Getting A Life Back?

It's been an interesting week since last I posted. I'm not sure exactly how to describe it. Some good stuff happened, about which I'll post later. But it's been a real struggle this week also. Some things I think are pretty important are getting dropped, regularly, and figuring out how to handle this frustration is going to be an important piece of work for me in coming days. I'm overjoyed to be a daddy for the second time - but paired with that joy is an exponentially greater challenge to be patient and forgiving, which aren't natural character traits for me. I'm more from the "Get it done and stop giving me excuses" school, which can be great in some instances but doesn't always contribute to the happiest home environment. Just a few more days and things should settle down a bit, but those are going to be LONG days, I think.

One of the good things from the week was our trip to my hometown for the 125th Anniversary Celebration of Salem Lutheran Church, where my family has worshipped for four generations (actually, counting my nephews now that my brother has moved home, it's five generations). I'll post more about that later, but here are some pictures from the weekend. Enjoy!

Alanna & her cousin N:



Burping the baby:

Little girl, big fish at the new pool in Wakefield:


Hi!

Brothers and kids at the new pool:

Here I come, Daddy!


WHEEEEE!

We had a FUN day at the pool!


Ainsley's second tractor ride (because no one was around to take a picture for the first)


Cousins Z & Ainsley sitting at the table where Daddy & Cousin Jon sat, many years ago:




All the grandkids at Grandma & Grandpa Johnson's farm: