well... it's official -- july has arrived!

i do declare, time just flies on by, doesn't it? or maybe it's just summers... i keep not wanting to think about summer winding down -- we're on the downhill now, you know! but this last week i realized i'm starting to feel anticipatory tingles at the thought of a new school year. i've had my fill of r & r.

so far there's been some fun goings-on in my little corner of the world... back in june (WAY back then...) i went o'er to colorado for a week. while i was there i was able to go to the courthouse with dan and cari for the adoption proceedings to bring krista and kira into our corley clan. that was really a cool thing. i don't know what i expected, but i'm so glad i was there. i got to see dan and cari testify about their competency as parents and explain why they think these girls will be a good fit for their family... and then hear the official declaration that they will henceforth be known as 'kira corley' and 'krista corley'.

as strange as this may sound, it kind of reminded me of how it felt to watch my little niece kaitlyn be born a couple years ago. to see a new child join a family is just as amazing whether it's at birth or at 6 and 8 years old.

this picture was at the courthouse...
















here's ben's daughter, mia. she definitely has a princess complex, helped along by ben of course :-)











so then after that, i rode with the folks back to missouri and they hung out for a few days at my house -- dad did some projects around the homestead (hand washing the moldy siding!! he's a good dad)...

the latest happening was our church's 4th of july picnic -- good old fashioned fun.
here's my favorite allison -- it's her family's ranch that we were at.



















the most shocking discovery of the picnic was mark rapinchuk's golfer's tan on his feet.
have you ever seen such a thing?! i know i haven't. it warranted photographic documentation.















the next month of summer is pretty mapped out with a nanny gig that i'm greatly enjoying. the family has 6 kids aged from 1 to 12 -- they're all really good kids so it's not as daunting as it may sound!

i suppose that about brings us up to date! i'd like to extend the warmest of thanks to all you patient fans out there who have been dying to hear the latest news from branson... i know it's tough.