Minnesota Vacation

Our trip was a few weeks ago now - I couldn't post anything as we had problems with the camera software. Danny finally had a moment to fix it for us yesterday so we are back on track again but have some catching up to do.

Minnesota was fun - it started out with a very early flight from Baltimore. This is a shot of everyone at the airport pulling their own luggage, including a suitcase full of books to give my sister. While there, we went to the Mall of America and took the younger two boys to a place where you build your own remote control car - it reminded us of Build-a-Bear, but with cars. It was one of the coolest places we have ever seen!!

One night the "guys" went out to see Dark Knight - the batman movie. Left to right is Uncle Ed, Matt, Danny, and Uncle Chris. It was really neat to see Matt going out with his Dad and two uncles...

One day we rented a pontoon boat and cruised up and down the St. Croix river (a three hour cruise I think) with Danny as our captain. We saw a ton of wildlife! And it was a beautiful day as well.

Here is our faithful Captain Danny - who was getting phone calls from work while we were out in the middle of the river!!

My beautiful neice Rebecca, who, incidentally, looks a lot like Drew Barrymore!! haha

Okay, I had to post this one - my sister Cathy went up to the front of the boat with some of the kids, and Danny couldn't resist trying to knock her off the boat by jerking the steering wheel - now THAT was a sight to see!!

We went to the Minnesota Museum of Science where there was a Star Wars Exhibit. That was pretty neat, but it didn't have everything the boys were hoping to see... but still fun.

Luke Skywalkers landspeeder

This is a view of Stillwater, MN, from the rooftop of, believe it or not, the town's beautiful public library! I told my Dad that I would give my right arm to have that library in my town - it had fireplaces everywhere with leather chairs for reading, curved bookshelves, stain glass windows, three stories of books, private study rooms that you can spread out and close the door (perfect for homeschool planning) and a rooftop terrace where you can eat your lunch as you view the St. Croix River!!! I think I would LIVE in that library if I lived there!!

This is a view of the indoor amusement park at Mall of America - very fun!

Hannah got to go horse-back riding one day, which included getting to take off the saddle, rub down the horse, brush it and feed it some treats. It was absolutely the highlight of her trip...

We ladies (me, Hannah, my mom and sister Cathy) went to a tea room in historic Stillwater. They have hats for you to put on and bottomless pots of tea - it too was a highlight for us. This is Cathy "putting on the airs" of an english tea-drinking lady!!

A great shot of Cathy, Hannah and Mom (Mom looks like she belongs in the Red Hat Society!!)

And lastly, Hannah posing in one of the many hats she wore that day. (She is practicing up for motherhood!!!)

Buried in Books

Though it may appear that the Dustin family has completely disappeared, we survived our vacation to Minnesota and are back home - buried in books! I do plan to post some pictures of our vacation (once I actually find the camera and download the pictures) but meanwhile, school starts next week and I have found myself completely immersed in planning for the year. Our family room has two long tables set up, completely covered in books, papers, pencils, colored tab dividers, sticky notes, empty folders, flash cards, rock study kits, and a frog and two worms. (To be dissected. By my kids. This year... yuck!)

Anyway, once I am all ready for school (will I ever really be ready?!?) I will return to my blog and post some highlights of our vacation and last days of summer...

Off to Minnesota

OFF WE GO!!!

We are off to Minnesota for ten days! We leave at 5 am for a 7:30 flight, and will return on the 17th - it has been a long and busy summer, and we look forward to some time away for refreshing. Will post some pictures of our trip when we get back! Wish us luck on flying!! (NOT my favorite thing to do...)

Happy Birthday Matt!

Nineteen years ago, after 16 hours of labor, Matthew Robert Dustin came into the world, and my life has never been the same. From the very first moment that I looked into his eyes, I fell in love with my "baby" and have counted every moment of his life as an incredible blessing from God above.

It overwhelms me to think that God had his life planned from the beginning of time - He knew that this boy would be my son, and though I have been a completely imperfect mother to him, God specifically chose me to be his mother.

What an amazing journey it has been - from newborn, to toddler, to child, to young man. God has had His hand on Matt's life every single moment - and will continue to lovingly draw Matt's heart to His own all the days of his life. My prayer for Matt would be that he would grow ever-increasingly sensitive to hearing God's voice, and that his passion to love and please his Saviour would grow each and every moment - and that Matt would fully know that nothing in this life or this world will satisfy him as much as the love of Jesus. It is truly all that is needed for pure and complete joy!

Matt celebrated his birthday the other night with many friends around the pool. The rest of us left, but it sure sounded like they had a wonderful time. I didn't even plan this one - I guess the days of "mommy" inviting friends over and having a party with cake and ice cream and star wars decorations are long gone!!

Matt at seven - oh how time flies...

Matt and Danny at Deep Creek Lake many years ago

Here is the little boy that I still picture in my mind on birthdays!! This is Matt and his friend Sam having one of their adventures... again, a long time ago...

