July 2025

Dear friend, 

July started off working in a preschool for Roma children in Belgrade.  We spent the morning playing games and teaching kids how to make paper airplanes.  

The director then sat down with us and explained the state of the Roma population and the conditions in which the lived.  He even took us on a short walk through the Roma neighborhood.  

We spent that afternoon learning about the history of Serbia and spending time with Drew and Marcinelle learning about their mission there.  I am so proud of them.  They are such an inspiration.  

From there, we flew to Slovenia to spend a few days in heaven.  The entire place was beautiful and we had a blast swimming in the mountain lakes.  White water rafting on the Soca River was a highlight for us all.  We spent one afternoon at a lake in Italy.  We enjoyed Ljubljana, Lake Bled, and Vintgar Gorge.  I ate the most delicious peaches of my entire life at a farmer's market.  The most beautiful setting was Lake Bohinj; we set up for a picnic and entire afternoon of swimming we suddenly it started raining.  We wanted to wait it out but as the storm was still picking up with lightening and thunder an hour and a half later we decided to call it quits.  We were sad and soaked, but safe and a memory was made.  

We flew home and Rose completed her incentive chart and got her long-awaited for dog costume.  

A short five days later we packed up again and drive out west.  

Elias had a conference in Park City and so the kids and I painted the town. We got to spend time with cousins and visit friends.  We went to the zoo, and Gram's work at the Olympic Park and Jenn's work at an engraving company.  We attended the Days of '47 parade and went boating with John's family.  Utah is truly the land of milk and honey.  

Elias then had to fly back to New York, so the kids and I headed up to visit the Shumways in Bosie.  We love you Shumways!

After another short stop in Utah, the kids and I then drove over to Colorado to rendezvous with Elias in Denver and spend a week at Tober. 

Tober really is our happy place.  After Elias took care of the unexpected chipmunk squatters in the cabin, we were ready for some fun.  The kids are at a new stage where we can trust them to go off and do archery or kayaking or ride the atvs.  Everyone loves the peace and independence.  We loved meeting up with our Colorado cousins for a day and we summited another 14er.  Mt. Democrat wasn't my favorite; we weren't as physically prepared as we should have been and there were loose rocks the entire trail.  A few people had some bowel issues and we had some snow and hail at the summit.  Still - a memory made!  And we got to go back to Tober so that made everything wonderful again.  

Another fun-filled month!