Summer looks a little different this year, since large events have been cancelled and we're supposed to only gather in small groups. But we've still been able to have some fun!
Jonah graduated from high school this year. They weren't able to have a traditional graduation, but we still gathered at Tessa's house to celebrate him. Such a great kid! He's planning to attend Indiana University in the fall and study business.
Our friends the Lunds got reassigned to Colorado this summer, so we had Ethan over for one last playdate. He and Jackson had a great day together. We'll miss having Ethan over to play!
Our front porch project has been a long one - we replaced the floor, painted the walls, and bought and painted various furniture pieces. My dad made me a custom porch swing, but we ended up having to cut a wall in the upstairs bedroom to find the support beams, and then add in extra supports to be able to hang it. But it's finally up and the porch looks great!
For Father's Day, we had dinner at Tessa's and presented my dad with his gift - a Big Green Egg grill. He's been wanting one for a while, but they're pretty expensive so we all pitched in. He got emotional and was so grateful - it was a special moment.
Brandon's been working nights most of the spring and summer, so Jackson and I have had some extra time just the two of us. One night we took his bike down to the elementary school so he could really get some speed going. He's getting pretty good! Unfortunately this particular time ended in tears when he wiped out on the blacktop. But he was a trooper and recovered quickly.
I don't know how many of these photos I've taken over the last few years - a lot. If Brandon is home and in any kind of a relaxed position, Jackson is almost always there, too - usually hanging on him in some way. Brandon isn't an overly physical guy, but it warms my heart how he allows this kind of connection, because it means so much to Jackson.
Our Fourth of July celebration this year was pretty low-key - we had a cookout at Brandon's mom's house then came home. When it got dark, we headed over to his cousin's bar where they set off fireworks for their customers. Brandon loved setting off the fireworks, and it was so fun to see them so close up. The drive over there was so crazy - we'd been hearing fireworks in our neighborhood all month, but this night was something else. Everywhere you looked, there were private fireworks shows going on. And not little dinky fireworks, either. Big, beautiful displays. It sounded like a battlefield and the air was hazy everywhere. It was pretty cool, though. All the large public displays had been cancelled, so there was a kind of solidarity in seeing all these private shows. Despite our differences, we were all gathered in small groups to celebrate the same thing in the same way. It was an unforgettable night with our loved ones.
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