School is ending and summer brings...

...Afternoons at the baseball fields to celebrate this fella's awesome baseball team.

...squinty eyes because of the warm sun rays. 

...drives out in the country with a teenage driver.

...Little girls that like to stick close to their daddy.

...bright red toms for the summer biking weather.

...little guys wearing blue and can catch and throw better than most of the others on the field.

 ...mamas and their boys enjoying all the commotion with a picnic basket and blanket to sit on.

 ...time with sweet ole family friends. 

only a few more days left of school for the kiddos and then we can fully enjoy the summer heat and fun!!! 

Still figuring out my summer. 

What are ya'll up to?

the ole roomie is 25!

Happy Birthday, Salome!

Hope your 25th bday is super splendid! 

so excited for you to be a mommy and to hear how raising a lil tyler or lil salome will be like!:) 

You're in my thoughts so much especially when I'm wishing to talk about life with all it's joys and struggles-still wish we could have those times.

Can you believe we're at this part of life where we can have kiddos and hubbies and houses and all that good stuff?! lol:)

Happy day, birthday girl! Let's see each other again soon one day.

Love you much, 

Kristine BB

since it's ended, i have time to share!:)

Now that I'm not planning ZAOkids, i have time to share some of the pics we took throughout ZAO. Haven't had lots of time to share this, but I smile looking at them, so maybe these pics will bless you too.

sweet faces.

energetic kids.

moldable hearts.

ZAOkids.

last ZAO of the school year...

After a dramatic incident during the lesson last week of the diet coke exploding high in the church, we decided to take it outside and experiment with it with the kids...

and here's the last dinner together:) we had a pizza party!!!

the attempts at a group picture...kinda unsuccessful? the kids kept wandering off. 

anyway's here are some of the ZAOkids 2011:)

i think it's beautiful how diverse this pic is...

Thank you to the volunteers who made ZAOkids possible! You provided Lifeblocks of over 20 different skills, provided dinner, and gave your time to play, hug, and love these kiddos. You worked so hard, you gave your time, and you were wonderful to work with! The kids loved having you there!

God is great!!!

raindrops, wet toms, but a blissful anyways

Chicagoland was rainy but beautiful.

 I was so thankful to be back, even for the brief time we got to be in the city.

 I kept having this feeling that when I was done walking in the rain, I could go up to my sweet cozy apartment on the 30th floor of Chestnut St and warm up with a blanket next to the floor to ceiling window overlooking downtown Chicago, while drinking a hot mug of coffee.

but, nope, there was no apartment to go up to:(

(look, ilene Anthropology replaced the old American Girl store on Chicago Ave!!) 

These city sightings makes me long for city life again.

I had a hard time this past weekend trying to figure out why we live in a little town in Iowa when we had it good living in beautiful busy downtown Chicago.

How'd that happen?!

Why did we ever leave?!

I did alot of processing over coffee each morning in the Starbucks below our hotel. 

Yep, I admit, I was unhappy knowing I had to go back to that small town that was full of stress and busyness that I am pretty sure caused my very first gray hair on March 25th, 2011.

But if I looked past all the luxury of the city.

and looked past all the different smells and odors of pigs here in Iowa,

and oh, yeah, the lack of good places to eat or shop here...

and when i finally get over myself,

 I realized, I wouldn't want to go without the relationships that Ryan and I have here in Storm Lake.

I wouldn't know that sweet little boy that comes knocking at our door and joins in our prayer meetings with elderly folk.

I wouldn't know that 13 year old boy that sits on our counter or stands next to the sink while I'm cooking or washing dishes to talk about why his day "sucked" or "was awesome."

I wouldn't know those kids that drive me nuts at Zaokids but still looks at me with those big eyes that just  asks, "do you really love me?"

I wouldn't know those dear friends and church family from all over town that has loved and supported my husband and I.

I wouldn't know that girl that has a hard exterior, but soft and sweet heart on the inside.

I do miss the city.

I miss the memories.

I miss the independence.

I miss the activities.

but even with all that, I see the testimony of God's work in this little town of Iowa. I have seen Him work in ways I never thought I could ever claim to have witnessed. 

God is constantly amazing me. 

I'm glad He's got us here. 

I'm glad I know those people I love and care for here.

I even think that one day,

 I may even grow to love it here...