We have had an exciting past week.  

TRISTEN  

She had quite a special week! On Wed., June 5, she completed her 2nd grade year. She is shown with her annual bouquet. On Friday, June 7th, she had a piano recital. I wasn't able to go since I'd been actually fighting a cold all week, and I didn't want to get anyone there sick. However, the picture of her and Brogan is of her at her recital. Then on Saturday, the 8th, she earned her next karate belt - the yellow one.  We weren't there for that either, due to plans to attend a wedding that day. Sometime that week, Daddy (our son) and his two kids went for a bike ride (Brogan's first).

RETIREMENT

Friday I had my last teaching day. I only have the end of the year paperwork, report card, and preparations for the final conference. And then, I am completely retired! This is my student. She was dressing in what she considered an old fashioned outfit to portray the historical fiction character that she was portraying for a book report. I was her interviewer. She rearranged my California Raisins (that I inherited from my Dad), and she wrote a note to go with them.

WEDDING

On Saturday, a very close family friend got married. When his mom and I were pregnant -- she with him, and I with my older son, she and I became friends. Our two families have continued to be close through the years. He was the last "holdout" of all of our children to get married. They were married at the historic Simon Kenton Inn, which is just about five minutes from where we live. I have a few pictures to share of the lovely event.

SUNDAY/MONDAY/TUESDAY

Sunday was a good day of rest. We had a good church service, then came home for lunch and a nap, before enjoying the remainder of our time at home together. Then on Monday, ..... I don't remember exactly, except that at 9:21 p.m. our son and daughter-in-law gave birth to our third grandchild!         Then on Tuesday, right after our lunch (which we ate in our car), we were on our way to the hospital in Columbus, OH where the little family were. Well as you can guess, I have a few pictures of that wonderful event. We didn't see our other two grandkids, but I have pictures from their first visit that morning, and their second visit that evening.  Tristen knew what it was all about, and was very excited to be the first to hold her baby sister (other than her parents). It took Brogan awhile to warm up to the whole concept of having a new, younger, tiny, noisy (at times) little sister. The big smile on his face in the collage is when she held his finger.

Update on Mom.

 I do appreciate your prayers for Mom. She is back home, still getting physical therapy, but needing someone to be with her, so my younger sister is caring for her, along with other family and friends. She has serious edema in the leg in which she had the hip replacement surgery, and she has some serious pain and discomfort. My back still isn't quite up to par, though better, so I still haven't been able to go to Illinois to be with her. I am hoping and praying that we will be able to make that trip soon.                                                                                                                                                              Please pray for her this weekend, too. Dad and she would have celebrated their 65th anniversary last year on June 16th. He'd hoped to make it to that day, but it wasn't to be.  This year on Sunday, it is Father's Day and it also the day that would have been their 66th anniversary. I've sent her flowers to  let her know how much I care -- in honor of their anniversary, Father's Day, and just as a general encouragement. This is the arrangement that will be delivered to her today.

 In the same way, you should be a light for other people. Live so that they will see the good things you do and will praise your Father in heaven.   Matthew 5:16 {NCV}