Some things in September.

 The other night we took the canoe out on the lake and just before we left, we caught a beautiful sunset over the water.

Our Classical Conversations community is back in full swing for the school year. AK was excited to take the mandolin and play a song for her class during her presentation last week. She let all her friends try it too!

Here are all three on the first day back. It's Owen's first year to be in class! He's doing great and loving every minute of it!

Claire is taking her studies very seriously this year! She has entered a new portion of CC called Essentials, which is a grammar/writing intensive for 4th to 6th graders. She and Gabby have been spending a couple of hours each Friday afternoon getting ahead on their work for the following week!

Last weekend we were able to be in Milledgeville for a very special weekend - Popple's retirement from Northside! More on that later...but here are some sweet cousin pictures as the kids got to meet baby Sawyer for the first time!

Popple saying "goodbye" after 33 years at Northside, and 48 in full time ministry.

I have more pictures to share on that, but for now I will move on so I don't start crying again.

Here is Owen enjoying a book while his sisters have music lessons.

I also have some more pictures from the soccer season on my camera, but here are a couple from my phone. All 3 kids have had a great season.

Owen and Oliver...

AK as goalie!

This morning was very sweet for our family, as Claire made her faith public by being baptized! This was a huge step of obedience for our quiet, serious almost-ten-year-old. She prayed to trust in Christ several months ago and we were so thrilled to be there to encourage her in her obedience today!

Claire and Pastor Casey...

Can't wait to see what God has in store for this kid as she grows in her faith!

These August days.

Well, these August days are mostly just hot. Oh, and we started back to school!

I like these kids!

AK is trying to be a jack-o-lantern for Halloween. She's missing four teeth currently and one is hanging on for dear life.

Also she uses chopsticks instead of cutlery now.

When we go to violin/piano lessons, the highlight for everyone is taking care of Benaiah while Mrs. Hannah teaches the other sibling.

I glanced over at Owen and he was curled up on the couch reading "My Utmost for His Highest." That was strange.

I see a theme here. Everyone's favorite part of band practice is also taking care of Benaiah.

I can't spend too much time on this picture because I'll cry again but here is Claire ready to head to the first birthday party ever where I've just dropped her off and then picked her up a few hours. I mean, she still needs me, right? RIGHT?

Crazy hair day.

Sometimes the kids and I run down our road and try to chase the sunset.

And sometimes I'm looking through my pictures on my phone and come across AK doing the floss in a stained glass window at church.

Owen's dream came true when we went to his first Atlanta Braves game a few weeks ago.

And that occurred after a weekend getaway for the Coach and myself, characterized by a tri-annual (for me) mountain bike ride that ALWAYS starts with "Let's just ride this trail for a few miles and see what it's like" and ends 5-7 hours later with me promising myself that this will NEVER happen again. Maybe in a different season of life I'll hit the trails more than once every three years and then I won't feel like I'm going to die on these trips. Happy (late) anniversary, Coach!

Also I have a nephew!

On July 17, I got a nephew!

Sawyer Lee McLeod weighed in at 7 lb 10 oz and he is perfect!

I loved being in there for every minute of it!

Jen was a champ - she did the whole thing without any intervention or epidural and definitely deserved this Chick-fil-A meal along with a sweet tea AND a cherry coke when she was done!

The girls are in love with their baby brother.

I love this family so much and count it as one of my greatest privileges to have been there for the births of each of these precious kiddos!