It’s 97 degrees right now at 6:14pm in the Dallas area.  It actually doesn’t feel that bad considering most of the month temps reached 100.  That’s August in Texas and I say “GOOD RIDDANCE” to it.  While running errands, my deodorant outlives its usefulness in the 2 minute walk between building and car.  Color me over it!  Although we still have a month or two of wearing shorts around these parts, when the calendar turns to September I can at least START to imagine Fall around the corner.

Shelby attended Camp Blessing the first few days of August.  The owners and volunteers of this camp for special needs kids and adults do amazing work.  Shelby had a fantastic time while Chuck and I helped ourselves to some much needed respite.  Allie, my youngest, made the high school volleyball team on the 2nd and started games on the 3rd.  I’m excited that she earned her spot, but proud of how hard she worked to overcome her fear and anxiety.  To be honest, my girls don’t have to do anything to make me proud.  I was as proud as the proverbial peacock they day they were born and they hadn’t done a single thing.  If you feel the same way about your kids, make sure they know it.

Our church hosted Brett Kunkle, co-author of A Practical Guide to Culture:  Helping the Next Generation Navigate Today’s World.  I think I’ve mentioned the book here a time or ten.  I can’t say enough good about it.  My family also attended a prayer event there called Battle on Our Knees.  We spent time in guided prayer for our students, teachers, administrators and parents for back to school.  I can’t think of a better way to spend our time.  This month has also driven us to our knees for some loved ones fighting through medical and spiritual challenges.  Our hearts are a little heavy but it’s so reassuring to know that God carries that load for us.

Mid month Allie and I joined her cousin and my sister-in-law for a little girls weekend.  We traveled down I-35 for our other sister-in-law’s baby shower.  We ate, celebrated the next Baby Sparks and did a little back to school shopping.  When we got back in town we hit the ground running with Freshman orientations for parent and child, fundraisers, meetings, volunteering and a pep rally – all in preparation for the first day of school.  Both girls met the challenges of the first weeks with grace and aplomb.  I’m so thankful.  Allie will be in two choirs this year and had a lake party to get in tune with her new friends (see what I did there?).  And next week we have a meeting to kick off another round of Special Olympics for Shelby.

In entertainment news, we took the family and two of Allie’s friends to see Blinded by the Light.  So good.  This movie, based on a true story, follows a Pakistani teen in England in the 1980’s.  Bruce Springsteen lyrics motivated him to rise up from the persecution he faced and the old fashioned patriarchy of his family to chase his dreams.  I liked it so much that I woke up thinking about it the next morning.  Critics agree with me.  Fourteen year old middle class American girls – not so much.

Chuck and I (big Dallas Cowboy fans – don’t come at me, haters) got to tour the world headquarters of America’s team at the Frisco Star.  We had such a good time gawking at this state of the art facility and hearing about some of the fun history of the team.  Did you know Emmitt Smith’s scouting report shows him to be careless with the ball and lacking work ethic?  Please, did you SEE him on Dancing with the Stars?  Yeah, me neither.  We also saw the back-up QB Cooper Rush and Jason Witten, who is my husband’s favorite player.  Probably mine too.  I won’t post those pictures because I accidentally illegally took them.  I somehow missed the announcement that we could take pictures of anything except other people.  Oops.

I just finished reading The Wondering Years by Knox McCoy.  I love, love, love the Popcast podcast he co-hosts with Jamie Golden and was stoked when my best friend surprised me with the book.  If you enjoy some snarky humor and an unorthodox take on growing up as an evangelical Christian, grab a copy.  And use my link.  I would so appreciate it.  Today, I picked up Sex, Jesus, and the Conversations the Church Forgot by Mo Isom.  It comes highly recommended.  And last, I’m using Seeing God’s Hand:  Through the Art of Sign Language by Connie Rowland in my daily time with the Lord.  The author sweetly encourages me through the pages to look for God’s hand in the world.  What a timely message for us all today.

And that’s my month.  The good, the bad and the sweaty.  Thanks for following along.  I’d love to hear what YOU did this month.  Or what you’re reading.  Or watching.  Drop me a comment below.  Until next time, I love you, I thank you and I pray September treats you well.