A Cold Day in July

The Fourth of July has always been one of my favorite holidays.
Since I was super little my family would go to the lake with all our friends (that are as close as family) and spend a long weekend or, most years, an entire week on Lake Ouachita.
The first year we were in Pennsylvania was the first I'd missed our fun tradition and then last summer I made sure my crew was there for the whole week. However, this year with Avery's school getting out so late and a few other factors we just couldn't get there for the fourth ... I was bummed to say the least. I've literally been more homesick about missing this week with fam and friends in my favorite spot then I have in a super long time. Womp womp.
Thankfully we still had plans and fun friends to spend such a fun holiday with and we really had a great day.
Friday, the 4th of July, we woke up to a super chilly morning! We got some sort of strange (not so strange in this neck of the woods, I suppose) cold front with the rain we received Thursday night. The high was around 70 degrees, but I'm not sure we ever even got that high.
It was very much a "Saturday" feeling in the Boonies with every one home and laying low: we ran some errands, took naps and made snacks to bring to a friends house Friday night.
Our sweet friends, Dave and Rosie, and precious new baby Ava, hosted a cookout and laid back evening poolside with some of our fav peeps. Swimming, hot dog and watermelon eating contests, fireworks and more made for a festive fourth and we had a great time.

I was more than happy to snuggle Miss Ava Elizabeth in between in her naps.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AaronBoone and Jason came equipped with fun small fireworks for the kids to shoot off, and they all thought that was pretty fun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had our own rendition of the "Coney Island Hot Dog Eating Championship."

Gross.

 

 

And a watermelon eating contest ... also gross. But pretty funny, too.

 

 

After we left the Noordhoek's we met up with our friends, the Lackeys, to go a couple towns over to watch a firework display in East Smithfield, PA. We probably could have skipped out on that though. We were FREEZING once the sun went down and since the fireworks didn't even start until after 9:30 all the kids were crying to go home. But I was glad to see the Lackeys, who we'd been missing lately! So I'm glad we shivered through.

Super thankful to live in a country- THE country- where Freedom rings! We are blessed far beyond what we deserve in family, friends and freedom. Thank you to all those who fight to make sure we can live life the way we do. Yay USA!



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Community

If you ever find yourself in a "moving to a new place" scenario, start praying IMMEDIATELY and fervently for friends and community. I've mentioned several times before how that was my biggest fear. I'm a big people person, I seriously LOVE having lots of people in my home and the fear of a season of loneliness was pretty heavy on my heart. However, that was FAR from what God had in store for us here. God has blessed us abundantly with a body of believers up in this little town called Sayre, PA ... like the real-deal. People that are living out their faith in big ways. Walking the walk. Trusting God with everything. It's beautiful.
I think in Arkansas I had a bunch of Christian girl friends, and Aaron had a few Christian guy friends, but we were lacking a group of Christian families to live life with together. Which I see now is vital.
One of our biggest blessings has been the Wanck fam. Jason and Dawn have lived here their whole lives, and he and Aaron were hired within a couple days of each other for their company. They have two boys: Parker (5) and Graham (3) who are perfect comrades for Dalton and Sawyer. Our whole family has meshed well and we are just blessed to know them.
Last week at church we were sitting down at the service when Dawn nudged me to show me where she'd written down several times ... all about six minutes apart. Contractions! It was baby time! Jason had stayed home that morning thinking he was getting over a virus, when Dawn called to say that Sadie Rose was on her way.We kept the boys until their grandparents could make it and at 7:03 that night Sadie made her grand debut. She is already very loved!!

Last pic as a family of four ... Headed to the hospital!

Finally meeting Sadie Rose ... the lips kill me. 

Yes, it makes me want another one. 

Avery is pretty smitten with her too.

Yep, I like her a whole lot. :)

Thankful for community. And babies. And God's perfect provision.