My Week in Pictures

We celebrated Easter at our house on Sunday, minus Laura and Ben who are now safely back in Seattle after about three months in Pasadena.
The most precious moment of the day was Noah's version of the Easter story - "Jesus was dead and then he woke up and the cave was empty!"

The kids enjoyed an Easter egg hunt in our basement - mostly candy, but a few with some $.

Sophie is ready to hunt for eggs

Tori

Sophie

Noah shows his collection to Great-Grandma

Zac loves his mom :)

Tori went with me to watch Tom & Anna's kids on Monday. She is a GREAT helper and the kids love it when she comes!

Tori reads to the kids - there may be another teacher in the family some day :)

Tori and Sophie


Abby and Sophie

Sophie's drawing of the day she came home from the hospital

Noah

Tori made a card for her mom and dad


Tori shows me one of their new chicks

On Tuesday I enjoyed coffee with sister Beckie and her sister Susie who is in town for a visit.

Had supper out with friend Sue on Wednesday night - she's always great for some good conversation and lots of laughs :) This is for you, Sue....( ) ! (She'll get it :)

Thursday night we went to South Christian's musical "Fiddler on the Roof". On the right is Brianna, a friend from church who played Yente the matchmaker; on the left is friend Julie who played the same role in 1989 :)


May your life be surprisingly colorful.....

...and may you be perched high enough to see all the blessings around you!

Joys

Finally posting some pictures that have been sitting in my camera for the last couple of weeks......

The finger paints....oh, my. The kids had great fun, but I'm quite sure the paintings are still drying! Anna says it's all part of the charm :)

Sophie

Noah

Nephew Kristofer celebrated his 10th birthday on March 7. He received a rousing rendition of "Happy Birthday" from his classmates and enjoyed passing out cupcakes to each of them.




This next one is of Noah 'hiding with his guys'.....

Watch out, Noah - Supergirls are after you!


We enjoyed a great fish fry at friend Bob's place on beautiful Silver Lake.

Bill, Bob, Jim

Great friends - Bill and Chris

'Sisters' Lunch' this month included nephew Ben and his wife Cat :)

As the winter weather continues here in Michigan, the baseball games remain indoors. This short clip is of Tom and his kids :)



We had a great time at supper w/ friends Curt and Jan on Tuesday night (we missed you this time, Gary & Shirley!)


Now - congratulations to our friend Jim who moved his dental practice to a beautiful new office; two of his sons are in practice with him. Has to be the most gorgeous office ever!

Drs. Jamie, Jim, and Andrew

Trying out the new dentist chair - there is a special room for
'unusual cases' :)

Last, but certainly not least....

My 'sister' Beckie (we don't like the 'in-law' part....) asked me to post a request for prayers on her behalf. After receiving help for emotional concerns, she is now back at home. She requests prayers for herself and her family while she transitions back into the routine of family life, school, etc.

(This is Beckie and I approve this message - actually, I helped write it :)

Thanks - and special Easter blessings to all who read this!

Random Thoughts

Just posting some random pictures with some musings. Those of you who know me well will understand.

When life comes rushing down on you....
When it's more than you can chew....

When it's going up in flames.....

When you feel like a fish out of water.....

When you went and broke Grandma's Hummels.....(my family will 'get' this one :)

When life.....well, you finish the sentence......
You can.......

make your own music!

You can dance!

You can keep smiling :)

You can keep on keeping on!

You can find a quiet and peaceful place to rest (look closely :)

You can dig.....

and you will find......
that all of God's promises are true!

His mercies are new every morning!

Spring will follow winter.....

and refreshment awaits.

Taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8)

Jesus is the Bread of life....

and the Light of the world.

He is the Good Shepherd who provides green pastures....


...and leads us to quiet waters.

And somehow He takes all the pieces and fits them together to give us a sturdy path.

The road is not always easy, smooth, or straight.
But we are blessed!
We have a solid foundation beneath our feet and our destination is sure.

Thanks to those of you who trudge along.

For those of you who are wondering, the pictures are:
1 - rushing water - the Klamm in southern Germany
2 - Tom's sandwich at Red Robin
3 - Japanese restaurant
4 - fish at Pike's Public Market in Seattle
5 - 'Hummel' from the cottage (sorry, Mom)
6 - line near our tailgate party before a Grand Valley State football game (thanks, Doug & Lynne - for the fun, not the line :)
7 - Noah at Disney World
8 - Abby and Tom at Disney World
9 - Tori - K-2 musical at Byron Christian School
10 -Ben finishing the LA Marathon - 26 miles in 3:14!!
11 - orange grove near Cocoa Beach, Florida
12 - Meike and Ute at the Watt by the North Sea
13 - rainbow over Muskegon River (thanks, Tom & Ila!)
14 - sunrise from our condo
15 - tree by Tom & Anna's house
16 - the Klamm in southern Germany
17 - fruit (thanks, Marcia!)
18 - bread that Anna made
19 - Meike and Gundolf's backyard in Marktbreit, Germany
20- sheep grazing near the Altmuhlesee near Meike's
21- Koning See, Germany
22 - parking lot in Wurzburg, Germany