Welcome Summer

This past weekend our family spent a lot of time welcoming summer, which included doing really fun summertime things.  I love all of the seasons and really love when a new one starts.  I was thinking a lot this past weekend about how last summer I was so disconnected from everything.  The shock of Ashlyn's diagnosis was all consuming.  I vividly remember all of the usual summer things going on, but I was numb to them and that felt so weird.  It felt like everything should just stop somehow, but of course, it didn't.  Last summer I can remember the feeling of "summer not feeling like summer" was something that added to my sadness....my sense of my world being turned upside down.

I am so looking forward to this summer.  I am excited for it being light until 9:30 at night, seeing lighting bugs in the backyard, having cookouts, eating ice cream, going swimming, seeing all of our neighbors outside and fireworks on the 4th of July.  I am really excited to see summer through the eyes of a 3 year old girl and a 1 year old girl.  I am thankful that I will get to feel it all....I won't be numb.  The absolute best part is that this summer, while all of these things are going on, our daughter will have Down Syndrome and it is okay.  We are okay....we are way more than okay.  This summer is going to be one, big juicy slice of redemption.  Life really does go on....God makes sure of that.

So, this past weekend, we let it all begin.  We started to soak in all the joys that summer brings.  We got to go swimming thanks to the kindness of our friends, Tim and Judy Hill.  They opened their beautiful pool to us and we had so much fun. Here is some proof:

Kyla and Daddy loving the water

Ashlyn liked floating around

Mommy and Ashlyn

Kyla taking a break from the water to sit out by the woods behind the house

We also went to get ice cream...another summer joy! 

Here is Kyla ready to dig in

Ashlyn got her first taste of ice cream.......

and this is what she thought!

Welcome, summer.  We are so glad you are here.  We are ready to soak you up.