Bloomington Lake & b-day/conference prep.

 Because really, who can turn down that beauty?

 This is the closest Tal and Anita were going to get to Swiss beauty around here:

I was so grateful for my Dad who held frustrated Lucy’s hand through the relatively easy hike to get up to the main lake.

Hiking is getting harder for her because her contrast recognition is off, making it difficult to tell where the rocks are and when to step up or down.

Hurts my heart but also makes me so proud of her and the people around her who help her experience things like this despite her deteriorating vision.

When we arrived at the rope swing it was PACKED.

I guess everyone in the area had the same idea we did.

When we arrived Claire was already on the rope.

Yeah Claire!  She had been too nervous to do that thing last year so her smile was extra bright when she triumphantly emerged from that ice cold water.

Grace loved taking the plunge along with most of the rest of the cousins too.
It looks like I had to contemplate whether I wanted to join them for a bit…

But of course I did.

I mean, who doesn’t like a little adrenaline rush on a gorgeous summer day?