It has been a long time since I posted anything around here and, not that you’re worried or anything, I’m doing fine. What’s been going on, you ask? Well:

FAMILY REUNION: It was a great thrill to travel to Spirit Lake, Iowa, to see many of my family on Brott side. To be clear, this was a reunion of my dad’s family, which meant there were people I had a) met when I was a child growing up in Minnesota and barely remember or b) never met at all and didn’t know I was related to them. And the frosting on the cake was my two brothers were there and so was my mom so I was able to introduce them to my kids. As another bonus, several of my nieces and nephews were there, too, so my kids got to meet some of their cousins — and there are a lot of them in my family.

INDEPENDENCE DAY: Most years, it seems, we end up going to South Dakota over the Fourth of July because my in-laws live along a lake and so it makes it an enjoyable time in several ways. This year, right after the family reunion in Iowa, we took my son and daughter to S.D. so he could attend camp at Byron Bible Camp and my daughter could help in the kitchen there. As is our practice, this turned into an extended vacation for the kids and us from each other. After camp, the kids stayed at my in-laws, who live about a quarter of a mile away from the camp. It’s a great arrangement because it allows the kids some special time with their grandparents and it allows us a chance to do things without them (although we miss them dearly!).

So, when the Fourth of July rolled around, we were able to join them in S.D. and have a pleasant time. Also, my wife’s brother and his family were there so it was another good time for family reunion. And, of course, we all enjoyed shooting and watching the fireworks.

GARAGE SALE: Today, we are sitting out in the front yard watching people look at our treasures, hoping they will buy some. I am thankful for shade, a cool glass of lemonade (thanks, Andrew!) and wireless access. I am also aware that I have way more than I need and ask God’s forgiveness for forgetting from time to time that he is all I need.