids though, and I truly enjoyed spending time with them. I was talking with Roger about some of our past ministries, and my first class of preschoolers. I think my first year of teaching at Vacation Bible school was when I was in 7th grade...I've put in quite a few years of teaching/helping at Vacation Bible school. Each class and year is so different, but each one brings new memories and challenges. I've learned so much by teaching them as in the following lessons: 1) When an activity seems to be falling apart, it is indeed! Move on to the next activity quickly and don't spent time trying to figure out why it didn't work! 2) It is always, always better to be over prepared than underprepared! 3) This age has very short attention spans and everything moves along quicker than you think it should! 4) Never ask this group of kids what they would like to do/play. You tell them what is going to happen! I've learned many more  things, but those are a few!

Roger had off on Tuesday, so he tried to help out at Vacation Bible school. It didn't work out very smoothly for too many reasons to list here. However, I'm thankful that he was willing to attempt to help out on his day off and to be there for our kids. We spent Tuesday afternoon hooking up our trailer and picking up some furniture! One of the teachers from our school is moving away, and they are in the process of getting rid of a few items. They kindly offered us two great chairs and a loveseat! One of the chairs is a very big chair, and Roger has been very grateful for it!

The boys returned to soccer camp for Tuesday evening, and Roger and I had a date...with Emma! It was nice to spend some time with Roger as this week has just been so crazy!

Wednesday we repeated the events of Vacation Bible school, and more Soccer camp in the evening. It was actually kind of warm today, so we went to the lake with the Philbrook's after morning VBS. Here's the shocker-I actually got in the lake today! Emma did too, and I have a feeling that she is now going to think that's a regular occurrence! Everyone is sleeping well this week with all the activities, but I've also had to pray for extra grace and patience.

Thursday was raining and chilly, which always switches up the dimensions of VBS! I was thankful to make it through the morning, and delighted to head home! We spent a relatively quiet afternoon, and the boys rested also. They've been enjoying soccer camp so very much, and it's exciting to see how much they learning.

Friday...last day of VBS, and I am so thankful that it's over! I am thrilled I had the opportunity to be involved, and I have been praying fervently for lives to be changed and impacted by this week. It was  an exhausting week, but Gods grace always proves sufficient! I had the opportunity to meet one of the moms of a preschooler after the closing program today. She's the mom to four boys, so we had no lack of things to talk about! Their family is just up here for the summer, and they live in New York City! God calls each of us to different things, and I'm thankful for where God has us!

The boys also had a closing program at their soccer camp. Roger was able to get off in time to go, so the boys were thrilled about that! They are very understanding about Roger's job, but it delights their hearts in ways that I can't do when he is able to come to their events. The mom that I had met earlier at our church's VBS was there with her family at the soccer camp closing program. It was good to visit with their family, and we are praying for the opportunity to have them over for dinner soon.

 

Saturday was an uneventful morning at home followed by a birthday party at a campground for the boys. Roger was working today, and I wasn't exactly excited about going. However, this family is one that attends our school, but the boys don't see them much in the summer. I know the kids really were looking forward to this day, and I had said two week ago that we would go to the party. So, I gathered my energy, and we went. It was a great time for all. I enjoyed the opportunity just to relax and visit, and the boys spent time in the lake, chasing friends, and playing for several hours. When we left to go home, it was a quiet ride! Saturday was an early bedtime for all of us.

God has brought us safely through another week. I'm thankful that not every week is like this one, but I can rejoice in the mercies and goodness of my Heavenly Father. We enjoyed attending church together this morning, although we had to leave a bit early. Roger was needed to fly a flight at one pm., so we went to the airport with him. While he flew the airplane, I unpacked our picnic lunch. Today was a gorgeous day, so it was a good day to enjoy lunch at the airport. We spent a great afternoon at home....doing nothing! We came back for the evening church service, and I had the opportunity to play the piano for the church service. It truly refreshed my heart and my soul, and it was a great moment to end the week on.

Tomorrow I'm off to Boston with our tribe. My sister is flying in for a visit, and we are excited about that! However, I'm not a huge fan of big city driving, so prayers would be appreciated!

We received a special gift in the mail this week from some dear Alaskan friends. They are the type of friends that no matter how much time passes between phone calls or emails, we can pick up our conversations right where we left off. Those are truly great friendships! God has used them to bless our family many times, and I am so very thankful for them. God continues to confirm that we are making the right choices in endeavoring to keep the boys enrolled in the Christian school. We have been blessed by the prayers and gifts of so many;  and although my faith is often quite weak  , I'm thankful that God continues to be at work!

