Life is Good.

It's Sunday here at our cottage at the lake.

It finally feels like summer with clear skies, and warm sunshine.

Charlotte, one of my granddaughters, spent the past four days with us.

She's four years old, and a ball of energy.

We spent most of our time outside in the sand, sun, and water.

Our dogs have been napping ever since Charlotte left.

She wore the two of them out!

The grandkids have been here quite a bit this summer.

I work part-time at the pharmacy, so when I would have enough days off in a row, I would be able to have little ones spend a few nights.

At the beginning of summer, I was visiting my niece, and going to a few doctor appointments with her.  Michele has colon cancer which has spread to her spine, hip, and both lobes of her liver.

She has two VERY young children. Michele is receiving chemo to try and keep the tumor in the colon from getting any larger(it's at 32 cent. right now). There will be no surgery, or radiation.

She is a very sweet young woman that never complains.

Michele gets the chemo once every two weeks. She is sick for almost two full weeks after each treatment. Brendan, and Layla are being taken care of by their future adoptive parents most of the time. If Michele starts feeling better(usually two days before the next round of chemo), she spends time with the children.

If you ask her how she is doing, she will say..Life is good.

Michele is an amazing young woman.

If you could find some time during your prayer time, would you please include her in your prayers?

She needs a miracle.

The situation with my niece has had an impact on me about our house not selling.

I was becoming very bitter, and depressed this summer. I know God could sell this place in a heartbeat so that I could live closer to my children, and grandchildren.

I've been up here for twelve years!!

Why won't He let me be closer to my family?

It's the desire of my heart!

I know He sees the whole picture, and He has a plan.

I know I'm supposed to trust His will.

Still, I feel like I've lost my joy.

I don't have a church family up here.

No close friends that I have connected with since quitting my job at the bank.

We were all very close, but have all since moved on with our children, and grandchildren.

I guess I thought my family would come up here in the summer time...just like we did as kids.

We stayed at my grandparents cottage almost all summer long, and every weekend, for sure!

But things are different now.

People are too busy now, I guess.

I travel to see them.

Instead of family coming here to fish, swim, enjoy campfires, and boat rides...I go to their houses.

While I'm down there on a hot summer day, I'm thinking how we could all be out on the boat, or swimming. How the kids could be playing in the sand, or staying up by the campfire. Or they could all be playing flashlight tag when it gets dark.

And I think about Michele, and her children.

How they will never be able to go on a boat ride, as a family.

They won't stay at a cottage for a vacation week.

She can't take her babies for a golf cart ride, or sit at the campfire, and make smores.

And I wonder.....if we move...will I ever spend a weekend at a lake with my grandkids?

Will I take them on boat rides? Will Grampa teach them how to fish?

Will they sit by a campfire and roast hotdogs, and smores with us?

Sure, my daughter Kelly has a pool....but is it the same as spending a few days at the lake with Gramma and Grampa?

You give up some things when you live up north.

But you also gain some things.

You have times when your grandkids spend days with you....you make memories that you cherish.

Building drip castles on the beach. Learning to swim across the canal. Rowing a boat for the first time.

You lay in bed and talk before falling asleep....those are the times you get to hear how much you are loved, and how much fun it is to stay at Grampa and Grammas' house.

Those are the moments that mean so much.....

When someone says...I hope I can come up and stay again.

Our house is still on the market until October. 
If it sells, fine. If it doesn't....then I'll have a whole winter to spruce things up more...if that's what His plan is... to put the place back on the market again next spring.  If not...Life if good.