Gathering the Moments | June 2026

Here we are, halfway through July, and I am gathering our JUNE moments . . . some big moments, some small, but all a part of our story. 

We eat lots of salads in the summer. Do you?

Car shopping in the 21st century

Reluctantly receiving a hug. The foot says it all, I think.

Rosemary and yarrow from the garden

A small-ish project: an outdoor outlet for . . .

. . . string lights on the patio! 

Bekah's new car!

More summer food: Cream of Crab Soup 🦀

Also in June, we had a sweet visit with Kati, Andrew, and the children!

We played games, visited coffee shops, ate shrimp,
did puzzles, made homemade ice cream, 
had brunch at an out-of-town coffee shop, went to an antique store,
visited Gammy, blew bubbles,
and celebrated Ellie's 5th and Andrew's 40th birthday! 

At the end of the week, Ryan, Sarah, and family came to visit, 

and the local family joined us to CELEBRATE our graduates, Bekah and Ben!
(You can read more about it in ~ this ~ post.)

Before everyone left on Sunday, we had pizza and a little Father's Day celebration.

We hated to see everyone leave, but it had been a good visit!

(Well . . . there was one who was not so sad to see everyone leave. 🐈)

At the end of the month, I lost a precious friend. 

She had not had an easy life, but now her struggles are over and, because she knew Him, she is forever with the Lord! 

I am grateful that I knew her, that her final months were safe and secure, and that she was well-loved. I am also grateful that I had time to say good-bye.

I will close with these words of promise to all who are His, these words that I read to my friend in her last hours:

The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore.

Psalm 121:18

Congratulations, Bekah and Ben!

We recently celebrated TWO graduations in our family:

Our daughter Bekah graduated from university,

and our grandson Ben graduated from high school! 

 :: Time to celebrate! ::

So we gathered family and a few friends

and had a casual celebration honoring their accomplishments.

The menu was simple: 

Chick-fil-A strips, rolls, fruit, veggies and dip, and an assortment of chips.

We had a fun photo scavenger hunt 

 . . . and cornhole was set up outside.

At one point, the seven youngest grandchildren played cornhole:

Judah (almost 8) versus all the others! 

(Judah won!)

Bekah wanted to have a dirty soda bar at the party, and it was a big hit!

There were some suggested recipes on the menu board,

but there were plenty of personal creations too.

Our grandson Peter (15) made and decorated the cake!
So creative and delicious!

At this point, I must say that I missed so many photo opportunities. 🤦🏻‍♀️ 

No photos with friends. Not many candids. No pics with Gammy. No photos with Ron and me. No pics of Ben with his parents or siblings. 
Good grief. 

But here are the ones that I took: 

Bekah with all of her nieces and nephews 

(minus one who had left before the photo),

Bekah with her sister Kristin,

with her sister Kati,

with her brother-in-law Brian,

and with her brother Ryan.
As an aside, this brother and sister graduated from the same university with bachelor's degrees in English Literature . . . but 21 years apart!

Bekah with her sister-in-law Sarah,

and with her brother-in-law Andrew.

Wait a minute!

What just happened?!

Let's try this again!

We rejoice with you, Bekah and Ben, 

and pray God's richest blessings on the next chapters of your lives! 

Memory-Making Moments: Christmas Days and Beyond

For the past several years, we have had our family Christmas Gathering on the Sunday before Christmas. As the family has grown and the grands are getting older, this concession allows the individual families to celebrate Christmas Day in their own homes. 

(To my children: turn away while I have this little discussion with my readers. 😉)

Even though I would love for our celebration to be just as it was for many years, I believe that it is important - and even necessary - to be able to give and bend and change and concede as the family grows, as life changes and as circumstances are different. To refuse to change is not reality. To refuse to change is to miss out on new joys! 

(Okay, kids. You can pop back in.)

On the Saturday before Christmas, Ryan and family arrived! It was Kati's year to spend Thanksgiving with us, so she and her family were not here at Christmas. 

Some highlights from our celebration . . . 

✨ Our own chamber music! 

Before the meal, Eve and Nora played some beautiful music. It was almost surreal to hear the glorious strains of Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus" coming from our sunroom! 

Here is an excerpt:

✨ Some surprise entertainment! 

During the party, there were some unusual things happening. Ryan kept sharing bits of trivia about aliens. Kristin started rounds of applause. Several times, Peter began to make an announcement, and then changed his mind. Ben began singing a Christmas song and everyone joined in. Owen kept making toasts! 

Although some of us wondered, no one said anything. Finally Ryan told us that many of them had one random thing to do and they were waiting for someone to question it! We had many laughs thinking about all of the craziness that had happened while we thought we were having a "normal" party! 

✨ There was a screaming goat! 

I had come across a little "screaming goat," dressed in an ugly Christmas sweater, no less. 

Anyone who wanted the goat put his or her name in a basket and then the winner's name was drawn. 

It was four-year-old Joanna! 

At first, she felt shy and was hesitant to make him "scream," but by the end of the gathering, he was screaming a'plenty! 😂 

✨ A prize! 

Ryan brought a large jar filled with Skittles. The one who guessed the closest to the actual number in the jar won the jar of candy plus a $50 Visa card. Owen's guess was only ONE over the total, so he took home the prize! (And Gran did not get any photos of his victory.) 

✨ The precious faces of my dear ones and the joy of celebrating together! 

And isn't that the very best part of a gathering? 

The days following brought more joys: playing games with the little girlies (before breakfast!), watching Katrina ride her new birthday scooter, party leftovers, simple meals, Christmas movies, conversation. 

After Ryan and Sarah and the children left to return home, there was still Christmas Eve and Christmas Day! 

We went to our church's Christmas Eve candlelight service.

Christmas morning began with our traditional breakfast. 

Where once we had a table filled with family (Ron and I, Kati and Bekah, Ron's parents, and my parents), this year there were four of us. Life continually changes, doesn't it? 

Make the memories! 

We enjoyed watching Bekah, our "only" (only child still living at home, that is, although she is certainly not a child) open gifts. An espresso machine was a hit . . . and all three of us can enjoy this gift! 

And beyond . . .

There was a visit and goodies at Mom's house, slow mornings in the sunroom (sipping coffee from a vintage mug, a gift from my sister), a visit with Kristin and family (in which I took no photos 🤦🏻‍♀️), a delightful New Year's Eve party with friends (although we were home long before midnight), a day spent with our seven-year-old grandson Judah, a trip to visit my sister Linda and celebrate her December birthday.  

But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!" Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. 

Galatians 4:4-7