An Unsung Hero

All of us rub shoulders with unsung heroes. Those who are quietly changing the world by changing one life at a time. My sister is one of those heroes. A single mom of three (+ spouses). Grandmother of two. Teacher of low-income students. And a heart big enough to take in six more incredible kids who need a safe place to land. I don't know how she does it all and manages to keep a smile on her face. I do know God is the foundation that helps her keep all of those plates spinning. And her tenacious faith has had some pretty big ripple effects on the world around her.

This month, the world celebrated a Jubilee: 50 years of being a better place because of Karey. I'm proud to be your sister (even though I may not have appreciated it all the time when we were kids.) I love you, Karey!

A little gift for those moments she takes for herself.

Romans - A New Year

This is the time each year when I buy new colorful pens, a new binder and notebook, and get ready to dive into another year of Bible Study Fellowship. This year, we're studying Romans, and I can't wait to find a refreshed view of this incredibly rich book of Christian doctrine. My challenge this year is to complete my own handwritten version of the Book of Romans as we go along. Annie won't be joining me this year, as she's in Kindergarten now. But Dan and Dayna still attend together in Omaha, and we'll be doing lessons with Annie at home.

If you're looking for a great way to get to know God better through His Word, I highly recommend this study. It's not too late to join.

https://www.bsfinternational.org/

You can't get the Home Training Lessons at class anymore, but they are available for download - I had fun with my new binding machine and put together my own book.

Small Town Living

I think somewhere deep inside, Oregon will always be home for me. But if I can't live near my family, I can't think of a better place in the world to live than Ashland, Nebraska. This recent video really captures how much I love this community and the people who live here.


Live and Work in Ashland, Nebraska from Ashland NE on Vimeo.

Multnomah Falls

The month started on a sad note when a group of kids decided it would be fun to thrown some fireworks into a dry forest. In no time at all, the beautiful Columbia River Gorge went up in flames. I have no doubt that it will once again be one of the most beautiful places on earth, but I don't know if I will be able to see the Gorge again the way I know and love it.

We decided this summer to just leave the camera in the car when we stopped by...after all, we see Multnomah Falls every time we drive through. How many pictures do we really need? I'd settle for just one more...

2017 XC

Being a sports parent is new to me - but I guess that's okay, because participating in a sport is new to Dayna. This kid has really challenged herself this summer to become stronger - she has gotten up early three times a week to go to weight lifting at the school, and decided to try out for Cross Country this year.

Her first meet was today - she ran a mile, and had a great time of 8:17. I told her that no matter what happened, today would be a personal best. I was sorry to miss the meet, but can't wait to make some others later in the season.

Summer Library Fun

We really do enjoy our local library. Here are some fun things the Wilson girls were up to this summer.

Annie read 1,000 books before Kindergarten (picture taken in front of her 500 books recognition)

Dayna participated in a Nerf war for Teen Takeover

I completed the adult summer reading program - the last task was how I would build a better world

2017 Solar Eclipse

The Wilson girls had the opportunity to experience 99.4% totality in Ashland of the Great Solar Eclipse of 2017. Dan had the chance to experience complete totality in Lincoln. It was a pretty spectacular sight, showing God's amazing creativity and power.

We were all smart enough to not try to take pictures, so these are taken from the Internet. I did get to help Annie's Kindergarten class during the eclipse. I don't know that they fully appreciated the enormity of the event - but the glasses were pretty cool.