In the Month of June::

:: Gabriel played his final baseball games of the season. He's learned a lot moving from t-ball (last year) to farm league and has gained a great love of the game, which is rather fun for his dad.

:: We finished our school year on the 4th, and I filled out my last quarterly report the next day. It was a great year and I feel like I learned a lot. I knew I would enjoy homeschooling, but it has been even better than I'd thought.

:: Bronwyn graduated from kindergarten, though we missed her actual graduation to be at the beach for a family reunion. Her gracious attitude about missing the ceremony ("It's okay, Mom, 'cause being at the beach with so many relatives is pretty special, too.") makes me all the more proud of her. We will celebrate her a bit this Sunday evening and take pictures of her with her diploma and tassel just to let her know how special we think she is.

:: We spent a week in Myrtle Beach with Daniel's extended family for a wonderful family reunion! Our set up was just terrific: two side-by-side, 6-bedroom condos housing almost 50 Paladins, right on the water. We could literally walk about 50' and be at our row of beach umbrellas, enjoying the amazing weather and companionship. More details and pictures of that to come.

:: Daniel turned 30! We are not huge birthday gift givers, Daniel and I. I guess if you were taking a poll of "love languages," we would both score lowest on gift-giving. I enjoy giving people gifts, but I honestly don't mind if I don't get any. That said, I felt that 30 deserved a little something special.

Since Daniel has never owned a game system of any kind (neither have I, but I can't say that I ever wanted one!), I bought him a wii, knowing it would be the kind of system that could easily involve our younger kids and provide lots of family entertainment. We've had a great deal of fun with it already. My favorite "game" is setting Jackson and Bronwyn up to play tennis and just watching-- hilarious!

:: Claire got her third tooth (with two more closing in on us). She is officially my worst teether to date-- whining, fever, earache, runny nose, and general discomfort-- but, that's okay, because there are other things she's really very good at.

Like traveling.

:: The kids did their first strawberry picking ever. It was so much fun! Today is set aside as the first jam-making/canning day of the season. I plan to do more next week after either buying or picking more strawberries, since I'm guessing I will only get about 10 pints out of the 8 quarts of strawberries.

:: I have fallen more in love with our home and family, if that's possible. We returned from our vacation at about 9pm on Sunday evening, just as the sun was setting and painting pink streaks across the sky. It smelled as though it had rained a bit earlier, and the grass was damp and cool to the touch. Delphinium waved tall and stately, day lilies were closing up for the day, shasta daisy and yarrow and hosta and hollyhock boasting great promise with each of their many buds.

Inside, all my favorite things: colorful family room rug, clean white quilt on my bed, framed Carl Larsson postcard art, my "fancy" music room with drop-leaf table and lovely armchairs and clunky piano and bookshelves, five beautiful children with lashes resting on cheeks and the peaceful breath of sleep on their lips, a husband who helps me unpack and fold laundry and bathe the baby and wash the dishes and teaches me daily to love this Moment no matter what it looks like and to serve Jesus with abandon and to give Grace without measure.