Picture Update!

I'm back! And very much alive! Life has happened for our family at an incredible rate this month! In the last two and a half weeks, I have experienced Mother's Day, tons of planting and yard work, a visit from my family, and a plane trip to Michigan for a girls' reunion and visit with more family! Wow! All of these things were a huge blessing in my life! Here are a few pictures to give you a small peek into all the wonderful happenings. I would never have the time to adequately share in words everything that has taken place. I think these pictures will help. I'll put the explanations below each one.

I had a wonderful, happy Mother's Day with my two precious children! It ended with a delicious meal at a local Greek restaurant! Opa!

We are so excited to finally have a tree in our front yard! It's so nice to look out the window and see green leaves! Thanks to my sweetheart for all the hard work! Joshua also planted two more trees in the backyard and numerous perennials. I had fun putting in a rainbow of colourful annuals in different containers throughout the yard. It was picture perfect by the time my family arrived!

This is my dad enjoying a carousel ride with Sara and Sky at Heritage Park. Those happy smiles say it all!

And here are Sara and Sky with their 4 aunties! In order from left to right, Hannah (7), Sky (4), Heather (15), Sara (7), Holly (10), and Heidi (13). This was on the train ride at Heritage Park. I finally got to treat my family to my favourite place in Calgary! It was a long, but fun day of exploration!

My family, being from Texas, had never been to an IKEA before! Half of the things in my house are from IKEA, so I HAD to take them there! It was another fun day, in spite of wind and rain! They especially enjoyed the Swedish meatballs and $1 frozen yogurt cones!

Last Friday, I flew (by myself!), to Michigan for a very special reunion. For those of you who are just getting to know me, I travelled with Life Action Ministries (based in Niles, MI), from 1995-2000. This was a girlfriend's reunion for those of us who travelled together in this ministry. A very special bond of the heart was formed between those of us who shared so much together. It was absolutely wonderful to hug on all these "girls" again, and catch up on each other, and see pictures of husbands and kids, and laugh and cry over memories we will always share. This picture and the next are the girlfriends who were in my bridal party 8 1/2 years ago! It was really neat that we were all able to make it to the reunion! From left to right, you see Jan, Jennifer, Meghan, Karen and Pegs. (That's my former nickname!) Oh, and I also got to hug and spend time with another blogging buddy, Judith. But...I never got a picture with her. :-(

It was so good to laugh together again!

After the reunion, I was able to spend a day a half with my brother, Scott, his beautiful wife, Andrea, and my two cute nephews, Luke (2) and Caleb (7 months)! They are with Life Action Ministries and Scott heads up the computer department at the headquarters in Niles, MI. Last year, they majorly renovated an old, fixer-upper home in Niles. They did an amazing job and the house is beautiful! The guest room was just like a bed and breakfast - Andrea thought of everything! I felt very pampered and loved!

I found the boys like this after breakfast on Monday morning. Luke got ahold of the blood pressure monitor and was taking Caleb's blood pressure! It was so cute! But, then Daddy found out and we had to put the machine away! :-)

These are my two buddies, all snug and ready for bed! It was very special to spend this time with them and get to know them better. And I was able to take 2 BIG suitcases full of Sky's outgrown clothes for them to use. It was like Christmas for Scott and Andrea!

I want to say a HUGE thank you to Joshua for watching the kids for me while I was away. He was pretty much Super Dad and I couldn't have asked him to do a better job! He took the kids to piano/music lessons, washed all the sheets and towels that my family left behind, gave baths when needed, kept the house clean, fed them decent food, and even took them swimming! All with no prompting! My parents and sisters helped watch Sara and Sky on Friday, while Joshua was at work and I was flying to Michigan. My family left on Saturday morning, and Joshua and the kids were on their own for the weekend. Then Joshua's parents drove down on Sunday evening so they could do the childcare while Joshua worked on Monday and Tuesday. It takes a village.... Thanks to everyone who helped out!

My heart is full. I am so thankful for these special moments that God gave to me this month. "Thank you Lord, for my beautiful family near and far, for my girlfriends and all their love and support, for springtime and new life! You have given me so much and I just want to praise You!"