Happy Birthday, Allison!

First photo shoot with Amy G.....(around 6 months old)

Allison, June 2011

Another wonderful year has gone by like a blur and Allison is older, taller, and wiser! This year I think she has been more excited than ever for her birthday - beginning the countdown until today over 2 weeks ago! She is blessed to have siblings who have joined in the excitement and an older sister whose gift is making a day special. Some days I feel along for the ride! OK - most days!

It's been an eventful year. Allison lost many teeth, has strengthened her reading and writing skills, learned to play baseball and flag football (thanks to big brother), and started a ballet class. Allie has a tender heart which is especially soft toward babies and little ones. She cannot wait to interact with them when we are with friends, at church, or small group. She is such a little lady - loving putting together her outfits, hair, shoes, and purses. I can already see the glimpses of a dedicated wife and amazing mother. She is still a special cheerleader for me - often the first to realize when I am down or need an encouraging word. I believe the Lord has also given her a tender heart for her each of her friends and insight as she seeks to love them.

Always game to be at the park.....

Diligent student!

She can be rough and tumble if needed!

Even willing to hold a crayfish!

We are thankful for the blessing Allie is in our family - what an amazing gift each child is with their unique strengths and challenges. We are looking forward to a memorable day off of school today, celebrating Allison in her 7th year! We love you, sweet girl!

It's a good day for a hike.....

(Click to enlarge and you can see downtown!)

Now that the weather is finally cooled down our goal is to take one hike per month - minimum. This was our first one.....Wind Cave at Usery Park. Of course they had to drag me out of bed and away from the easy chair and my coffee.....but I was fine near the end! Takes me awhile to warm up....

The one time Jonathan slowed down enough the whole 3 miles round trip to pose for a picture!

View on the way up

Always running....

View from the top!

View on the way down.....

fall is the end of the harvest.....

One of my favorite places to take pictures is my father-in-law's garden in New Mexico. The best times are early in the morning and sunset - any season. I could wander there for a long time, following the kids while they explore. I have several years worth of summer pictures but these are the first I've taken in fall - at the end of a summer harvest when the garden is finishing up.

Last of the cucumbers....

Beautiful tomatoes were still coming!

A few green beans left....

Raspberries!

Nice looking cabbage....

The gardener salvages a huge cucumber for seed!

Helping harvest...

His baby.....

More yummy tomatoes....

The last of the sunflowers.....

Some tools will take a rest.....most won't!

fall is for fiesta.....

Fall means the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta - and we try to go as often as we can! Not everyone has the unique opportunity to go so often.....we are blessed to have a place to stay so have the freedom to go and not worry about the cost so much. Oh - did I say not worry? This event is not for those who like to plan ahead and know exactly what is going to occur and when. Uh - it is a challenge for us controlling types - who need to know the formula for the day. So.....there is the disclaimer. It is a stretch in some ways. Like the first day we attempted to get up and go to the balloons.

It is 5am and drizzling rain outside. Merl and I are assessing the situation. Optimistic hubby says - let's go for it - we came all this way to see the balloons! The not morning person pessimistic wife says - I want to go back to bed.....but since she tries to be a good sport went along with it. So.....we wake up 4 sleeping children and most of them eagerly dress.....except for Jonathan who is particularly opposed to wearing the jeans I am trying to put on him. He claims he's never seen these "shorts" before! (Yes - it is so hot in Arizona that a toddler does not even remember pants from season to season!) We pile in the van and get to the site where it is about 42 degrees and still drizzling - trudge out to the field and see all the vehicles and balloon baskets waiting for the pilots to return from the morning briefing. Eventually the word: Flights cancelled today. OK - plan B. I think I only said "I told you so" one or two times......I know - too many but an improvement for me! We get home before 8 am just about and prepare for the rest of the day. Later that morning on the way to another activity, Jonathan even said, "Hey guys, we forgot to see the balloons today!" Poor kid - thinks his parents drug him out to a strange place in the rain to turn around and go home for what? It rains most of the day and into the night - so I think my optimistic husband thought maybe he'd try realism and we agreed to sleep in the morning and try to go on our last shot, Sunday.

The great breakfast burritos were still available!

"Don't worry, brother.....you'll feel your fingers soon. We'll see balloons another day."

The next morning at 7am Ryan burst into our room - "Why didn't you wake us up? It is beautiful outside - not a cloud in the sky - I can see the balloons!" (G & G live right near the field.) OK - so there you have it....impossible to make a sound decision on what to do! So we watched from the roof - though that day the balloons went South instead of West toward us.

Still beautiful from a distance

The following day, Sunday, proved to be a decent chance. We repeated the process to a T of a few days before and even made it out to the field by Dawn Patrol - one of my favorite parts of the morning. This is at 5:45-6amish when the first several balloons go up before sunrise to sort of test the conditions. Awesome! It almost always brings me to tears because it is such a unique sight - and it signifies that we made it in time for Mass Ascension!

Dawn patrol

Awesome....

OK - so the whole routine causes me a little stress - but it is worth it....nothing like it really....being out there with balloons filling all around you. Cool.

The beginning of Mass Ascension (the first weekend 550 balloons went up the first day)

One person tethers on the opposite end of the balloon until it is full....

Up they go....

Wow...

Not the perfect photography day as the sun was behind the clouds most of the time and some gray sky.....but I'll take it anyway.

40th Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta - 2011

fall revitalizes......

A break from the heat.....a pause from the rush.....peace......quiet. One of our pastors years ago used to talk excitedly about going out into the "wilderness" or middle of the desert for time alone with the Lord. He would come back wildly refreshed and renewed. He encouraged us all to do the same. I would always think - "Just get in my car and drive to the middle of nowhere? And sit where? And do what?" Of course when you live in the middle of a huge city it is much more of an orchestration than for those already living in a rural area. Needless to say I never did it.

In the last two years however, I've done the next best thing. Blessed to be invited to attend an intimate retreat with leaders from Hope Women's Center where I serve as a volunteer, I've gone away for a few days up north. For me personally it has been enriching - revitalizing. Who could ask for anything better? All in just two days I bask in cool temperatures and beautiful landscape, lovely accommodations, healthy and fresh food, old friends plus new friends, coffee, and chocolate! And then to top it off - challenging and rich teaching, personal bible study and quiet time with Jesus. Each time I come back restored.....with a full tank to live the day to day again. These opportunities have made me thankful for this time in my life to be fed by godly women. And it makes me determined to figure out ways to recharge in this way in the future. Mental note to self........