Berries, Swimming, and Week Three!

  

   

  

Crazy news for you- another week has passed! And it's been both short and long at the same time! Roger has worked six out of the last seven days, so I'm looking forward to seeing him for a few extra days next week. The boys and Emma have done very well this past week, but it's a bit challenging on all of us when Roger is gone from 5:00 am to 7:30pm. However, we are coming to the end of this stretch.

Roger worked last Sunday, which meant it was solo mama bear and five cubs for church and the days events. We arrived to church on time after Garett treated us to donuts (for the kids) and coffee (for mom) at Dunkin Donuts. He had spent the day at the airport the day before and had worked hard. He helped load airplanes, unload airplanes, wash airplanes, and spent the day with Roger. He also received a handsome tip, and being the sweet boy that he is, he treated us before church on Sunday morning. Love that boy!

Sunday afternoon we were invited over to the pastors house for a graduation get together for his daughter, Bailey. I certainly don't mind attending, but it somehow always seems like these events are in the days when Roger is working! We went as the kids are good friends with Austin, but we didn't stay too long. I wanted to make sure that I would be home when Roger did get home from work. All it all, it was a good day!

Monday's adventure included strawberry picking, not having enough cash, child throwing up in the car, and child needed to pee after walking all the way out to the patch! (I think I'd like a re-do on this day!) Oh well, we made some memories! This was our first time doing pick-your-own berries in Maine, so it took some effort to figure out if any places were available and how far away. We discovered a place about 25 minutes from our house, and I decided to check it out with the boys on Monday morning. It was a cute little farm with several acres of strawberries. We walked out to the    field and started picking. About ten minutes into picking, Emma needed to go to the bathroom. We were close to the woods, which I would've gladly taken her there, except there were quite a few people around. I left the four boys to keep picking and took Emma back up to the farm to the outhouse. Then back we trotted back to the field. An older couple was picking a few rows over and when I got back they told me that my children were well-behaved. It's always such a good feeling when someone encourages something you are working at so hard! It didn't take us too long to fill two flats with berries, and we headed back to pay. I knew from looking online that the berries were $2.00 a pound, but it hadn't said that they only take cash! I had forty-four dollars in cash and the berries came to $52.00. I told the man that I was sorry, but I didn't have enough money to pay for all the berries. It was also an extremely awkward and embarrassing position for me to be in as all my children are gathered around also. The man graciously just told me to go ahead and take the berries. I was blessed by his kindness to us. We headed home, and about 10 minutes into the ride, Travis announced that his tummy hurt. I figured it was because of all the berries he had eaten, and some of them had been quite smushy due to all the rain. He told me that one of the berries he had eaten was "nasty", but he kept eating it! I, of course, asked him why he would keep eating something nasty! He replied, "I don't know. It was food!" I told him we were almost home, but about five minutes later, gagging and coughing came from the back seat. Chandler was hugging the window in an attempt to get away from his brother, Travis is gagging, Emma is proclaiming that she's thirsty, and I was driving...yup, a three ring circus! We did make it home, and I discovered that Travis had thrown up all over the quart of berries that he had picked. They were not salvageable! Perhaps God allowed that man to give us free berries since they would be wasted anyways! Oh well, we survived! We made cake and took some out to the pilots along with fresh berries, and we managed to freeze about 10 quarts. All in all, it was a productive day.

Tuesday: Fourth of July! The weather dawned sunny and bright but not overly hot! Roger had off   today, so I was thankful that he was able to join in the festivities. One of the local towns hosts a Childrens one mile fun run, a 5k run, a parade, and lots of other activities. The children's fun run was at 8:00am, and three of the boys decided to run in it. Garett ran last year in it, but running isn't his thing, so he decided not to go this year. Since Emma was still sleeping, I stayed home with those two. I ran in the 5k last year, and I originally planned to run again this year. But it's not free like the kids fun run is, so I decided not to do it this year. Our boys came home very excited to tell me all about the race. It was so fun hearing them tell me all about it. Chandler place fourth overall with a time of 6:05 for the mile run, so he may have running in his future. Travis place fourteenth overall with a time of 7:15, which is good for a 6 year old. Wyatt was a bit bummed as Travis beat him, but he did very well  also with a time of 7:48 and coming in sixteenth place. I think there were about 50-60 runners, so they were pleased with their efforts. And we now have three t-shirts that were free! 😜



We went to the parade at 11:00am., and I have to admit that I didn't think it was that awesome this year. It seemed a bit dull and boring, but that's the way some years are going to be. I was completely appalled by the representation of the Democratic Party in the parade. They were a huge group of  people that displayed signs that were a disgrace to unity and patriotism in our country! It's a bit disheartening to see signs that are so unpatriotic on America's birthday, but it was an opportunity to talk with our kids about who we are as Americans and what we stand for in both our country and our world.

