As you can tell from our lack of updates, we have been busy around here! We’ve been in the throws of wedding preparations and partying, because six of our friends are getting married this summer. Three down, three to go. Up next is Tiff’s wedding, which will be in Houston. We can’t wait for Sammy to see his Memere and Pepere and Uncle Paul!

Speaking of Sammy, today he is nine months old! We can’t believe it. He’s looking more and more like a little boy each day. Where did our baby go? We are having so much fun with him. He’s crawling all over the place and seems to get faster by the day. He enjoys carrying a block in one hand as he crawls, and lately likes to crawl right over our stomachs if we’re lying on the floor. We’ve turned into jungle gyms. The other day he crawled right up me and grabbed my face with his hands and just laughed and laughed at me. It was so neat to wrestle with him and hug him and laugh together. He’s also learned not to touch electrical sockets and dad’s guitar, and it’s amazing to see how much he understands! No, stop, don’t touch, please, night night, wave bye bye, hi, happy, more, hungry, lay on your back, come to Mama, kisses, and the list goes on!

We took Samuel on his first airplane flight to upper state NY in June. He cried almost the whole way on the flight out, but coming home he was great. Mark and I just wished we had eight arms to manage the wriggle worm, diaper bag, carry on, car seat, stroller, etc.! We’ve been meaning to write a little bit about our vacation to NY, because we came away with so much from our time there. Here it goes:

(Thanks for the nice segue, Renée!)

We went to upstate New York (specifically, Fort Plain) for some much-needed rest-and-relaxation and to visit some very dear friends of our’s, the Dunn Family. We spent 10 wonderful, relaxing days on a beautiful green farm in the middle of Amish country.

Yes, our friends decided to put away the lawyer profession and become farmers. What a great decision it was! Because of this, we got to relax on over 140 acres of land in our own little summer house next to the pool, hang out in a three-hundred year-old stone house, and play in the barn (and a little work too, installing a wireless network for them). I got to drive a tractor and rototill their garden, as well as mow the lawn on the riding lawn-mower (that thing goes fast) and cultivate some raspberries. Renée helped plant potatoes, gave the girls a princess party, and had a hoot-a-nanny of a time with Kirsten at the local Price Chopper. We got to take lots of walks, celebrate the Sabbath day, and enjoy of the most fun conversations with the family that we’ve ever had. We also got to play Human Uno and the age old classic, Pit, as well as a fun game out of Rio Rancho called Bohnanza.

Really, there’s so much more that we did, but it was one of the best vacations that we have ever had. Never have we enjoyed relaxing so much and just being together with their family. Furthermore, God really used the trip to show us what a God-centered family and lifestyle looks like. Aside of wanting desperately to visit again, God has prompted us to really concentrate on developing a family mission statement and vision, walk more closely to Him, and depend on Him for the next stage and steps of our family, in all aspects. It’s incredibly humbling, but also extremely exciting just to see how He loves His children and provides for them! We feel like we’re on the brink of something large, and it’s fun to trust God (although scary, for sure)!

We certainly miss you, Dunn family! Hopefully, we will see you again soon!