Good Times with the twins. . .

This is my Great Aunt Bobbye.  Isn't she beautiful?  I just wanted to brag for a moment.  We have spent most of my lifetime in two very different parts of the state.  And she has come upon some hard times recently in her life.  Fortunately for us, it landed her in NW Arkansas near my family.  All of the sudden, I have gotten such a wonderful opportunity to begin to know better this twin of my grandmother.  Her soft-spoken words, the truth that rings from a place deep in her heart, and a spirited mind that won't let itself be missed.  I have been blessed already.  "The twins" as we often call them, have come up to our parts for a visit this week.  I'll let you know, but I think it's going to be a week of "spoiling" all around.

"Children's children are a crown to the aged." 
(and I would add children's, children's, children) 
Proverbs 17:6

Quote of the day . . .

I have a precious life.  Sometimes I remember that, and other days I forget.  This afternoon I had a sweet reminder.  My men, all three of them, were working in the yard picking up sticks so Daddy could begin the mowing season.  In the process they found some flowers, and my eldest came in the front door with something behind his back.  I was asked to close my eyes and hold out my hands.  I was quite obedient and opened my eyes to these sweet yellow flowers.  And a precious boy to go with them.  To top it all off, do you know what he said??  Completely UNprompted, by the way. . . .

"Mommy, do you know why I picked these flowers?"
"No, why?"  (thinking- of course, because they were pretty)
"Because I love you."

And with that he walked out the door to go get more sticks. 

How I love my life, and how I love my creator who was kind enough to put it all in front of me some days, so I don't forget how precious it is. 

Easter Fun. . .

 I don't know if you remember from last year, but we LOVE Easter around here.  This year was no different.  Our day started with the reading of the Resurrection- the women running, the empty grave, the doubting Thomas, and Jesus telling the disciples to "Go therefore. . . "  Then we rummaged through the mass sugar of the baskets, we went to church, and came home for the Easter egg hunting.

The boys had a blast, and when we opened the sugar-filled eggs, we also found small strips of paper.  We assembled the strips and had another rendition of the "hope to which we have been called."

Then we had some of the students come over who have no families locally, and we ate turkey to our hearts content.  Of course, following that we had to have some Resurrection Cake.  Seriously, I think this is my favorite of all the traditions.  Watching Jesus come up from the cake/grave is really cool!  :)

(I can't get the video to upload, so you'll just have to enjoy last years rendition!  So sorry!)


Anyway, after cake everyone had a seat in the living room and we watched the Gospel of John movie.  I helped clean up the kitchen (props and HUGE thanks to Chad) and then sat outside in the sun for a few minutes.  I was sitting and thinking on the day.  Not the silly parts, not the sugar, but the reality that for  2 millenia the believing church has been celebrating such a reality.  I wanted so desperately to sing an old school hymn, but at church's like ours we don't often sing hymns.  One of our favorite leaders was there and unbeknownst to the rest of his team, he belted out. . . . "Christ the Lord has risen today, al-le-lu-ia!"  Seriously, I started to cry.  I know, John looked at me like I was crazy.  But really, I was thinking about it this afternoon, and though none of us know all of the answers, as believers we have set our hope on the promises of the everlasting Father.  We have joined into a story that is so much bigger than our own lives, something that has been and will always be.  Something that does not change with the momentary whims of my heart. 

"One thing God has spoken, two things have I heard: that you, O God, are strong,  12 and that you, O Lord, are loving."   Psalm 62:11-12

New Camera. . . . old friends.

Okay, so I know I love to take pics and never really understood what I was missing.  My dear friend Candace got this really cool camera for Christmas, and the pictures I have seen from it are amazing.  So, I decided I would be a total copycat and get the exact same one.  Yes friends, exactly the same thing.  And yes, IT IS AMAZING!  I love it.  I never realized all the pics I had been seeing in my brain that were never being taken since my camera was finicky in all kinds of lights, really slow, and generally miserable if the subject was moving.  (let me remind you of the ages of my children . . . 3 and 5)  SO, here is a sampling.  We have been playing with our friends the Millers this week, and I'll do a post on that in the days to come, but that will probably be some of the kiddos below.  Talk to you later!