A Garden Of Our Own!

The girls are the proud cultivators of their very own piece of land this year. It was planted, of course, with much fanfare.
I look forward to seeing what their little garden produces.

All Better

This little fellow was a sick boy last week with fevers up to 104F and a very turbulent stomach. It's wonderful to see him exploring with enjoyment once again.

Searching Scripture Together

"Then it goes 'vroom' like this"

There's been lots of airplane building going on around here lately. Heidi has plans to build a craft large enough to transfer herself and all her friends to Grandpa and Grandma's house in California. (The boys have to sit in back because they're sometimes loud.) The only thing she's asked for Momma's help with is procuring batteries to make her cardboard engine run.

Easter 2011

Easter was a little low key this year as I was fighting a kidney infection, but we did manage to do a few things to celebrate the resurrection of our Savior.
Heidi had asked if we could have an Easter tree since we have a Christmas tree every year. I was more than happy to work together with her on that and we decorated a branch from the yard with coffee filter butterflies and a"He is risen" banner.
(Thank you Auntie Summer for our beautiful gloves!)
We also made our own Easter baskets. Mostly from things I would ordinarily throw away.
We covered margarine containers with bunched coffee filters that the girls had dyed and wrapped electrical wire with floral tape for the handles.
I was pleasantly surprised at the outcome.
We also dyed eggs and had an egg hunt.
Then headed off to a family gathering where the girls were thrilled to hold baby cousin.
Mostly I was thrilled to have two little girls old enough to interact with and talk to about why we celebrate Easter and hear them praising God for sending His Son to die in our place and bringing Him back to life for eternity.

Mothers Day, 2011

My Mothers' Day this year seemed like absolute perfection. Why? Because I got to spend it with my children and my wonderful man. Karl hasn't always been able to be around on those "special" days, and I've learned not to take it for granted. Around here we consider any day he can spend at home a Special day.
Karl thrilled me by having the girls help him make a coat rack to place at a little person hanging level. In a climate where it seems you need a light jacket six months of the year, and a parka the other six, I think he realized it might be handy for a Momma to not be the only one capable of hanging up said outerwear. Or maybe he just got tired of stepping over coats in the entrance and decided it would be easier to take it up with the kids instead of the Momma. Either way, it makes me happy!
He allowed the girls to choose the paint color... which explains why I now have a red and yellow board in my green entrance. Neither one was going to budge on the chance to have her favorite color displayed. Every time I see it I smile, it's just so "them"!
In the afternoon we went on a walk through "The Hundred Acre Woods" as Heidi calls the bush on our property. With much hilarity and splashing about in puddles they caught a frog and proudly displayed "her" for the camera before releasing her again.
While we had a wonderful walk, the trails are still rather... wet. How thankful I am for a stroller that can handle them!
Thank you Karl, Heidi, Hannah and Levi for loving me and making me feel special! It's the most incredible privilege in the world to be your wife and Momma!

I've Waited Ten Years For This

When I was in Bible school I met a Canadian fellow who informed me that he had penguins and polar bears for pets. As I find penguins delightfully amusing I was interested. Interested enough, in fact, to say yes when he invited me to come for a visit over Easter break. I was excited, I would get to feed, play with and cuddle adorable little penguins!

Then I arrived. No penguins. "What is the meaning of this?" I asked. "Oh," he said, "Penguins are shy little creatures, you'll have to come back for a longer visit if you want them to get used to you and show themselves."

So I did. A year later I spent a month of my summer in Canada. Still no penguins. This time he claimed it was too hot, "Don't you know penguins hibernate in summer? Come back in fall."
I did, again for a month. This time he told me I'd have to show the penguins I was going to stick around for awhile and the best way to do that was to marry him.

I bought it. Six months later we were wed. I arrived at my new home eager to meet my pets, only to be informed that these creatures are so shy I would have to be here for five years before they would show their faces. I determined to patiently bide my time.

Five years passed. Then six. When I asked, he began muttering things about penguins abiding in the South pole and other such nonsense.

Seven years, and he began to question me. " I never really said anything about penguins, did I?"

Eight years of marriage, ten since my first visit to his home, and look what shows up:

Sure, it may not be what I originally had in mind, but I'm guessing this version is even better!

WOW! She married me for Penguins? I thought she married me for love! Well ... at least I know the bait was good. :~) --Karl