Just a quick update --

[It's been a while...]

August was a cRaZy month for me - two weeks of training 

[in Montgomery, a not-so-favorite city of mine]

- one where I was so sick I hardly had a voice, plus regular county visits / record reviews...teaching a class at the University of Alabama, 

and a couple of 'fun' [demanding / high profile] special assignments... 

but I do love my job. Seriously.

I just need things to slow down a bit -

We've also attended three funerals in the last two months - 

all sweet celebrations of lives lived well.

But the thing is - I developed this sinus infection and was also sick for the last five weeks -- Didn't have time to get to the doctor until I finally crashed this week - 

I'm feeling so much better now!

[Don't you love Marmalady's freckles on her nose?!] 

Here's the deal - we enjoy life.

Even in the midst of CrAzY busy schedules 

we intentionally make the time to relax or do something fun. 

[And we've tried to do this through the years - 

even when there was no extra money in the budget to do it...

it might've just been a picnic at the park, a hike up on the mountain, 

or flying kites together after church. 

Or even having dinner out on the deck - 
one of my favorite memories is the evening we spent 

passing a stick around to each person to share a little after dinner outside...]

Sooo.... one of Craig's favorite things to do in the fall 

is to find local fairs that have a demolition derby [ours doesn't.] And I've been known to root for a favorite or two as well - ha. Of course, there's always fair food...

But this year I didn't eat ONE thing - must have been that sinus infection.

We are also intentionally making the time to get out and camp a bit more - we enjoy being away, even though we stay well-connected [ha] - It's just nice to relax around a campfire with no deadlines or projects to complete. 

[Back in the day we camped almost monthly with our boys -]

Emma and I got up early one morning and worked on my Bible Study homework - 

It was cool enough for both of us to have on a  jacket... and it looks like we both have 
the 'ole ''wild eyes'' gene too - LOL.

We also enjoyed a s'more or two...

And hobo meals of course.

That's it for now - I'll leave you with sweet Pawley sitting in the window. 

We spent some 'quality' time together this afternoon sitting in the hammock together while Craig planted the oak leaf hydrangea I got for my birthday.

[Hope it lives - it's survival of the fittest 'round these parts - ha.]