April is flying by- here's a few pictures to capture our last month. We had a visit from the Swearingen family. Gracie and Anna Grace had the best time playing together- she's 4 1/2 and was like a great big sister to Gracie! Gracie is really into shoes these days! You'll see pink "fancy" shoes and big black shoes that she borrowed from Linnea! She is going to sleep with her dolly and they both had to wear hats and have something to drink! Actually this is my dolly from when I was a little girl (Baby Button nose)! She loves to play in the sink while I'm in the kitchen. Lately, she likes to dunk her head in the sink and get her hair all wet! She just thinks she's too funny! The young girl with blond hair is Ashley- she is 11 and is Gracie's good friend and babysitter. Ashley comes over on Wednesday afternoons and helps me with Gracie! She has been a God-send! Last you'll see some beautiful daffodils and tulips that mom planted for me last fall as a house-warming gift! They are so beautiful! Thanks mom.
Joey is playing on a laid-back club soccer team this spring. He is getting to play alot, and really enjoying himself. He is also spending lots more time at church learning the sound board and lighting. He is starting to do sound for high school and middle school youth group! Go Joey! He may even be helping with the "Super Chic" concert that is at the church next week! We have decided to home school him next year- he is really ready to be done with school this year- only 4 more weeks! He works so hard, made the junior national honor society, and is continues to be a wonderful young man. He hopes to apply for a job at Bananas this summer- a fun park for kids.
Wade is in the Philippines now on a missions trip- he is having a blast and loving every minute of it. He will be back in Boise on May 20 and graduates on May 23. We will be going up there for that celebration, then plan to spend some time in Yellowstone and the Tetons on our way home. Wade plans to go to Mesa State in the fall to study for a Music-Business major. Chelsea is still his sweetheart and she'll be going to Boise with us next month.
Kirk is healing well from his achilles tendon tear. He will be off his cane/crutches formally next week. His leg is still pretty weak but he's working hard to get his strength back. He is able to play golf, but still wears his boot. It's nice to have him doing so much better. Church continues to be busy and challenging, but things are going well. God is good and he continues to learn alot!
Gracie is growing like a weed and is turning into a little girl from a baby- she is such a girl- loves babies, dress-up, shoes, fancy things, tea parties, playing kitchen, and helping me cook and bake and clean. She talks non-stop and is pretty understandable. She took swimming lessons and is doing much better in the water. In fact, we had the pool opened this week, and once it got to 90 degrees :) we got in today! Wow- it was so fun. A long 6 month winter for me! ALthough Gracie is very strong-willed and persistent and demanding- she had a very tender and compassionate heart and spirit. Any time she sees someone crying, get hurt or sad, she goes and gives them a hug or kiss (even on TV or in a book!). She loves to pray, and loves for us to pray for her at night. We are sponsoring a little Chinese girl who is in foster care. Gracie is so interested in her, and is concerned that she doesn't have a daddy (the picture is with her foster mom)- so she always wants to pray for her! We anticipate that God has great things in store for this little girl!
I had a long hard winter- literally and also in my soul. The reality of being here permanently has set in, the honeymoon is over, and I realize how much I still miss our church family, friends and co-workers. I've also been humbled being home full-time. I always felt pretty appreciated and felt I did pretty well in my work endeavors over the past years. Being at home is another story- although I know how valuable it is and wouldn't trade this time for anything, there are few "cudos" and I can rarely check off anything from a "to-do" list. God is working on me to realize that my worth is totally in him, and not in what I do and who I get affirmations from. So, my days are full, but at the end of the day, I wonder what I did! Being a mom of a 2 year old at age 47 is much more tiring and by 8 pm, I'm pretty much done for the day! So, I continue to try to be thankful in all things, and do look forward to spring and summer, my garden, fruit trees, the pool, and having my whole family back home. Outside of home, I led a Beth Moore study on Daniel for some young moms, am starting an adoption ministry in the church, pray after services on the ministry team, and help in the nursery once a month. We have put in some paperwork for a special needs child from China. China has changed the way they are matching these children, so I'm not sure what is in the future for us with another adoption. It's all in God's hands now, so we wait and trust him.
