Summer Storms

These are the results from some major rain, hail, and wind Sunday night at my parents farm. Huge trees fell down or were uprooted, branches were everywhere and power lines happened to be in the trees downward path. Pictures really don't capture the full destruction. They are still working on electricity. Amazingly, no one was home at the time and the house, most buildings, and cars are all fine. Now its time for a HUGE bonfire.

Ragbrai

Ragbrai came through Ames this week with 20,000 plus bike riders from all 50 states and many countries. For those of you who aren't familiar, it is a bike ride across the entire state of Iowa. They ride an average of 70 miles each day for a week. Everyone camps out at the end of each day at a designated town. Ames happened to be a city to stop in this year. Lance Armstrong introduced the band STYX in Ames Tuesday night to begin the festivities. The city had multiple events going on throughout the day and late into the night. We enjoyed walking around the town, people watching, eating, and meeting some interesting bike riders. My favorite part of the day was getting to see some of my childhood friends from Milwaukee. This is their first experience with Ragbrai. They highly recommended it and so maybe next year John and I will try it too.

A boy in the making

Let's see, ingredients for a little boy - Dirt, bugs, water, more dirt, worms, sand, smiles, laughter, messes and on and on.
Being the mom-to-be of a little boy, I remember reading the first chapter of Dr. James Dobson's book Bringing Up Boys. The first chapter caught my attention with sentences such as, "Boys are usually (but not always) tougher to raise than their sisters are... boys are designed to be more assertive, audacious, and excitable than girls are... little aggressive machines...etc." Of course, I can't compare him to a little girl yet but, I think he may be right.
Regardless, I'm enjoying my little "aggressive machine" so much these days. Despite the occasional temper tantrums, messes, fearlessness, new found weapon of pinching others to get what he wants...etc. Thank goodness for other mothers with boys, you know what I'm talking about.
I'm just starting a book called What the Bible Says About...Child Training by J. Richard Fugate (Thank you dear Parent-in-laws). I'm praying that it will give me some good insight and advice with my duty as a mother.
Here are a few recent pictures of Edward. He was playing at his friends house and wound up in the dirt, how unusual.

Immediate Prayer Needed

Many have already heard about Katie Bloom. However, for those who haven't, please lift her and her family up to the Lord at this very moment. To receive more details, see thisblog.

Edward LOVED camp

The family together

These days, its rare for our entire family to be together. Thankfully, we actually took time to get a quick picture before everyone went back home after the funeral and 4th of July weekend. Everyone is growing up so fast. The oldest Rinehart will be 30 this year and the youngest just turned 12. There are also a few new faces to the group including Edward of course, Katy's husband Caleb, Abby's husband Josh, and my brothers girlfriend Laura.