Tides

Well, for all of you who've been waiting on pins and needles to find out about the county fair pet show, my oldest got another blue ribbon showing our dog. She did really well answering the judge's questions, and she even managed to keep her footing when the dog tried to run back to me at the edge of the arena and lunged hard on the leash. He's a good dog, but he's partial to his "mommy".

I realize I've been talking up my oldest daughter, seemingly at the expense of the younger. And I feel really guilty about this, but the truth is this has been a "breakout" summer for Big Sister while Little Sister has just been along for the ride. I guess life goes in cycles: one child shines forth for a while, then the other does. And I promise, when its the youngest one's turn to shine, I'll feature every achievement right here on Pickle Street.

I don't know if I've said very much about my husband, but I want all you readers out there to know that I am married to a man who is just about as perfect as a husband can get. He's a loving man, firm but gentle with the girls, fair minded but grounded in his convictions and Christian faith. He's incredibly competent with tools, but also has pretty decent cooking skills. He's just an all around great guy.

Is my life idyllic, or what?