Whew!!!!!

Hello again! We have had such a busy and enjoyable time the past few weeks. We traveled to Newburg last Sunday to hear Jeff's family sing at Jeff's daddy's church. We all had a good time visiting and eating (I love church dinners), and the boys had a blast playing with Jeff's cousin, Deidrea's, children.

After the singing, Jeff took me and the boys to Mill Creek recreation area of the (Mark Twain, I think) National Forest. There was an artesian (sp?) well that the boys enjoyed, and then Jeff told us about a "really cool" cave just down the trail. Well, after what seemed like an eternity, I asked Jeff if we were nearly there. He replied, "Well, I've never ACTUALLY been to the cave, I've just heard that there's one out here." EXCUSE ME?!

I was hobbling along with a pulled muscle, and the boys were covered with stick-tights and cockle burs, but onward we traveled...up another hill, over the hill, down and back to the right, across the creek, back up another hill, and then....TA DAH!!!!!!!! There really was a cave, and it really was cool, but the brave little hikers weren't nearly as brave when we actually arrived. Had you been a bat on the wall, you would have heard,

"You go...",

"I'm not goin'! YOU go!"

"Let's go together?!"

"Uh uh! You scout it out, and let me know what you find..."

"Dad...you go!"

(They knew better than to ask me...I was running recent news stories through my mind about the locals spotting black bears and mountain lions...I was on the defensive...hobble and all!) Anyway, as it turned out the cave was apparently vacant, and the boys loved listening to the water dripping WAY back in the cave.

We took some pictures, wiped our brows, and headed back for the cool water of the well. As it turns out, if you go past the cave on the same trail, we were only about 400 yards from the park road, and within eyesight of our van. We had taken the...um...scenic route IN to the cave. It was very fun, though, and the boys love all the pictures we took. Here are some for you to enjoy.

Add to that a new school year, a baby shower, a doctor's visit, caring for our baby darkling beetles (which we are raising from larvae in a tiny barn on my counter top...um hum...big fun), learning that you really cannot see if your head is covered with a blanket...and you just might run into the hearth, and that sometimes, Missouri goes for MONTHS without hailstorms (job security), and we've had a busy "end of the summer". We are extra blessed, though, and are eagerly awaiting the cool, crisp days of autumn. I hope this entry finds you and yours happy, healthy, and enjoying life. Leave me a note if you want. Until next time...