My daughter-in-law, Amanda, shared this song with me this morning! Perfect for today and the days ahead! Thanks Amanda, I love you!
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its that time of year again. . . .

The van is loaded down, all packed and ready to head out tomorrow morning.  We are taking Brett back to Spring Arbor University for his Sophomore year.  I can't believe how fast this summer has gone and how quickly I am brought to tears over the fact that my boys are growing up and leaving home.  I've always known it was part of the journey; yet it just came way too fast.  We will come home tomorrow to load up the van again and Saturday, late morning, head to Michigan State University, to unpack Blake for his freshman year of college.  I've talked a lot about riding the emotional roller coaster. . . off I go again.

this, that and everything else!

It's hard to believe that the end of summer is approaching.  Yet we've had such an amazing summer! My kids would attest to that as well.  My summer class will be over next week, so I'm in the final stages of finishing up all the necessary papers, and am anxious for a two week break before I start with a full load in September.  I'm homeschooling Jacqueline and Colson, this fall, and have been perusing the internet for curriculum.  I think I've landed on what we will be using and am anxious to order it and get their school year set. Victoria will be in preschool (at home) and I found a cute little program for her at SAMS Club.  Saturday is Branden and Katie's open house.  We are excited to see them, Ben,Dave, Casey, Daniel and Elizabeth.  On Sunday we are celebrating Jacqueline and Colson's baptism of which Daniel will be doing the honors and then 3 of the boys birthdays.  Brad, Amanda and the boys were home last week as her sweet grandma stepped into glory.  We were able to spend some time with them and the kids, as always, had a blast with Wilson and Walker.  Our air conditioning still isn't fixed.  There have been a few days that were absolutely TOUGH, yet from what I've heard everyone's bill for July almost tripled, so. . . . .I'm very thankful our air was broke.  Not quite sure how we would have handled a bill like that! Thank you God, for sparing us and for blessing us!  It's finally cooler at night, WHEW!  our pint-size pool blew out last week; was hilarious and you should have seen how big the kids eyes were when it happened.  We laughed so hard!  I found a pool (Craigs list) and Brennan, bless his heart, bought it, paid only $60 for it and had no clue how big it was, 16x45! a definite "God thing".  I've worked out, 3x a week, all summer and am LOVING it!  I'm very anxious, sometimes over-anxious for God to open a door for us, somewhere.  It's hard not to get frustrated and question God! I had coffee with a young mom who was in our youth ministry in Lansing, on Monday! What a gift it was to spend time with her and to catch-up on her life! what an encouragement she was too, as her husband was without employment for four years! Thank you Bethany! love ya girl!!  Next week begins the emotional rollercoaster ride as Sunday, Monday and Tuesday the married children will be heading back to NC, ND and CO; Friday Brett will be heading back to SAU and Saturday Blake will be heading to MSU! Ben just moved into a new house in EL and will be a senior at MSU.  Thankfully Bryan will be here for a few more weeks, and then. . . . .there will be only 4 children left in the Lutz home! it will seem very strange too, especially since we will have 2 girls and 2 boys! crazy after all those boys! Ok I'm gonna stop now, tears are already welling in my eyes. . . . .enjoy your last few lazy hazy days of summer! I know I'm gonna treasure every single day thats left!

One Man,

One Woman,

12 Children,

4 Daughter-in-laws,

2 Grandsons,

32 years of marriage,

~~PRICELESS~~

VBS stories

Tonight as we were driving home from VBS Colson asks his dad about demons and if we can have them in us and his dad says, "no son demons can't be in Christians." and then Victoria chimes in, "see I told you so!" Like she really knew what she was talking about.  Colson then goes on to ask more questions about demons, of which I lean over and say to Den lets "nix' the demon talk.  Last night was a three ring circus with the unsub and Smeagle. . . .thankfully Den answered his questions and that was the end of it, at least I hope so.  Once again the two are sleeping together, I guess they feel there is safety in numbers!

night. . .brings. . .fright

we have an "unsub" (unknown subject) in our area that seems to be terrorizing people and has eluded the police.  Our younger children have been hearing about this man and tonight (because they are overly tired and stayed up too late) they were literally bawling and freaking out.  It seemed that no amount of cajoling them would get their tears and fears to cease.  At first I'm sympathic but as they continue to drone on I get irritated.  Mean of me huh?  Den steps in and tries to comfort them as well with no amount of success and then he says, "Colson do you remember Smeagol?" Of course Colson starts bawling. . . .oh my gosh we have a mess here!  I send the kids upstairs to bed and follow them up.  Colson is bawling on his bed and says, "why did dad have to bring up Smeagol? I totally forgot about how scared I was of him until he said that!" then he begs me to stay and lay with him until he goes to sleep.  I proceed to pray with him and walk out of his bedroom listening to his loud wails and walk down the hall to find Jacqueline locking up her windows like it was Fort Knox.  She also begs me to stay and sleep with her and after we prayed together and I walk out she is almost right behind me, begging me to let Colson sleep with her.  Oh my goodness it was a three-ring circus getting these two to bed.  I consented and let Colson sleep with her, of which they were both absolutely grateful!  Those two can tease, bug and irritate each other yet be the best of friends in a crisis! Love it! all is quiet now, Praise the Lord. . . .but I'm sure one of them will either be on the floor beside our bed or in our bed at some point in the night. . . .why does night bring fright????

tonight as I was talking to my daughter-in-law Casey, on the phone, she asked if she could orchestrate a family prayer time later in the evening.  Of course I told her she would be more than welcome to do so and she did just that.  It was no small feat getting us all together. . . .you see we have four married children living in 4 different states other than ourselves.  Thankfully we are blessed with some amazing technology so that we were able to have everyone on the phone or computer at the same time.  Ben and Bryan were in E.Lansing; Den, me, our kids, Brad, Amanda and the boys were in our living room; Daniel and Elizabeth were in North Dakota, Dave and Casey in North Carolina, Branden and Katie were in Colorado and Brett was at Spring Hill Camp.  It took some doing but we were all together to share in a time of prayer.  I love how my kids come together when there's a crisis, a need, whatever. . . .they band together and support each other.  I've prayed most of my boy's lives that they would become each others best friends, and tonight was proof that God has brought it about. . . .it doesn't matter how mad one of them gets with another, or how differently we each may live, we love each other unconditionally. . . . .just as God loves us unconditionally.  We may not have much, by the world's standards, but we've got an amazing family and we are so thankful God blessed us with these children and grand children. . . . .

a Victoria-ism. . . .

we left town this morning and headed over to the west side of the state for a funeral.  Den's uncle passed away mid-week.  Most of the kids were fine with going but Colson and Brennan were pretty adamant about not attending the funeral.  Brennan said he still has bad memories from when he attended his great-grandmas funeral.  So while all this conversation is going on Tori is sitting and listening, not saying much other than, "how much longer 'till we're at the funeral?"  After we arrive and sit down, Tori says, loudly, "where is the dead body at?" we try real hard not to laugh, it is supposed to be rather a somber tone, but there were a few snickers by the older boys (of course not me!!) as we try and explain to her about where his body is, which by the way we couldn't quite figure out ourselves.  There was no body, there was no mention of a body, nor were there ashes!  I guess it was a "memorial" and not a "funeral".