Summer Fun

We are in the midst of summer! Ashlyn is working at Sugar Pine with her Uncle Royce. Kylen went to Meadow Ranch last week at Hume, while Julianne hung out at the Simpson's house. Brian is getting ready for his five month test as a firefighter. I have been coordinating a Life Group Bible Study at church and helping with Romance. Ashlyn is a camper this week at Hume San Diego. I love that the Lord is in the midst of this as well. His presence is with all of us. What a joy to serve the Risen Savior and have fun at the same time!

First post

It's the Last Week of School!

Wow! We have lived here a whole school year. Ashlyn is finishing up finals. Being in high school is a lot different than elementary school where Julianne has gone on two fieldtrips this week already and gets to go on another one tomorrow. I feel for Ashlyn, she is taking her Biology exam today. I can't even pronounce many of the words I was quizzing her on. Kylen only had two finals in 7th grade and spends his lunches playing chess.

Another chapter is closing and we will have three kids all on the same campus next year. Yippie!

We've been Fresno residents for 9 months...

Time flies. The kids are almost done with their first year of school in Fresno, CA. I was on a walk last night around 8 o'clock and enjoyed thanking the Lord for His goodness to us. What a sweet time to reflect on His work in our lives in these last nine months. It made it easy to thank and praise Him because the air was cool and breezy. :)

Thank you Jesus:
-Brian loves His job!
-The kids have learned or are still learning what it means to say goodbye to something they love deeply (Hume and all who are there) and to rest in God's sovereignty.
-The people I have met and grown to love
-For our church home
- Being closer to family...they are only about an hour or so away now.
-Fire Women's Bible Study--the Lord has taught me a ton through these ladies.
-Life and breath, even in the Fresno air.
-The birds...singing, I love to hear them
-Getting to see and/or talk with people daily who have never heard of Jesus or placed their faith in Him
-Grace, faith, and Your love...we couldn't live without it!
-Meghan...if we weren't in Fresno, we wouldn't have been able to have Meghan live with us.
-For Your blood that has brought me peace.

Ashlyn--15 years old today!!!!

Ashlyn Blake Downs was born May 19, 1993 at 5:14pm. It's hard to believe it has been 15 years she has been on this earth. To be her momma is an honor and a joy. God has graced Ashlyn with the heart of a servant and she often considers others before herself. She gives the best foot massages and back rubs and I tell her I will pay her a dollar and she never takes the money. How great is that!

I took Ashlyn out of school at lunch and we went to Jamba Juice for an Orange Dream Machine with an energy boost, then off to get her hair cut and colored. Doesn't she look great! She is beautiful! The way her hair is now reminds me of a picture of her when she was little, her hair was bobbed and blond and she was holding a big bullfrog at Ponderosa Pool. Time flies and I am doing my best to cherish each day the Lord gives me with her.

She is so much farther along in wisdom and her relationship with Jesus than I was at 15. Her theology and reality line up a lot more than mine did. Praise You Jesus for your grace!

Many friends and family have called or Facebooked her today and have made her feel so loved. We are blessed by those the Lord has placed in our lives.

Brian and I are blessed to have such an amazing daughter!