We spent some of the afternoon down at the lake. The Philbrook's invited us down to their cabin on the lake, and the kids enjoyed the afternoon of swimming and playing. And no, it wasn't warm enough for me to get in! Emma did not even bother to ask to put on her swimsuit this time! It was a good afternoon of visiting and spending time with friends. We went home in the early evening as Roger was heading back to work early in Wednesday morning.

Wednesday was a great day of unwinding at home. The boys puttered around in the yard creating a slip and slide with an old tarp. After that novelty wore off, they built a pool using the tarp and about every piece of anything they could find in the yard! The did manage to get the tarp pool to hold about ten inches of water, so they played happily in that for most of the day. After everyone was beginning to look very red, we took some time to head to the library. The kids were able to sign up for the reading program, so I'm hoping that will help motivate those who need motivation in that area!

Roger came home early in Wednesday...hooray! It was about 5:30pm., so we were able to enjoy supper all together. He asked if I would help him with some lunch for the pilots on Thursday. Apparently someone had given the company some money to get lunch for the pilots, but it wasn't enough to have food ordered in. So Roger said that his wife would be able to figure out something to make for everyone with the fifty dollars. Oh yes! This is something I actually enjoy....having a budget, seeing how far I can make it go, and feeding everyone good healthy food with plenty of it! So Roger and I came up with the menu which included chicken ceasar wraps, pepperoni pasta salad, and a cheesecake for dessert. We bought everything we needed for $46.72, and I cooked up chicken, whipped together a pasta salad, and made a dessert. Did you know that pudding mix, a block of cream cheese, a tub of cool whip, and some berries turns into a beautiful no-bake cheesecake?! It was fun!

So  on Thursday we took the lunch out to the airport around 10:00, then we headed to the farmers  market, and then spent some of the  afternoon with our friends, the Smiths. The boys have been anxious to play at their friends house, and they spent the entire time shooting nerf guns, yelling, climbing trees, eating, and biking. (My children sleep very well at night!😀)  I should've taken a picture when all six boys were in the same tree ranging in ages from 6-10 years old...now that's quite a few boys in a tree! I enjoyed the visit with Bethany, and it was a good afternoon for us. I'm thankful for developing friendships and deeper relationships as we continue on with life here  in Maine.

Friday was spent cleaning and puttering around the house. We did go to the airport to see Daddy for a bit, but since the weather has been so nice lately, he's been super busy! We did a few errands, and stopped a few stores. And it never fails..."are all these yours?" "Only one girl?" And etc.etc.,etc., It used to annoy me somewhat, but I'm so used to my "tribe" that I don't even think twice about how it might appear to someone else to see five kids in tow! Oh well!

Today was another beautiful day in Maine. I will admit though that I would like some hot weather soon! Since it is summer, I feel like I should at least be able to go places without bringing a jacket along for everyone! But the sunshine is good, and the crops are growing. The strawberry season is almost over, and we are all looking forward to the start of blueberry season! Yum! We took Roger lunch after we finished yard saling. The boys found a treasure trove of guns (not real ones!) but make lots of noise for $5.00. Garett bought a sleeping bag for $3.00 that is selling for $129.00 on Amazon. Wyatt was bummed as he didn't find anything particularly special, but I said "I didn't either"!" We did find a pair of nice  cowboy boots, a few books, and the boys found some odd and end treasures. I didn't have success in obtaining anything I needed/wanted for our house,  but that's the way yard sailing goes! It was a fun morning spent with the kids. We also received a very special blessing in our mail box this afternoon. I have been praying about how we are going to pay the school bill needed next month, and I was feeling pretty overwhelmed and discouraged. However, God showed me once again that He is always faithful. We received a check that will cover almost two months of the school bill! Oh, how my heart is rejoicing! I was talking to myself while walking up the drive way just praising Jesus, and Emma announced "Praise Jesus!" She didn't know what I was referring to, but she was excited to praise Jesus also! God is faithful!

