Fun...fun...fun!

Well last week started off so fun with Jamey and Cara coming to visit, but we had a few unexpected fun summer activities evolve throughout the rest of the week. In the middle of the week we visited our church's (Free Methodist) family camp in northern Wisconsin. We were so inspired to visit with the speaker, Matt Friedeman, and his family. Matt was a professor of Tom's at Wesley Biblical Seminary. They now have six children (much bigger than when we had last seen them) who they homeschool. In addition to teaching, Matt has planted a church, runs a radio talk show host, a weekly prison ministry and speaks at churches, conferences and camp meetings. He and Mary cohost a family seminar that deals with Family Discipleship and I highly recommend it for anyone looking to book them for your church! They have written a children's catechism from a Wesleyan perspective entitled Hidden in the Heart. They graciously gave us a stack as they know we use it and love to give it away to our friends and family. If you want a copy just let me know. It was so exciting to see their firstborn anxious to head off to college in the fall with dreams of becoming a missionary or church planter. It is really inspiring to think that God allows us the privilege of participating with Him in this wonderful world of parenting.

On Thursday Cole graduated a level in swimming...go Cole! These lessons were through our public school system and only allowed parents to come in on the first and last days of class. He was so cute to watch on the last day as he would pull out all his tricks and new learned strokes and then immediately look up in the bleachers to see if we were watching. He is gaining a lot of confidence in the water and having a LOT of fun doing it. Cole is turned and looking towards the camera in the picture below.

Then Friday we headed to Great America/Six Flags via the graciousness of friends who helped us get free tickets for all the kiddos and tickets for the adults at a fraction of the cost--I mean an unbelievable deal. We had 7 kids between our two families, the oldest being our Cole--and they all did great! It was such a fun day. Dawn (the other mom) and I scared ourselves silly riding a rollercoaster called V2 that has you going 65-75 mph while suspended from the rail, feet dangling. When we got off she told me, "all I could think was that God has blessed us with all these great kids and if I die doing this that would be such a waste!" That's how scared we were--why is it fun to be that scared??!!! Both boys rode roller coasters. Cole loves them and is so funny--he rides with all his muscles clenched but immediately when it stops, wants to go again and protests loudly that he was never scared; Josiah rode and never complained but didn't want to repeat the experience either. The highlight of our day was watching Josiah and Caitlyn pared together to ride the old cars. It just worked out that those two were in line together and so rode together--but upon entering the car Josiah assumed the wheel position and Caitlyn pressed the gas pedal (as only her leg was long eough). Well, they stalled and bumped (usually beside signs posted NO BUMPING or right in front of one of the thankfully patient attendants) into the next car the entire way around the track--hilarious. Maddie loved the teacups--why? because they were teacups and, of course, pink!

Our friends: Caitlyn (in Cole's K class last year), Dawn (holding Ryan), Sean (Dad) and Kyle

Saturday through Monday we were delighted to have Jim B (old friend from HSBC) spend the weekend with us. He was flying a plane from the company he works for up to an air show in Wisconsin. He graciously gave our boys their first small aircraft flight. I was glad I was able to go up as well. That is quite the different experience from commercial flight. You literally feel like you are in a bubble up in the air--not much separating you from the space outside. Jim has really stuck with his dream of flying that we've known he had way back when we first met him as a young highschooler. We are so proud of him and his dreams!