McKenzie's birthday

I am so behind on this little blog!  Why is it that summer has to fly by!?  Summers as a child seemed to go on forever and now it seems I blink and it is over! :(

 

The beginning of June began a busy month with the celebration of McKenzie's 22nd birthday!  How in the world do I have a 22 year old child?  It seems just the other day she was  that long, gangly little girl that loved to sit in her bedroom floor and play Barbie horses for hours on end! Or even that little tiny girl that could play by herself for hours in the backyard pretending to be everything under the sun!  She was such an imaginative, fun-loving child.

 

Daniel recently got a new job and hadn't been with the company for long when they transferred him.  The bonus for us is they are now only thirty minutes away!  Before they could get moved they spent some time staying in my dad's camper on our property.  We decided to celebrate her birthday a few days early so we could all be together.

This group "sibling" shot is taken at every birthday!  I hate that this turned out blurry! (Macheus had already gone to bed.)  This year my sister's daughter Carrington was visiting too.  It made it even more fun!

Myles likes to help blow out the candles!

These two have always been so close.  He has missed her so much since she got married.  He is looking forward to being able to spend more time with both McKenzie and Daniel now that they are closer!

Madeline strumming on her guitar. :)

Marc and I took a couple of days and went up to McKenzie's to help her pack and be with her on her actual birthday.  (Daniel was pretty much all over the state working!)

We wanted to do something fun so we got up the morning of her birthday and hiked Mt. Yonah.  It was so much fun and the view from the top was beautiful!

This cracked me up.  We were running part of the trail and McKenzie snapped some pictures. :)

 The reward at the top!

That evening we went out for steak!  It was such a sweet time celebrating with just her and Macheus!

He is one spoiled little fellow!

This was taken on Father's Day Sunday.  Sweet that he got to be surrounded by the whole crew!

Well, I will write more later and post some more pictures.  It is late and I need to get to bed!

A "wish"

I remember years ago one of my older children telling Malachi to "make a wish" when teaching him to blow the dandelion seeds.  From then on he always called them "wishes". :)

 

 

^" Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth" 3 John 1:2

Stone Mountain Trip

Several weeks ago Madeline and I spent the weekend at Stone Mountain in celebration  of her turning 16.  Her birthday was in March but we wanted the weather to be pretty when we went, and she wanted to be finished with Veritas.

Six years ago I took McKenzie on this same trip to celebrate her 16th!  Time sure flies!

 

The first thing we did was hike the mountain.  We hit it hard and got a good workout in! 

On top of the mountain!

After the hike we went to the gristmill to have a picnic.  Our healthy sub sandwiches weren't so healthy accompanied by coke and pringles. :o)

The gristmill is my favorite spot at Stone Mountain.  I remember playing here as a child when my family would come to Georgia in the summer to see our grandparents.

 

  It was neat to learn some of the history behind the carving that we didn't know.  We learned that the man that began the project in the early 1900's quit because there was controversy over who was supposed to be funding the project.  That crew left and did Mt. Rushmore.  Later another group came in to finish it.  I think they picked it back up in the 50's and it was complete in the early 70's.

 In the evening we went to see the Laser Show.  It was very good and I really liked the patriotic songs that they played at the end.

 

We spent part of one of the days in the village area going through the shops and watching a glass blower make some things.

 

Madeline sat here quietly for the longest time.  When I asked her if she was ready to go she said she was just looking at the carving and wondering what they would think of the state of our country if they were here today.  I love that she is a deep thinker.  She is a quiet girl but there is often a lot more going on in that head than people realize!

We rode the cable car up the mountain the next day.  I hate riding it and wondered why I tortured myself as we went up the mountain!

 

  Of course, it was fun to take some more pictures up there though!

Waiting on the 3-D movie.  This year it was some brainless bird cartoon! :o)

 

We rode the train and the whole time I thought how much Myles would have loved it!  We need to go back and take the boys!

 

Another one of my favorite things at the park is the old plantation area.  The houses, farm yard and gardens are so pretty!

I took McKenzie's picture in front of this house too!

 

So much history...

I absolutely love this sweet girl and enjoyed every minute I had with her!  I treasure the one on one time I have with my children and know it is so very fleeting!

How Great Thou Art

I'm not one that thinks just because a song is old that it is good, or just because a song is new that it is bad, however... nothing compares to the old hymns of our faith!

 

I have several favorites and this is one of them!  Recently I hiked a mountain with McKenzie for her birthday. (I'll post about her birthday later.)  As we sat on top of the mountain you couldn't help but think of the majesty of God and His creation.

Lord my God! When I in awesome wonder
Consider all the works thy hand hath made,
I see the stars, I hear the mighty thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed;

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

When through the woods and forest glades I wander
and hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees;
when I look down from lofty mountain grandeur,
and hear the brook, and feel he gentle breeze;

And when I think that God his son not sparing,
Sent him to die - I scarce can take it in,
That on the cross my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin:

When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation
And take me home- what joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow in humble adoration
And there proclaim, my God, how great thou art!

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

These two pictures were taken on one of my daily runs.  People often ask me how I can fit in a run everyday with my busy life.  It is something I carve out for my physical health, my sanity and because it is just so peaceful!

Until next time~