Pictures of Rachel

I finally remembered to take pictures of Rachel as she was getting ready for bed. I promptly went up and caught her reading as she brushed her teeth. I then gave her the option of changing clothes and she also wanted her hair up as that is how she generally wears it these days.




We aren't paying for school pictures this year for Rachel and had some people asking for an updated photo of Rachel so I took some last night after only a week of trying to remember. I suppose that isn't entirely true as I did take some at the swim meet on Saturday but they all came out blurry and all you can see if fuzzy swimmers so I'm not counting those.

Diane

Transitions

Fall may not officially arrive until Monday, but the trees are changing and dropping leaves here. We haven't had a freeze in town yet (for which I am grateful as I still have lots of green tomatoes on the vine).

It was four weeks ago today that as a family we drove down to Morris, MN to drop our oldest off at college. He checked into the dorm on Sunday morning and we drove home short one member of the family. It felt unreal then and still kind of feels unreal.

I pray for both children and my husband daily and I still do. The prayers for Stephen may be a little vaguer than before but not much. I pray for peace, perseverance and the ability to deal with whatever comes his way. While I don't know the days of big tests or particular times he is stressed the prayers remain the same.

And fall has traditionally been such a busy time in this family that having one fewer doesn't seem to matter. I think that might be that Jeff is busier than ever. He is doing some freelance work for the local paper, writing sports stories and being the techie for the online radio that covers local games. Yesterday he went to Ashland WI and back for a football game.

I am more involved this year with the girls swim booster club and am coordinating the concession stand. But that hasn't meant a whole lot more work, just being organized. I am doing more programs at the library this fall and that might be adding to the busyness.

So how has live changed with one kid in college, not much on the surface. And underneath, I'm still dealing with the changes, so I'll have to remark again in the future, but overall we're doing well with the change and excited to have launched the first kid out into the world, even if it is a halfway launch to college.
Diane

September Saturday

It is Saturday and I think it could be what will become the new routine for Saturdays around here, at least during the fall. Jeff provided the technology expertise for bronco radio last night during the Falls/Virginia football game and then went to the radio station for a shift this morning until noon. I got up and helped Rachel get to the school by nine for a varsity girls swimming invitational in Bemidji.

I worked around the house and enjoyed the quiet. I'm still hoping Stephen will call tonight. Jeff has been in email touch with him and thought he was sounding homesick. But he did share that he had auditioned for the improv troupe at UMM. He thought it had gone well and was hopeful.

Our weather is definitely fallish with temperatures in the low 60s and showers. I am beginning to slowly get a few ripe tomatoes and this week managed to get one decent zucchini and made two loaves of lemon zucchini bread. I have also had a good crop of cucumbers this year and made 4 jars of pickles so far.

Rachel is swimming well if not more than she thought this year. They have a new coach and a small team. She is about the only girl who swims distance and is regularly swimming the 500. She is also being asked to swim the 200 and often the 50 in the medley relay and the 100 in the 4X100 relay. So she swims the first and last race of the meet and then two in the middle.

Enjoy your fall and let us know what is happening with you.
Diane