thoughts on a Tuesday and my parents 50th anniversary

Back in the heat of the desert.  We got back Thursday night filled up to the brim with love from family and friends we got to visit with far and away, and feeling so excited to see and catch up with everyone we’ve missed over the summer.

We have driven more hours than I can count, these three my most constant travel partners:

We’ve listened to so many books, stayed up late for deep talking, calm and beauty filling the air around us, worried about all kinds of parenting, had the best reunions (with each other and with extended family).  We have drunken in sunsets as well as sunrises…

 Taken in the beauty of Bear Lake:

 Hung out with sisters…

…and more sisters:

…hiked to gorgeous vistas and rumbled in jeeps over the Maasai Mara.  We are so close to finishing our goal of reading the Book of Mormon in a month we can taste it.

We have logged hours upon hours on this tennis court with so many different configurations of players:

We’ve sent Grace off to China for a month before she starts college:

 (BOOHOO!  Miss her so much already!)

…and welcomed these two back from their adventure over there:

I have so much to say about all that has happened this summer!  And it ENDS in two days when we have to send these two remaining school-age children out the door to embark on a new school year.

But one of the most significant parts of the summer is this very day: July 30th.  Because today’s the day that marks FIFTY YEARS of marriage for these two:

 (Something that really, we’ve been celebrating all year 🙂

And without them we have none of that other stuff.

I know that sounds dramatic, but oh, how grateful I am that they found each other all those years ago.

…and flags:

…and places:

How grateful I am for that.