life as we know it in the SOUTH . . .

We celebrated our one year anniversary here in South Carolina at the end of June. We have become much more comfortable here in this past year, the girls and Boston all had a great school  year with a few challenges to make it memorable, church activities to ground us and help us appreciate our blessings, and friends to make life more enjoyable.

 We will add another driver to our repertoire in the next few days (possibly) this exciting time for McKenzie--I remember feeling a super sense of freedom at this age--now I can understand why my parents may not have shared my excitement.  McKenzie played on the JV Basketball team and lettered in Softball this past year.  She is settling in and enjoying life.

Tailey is playing on the Volleyball team again this year and is really enjoying it.  While visiting family in Utah this Summer she was able to attend her first BYU Softball Camp and had a fantastic time.  These days she has become an excellent student and stays busy with sports, but especially enjoys Youth Night with our Church group. This Summer we discovered she had a football size cyst in her abdomen, later we found out it was attached to her fallopian tube.  Tailey did amazing through the surgery and recovery. Thanks to a request to get an updated Tetanus shot for girls camp this cyst was discovered.  We count Girls Camp as a blessing in many ways.  :)

We have enjoyed visits from Grandmas and Grandpas and Aunts, Uncles and cousins and look forward to many, many more!!

 When visitors come, we have found a fun Civil War museum to visit.  Although you will not hear the words "Civil War" here.  It is referred to as "The War of Northern Aggression" or "The War Between the States."
It's all about perspective.  :)

We enjoyed a visit from one of McKenzie's best friends this Summer as well. We had to schedule a trip to the beach to share one of our other favorites of living here.  We took her to Isle of Palms and Charleston.

Boston is in Kindergarten and doing excellent, although he is still working on talking less (must be all these  girls he lives with). He has discovered legos this year and really enjoys building all types of things with them.  He love our dog, Rue, who joined our family last year and is now one year old.  "She is a Jack Russel Terrier", Boston is quick to tell people when they stop to say hello to her.  They are good buddies.

Paige entered the 6th grade this year and is learning to enjoy it.  She is not very fond of her locker, but does enjoy PE and most of her classes.  She is a sweet sister and is very good to help with the little ones.  She likes crafting things with Legos and Duct Tape (a new passion).  She played on a softball team and pitched as well as played catcher.  She also plans to play basketball again this winter.  She also plans to pass up McKenzie in heighth this year.  :)

Quincey LOVES her teacher this year which is a blessing. She turned 9 this Summer and enjoyed celebrating in Utah as well as in South Carolina.  Not many children get this opportunity.  :) She loves to help out in the kitchen and is always a self-starter with her homework as soon as she gets home.  She has made many friends here in our neighborhood and enjoys playing with them and swimming with them.  She is determined to make this year a positive one.

    Darby and I are enjoying being home together, we have successfully organized different areas of the house and cleaned out closets as well as atttended Story Time at the Library.

We miss our home in the ountains, and we miss family and friends, but we are thankful for our home we have here as well as the friends we have made and the things we have learned about ourselves and the world around us.  We feel blessed and recognize He "from whom all blessings flow", for the love and happiness we enjoy.