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From Lubbock to Brownwood and back.....484 miles
From Lubbock to Galveston and back........1246 miles
From Lubbock to Branson, MO and back...1416 miles
From Lubbock to Dallas and back................692 miles
An hour of jumping on the trampoline in our backyard with Jim and the kids, with the moon and the stars overheard, surrounded by the contagious giggles of Presley and Grayson......................
PRICELESS!!
No doubt about it we have had the most amazing summer of our lives. We have loaded the car and hit the road for a grand total of 3,838 miles just on the highways of America. That doesn't even count Jim's trip to Morrocco or the miles of ocean Jim and I traveled on our way to Cozumel and Progreso. I thank God for his safe keeping and protection over the last couple months. Jim and I have dreamed of the day that he would be able to be home in the summers with me and the kids. It finally came true. God has truly blessed this time we have had together. Not only have we had the opportunity to travel together, Jim has been able to use the talents God has given him to develop his counseling practice, write songs given to him by God, and focus on his position as worship leader at The Heights. God has given me those special moments of waking up almost every morning to Grayson's little face in mine whispering, "Mommy, help me up so I can snuggle with you." He has allowed me to cheer Presley on at the swimming pool as she dives off the diving board. God has reminded me of how amazing my husband is and how incredibly blessed I am to have a husband who loves me and our kids only second to his heavenly father.
We have definitely experienced adventure this summer and made so many incredible memories. I am grateful for all of the experiences we had this summer on the road. However, as we pulled into the driveway last Saturday night, returning from our last road trip for a while, I breathed a sigh of relief to just to be home. Actually, I have learned that "home" is a relative term. I have experienced "home" in many different places this summer. As long as I am with my family, I am home. As long as I am in the presence of God, I am home.
As I begin my last full week of summer, I am tempted to be filled with dread and disappointment as I begin preparing for the school year. However, God is quick to remind me that His blessings, His protection, His grace and His mercy, and HIS JOY are not seasonal. He intends for me to know this joy year-round. I am reminded of how blessed I am to have a job that I love. I am so blessed to have a healthy six year old daughter that gets to come with me to my job every day so that I can be involved and watch her grow and learn so much. I am so blessed to have a healthy three year old son whose face will light up when I pick him up after school, and I will rejoice as I hear him talk about all the fun he had with his friends. So blessed am I to be able to come home every night to a faithful, God-Chasing husband who delights in me. I pray that through every season of this upcoming school year that I would know the same joy that God has shown me over the last few months....even on those extra long, extra frustrating days!
I'm sure the summer of 2009 will go down in the Archer history books as one incredible, memorable summer! However, it is not over yet....So, I'm off to jump on the trampoline with my kiddos!