After some time back in SC visiting family, friends, and ministry partners in Greenville (Ed’s home town), WE ARE BACK!!  Man, that feels good to say!

First, let me share some brief highlights from our time in Greenville –

POOL TIME – Of course, we soaked up sun and spent lots of time at Ed’s parents neighborhood pool. The kiddos had fun enjoying this perk of being at the grandparents, especially since we have no pool in NY 🙁  Brynn adapted very well to the pool life.

The girls also enjoyed a perk of making some money in a way that you can’t do super easily in the city – selling lemonade. They thought of this all by themselves and with a little help from Ed’s mom, a lemonade stand was born. They weren’t super busy, but they did earn about $3 each. Fanning the flame for that entrepreneurial spirit early 🙂 Also, notice the t-shirts…they were on clearance at Target for like $5 and of course, them wanting to wear them the next day made this Carolina-loving momma’s heart proud.

We also got all the kid’s hair cut (as well as Ed), while we had great places to take them that didn’t cost an arm and a leg. Yay for JCPenney haircut coupons! And Blake went to the barbershop Ed grew up going to. Now everyone is ready for back to school – even though they will be waiting until September 7.

We had a great time visiting with friends and ministry partners and even had a few appointments with potential ministry partners. We were busy but not so busy that we didn’t feel like we could rest. For that, and especially being that we start back on campus this week, we are super grateful! Huge shout out, too, to mine and Ed’s parents who helped a TON with the kids while we were in SC – from enduring our super noisy kids (they were getting out all their running and screaming and singing at the top of their lungs before they headed back to apartment living), to occupying our kids while we had appointments or just relaxed, from providing dinners and other “fun” things, from watching the 3 kids and one screaming baby while we went out on a date, from putting up with our whole family in a camper for 5 days even though we KNOW it wasn’t restful or easy (memories were still made!!) – we are super thankful and love you all!

To top off our last night before returning to the city, we spent the night with our good friends, Scott and Lyndsay. They have 4 kiddos 5.5 years and under, so it was a lot of noise and a lot of kids and a lot of crazy, but we LOVED it!  Thanks for great conversation with really good friends – full of laughter, tears, and just being super real. We love you guys!

And while we were gone, guess who turned 6 months? Yep, this sweet, smiley, doesn’t know how to sleep, little girl. She took this trip to SC and Colorado as an opportunity to revert completely back to sleeping like a newborn and while I don’t know how we survived on so little sleep, we can’t do it anymore. Operation sleep training has commenced!!

I was very nervous about returning back to the city – that we would have to go through transition again and that it would be hard. But, I am very thankful to report that it hasn’t been so far – other than getting used to all the walking again, we are very, very glad to be back. This week, campus begins with our annual beginning-of-the-semester staff retreat. Excited to see what the Lord does this year!