Rebecca's Joy

Whew! June and July flew by. I originally worked on the blog post for June and thought I had posted it, but on the back end of WordPress, it did not publish. I seem to lose material that I draft on WordPress, and of course, I did not learn my lesson to write a draft in another format. I apologize for the delays. It can also be challenging to write when Frank is working different shifts and is also working on school. I try to write as I am able, so I apologize. 

June was a flurry of activities. At the beginning of the month, we had a family living with us during their transition to a new home. I was also involved with VBS, and was gone most days until 1 PM. There was a short transition between our friends moving out and my sister’s family coming to visit. However, Frank and I can pull through and make things happen. 

My sister and brother-in-law have four delightful children, and we enjoyed soaking up memories, laughter, and the whole Colorado tourism piece. We took the children to Scheels, Focus on the Family, The Dinosaur Resource Center, Flying W Ranch, the top of Pikes Peak, and spent time cuddling, reading, going on tractor rides, and spoiling the pups! The dogs definitely did not want the kids to leave; Takoda for the mere fact that he got a yogurt handprint on his head and extra cheesecake from the toddler, and Tahlia was thrilled to be the star for the cat lover. 

We also went to Breckenridge, listened to a timeshare presentation, and ate lots of good food. We tried oysters for the first time, although we did not understand the hype. There was also a salad called the “Borrowed Salad,” whose recipe was truly borrowed from another restaurant, but it was outstanding. We rode the gondola, walked the Sawmill Trail, saw the troll of Breckenridge, and walked up and down Main Street. We ended our day by stopping at the Threefold Bakery, whose baked goods were unrivaled. 

We came home, packed up the dogs and the car. We packed up for Detroit and hit the road. The pups were an absolute dream travel crew. They literally crashed until we stopped. We stopped overnight in Kearny, NB. The brisket tacos were 10/10 at Number Juan. We also enjoyed the dog park, where Takoda ate a firefly and instantly regretted it! We slept in a janky hotel, but it was cheap, and the sheets were clean. 

While in Detroit, we purchased tons of Shawarma and delicacies from Shatilla. We also spent time with family. My favorite memory was Frank getting super soaked by the nieces and nephew. The dogs enjoyed meeting Grandma and Papa, and were so good. My grandparents still live independently at 97 and 95. 

We enjoyed time with our friends who are missionaries relocating from Zambia to Playa del Carmen. Frank competed against their oldest in the swimming pool. It was quite humorous to watch a forty-plus guy compete against a teen. We also saw our other missionary friends who do ministry to foreign pastors. It was wonderful to get to spend time with them. 

On the Fourth of July (America’s 250th birthday), we watched Young Washington and enjoyed the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO). 

We left Detroit and drove straight through to Colorado Springs. It was a very long day, and the pups were amazing. 

I helped a friend with her first tea party at her apartment. It was a lovely time together. I met some new people from church and the community. 

I also started refinishing the kitchen cabinets in White Dove paint. 

On our 19th anniversary, Frank and I climbed the Manitou Incline. It was very challenging, yet I had been working on it with my personal trainer, Mikaela. 

The next day, we celebrated Takoda’s 6th birthday with cake and his annual birthday hat tradition. 

Love, 

Rebecca and Frank