NOT SURE WHETHER TO LAUGH OR CRY...

when my daughter informed me these are the same, THE VERY SAME, cleaning supplies I got her when she moved into the dorms in the fall of 2008...

so I guess little dorm rooms and little apartments and little houses don't get very dirty???

A HARD THING...

I've been thinking a lot about RESTORING.  Gently restoring.  It's a hard thing.

At the moment we are restoring our pool.  We are bringing it back to a "normal state."  When it was uncovered, it was green and the GROSSEST it has ever been.  So gross I was embarassed to take a "before" picture.  (And if you know me, I am always taking pictures!)

I think it had something to do with our warm winter - not many freezing days and that algae just went wild!  And we are do-it-yourselfers - not willing to pay someone else tons of money to clean up this mess.  Anyway, after draining, scrubbing with gallons of muriatic acid, and power washing, it is RESTORED.  It is ready to be filled and used.

I've been thinking and praying a lot about some children of God who need to be restored.  The word "gently" is key - Galatians 6:1.  Just how to go about it is the hard part!  We need to be do-it-yourselfers.  Do-it-yourselfers with knowledge of the Word and the gentleness of the Spirit.  It cannot be ignored any longer.  The gross, green algae of sin has grown until there's a big, slimy mess and the person is no longer recognizable.  Just help me not to splash the muriatic acid of judmentalism on them, Lord.

                                 Ahhh...nice and clean and ready to be used.

I WAS CURIOUS, SO I'M SURE YOU ARE TOO...

about what a university apartment of 19-20 year old men looks like...

Manly man poster - pretty sure that's not my son's but it's the lone art in the living room - could be worse I suppose but the university has rules about that, thank goodness!

A galley kitchen between the bedrooms/bathrooms - pretty clean but they've only been there a week...keep your fingers crossed!

Bunkbed over the desk - I've never had one of these but always thought it looked neat!

ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BACKYARD WEDDINGS...

Here we go again with the wedding report!  :)

I tell everyone I take pictures of the details at wedding to show my daughter who is away for most of them but who am I kidding?  I love events and keep notes stashed in my head as I continue to coordinate women's activities at church.

A very good friend of ours daughter was married this past weekend, and we got home from our daughter's graduation just in time to attend!  We didn't want to miss because of our friendship but also because I knew it would be outstanding, and they didn't disappoint.  It was held in their backyard which is already beautiful and looks out onto a common area and pond, but they made lots of improvements to their property for the occasion.

                  Sign-in table - this and the ceremony was in the side of their yard.

Look past the lovely groomsman and you'll see the pretty arch that the wedding party entered under.

                                    Two little ringbearers both named Max!

Beautiful, huh?  I love the way the lace scalloped on the back and front of her dress!  They stood on a rock "stage" under a willow tree that had hanging baskets coming down from it.  To the right is a pitcher they used for a foot washing ceremony.  Another sweet thing they did was to have their immediate family gather around for a moment of private prayer.  The minister asked us to pray silently during that time.

The reception was held in the back yard.  The cakes were served on the left, the wedding party entered the reception and crossed the bridge built over the pool, and several food and drink stations.  Lots of seating was beyond that.  They actually had to have a stage set up for the tables and chairs since their backyard has a steep drop off.  It was really amazing!

They have 2 more daughters still to be married, so who knows?  All those improvements might actually pay off!

GRADUATION AND TOAD SUCK DAZE...

Only in Arkansas!

Well, we now have a college graduate.  Yes, it is UNBELIEVABLE.  We can't let an event go by without a celebration, but I wasn't sure just how to do that when the graduation is out of state.  Anyway, we did it and I think we all enjoyed it!

We went over Friday and helped her pack up her things from the ugly  little rock house!

Then we drove to Conway, checked into a hotel, and cleaned up for a nice dinner at Mike's Place...thank goodness for Tripadvisor it was as classy and delicious as everyone says!

To our surprise, it was also TOAD SUCK DAZE, a fair that takes place in downtown Conway.  It was right by our restaurant.  So we couldn't let this photo-op pass by...

We continued our celebration at one of our daughter's favorite places, Starbucks.  While she was inside ordering, my son and I set up for a surprise party with gifts and her favorite Eileen's cookies!

The next morning was graduation and the whole time was a blessed time of family working together and celebrating together - as it should be.

If you ever get the chance to visit Harding University, check it out!  It's a beautiful place with a great mission to serve students and the world!

Thankful today for a wonderful college experience for our daughter!

MY DAUGHTER'S TO-DO LIST THIS WEEK...

You know, just in case she forgets...love that girl!

OH, WHAT A BEAUTIFUL MORNING...