As usual, we spent a lot of time in water play of some sort over the summer. The kids all got into filling a tuperware in the backyard with water and pelting each other with reusable water balloons. Phoebe and Philippa enjoyed another week of drama camp this summer. Phoebe got the lead role in her play as Rapunzel, Philippa was the Big Bad Wolf, and they both did such a great job. Phoebe had to memorize 30 lines in a few days, which she did beautifully, as well as sing a solo. She never ceases to amaze me with her enthusiasm and courage! Philippa also did a week of chef’s camp, which was a highlight of the summer for her, but I don’t have any photos of that to share. I took some spinning classes at a local fiber guild and thoroughly enjoyed that little endeavor! I finished my first fully handspun yarn on the drop spindle and knitted a cowl with it. It is one of my favorite projects ever, there truly is something exceptional in knowing you spun the yarn yourself and then getting to knit with it and wear it. Surely a thrill only fiber enthusiasts would understand. :). Brandon took Noah on his first backpacking trip, a father-son trip with a handful of other dads and their sons. They travelled a section of the Appalachian Trail and had a blast. It was an aggressive amount of mileage for Noah for a weekend (20+ miles in one weekend) in rainy conditions, but he thoroughly enjoyed it and it was a highlight for him over the summer. Noah is a strong hiker and not easily worn out, nor did he complain about the grueling nature of backpacking in the rain.
August brought the beginning of another school year and those sweet “first day” photos.
It has felt like our busiest school year yet. My brain is literally spinning most days trying to keep up with the demands of the schedule we try to keep.
Then came Hurricane Helene at the end of September. These photos I took that Friday morning, September 27th, as the wild winds knocked out our power. I took a few photos and tried to distract the kids with candles and painting, before we really knew what we were dealing with and the extent of the damage.
All of these photos were from our yard or neighborhood as we walked and drove around. As we began to take in the damages around us, the severity of our circumstances began to sink in. The next days and weeks quickly became about survival of ourselves, our neighbors and friends, as many of us struggled with food/water/gas supplies, power and water outages. Looking back, I wish I had had the wherewithal to take more photos and record more of what was happening, but we were completely inundated and focused on locating supplies and caring for those around us. It was a trying, stressful, and traumatic time, but we also saw people taking such good care of one another, and it was beautiful to see. Our plans for fall camping and many other things that we usually enjoy in the most beautiful time of year here in Western North Carolina were interrupted, but we are grateful to have sustained such minimal damage and can hardly complain.
Again, I will be back soon sharing a bit more about the last few months of 2024. I hope you’re enjoying these brief little summaries of our year!
everything He gives 