i feel so......

BLESSED AND REFRESHED

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last week we had the privilege of having the clarks visit from california. kacy and i met in college and became fast friends. we have remained very close over the years and have shared so much since we graduated. our weddings...birth of children...loss of children...vacations...long talks....illness...laughter...honest converations....joys...tears... and so much more!!!

it has been 2 years since we got to hang out last so we both were so excited to spend some time together and to have our families hang out! my amazing aunt and uncle were so gracious to allow us to stay at their amazing cabin. there is plenty of room for everyone and lots of space for the kids to explore. and it is in the beautiful mountains overlooking grand lake! we were so BLESSED!!

we spend 5 amazing days just spending time relaxing surrounded by God's beautiful creation. what better place to REFRESH your soul! mark and i spent every afternoon while everyone else napped, on the back deck. it was one of my favorite times of the day! i loved to grab my bible, a cup of coffee, and to just hang out with my husband. i felt so BLESSED!

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the kids loved being outside exploring the forest by the cabin. kya loved to take her fishing pole everywhere. we would often find her fishing off the deck :) she loved carrying her bucket for her treasures. it was so fun to see her explore and enjoy the creation around her! kinley was happy at a clam just sitting in the dirt kicking her legs. so cute!

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kya's favorite activity to do outside was to make fairy houses! so fun! she would gather all different items from her "treasure hunts" and she would work diligently to make a "beautiful house for her fairies". kinley would again just sit and watch it all, just enjoying the dirt :)

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kinley is such a happy baby! i feel so BLESSED!

one of kya's fairy house. she even lined the inside with fresh soft evergreens so her fairies would have a soft place to sleep!

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we also went to the lake to fish and let the kids catch minnows. it was a blast watching them all do their own thing! kya sat so patiently on a rock hoping to catch a fish. kinley crawled to the waters edge and splashed in the water for over an hour without a fuss! skyler joined her too..how cute are they!! it was so REFRESHING to sit by the lake and watch the kids!

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the spillway was a huge hit for the kids. they loved watching the waves and throwing stones in the water! it is amazing how something so simple as throwing rocks can bring so much joy to kids... and their dads :) josiah, halee, and skyler are such amazing kids! it was such a BLESSING to hang out with such cool kids!

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it was so good for me to be BLESSED to just sit and spend so much time just catching up with a dear friend. this girl is so REFRESHING to my soul. our friendship is easy and at the same time challenging. we love to sit and just talk, yet also love to have deep conversations about being a mom, wife, and daughter of God. i have learned so much from this girl!!

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it was also just an amazing time to have with mark and my girls. we have not had a family vacation in over 2 years so it was so nice to get 5 days in a row together! we have had quite the last year, and it was so REFRESHING to just be together and to reconnect!

i so enjoyed slow morning where we would all crawl in bed together and cuddle. i loved playing outside and making fairy houses together. i loved taking drives into rocky mountain national park and see moose and elk and the excitement in my daughters eyes! i loved eating all our meals together and just talking. me and the girls drove up together since daddy didn't come till after work. kya and i had an amazing talk almost all the way up to the mountains. we talked about creation. what we saw and how much God loves us!! what an awesome memory! such a BLESSING!

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last but not least i left feeling SOOOOO BLESSED!! i have 3 of the most amazing treasures in my life. i have an amazing husband that loves me deeply! i am sooooo BLESSED by this man!!! he is a dream come true husband and daddy!

i also have have 2 AMAZING daughters. their hearts are sooo sweet. they love to cuddle and say i love you! they make my heart OVERFLOW with joy!

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on the drive home i felt completely blessed and refreshed...what an awesome week away!!