Warning. Long post due to many pictures. I decided to chronicle our pickers this year in pictures. Why? After many months of thought and prayer, we decided awhile back that this Summer (Lord willing) would be our last Summer here at the Gant Ranch. Not that we're rid of this place and joyful about leaving, but we have felt that God has been calling us to plant our feet elsewhere (more on that in a later post). With a potential move in mind, this season was setting up to be an extra special one; one I wanted to remember by pictures. So, here's our Blue Chronicled Summer...
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| Michael and his brother Brandon (and their mom who isn't pictured) were our first pickers of the season (and therefore earned a couple free pounds of berries). Michael and William shared their 1st grade classroom this past school year and grew as friends. Michael has battled Leukemia since he was in Kindergarten and this past year marked some of his last chemo treatments. We got to watch his full, thick head of hair grow back as the Summer approached (o; |
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| Karyn and her crew...plus a friend (o; |
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| Beth, Petra and Seth...Gotta love all three expressions. |
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| One of my faves from this season. |
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| The Fanning Family...growing to a family of four soon! |
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| Our oldest picker...Miss Naomi Roth (92yrs old) |
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| Deborah, Elisabeth, Dennis, Naomi and Linda |
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| The Stewart Clan...plus Calvin. |
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Mama and Daughter (Janet & Charissa).
I loved getting to see them together....Hadn't seen Janet since just after high school. |
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| The Kraemer girls, Paula & Faith. |
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| The Roberts family |
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| The Johnson Kids! |
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| Working buddy Heather and her boy Zane |
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| The Deller girls |
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| The Jungs! |
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| Bob and Judy Keeney |
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| Auntie Lisa! |
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| Deb and Kenna Toedetmeier |
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The Reyman Family
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Another one of my absolute favs...
Love me some Lori (o; |
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| Sandy Poole (or as the boys call her, "Teacher Sandy" from Sunday School at CCC), her daughter Susan, granddaughter Sara and great grandsons Troy and Clayton. |
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The Rouse's
This mama is an incredible one of four boys (with another little Mr. on the way!). |
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| This one I made a little bigger. It speaks miles to me. Robin and Brett Rohde and their little guy Tucker have faced the adversity of cancer in Brett and have chosen to see God's purpose and glory through it all. This picture speaks of a miracle. Not only that Brett's alive today, but that he's cherishing sweet days with his little guy even while he continues to battle an aggressive disease. Ruth (right behind me with her friend) I invited after finding out The Rohde family was going to be in the field as she too knows them and their incredible story. We laughed and even cried a little as we picked, ate and chatted about life in the field. |
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| Jazzmin! Her boy Jake and William shared a 1st grade class. |
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The Hunters! Caleb was also in 1st grade with William and Matthew is almost the exact same age as Calvin.
All four of them became great budd. |
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| Shelly (who I knew as Shelly Bunn in high school) and Shana (Bunn) Teeter with their kiddos. Shana didn't want to miss out on picking this year even if it meant the feat of bringing her twin 4 month old boys over! So fun! |
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| Kathy Ballard and her niece. The Ballard family and ours go WAY back! |
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Although I barely got to know these two, Marilyn was instrumental in
speaking to my heart with regard to our potential move.
She too had to let go of a large blueberry field a long time ago... |
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| Michele...She always overdoes and blueberry picking proves no different for her (o ; She takes the cake for the largest amount of blueberries picked and taken away in an evening (over 100lbs) |
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| Love these two... |
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| And these two (o; (Grandma, wearing her birthday crown proudly) |
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| Aunt Robin! |
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| Words to describe what these two mean to us...Bus and Donna Gibson. Two of the sweetest people we know who served as absolute wonderful neighbors when we lived in Portland prior to having the boys. They spoil our kids as if they were their own. We always enjoy at least one visit a year when we bring them their year supply of berries. |
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| Melisa and her kiddos! |
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| The Sansone Clan |
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The Therber family! (plus a chicken who's hoping to find a blueberry...) . This family cleared the field for us.
Our very last pickers of the season. |
All in all, it couldn't have ended any better. My heart was full and so was my freezer. Although I know I'll miss the field when Summer comes next year, I am so grateful God allowed us one last full season.
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