Spring to Summer Recap

Well finally - here's the post you were supposed to have seen MONTHS ago.... Ahem, maybe you will forget that little detail and just enjoy this random life update. :)

May started off with Mom's birthday, and to celebrate that we went over to Will and Brittany's. 

Mom opening her presents.

We went to El Dorado's Arboretum and enjoyed the walk through the trees. 

Grace trying to walk across a slippery log. :)

We managed to get a family picture by propping up Amanda's phone with a stick!

Sisters!

We can never get a decent picture with these two boys! :)

A big family selfie!

Then we went back to W&B's house and enjoyed dinner and a fun evening!

"Her children rise up and call her blessed, Her husband also and he praises her." - Prov. 31:28

May also found us in the thick of gardening and getting ready for Farmer's Market.

Right before our first market we decided to re-vamp the table set-up and decorations. Amanda did a great job at painting our signs!

The finished product. 

Jacob also working on the new table set-up. 

Grace's brownies have become quite famous at market! They are missed if she doesn't make them every week. 

Mom makes lots of jelly to sell.

                                           Picking the garden for the first day of market.

                                         Getting everything washed and put into coolers.

The first day of market!

Family pictures on Resurrection Sunday.

Will, Brittany, and Baby. :)

One of the many baby bump photoshoots!

Celebrating Fathers's Day at Pap and Nana's. 

On July 4th we went to White Oak Lake for the day, as has been our tradition for the past 3 years.

We love kayaking!

This summer, Grace and I (Sarah), participated in the Bible Bee. That was a wonderful experience of studying and memorizing God's Word. We enjoyed getting together with other Bible Bee families throughout the summer to fellowship and play review games, etc..

Reciting our Scripture passages.

And...some more Farmer's Market pictures from later on in the season. 

Amanda and Mom.

It has been so nice having a new pavilion for market! It makes it a whole lot easier not having to set up tents.

"Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You."

-Psalm 63:3

Marriage, Family, and Life Conference

Two weeks ago, we had the wonderful opportunity to go to the Marriage, Family, and Life Conference in Mississippi. It was put on by the American Family Association and we went as a vendor with resources from Dad's ministry, Hearts of the Fathers. 

Our trip got delayed by sickness and a bad storm, so we were very excited to finally be on our way. 

It was a six-hour trip, and some of us listened to music....

...and some of us played games.

Finally set up and at the conference on Friday morning. 

Amanda is the final stages of editing her book, Bought With a Price, so she gave out free samples of the first chapters.

We got to stay with Dad's uncle and aunt, and one night we had fun playing dominoes with Aunt Pam. 

Dad and Uncle Randall having deep conversations.

Mom and I on the second day of the conference. It went all day Friday and most of Saturday. 

We really enjoyed hearing all the speakers and their amazing messages. 

After church on Sunday, we headed to Alabama to meet one of Amanda's pen pals, and we stopped at a park to eat lunch. It was really beautiful there!

The photographer of the family HAD to get a quick picture in front of the waterfall. :)

Maggie and Amanda.
They have been pen pals for seven years and this was the first time for them to meet.

All the girls....

....and all the guys.

It was such a blessing to get to fellowship with their sweet family! It was like getting together with old friends because we knew so much about each other through Amanda and Maggie's letters.

Before we headed home on Monday we went to the AFA (American Family Association) headquarters in Tupelo. It was really neat getting to tour that and meet all the people we hear on the radio.

Jared posing like he was on the radio.

We were excited that we got to meet our favorite radio host, Bryan Fischer, and his two producers!

On the way home, we all put our visitor stickers on the back of the seat that was in front of us. :) It was definitely one of the highlights of the trip!



Be looking for the next post soon! It will be pictures from May and June that I never got posted.
-Sarah