One tough little cookie!

Ok...I realize the last two posts have been about baby Elianna, but I just can't resist one more. Here is a little update on things. Mindy is feeling much better and is gaining her strength back. Ben is struggling with the effects of the flu so pray that he will get better soon. Elianna had her PKU test done today (which requires needles!). Mindy and Ben were prepared for a very unpleasent event but she is a tough little girl and slept right through it! Praise the Lord.

My sister Melissa and all the kids (except Reuben) came up this weekend to see the baby. They loved holding her and gave her plenty of loving. She has it made in the wonderful cousin department, that's for sure.

Thank you Lord for children! What a blessing they are.

Announcing...

Elianna Grace Caron

Meaning: God has answered me

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"I will praise Thee: for Thou hast heard me, and hast been my deliverance." ~Psalm 118:21

Welcome Baby Caron!

Today has been one of the most incredible days of my life. I was blessed to witness the beautiful birth of my dear little neice (she has yet to be named!). Starting at 4:00 this morning, Mindy began having contractions and at 3:58 we met the efforts of her labor...a darling baby girl, 9 lbs-8 oz. and 22 1/2 inches long. Mindy's labor was very intense and exhausting for her but she did so well. She was amazing.

Getting started

"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward." ~Psalm 127:3

"For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were none of them." ~Psalm 139:13-16

Thank you Lord for this sweet baby girl. You are a good and awesome Creator!

Farm Life

Amelia and Tiger...the much loved kitten (maybe a little "too" loved?)

After Camp Grace I was able to spend a week and a half at my sister Melissa's home and help out around their beautiful little farm. Something about that rigorous, healthy lifestyle really appeals to me. All of the fresh garden vegi's and outside time felt so good. I am sure when you live there all the time it must become work but for a short week it was an experience to remember. Here are a few photos of my darling neices and nephews...I am very biased! :)

Sisterly love...Annika and Katrina

Katrina, Becca, and Charisma with the baby goat

little Erina Peace

Camp Grace

I had the privilege of counseling at Camp Grace once again this year. My nieces and nephew go to this camp and so I got to tag along to Teen Camp (Ben and Annika) and Junior Camp (Charisma and Becca). It was a great time for everyone to really learn how to love God by serving and worshiping Him. Here are some highlights…

Studying the Word of God during quiet time

Making new friends

...and more new friends!

Singing and testimonies around the campfire

complete with a good old fashioned marshmallow roast!

All together...a great week!

Berge Family Reunion

Ok...here are some pictures from our Berge family reunion. It was the weekend of July 14-16 and what a beautiful weekend it was! We spent a LOT of time swiming, canoeing and fishing in Grace Lake.

Becca gets a lesson on tying on a lure

Enjoying the lake with Amelia

We were also able to celebrate the upcoming marriages of two cousins, Krista and Delchi and Karla and Mike, by throwing a double wedding shower. It was was fun celebrating the addition of two more members to our family. Mike and Delchi are great guys who both love the Lord dearly. What a blessing to have them apart of the Berge crew.

Delchi and Krista

I am excited to travel out to Krista and Delchi's wedding come September 30th to participate in their special day. Their relationship is such a testimony of the Lord and His goodness. Praise the Lord for His great faithfulness to those who love Him.

"...His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness." ~Lamentations 3:22, 23

Back Home...

I am sorry about the lag in my blogging. I am now FINALLY able to get on here after several weeks of crazyness. There was the Berge family reunion, then counseling at two camps, then 10 days with the Sahlstroms, and then our Family music festival, all back to back. I am excited to show you pictures from each of these wonderful events. I will post those soon.

Before all of that however, we were sad to say goodbye to two members of our family: my uncle Rob (Mom's brother) and my Grandma King (Mom's mom). They died two days apart quite unexpectedly. My uncle Rob was a generous man. He gave me his vintage Gibson four string banjo which he lent to me to learn a few tunes on. Pray for his family.

My Grandma King was a godly woman who loved to sing the old hymns and talk about her Lord. She was a blessing to me and I am grateful that I was able to know her. At her funeral a lady who lived at the nursing home with her came up to my aunt and told this story:

"I don't think your grandma even knew me but she blessed me so much I just had to let you know. Several times over the years I have struggled with depression and despair and all I had to do was roll my wheel chair back and forth in front of your mother's room and listen to her soft humming of those good old hymns and my spirits were lifted. I don't think she even knew I was out there but what a blessing she was!"

Celebrating Grandma's Homegoing

What a testimony of her life! Praise the Lord that she is with Him in glory.