A month and a half in pictures...

Summer vacation, as always, has gone by quickly. We haven't kept up on the blog too well, and here's why:

Week one:

Helping out with the farming in Paonia, Colorado, where Jim grew up.

I even gave tractor-driving a shot!
Week two:
Happy Fourth of July! Jim, as usual, was a clown in the band. I think I need to do his makeup next time!

Week three:

We drove out to Portland to visit more family. Happy birthday Jim!

Then we headed to the Oregon coast. Joel could dig in the sand ALL DAY LONG!

The view of Twin Rocks is always beautiful.

Clamming: messy AND yummy.

Faith surprised us all by keeping up with the clammers. She had a great time!

We collected mussels as well. The fruits of our labor:

Week four:

Some great cousin time!

And family time.

Tried some boogie boarding: best $14 ever spent!

Goodbye beach!

Week five:

We celebrate a milestone...

We spent a few days (ALONE!) in Frisco, Colorado. Did some biking, hiking, canoeing, picnicking, and reflecting on the past five years.

And we enjoyed cooking for each other...

Week six:

Vacation took an unexpected turn when Grandma was diagnosed with cancer. A special thing we will always remember is the time we spent with Grandpa this last week and a half. And him spending time with our kids.

Update

Thanks to all who have been praying for our family during this difficult time. Grandma passed away yesterday. We are comforted that she was not in a lot of pain, remained lucid until the end, and was at peace. Grandma has left an incredible legacy... We'll all miss her, but know that she's in a much better place now. I (Jim) am grateful for her loving involvement in my childhood... all the books and crafts she always had ready for us, but most of all, there was always time to spend time with us. I'm also grateful for the example of a godly marriage that she and Grandpa lived out for the past 63 years. Thank you all again for your prayers and also for your continued prayer for my Grandpa as he adjusts to life without her.

Timing

The end of earthly life comes at different times for everyone. Some have time to say goodbye. Some do not. Some are tragically young with life seemingly left to live. Others have lived full lives, nothing seemingly left to do. I (Heather) have been thinking about how the last few days might have been different. Would anything be easier? Harder?

We are honored to hold Grandma's dying hands, to smile with her, to say goodbye. She has watched four children, and eleven grandchildren grow up to love the Lord. A phenomenal legacy few can claim. Fourteen great-grandchildren have a pretty good start too. Seems like enough, right?

It's still hard.

The details unfold differently for everyone. But there IS one good time to die: with the knowledge that Christ is our savior. Forgiven. Washed clean. Free. Grandma knows she is going home. To her Heavenly Father. To run down the streets of gold and into the arms of Jesus. Free.

And that makes it a little easier.

My Grandma

Our family would really appreciate your prayers right now. My (Jim's) Grandma (who lives just down the hill from my parents) was taken to the hospital on Thursday for what seemed to be a really stubborn cold and upset stomach. The doctors discovered these symptoms were caused by a large tumor in her colon and many small ones in her lungs and liver. Her health is deteriorating rapidly and she is no longer strong enough to undergo any sort of surgery. Heather and I returned to Paonia when we heard the news. Please pray for our family! I'm blessed to have grown up with my Grandpa and Grandma Lund. They are an incredible Godly example... both through their personal lives and through their 63 years of marraige. Please pray for peace for our entire family. We've been really blessed by the outpouring of prayer and support of our friends and family. I'll write more sometime soon, but for now - thank you for your prayers and encouragement!