new {free!} deck

We love our outdoor spaces.
In the past 2 years, we moved from this,

{This tree-less treehouse was designed and crafted by Andy and the boys, made from salvaged barn wood.}

to this,

to this.
Ever since, we have been throwing around ideas of how to turn that into a pleasant sitting area. We priced out pouring concrete, laying patio blocks or bricks and were ready to make our purchase...when we heard that someone wanted to get rid of their pergola. They were replacing their old wooden pergola with a new vinyl one. Didn't need to make sense to us, all we heard was "free wood." So, Andy drove up and helped them by tearing it down and taking some wood off their hands. And, they helped us by providing the wood for our new {free} deck! 

Yet another project in which I take no credit, other than bringing out lots of gatorade, iced tea and popsicles to hydrate handy-andy, as he made this... 

We are out here alot now. 

There's just something about being outside. 

About leaving dinner dishes behind and taking our dessert outside. 

Drinking coffee and watching kids play tennis. 

Sitting down in the morning light, to open the Word and read this:

Such timely truth.

In a few days, we board a plane to Ireland. The trip will be quick, for the purpose of meeting a dear sister there who is serving in a very dark corner of North Africa. And, it involves leaving our little loves behind. In conversations with them about this, Miles asks with quivering lip "but what if something happens to you?" I want to assure him we'll be fine, not to worry. That 50,000 people are flying above the U.S. right now. Or, it's safer to fly than drive...yadayada...

But the "what ifs" linger, and I would never want them to be left not knowing what to think...if. We tell them that if something does happen, then it's the Lord's time to call us home. That we have done our best to make sure they will be cared for. They have so many people who love them. That we want them to follow after Jesus - He will lead them home to be with us when it is their time. None of us are guaranteed another day, so we must make each day count. That our hope is not in this world, for what it has to offer will not last. Our hope is in Christ, our Savior! My mind is confident of this. 
And I continue to ask the Lord to do His gracious work in our hearts.

Have no fear...

For the LORD will be your confidence.

~ proverbs 3.26