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Adios Summer 2018

This has been a good one!  It seemed really, really fast and was definitely different from past summers (I have never worked during the summer where I wasn't taking the kids with me) but still a good one.  There was nothing "special" about it, but then again, sometimes those are the ones that are best remembered -- the "everyday" and to say, "it was good".
 Our summers ALWAYS start with this little miss's birthday.  She was born the day after Memorial Day and #4 was born the day after Labor Day.












She had some friends over and we made desserts and opened gifts.
















She wanted to go to Ohio over the holiday weekend to celebrate so that's what we did :)  This is us with her at Nana & Grandpa's. . .


And with her amazing grandparents. . .
















And these two made my night with their silly filters and their 14-year love of one another (Grandma Wolf & Grandpa Foster's oldest and youngest)
We got her "chair picture" (each kid has one for every year of their life) a month late. . .


June began with a BANG. . .and another trip north to celebrate a graduation. . .AVJ.  
 I blogged a little more about it here and have some pictures at the party - we didn't attend the actual graduation, which is where these pictures are from.


The "Foster Grandchildren" -- the 6 cousins -- all graduate one after the other and this was #2.















I was up there recently on a last-minute "free weekend" trip and finally got "official" cap-and-gown pictures. . .
And my mom's wall is coming along. . .
And then, just like that, she headed off for college --
Look at her!!  So, so proud of you and all the hard work that got you there. . .knock their socks off!!

While four of us were spending summer at home in East Tennessee, our oldest son and youngest daughter were off at Cedar Lake Camp as counselors for six weeks -





























And this one checked in as a Camper.  For the last time. . .next year he will be able to serve too! 
Tom and I had our own "adventure" this summer. . .a trip to Savannah!  I never got around to blogging about it like I had hoped I would, but it really was a special time for us.

Lunch with Brad & Kris at The Pink House
I can probably count on one hand the number of times in 23 years that we have had "just the two of us" getaways -- and that is not a complaint.  We generally choose other ways to spend our time and money in regards to this kind of thing but now the kids are "ok" on their own for a few days and when we DO go, we generally have a very good time together :)
My brother and sister-in-love -- so glad they joined us for our last day/last night there!!  This was the evening of our haunted/ghost tour. . .it was a good one.

I had a couple of work events. . .I really enjoyed having Laura work with us this summer-- here she is dishing up ice cream at one of two anniversary parties we held in late June/early July.
And then another event to celebrate the company I work for --it was their 1-year anniversary of being together.  My 1-year anniversary with them will be September 11th -- I was offered the job September 1st -- 2 months after they officially became Prosperity Partners.
Many of our clients live in one specific area so sometimes we do two of the same thing in two different locations just to make it more convenient for everyone.
This was another event that I was "in charge of" and accompanied our President to.  I really like my career change. . .not someplace I thought I would be two years ago (when I was beginning what I thought was my "last job") but happy that the Lord has put me here.
We also had an "off site" day at the lake house of our company's president, and this is me and my Work Sister hard at work that Friday :)
Our families were invited out the next day to enjoy the lake so three of our kiddos came over for the day -- it's not like we didn't have lake time this summer. . .just not "our lake" time. 

This guy and I celebrated 23 years. . .this is about all I got. . .he had been gone at Canoe Camp for a week and came home scruffy. . .
And then later that week we celebrated Framily Tommy's birthday:
Stephen and Barbara made that gluten-free deliciousness there -- complete with ice cream!


This guy went to the state tennis tournament for the first time:
I had gone the first time myself the month before so had a bit of an idea what it was all about. . .this was certainly a fun thing for us to do together.  His team did well, but lost on the final day.  I am super-proud of his effort and look forward to cheering him on for many more years!
 While we were in the area (middle Tennessee) we got to go see Great Aunt Barbara, who moved there about a year ago.  It's so special to have family all around!
This one got her driver's license and began "taking off" by herself. . .including some introductory tennis lessons.  I sure hope she stays with this sport!
This one gave up camp this summer for a few things other than working for my company. . .HS soccer (try-outs and camp were during Camp weeks)



 And then she also got to spend a week with my sister, Dr. Van Jura, who put together some shadow days for her.  That and some one-on-one time when they had it :)
A week later the other one had HIS week at Camp VJ (playing tennis and golf instead of medical stuff) and they took the same exact hike :)


And then it was Back to School for these three -- Sophomore, Senior, and Junior.  Yes, really.

They took the bus the first day just to avoid all the hassles of traffic and parking -- the girls have a 7 a.m. from now on so the traffic issues aren't as bad.

Chelsea likes her morning walks to the bus stop. . .we can usually make it 2-3 days a week.  Now that middle schoolers also take the bus there is a little more of a crowd at the front of the neighborhood.











Did you catch that above?  A senior?!?
The time is screaming by. . .
And her last season, as of this posting, is almost 1/2-way through. . .


We so enjoy watching her play and are proud of her for being voted one of the Hawk's captains this year too.
















And this one left too...moving back to the city he now calls home 9 months out of the year. . .
and moved into a terrific place.  This house is a.m.a.z.i.n.g.  I want to live here!!

I'm so glad he has this opportunity -- he's still working for a civil engineering group down there and attending classes three days a week.  He attends a great church, has a super group of friends, and is serving in the same Campus Cru group he was a part of last year.



This was the little corner in his room that we put together with him when we took stuff down to him one weekend before classes started.

















Tom and I had TWO trips together this summer -- Savannah and then another state tennis tournament for me :)
I've had a really good experience, this first year playing tennis competitively.  My ladies team went to the state tournament at the beginning of the summer (I went alone and roomed with another teammate) and then this one, in which several mixed doubles teams I was on were playing, Tom accompanied me.  It was really fun -- my partner and I won 4 out of the 5 games we played.  He's a little more competitive then me so maybe didn't enjoy himself as much, but it was great being there with Tom.  In addition, we were in Robert's city so he spent a lot of time with us too!
I love this kid, this firstborn of mine, so much.  He took us out Saturday night -- something we NEVER do together at home!
That was last weekend. . .this weekend we celebrated Labor Day and #4's 15th birthday!
I hope I have time later this month to blog about the birthdays. . .his today, Tom's next week.  What a way to usher in a new season!!


My biggest regret this summer?  And it's hard to say "regret" because it was so full but. . .


We only had one trip to the lake togther this year.  The others went a couple more times but I only made it out on the boat once.  Glad we got a few pics.  Never did I imagine, when  we were out there in late May/early June, that it would be my one and only time this year. . .the weekends were busy and the boat is far (2 hours) away now.  The good news is, this was a "together day" -- those are even more rare in this season of life and to be celebrated!
Tom got a little additional time at the lake this summer, meeting up with a friend while I was at my ladies state tennis tournament -- this is Miss Got It All with some of the crew. . .
A 24-hour break they got once a week from Camp!

Wrapping up, this was a favorite picture this summer. . .I'm not sure what I like so much about it. . .it was a random night out walking the dog on a local path.  Every time I come across it I just love the feeling it exudes -- a picture of "who we are".  (Erin, Chelsea (our dog), and I were walking ahead.)
It was a full, rich summer and we are looking forward to more of the same this fall :)

What were your summer highlights?  Let me know in the comments!
Love,
Jenni

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