Today, we add a new family to our clan. My beloved cousin Ryan is marrying his beautiful girl Casey, and not only are we fortunate enough to be able to call her our own, but also her wonderful family as well. The blending of these fabulous people with ours can only be described as pure dumb luck on our part, and we are truly the lucky ones.

It still surprises me how time moves, and how life so quickly went from this …

To this …

But I’m glad that it did.

Much love and happiness for you always Ryan and Casey. May the warmth of the world shine on you always, and let the clouds that darken your days be few and far between. Congratulations.

The Fourth of July is a pretty big deal in our family. We have gathered with each other and friends at Lake Mitchell and at each other’s homes for as long as I can remember. I’ve spent one 4th away from my family and the lake and I hope that it never happens again. There is too much love, fun, food and friends to miss …. especially now as I look around and see so many that we love that aren’t here to enjoy it with us. We keep living though, and we honor their memory while we celebrate our family …..here’s the story of this year….

On Friday we hit the road, headed to the lake ….. and happiness ensued …..

Traffic was light and by 1pm I was settled in ……

The weather ? Perfect …..

The company was even better ….

Amazing mornings …..

Colorful nights …..

Good food prepared by good men (and women!) …..

And lots of it …..

naps ….

Games  …

Lots of swimming ….

Boats ….

Boat drinks ….

New babies …

Of all kinds…..

Curious little girls ….

Smiles …..

A cousin home from Nashville ….

Good times to celebrate the red, white and blue ……

And family and friends ….

I can’t think of a better way to spend my time.

Hope y’all had an amazing holiday weekend too.

I hope the sidewalk never ends, and I hope that I find it’s path one day. And I hope that someone is waiting for me on that sidewalk. And I hope he’s wearing my pink crocs…..

Where the Sidewalk Ends

There is a place where the sidewalk ends And before the street begins, And there the grass grows soft and white, And there the sun burns crimson bright, And there the moon-bird rests from his flight To cool in the peppermint wind. Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black And the dark street winds and bends. Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow, And watch where the chalk-white arrows go To the place where the sidewalk ends. Yes we’ll walk with a walk that is measured and slow, And we’ll go where the chalk-white arrows go, For the children, they mark, and the children, they know The place where the sidewalk ends.

Shel Silverstein