Last week, we had two major events:  Pallisades and Beth’s birthday!

Every year, I have a harder time getting reservations at Palisades as it gets more and more popular. This year, only two weeks in the summer really worked for us because of all the other things we had planned and also because we really, really, wanted to have Ammon there and he starts medical school the last week of July. So! I prayed a lot and about a month ago, someone cancelled their group site reservation on the exact dates I wanted. Oh sweet tender mercies! It was more expensive than we’re used to, but we could fit a lot more people and we had this great pavilion with twelve picnic tables. We had a great time! We were there Monday through Thursday morning. We swam, paddle boarded, canoed, visited, sang, played games, and had a great time. Man I love that place. AND the people who share it with me. 

We returned home on Thursday which was Bethany’s 15th birthday!! We started off the day still at camp and McKay sang “Hey Bethany” to the tune of “Hey Jude” while we waited for pancakes. On the way home, we listened to all the songs we could find about being 15. That night, Beth wanted to go out to eat at Red Robin. We invited Grandma and Grandpa Gazdik and afterwards, we had strawberry shortcake and presents back at our house. We love that Bethany girl and are so glad that she is ours! She brings happiness and tenderness in great measure into our home. What a blessing she is!