SUMMER BEGINS

As the wife of a Life student and mother of three small children, the end of each quarter gets increasingly tense. As Mark's spring quarter was coming to a close, the kids and I were stressed and itching to move on. So, my parents (who just overflow with generosity) came down to pick us up and take us home with them while Mark finished his finals. We enjoyed some of the things I always think of when I think of my hometown: a simple life, relaxing meals in the gazebo with produce from my parents' abundant garden, familiar faces and sounds, farmland that is shared and enjoyed by many. We missed Mark, but welcomed all of this.





Every summer, I have the urge to pick strawberries with my children. This is because of my chidhood memories of picking strawberries and turning them into jam with my Grossmama. This year, I just couldn't brave the city traffic, the long car ride, and all three kids alone to get to a u-pick farm and pick enough for jam. So, while in Bluffton, we easily made our way to the farm of some friends. We heard there were more than enough to pick. Whenever we go to this sweet spot, we also enjoy the animals, and Mali especially loved the baby chicks.





This was a good start to Summer.