I'm about to wrap this up for this week, but I do have a funny story about Emma. While out grocery shopping this evening, she was observing a woman whose top was showing her belly. As Emma walked along behind me, she announced (quite loudly!) "That lady's top is too small!" Chandler was absolutely mortified as he tried to hid behind the cart, and I was honestly trying not to laugh at his mortification! Needless to say, we quickly moved on to the next aisle!

We appreciate your prayers, and we love you all. We pray that you will have a wonderful Lord's day worshipping with other believers tomorrow!
Love, Sarah

Aviation Life...and Week two of Summer Break

Week two of summer break is over already! We had a good weekend with my grandma and Aunt Geri  coming from Wisconsin. I know it was a tiring trip for my grandma, but I was thankful for the opportunity to spend time with both of them. They came with us to church on Sunday, and my sister also came down for church and lunch. We had a good afternoon enjoying the sunshine, eating, and relaxing. Hannah and Aunt Geri joined our family for the evening service, while Grandma enjoyed some peace and quiet. 😀 We had a special service in the evening as it was a singspiration service and several other churches joined together to worship the Lord. It was a good time of singing and then followed by a picnic on the grounds. I was asked to play the two opening songs, and I was thankful for the opportunity to play the piano. The children's choir also sang, and they did a great job.

 

Monday started out with a bang! After I got back from a morning walk with my aunt, I noticed a text from my friend, Allison, on my phone. The text said that she had heard the news, and was Roger okay? I was standing in the kitchen talking to Roger so yes, he was fine. But what was the news?! Well, there had been an airplane crash on one of the islands that morning...as in about fourteen minutes ago! Roger called into work to get a few details and then headed into work to see if he could help in any way. Penobscot Island air lost an airplane on Monday morning in a crash, but God was  gracious the pilot walked away with a small scratch on his face! However, the plane is a total mess! Roger walked around in a bit of a depression for a few days this week, as that particular Cessna 207 was his "baby". He took immaculate care of it, and he enjoyed flying it. This incident has put a damper on the week, but God is still good. However, the company could use your prayers as these incidents tend to be logistical nightmares. I'm thankful for the texts I received throughout the day from various friends checking on us as they heard the news. There will be more news and posts on this at a later date.

  


We went up to Hannah and Josh's house on Monday evening for supper and so that Grandma and  Aunt Geri could see the house and stay overnight. Roger had taken the kids home in the afternoon, and  Aunt Geri and I spent some time walking around the little shops in Rockland. It was a fun afternoon for me, but a busy day! It was a bit of a later evening, but it was an enjoyable time. Roger was back to work on Tuesday, but not flying the 207. The kids and I enjoyed a morning with some friends from school, and Bethany brought me coffee! 😀 We've been really working on areas to cut our budget, so I was excited about Dunkin Donuts coffee! It was a fun morning for the kids and myself. The kids also attended a local Vacation Bible school at a local Baptist church. Emma was  unwilling to go on Tuesday night; but when the boys came back expressing all their fun experiences, she announced that she was going next time!

Wednesday was a low key day for us...I like those kind too! We packed a picnic lunch and headed to the airport around late morning. We had a few errands to run also, and then came out the airport to eat  lunch. The boys enjoy visiting Roger at work, and we are thankful that he has a job that the boys can  come and visit him at his work place.

Thursday was spent with a day of Roger's company! He had the day off so we went to the farmers market, walked to the park, did a few errands, and spent some time around the house. The kids had another night of Vacation Bible school in the evening. I had a book party that I had been asked to come to, so I went to that with a few other friends. Roger picked up the kids from Bible school, and he put everyone to bed...hooray! It was a day well spent with family time and togetherness.

Friday...the last day of our ladies Bible study until the fall. It's just too crazy with summer schedules and lots of kiddos. I did nursery again...something I don't mind doing, but I also enjoy going to the  Bible study. I think I'm ready for a break also! I spent the afternoon taking the kids to the park, splashing in the water...well, they did! The kids had their finally night of Vacation Bible school tonight, and it was parent night. It was exciting to see all that the kids had learned, and I am thankful that they had the opportunity to attend.

It's been a long week as far as stresses in work are concerned, but God is merciful. We are very thankful for Penobscot Island Air,  and we stand behind the company one hundred  percent. It was a week to reflect on trials and challenges and know that God is going to be there every step of the way. The pilots are working hard at flying with the other available planes, and although the days are longer than ever, I am thankful.  I am sure the company would appreciate your prayers as we continue forward.