South Africa

South Africa? I swear I didn't hear it right. Josh got his mission call today in the mail and we got together for the envelope opening. Elder Joshua David Balmforth has been called to serve for two years in the South Africa Johannesburg Mission this November for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. We all guessed where we thought he would be going, but no one guessed right. The winner would get to take Josh out for ice cream. I have a feeling we will take him anyway. I was hoping for a safer place in the states, but I know that mission calls are inspired and he will be in the Lord's hands doing His work, where he needs to be. The experiences he will have and the foundation this will give him will be life changing and I am so very proud of him.
-Brenda

A day off.

For Father's Day, the kids surprised Larry and pitch in at Pebbles to get his workload done. Yesterday was his day off from the hospital and they told us we were not allowed to go into work. Could the work world exist without us for a day? In the busy-ness of life it is easy to fall into the mindset of the need to get things done. For us, the question was "What do we want to do?" Not need to do, not have to do... but really want. Honestly, we didn't know. We slept in, we went to the health food store, we picked up lunch at Milagros and went up the canyon and read for hours on a piece of shady grass by the river. Heaven. We have a lot to think about as we try to find better balance in our lives... we need more time to just be together. We came home to the girls making us a homemade dinner. It was an especially wonderful day...
-Brenda

On the road again...

Hard to believe. Our Abby just completed drivers ed. & her road test and is now ready to go get her driver's license. Now, if only she had a car... for now, she can share with me. She has been a good driver ever since I would take her and Kelsie driving at night time on the roads near our home. She loved to practice parking in the parking lots too when we played our parking lot game. She does tend to speed up when going around the corners and is getting to know how to get to the different places in town.
-Brenda

Time at Strawberry

We decided to head out to Strawberry for some fresh air and hopefully a fish or two. I know June is never a good month to fish Strawberry, so I brought a good book also. Ransom and Katie brought the bacon for crabbing. A strong wind started and the water is still icy cold. With our very wet spring, it is amazingly green with patches of snow under the north ledges. We huddled in blankets from the wind, gave up on fishing & crabbing and watched the kids explore. It was still good to get out, but we are sure longing for some warmer summer weather.
-Brenda