Our Summer @ a Glance

1. Adam has a hernia repair.
   
2. I work my tail off building raised beds out of salvaged wood, freeze my plants twice because I forgot that I had taken them out to air, and manage to get my garden in the ground just in time to hopefully get some produce by the time the autumn frost hits.
   
3. Don and Ada Hinton Family Reunion
   
   1. Dustin's reception
      
      1. Hectic, lots of visiting and food, and a late night.
         
      2. Need I say more?
         
   2. Sleeping arrangements a little tight considering two more families have been established since the last reunion; but we worked things out and all seemed to rest well.
      
   3. Damon and McKenzie once again hit it off. They decide they maybe could get married when they grow up.
      
      1. We reminisce about having crushes on our cousins when we were little.
         
      2. Decide that perhaps we should talk to the kids about "kissing cousins" in the near future.
         
4. We work like crazy to finish all the house improvements we've started.
   
5. Adam is offered a job at Lincoln Academy in Pleasant Grove, UT.
   
   1. Now we at least know where we are going.
      
   2. Damon gets to attend Kindergarten at Lincoln Academy. He starts in September.
      
6. We start actively trying to sale our house with no luck.
   
7. Lavar Hinton Family Reunion in Flagstaff, AZ
   
   1. Adam, the kids, and I go on a hike. Ashton enjoys the trip on our backs. Damon loves every minute and is still bouncing when we finish.
      
   2. Have lots of fun with the family. Damon meets Lizzie and now feels she might be a good prospect for marriage, too.
      
   3. Sean and Micole's daughter, Hadley, gets lost in the woods and Adam and I with Ashton on my back set out to help find her. We don't have much luck but she is found by a couple and brought to the fire station.
      
8. Damon goes fishing with Emily and Autumn.
   
9. We are still working to finish our home improvements. Adam finally puts in the grass in the backyard—of course too late for us to enjoy it, but at least it's done.
   
10. We put on a Patriotic fireside. It goes really well, and there are lots of tears.
    
    1. For the first time I get so emotional, I need help finishing a song. Adam sings with me.
       
    2. The spirit is there and I keep thinking how lucky I am to know such good kids.
       
11. We advertise the house for rent, get no calls till almost a month later.
    
12. We throw a late-night going away party for Damon.
    
    1. All his friends and the neighborhood kids come.
       
    2. We play games, eat pizza, play the wii, watch a movie on our front lawn, and roast smores.
       
13. Adam and I have a party with my voice students.
    
    1. We eat, sing crazy karaoke, and watch Little Shop of Horror
       
    2. Have a teary goodbye.
       
    3. Pack up and move the first week of August. The ward helps a tons to load us in the moving trailer.
       
    4. We're exhausted and burned out, but still have a lot to do. Make a couple more trips home to finish everything.
       
    5. We stay at Ammon's family cabin in Bear Lake for the weekend.
       
    6. Damon and especially Ashton have a blast in the sand.
       
    7. Damon, Ashton and I go out on the boat.
       
       1. Ashton spends his time staring at the water over the edge of the boat.
          
       2. Damon is very brave and goes out on the tube.
          
       3. I am brave, too, and also ride the tube.
          
       4. Despite missing Adam, we all have a lot of fun.
          
    8. Adam Starts work; and, shortly after, school begins. He has high hopes that this will be a much more positive experience.
       
    9. Get a couple prospective renters/buyers for our home. After hopeful negotiations we find that neither was ever actually seriously considering our home.
       
    10. We move into my Parent's fifth wheel until we find renters/buyers for the house.
        
    11. We're parked at Eastbay RV Park and are enjoying the swimming pool and the convenience of being close to stores.
        
    12. Damon goes stir-crazy waiting for kindergarten to begin while being cooped up in the trailer.
        
    13. We take advantage of the various parks in the area.
        
    14. Ashton handles the move much better than Damon. Damon grieves the loss of his friends and his freedom.
        
        1. I keep praying that we will take care of the house soon so we can move into a place where we can put down some roots.
           
        2. Part of me is really enjoying Utah Valley and thinks this might be a good place to settle while another part of me feels like we still might be in transition.
           

Through it all, the good and the bad, I continue to see blessings being poured down from Heaven. Naturally a big planner, I'm learning to be a little more patient and to have a little more faith. I just hope to be able to feel the promptings of the spirit more clearly and to better enjoy the journey. For I know Heavenly Father loves us, He wants us to be happy, and he will help us to end in a place where we may find fulfillment, happiness, safety, and joy.