The Summer, The Beach, My Ashley's Birthday

First, the Summer:
This summer was loooonnnnggg awaited. This school year was, by far, the HARDEST on record for me. It was a combination of case load (tooo many), the move to Maumelle Middle School because of our problems with the roof, and then............the state mandated that we make up the three days we missed BECAUSE of the roof and the move to Maumelle Middle. It was a loooonnnnggggg year. BUT, summer did finally arrive. And soon after......the beach trip!
Second, the Beach:
"Just Because" we could, my friend Cheryl and I decided to take the camper to our favorite spot at Navarre Beach....Navarre Beach Campground. Emily found this little piece of Heaven a few years ago while looking for an affordable place to meet. It has cabins ranging from very small to beach houses that sleep 8-10. It also has a pool and of course, great camping spots. It's a VERY AFFORDABLE way to spend a week at the beach, so we decided to try it. Well, although I am glad we did it, let's just say that we both agreed it would be the only time we took the camper! It was a combination of hauling that thing down there along with the heat we experienced the day we set it up...there was a heat factor of 115! Granted it WAS a string of record breaking heat for that time in June, but still...it was miserable! Our little A/C didn't have too much time to catch up with the heat until evening fell, and then THANKFULLY, it cooled down and we were comfortable sleeping. The bottom line is, the small cabins that sleep 2-4 are not very much more and we don't have to DO ANYTHING but walk in!

And finally, My sweet Ashley's "first" birthday with her family. It is a birthday unlike the first birthday of the other "3." This birthday celebrates her birth, her adoption, her new place in a family of 4 kids, her coming to live in a free country and her ability to hear the Gospel. Yet, one small part of me is saddned by the memory that her bio mother must have. Today is the day the orphanage gave her a birthday, but only God knows for sure the real day she was born. Today, I pray for her bio mom who bravely gave up her baby (probably for medical reasons) that I truely believe she loved. I pray that God give her peace that her little one is happy and loved. This time last year, we didn't have our sweet girl with us. But today, we celebrate that she is here with us and will be forever more.....

H A P P Y B I R T H D A Y MY SWEET ASHLEY MEI.........YOUR NAMMY LOVES YOU VERY MUCH.........