August already!!

We are already nearly half way through August and in Texas we have had eleven days at or over one hundred degrees! With the heat index we are a good five degrees hotter than that every day. Today was a balmy 104 outside. You go outside and instantly sweat. It has been interesting ever since Michael left on his mission, lots has gone wrong. I know he is a very valuable missionary for Satan to work so hard on our family while he is out serving. Just a recap of last week to give you an idea of how things have gone for the past eight months. Bob got a flat tire on his way home from work, of course we had to get a new tire. The guy said it looked like he ran over a razor blade, yippee. Then our computer totally crashed and we had to go and get a new hard drive. We took Ashlee to the Dr. and it looks like she has the same reflux that Nate had and will probably have to have surgery. Bob got a ticket a block from our house for an expired safety inspection (we were waiting for payday). I got the same ticket last month and it cost me $102, not counting what the inspection itself was. We love Allen police by the way. That is just a couple of the things from last week. I gave up keeping track as its too depressing to see all that goes wrong on a weekly basis, plus the Lord definately gives us "tender mercies" that help us to get through all the stuff we are going through. Anyway, lots of fun here for sure. I am ever grateful for Michael and his example through this whole thing. He has two baptisms this saturday, one a ninety year old and one a twenty year old. He has eight baptisms planned for this month already and is pretty excited. He really is an amazing young man. We have and continue to receive several letters from people where he has served thanking us for the person he is and the Spirit he brings into their homes. Michael has always had that and came with it to our family, but it sure helps when things go wrong, as they seem to all the time lately. If the church wasn't true this would all be a big joke, but since it is we endure and try to do it with faith and as patiently as we can. We are sure proud of all of our kids and especially Michael for the good example he is setting for the others. Nate went to EFY and had an amazing time and feels it should be a requirement for all youth to go to. I am glad it helped him, he has a whole new attitude/outlook since he has been home. Well less than two weeks before school starts. I will have a senior, 8th grader, 5th grader and first grader, should be a fun year!! What a ride......