My Best Friend's Wedding

And so Heather is married...she is now Mrs. Travis Jones. It was an eventful summer with showers and parties and the finale was just this last weekend. It was quite an emotional journey.

I have watched Heather go through so much in 6 years of friendship...job changes, cross the world moves, boys in and out of her life, learning more and more about who our God is, dealing with her singleness, watching her become an aunt to my children, finding a career, and falling in love. What a roller coaster!

I am amazed at the way God defines each of our paths so uniquely. His love for us is not easily felt at every turn. We have to just trust the words of the Bible and know that His love is there, even when we can't feel it. And Heather has seen both sides of this too.

I was filled with joy to see my friend stand before God and all of us and commit to love a boy forever and ever, no matter what...And I was filled with even more joy to see that boy commit to love her forever and ever, no matter what. It's the closest earthly picture to the way Jesus chooses to love and commit to us. And I believe it changes us.

There is no way to not feel completely and utterly loved by God when something you have desired and prayed for your whole life is actually happening to you. It made me cry to see my friend experience a moment like that.

God, bless this new family. Continue to teach them and grow them. Soften their hearts to the things you want to teach them. Prepare them in every way for the trials they will face. Break them of any selfish desires. Create in them a love for what is good and holy. Mold their marriage after that of Christ and the church. Help them to see bad circumstances as your way of creating, in them and through them, something beautiful. Most of all, cause them to understand you and your love more fully and to trust in your word for guidance. Draw them to yourself in their weakest moments. Lord, I celebrate you today...for this new union and everything they will do in service to you! To you be all the glory!

We love you Aunt Heather and Uncle Travis!

And we will be on our knees for you every step of the way.

Brotherly Compromise

Mommy to boys: You guys can watch Star Wars, but you have to decide together which Episode.

(Boys turn to face each other.)

Chad to Brett: Brett, would you want to watch Episode 4?

Brett to Chad: (Long sigh and pause.) Does it have Darth Vader?

Chad to Brett: Yes.

Brett to Chad: OK

(Then both boys turn and sit facing the tv.)

***If it could only be that simple every day!

Brett likes the bad guys....

milestones in canada

So many milestones have taken place here...

Brett got to go to his first beach. He was born to chill on a beach! I always knew he would love it and he so did...the sand, the water, the sun, the mess of it all-----so Brett!

Kaylie had her first manicure. This has been a long time coming. She was in absolute heaven.

Chad has become a man on this trip...or so his dad says. He caught his first rainbow trout, and second and third. He lost his first tooth and his second tooth...his great grampa pulled them both out. Such a great memory. He took his first 'mountain deuce'. His dad's verbage, not mine. When you gotta go, you gotta go.

Also, Brett turned 6. Daddy turned 31. And Chad turned 8. Kaylie learned how to serve others and was a second mother to, Jadyn her new baby cousin, 3 months old. Chad learned to play hockey with his cousin Evan and they played almost everyday. Brett got to spend so much time with his great grampa Kashuba, who he actually looks just like...weirdly enough. And those two have such a special bond. They crack each other up.

They picked cherries and rasberries, shucked corn, pitted the cherries in their undies. They ate their first borscht, a Ukrainian dish that these Polish Ukrainians just love. They also ate their first schnitzel, which is an Austrian favorite...Auntie Simone makes the best!

All in all, it was a quite eventful trip and we had so much fun with all the other Kashuba's...the ones from Canada and even the ones from Austria!