This was our version of a pool party when Matt was a little boy!!

But 10 years later, THIS is what it looks like!! haha

No more party hats and blow-horns. Now we have bottled water and GIRLS!!!

Here, on the right, is the master-mind of this party! She even bought his birthday cake for him!!! (I guess my pod-racing cake would have been out of place!! haha)
Thank you, Sherry, for blessing my son!!

Date Nights with Danny

As I spent today doing my "everyday" things, I had it in the back of my mind that Danny and I were going out on our weekly date tonight. Somehow, it affects my day, just knowing. Sometimes, I feel pressured to get more done quickly, and after spending a day outside weeding, watering, watching the kids swim, or running errands in the July heat, I just don't feel fresh anymore, and I know that it will take me some time to "feel" presentable! (of course, Danny always assures me that I don't need to do all that- thank you very much dear).

Usually though, several times throughout the day, I stop and just anticipate the time I get to have with my husband, my best friend. I cannot wait for the great JOY of talking alone with him, looking at his handsome face across the dinner table as we share a glass of wine, and appreciating that we actually get to finish our sentences without interruption! I anticipate getting to walk slowly wherever we go, sometimes sipping coffee, holding his hand, and remembering again why we fell in love. These weekly dates are very bonding for our marriage, and revive and refresh our love for each other. As I said, it sometimes takes his leadership and encouragement for us to go out each week, but I am so grateful that he does. I need reminders that our marriage is the most important thing we can focus on, even above our children (though we love them dearly and could spend every waking moment focusing on them!) and also that it is GOD's plan to do so, not my husbands.

Recently, we went away overnight and this was waiting in our room on the bed as we arrived - a beautiful, single red rose.

We had been to this bed and breakfast one other time, several years ago.

Yep, this is the handsome face I was talking about, across the table...

This is the place we ate our delightful breakfast. Thank you, Danny, for all the years of dates, nights away, flowers, gifts, and all of your other romantic gestures. Thank you for pursuing me, even though we have been married so many years. Thank you for continuing to win my heart with your constant selfless, servants heart, and your ability to make me laugh!! I love you so very very much.

Swimming Lessons

When we decided to get a pool, we also decided it was really important for the kids to be able to swim! Good idea, huh? Well, Jacob and Hannah could swim pretty well and were completely comfortable in the water, including the deep end. Ryan, however, had never had lessons. He would only go in the shallow end, with water wings on and wouldn't go under or get his face wet.


Mrs. Schickler (a wonderful lady from our church) has been coming over three mornings a week for about three weeks and working with the kids. After day ONE, Ryan was diving for rings and would no longer wear his water wings! We were amazed at how quickly he became a fish! He now swims across the width of the pool and even treads water in the deep end. (never mind that Jacob and Hannah have both had to "save his life" twice in the deep end...) I am currently shopping for a life-saving flotation ring that can be thrown out to anyone in trouble.

Despite that, Ryan is doing extremely well - better than we had hoped after a few weeks of lessons, and most importantly, he is LOVING it!

Hannah and Jacob, as I said, could swim but needed some polishing on their freestyle skills as well as learning to dive. It has been so fun to see them doing their lessons together. Mrs. Schickler always starts them out with a "friendly" competition - down and back twice. By the end, they are usually both laughing! And I won't mention here who wins most of them! It is fun to see the good-natured competition that comes about when an adult is around. A different adult I mean. If it were Danny or I, the competition, I hate to say, would not be so friendly I fear...

"Hannah Banana" living up to her name with a bright yellow cap - which she hates! But it really does help keep her hair out of her face. It is a joy to watch her petite little figure swish through the water like nothing - she makes swimming look effortless!

Jacob is a natural, graceful and smooth swimmer as well. I just love to watch him move through the water with hardlyl a splash...

What Jacob has been most excited about is learning to dive - he is adventurous enough to try whatever Mrs. Schickler asks him to do! (Hannah usually ends up giggling and bailing!!) Yep, she has a little of her mama's blood in her when it comes to diving...

What a fun thing to learn this summer - how to swim! I know I feel a lot better about just letting the kids swim without feeling like I am a watchful, worried mother each and every moment (like when they were little). Happy swimming my little minnows and dolphins (and sometimes sharks!!)

Thomas (Matt's band)

Matt's band played at the Hyatt Regency in Crystal City on July 5th to benefit Ethiopian Awareness (or something like that - I am terrible with remembering details). Anyway, I think Matt always enjoys the chance to get to "jam" with the guys in the band and be able to perform. They actually sound VERY good - here is a link to be able to listen to some of their music: http://www.myspace.com/thomasbandmd

They ended up playing at 2:00 in the morning - I cannot imagine being able to be energetic at that time of night!! I guess these young guys can handle it.

A classic shot of Matt with his prized possession