Wow!  So really haven't written in here for quite a while.  So much has happened since June.  For one thing, I had one of the wierdest experiences yet in our new home.  Usually Dallas and I start the story by saying I woke up screaming at 1pm in the morning.  Dallas immediately woke up and went into Ninja mode ready to punch someone, but my problem was more delicate.  I had a "terrible tickling" in my ear.  He was trying to ask what was wrong, but every time I tried to start explaining, I would just start screaming and scratching at my ear again.  It was truly a terrible feeling.  I could not reach whatever was crawling around in my ear.  Dallas jumped out of bed and firmly commanded me to get out of bed and come to the bathroom.  He flipped on the bathroom light (he'd read on the www that bugs move towards light when they are in your ear) and pulled down on my ear lobe.  He saw a tiny speck of black, but then his stomach turned as he saw a large beetle back out of my ear.  He batted in onto the floor and covered it so I couldn't see what it was.  (Sorry for those of you who have already heard this story)  I was, of course, crying with horror and relief to have my ear back :) but I did want to see the culprit before Dallas flushed it down the toilet heroically.  That is the first and last time I have seen a beetle in our house, much less in my ear.  I rarely even see a spider.  I am at a loss how it got there.  Anyhoo, time is healing the memories and the summer moved on. 

We went up to Camp Ida-Haven for a week as usual in August and took a 12-yr-old and a 10-yr-old with us.  It was great and the 12-yr-old accepted Jesus.  Next year, we're trying to encourage their moms to come with them because Dallas and I are so busy with worship, sound, a photo shoot, etc. at camp.  Dallas and I took our annual pilgrimage in a canoe out to the island where he proposed to me.  He also swam to the island as usual.  Darla and one of her friends, Dan, went out with us that time. 

My sister Lori and her family spent almost a week with us and her husband discovered fishing at Lake Lowell, about 10 mins. away.  By the end of the trip, he was looking at real estate wanting to move out here.  Lori and I loved a chance to hang out, and Kerissa (4) was full of darling antics as usual. 

Then Dad and Shan came for a weekend.  Dad got to go to an old car show and catch up with some friends he has here in the area, including my father-in-law, who he thinks is the bomb.  We always seem to get in deep discussions when he is here although I only plan to spoil them and let them have a fun time.  Dallas had pink eye and was quarantined in his room the whole weekend they were here.

Well, I guess that's it on personal notes about the summer for the time being.  I won't hardly mention our garden, because it was a seat-of-the-pants operation and full of weeds this summer.  We did get some fresh basil and a couple dahlias.  I'm hoping to get it going better next year.  We'll see.