Busy Summer

Well, I have been officially chastised by one of my siblings for not updating my blog, so here goes...
It has been an adventuresome summer to say the least. There has been a little bit of something for everyone in the family.
After Shane came home before going to Army Basic Training in April, Shay had expressed some interest in joining the Army after he finishes High School in the spring. So, after we got back from the family reunion, we went to talk to the Army recruiter near our house. He told us that he could not start anything till Shay had his 17th birthday, but we did get some information. The weekend before his birthday, we had a nice long talk about it because I wanted him to be sure that this is what he wanted to do. The day after his birthday, we went to talk to the recruiter and got the paperwork started. He showed Shay a list of all the jobs available to him in the Army and told him he could basically choose any job he wanted. When the recruiter stepped away, I asked Shay if he knew what job he would want. He told me he was choosing Infantry. I told him that anyone in the Army basically was Infantry and he should choose something that would teach him a skill he could use on the outside. Well, he thought about it for a while and chose a job he wanted to do. When he went for his physical the next week he called me and told me that he signed up to be an Airborne Ranger!!! Not really what I was expecting, but it was what he wants. Now to get him through this last year of school.
Last spring, Shawn asked me if I would go with him to a music festival in Sioux Falls, SD over Labor Day weekend, and I told him I would go with him. Well, I went, not knowing what to expect and I was very surprised (and pleased). The festival is called LifeLight and is put on by LifeLight Ministries, based in Sioux Falls. We camped there and were able to go to any of the 5 stages to listen to concerts by approximately 30 different bands. These bands (all Christian bands) ranged from local ones to Lincoln Brewster to Michael W. Smith. The main stage area (where I spent most of my time) was a huge open field that held (my guess) around 120,000 people for the Michael W. Smith concert Saturday night. Shawn spent most of his time between the main stage and the stage where the more hard/alternative rock music was being played. What amazed me most about it all was that there were around 200,000 people there Saturday and Sunday, ranging from babies all the way to grandparents, from very conservative to Goth, and everyone got along together!!! No pushing, shoving or fights or anything like that. Everyone was considerate, patient and kind to each other and watched out for each other.
The Sunday morning service was something to behold also. I guessed there were about 30,000 people sitting or standing in the field and praising God. AMAZING, I had never seen so many people in one place for a worship service before. So, if you are anywhere around Sioux Falls around Labor Day, make time to go to this LifeLight music festival. It's FREE!!!! All I paid for was camping and food.
Shane is finally done with his Army training now. His graduation from Advanced Training was on the 11th and he went back to Chicago to check in at his unit there. He is now at home for a week or two to visit with friends and get ready to go back to school. If he starts soon, he will be graduating from UTI sometime in Dec or Jan I think.
Sue (my Sue, that is) is now a grandma!! Her daughter had her baby in the begining of August and Sue has been down to Fla twice to see him already. She is constantly worried about her 2 kids and their families because of all the hurricanes this year. But they have been spared so far.
I have been busy at work lately, training new people and trying to help in covering various shifts. I never thought I would be working in a hospital, yet I am enjoying this job more than just about any other job I have had before. Julia is growing like a weed and starting to eat cereal now. Wow, that brings back memories!!

I promise that I will update this more frequently than every 2-1/2 months from now on!!! Thanks for the prod, Gail ;)