HAPPY JUNE!!!

Spring 2010 BLACKBERRY Album

HAPPY TUESDAY! Dirty hands and feet, almost frozen-iced sweet tea, garden fragrances thick in the air and an ocean of color before me, who could ask for more? Only 20 days til it's officially Summer!

Due to the technical problems of late, we will not even attempt to play 'catch up' with blogging today, other than to say, we have been exceptionally busy since our last post... Concerts with The Pfeifers, The Perry's ~ and more, fun field trips ~ to places like The Indy Zoo, Chuck E. Cheese, The Children's Museum, etc., Memorial Day trip ~ to Ohio and much, much more!

Recently, we are grateful to have been given a handful of photos (from other people), which we will post soon, along with as many new ones of our own, as possible! (We have also added a very small photo album to this post... however, please excuse the quality, as they were taken on Greg's BlackBerry and are quite blurry.)

Revival Blessings and More

WOW! Where has the month of April gone??? We have had a wonderful month, that's for sure! The weekend following our last post, we drove out to be with Greg's family for a couple of days and had a blast! His Mom and I spent the majority of the weekend 're-doing' much of their first floor... and hoping to complete both floors by either the Holidays or late Winter ('11)! Decorating is very comforting to me and so much fun!
Upon our return home, we had few battles to fight for a few days, but God really helped us to rise above the circumstances! We made a decision that "in the happy moments, we would praise God; during difficult moments, we would seek God; in the quiet moments, we would praise God; even in the painful moments, we would trust God; and in EVERY moment, we would THANK God!" If you think about a hot, fresh, glazed donut... your mouth is sure to begin to 'water'! Now, think about the ingredients that go into that donut, to make it so yummy. While some of them may be appealing in their own right (sugar), others are not so tantalizing (lard), yet without the lard, the donut wouldn't work! But, we'd still rather not think about it being in there, right? Life is kinda like a donut, sometimes! [Romans 8:28]
Greg drove a group of young men down to Kentucky for the following weekend, where they attended KMBC's "iLIVE 2010". An enjoyable and spiritual time was had by all! Aly and I were able to enjoy a couple of days together here at home and a VERY fun "play-date" with our friends, Carley, Claire and their mommy, Becky! A true 'girls evening out' and Aly thought she had the world by the tail, for sure!!!
Mother and I attended the "Ladies Spring Fling"... Mother/Daughter Luncheon... hosted by the ladies of our church, on the 17th, which was really nice for us! For Aly too, because she was able to have a "date" with her Papaw, at the same time!
Our church Spring Revival,was held on April 18 - 21, with Rev. Jim Mellish and Mark and Janene Dubbeld. This was without a doubt, the best Revival our church has had, atleast in the last five years!!! Not ONLY because of what our own family received from it, but because the Holy Spirit came in unbelievable ways! GOD IS SO GOOD... ALL THE TIME AND ALL THE TIME... GOD IS SO GOOD!!!!! (If you care to hear the details of what happened in our own family, just let me know and I'll gladly 'fill you in'!) "Got any rivers YOU think are uncrossable? Got any mountains YOU can't tunnel through? God specializes in things thought impossible!"

Mrs. Esther 'caught' Aly, sitting up in the Pastor's chair yesterday, following the morning service and sent this photo of 'the moment' to us..... the 'up-do' is more of an 'do-down', at this point in the day, though! LOL
Remember, if you have time to worry about what is on your neighbors back porch, maybe you should worry about what is on your own back porch! Food for thought on a dreary Monday ~ and the same would go for what's on the front porch!!!

Easter Fun & Spring Happenings (2010)

We will not bore you with the "story" of the past weeks, since our last post, but we would like to add a slide show. This will give you a 'taste' of our Easter weekend of fun and MORE!!! (Click on the center of the slide to be taken directly to the photo album. BUT, NOT ON THE ARROW, because that will only begin the slide show.)
On a personal note, I would like to add, how happy we were to have a portion of the Louisiana family with us over the weekend! Our only regret, was that they were not ALL able to be here, but for those that were, thank you, we love you and we can't wait to see y'all again!

Saturday:The First Day of Spring (I'll take a Chocolate Malt, please?)

(Aly, the Steak-N-Shake Chef~Mar. 2010)

"Hark, I hear a robin calling!
List, the wind is from the south!
And the orchard-bloom is falling
Sweet as kisses on the mouth.
In the dreamy vale of beeches
Fair and faint is woven mist,
And the river's orient reaches
Are the palest amethyst.
Every limpid brook is singing
Of the lure of April days;
Every piney glen is ringing
With the maddest roundelays.
Come and let us seek together
Springtime lore of daffodils,
Giving to the golden weather
Greeting on the sun-warm hills."
~ Lucy Maud Montgomery, Spring Song

We are thrilled that the first day of Spring is only hours away, now! We love this time of year... everything coming to "life", once again! Nice weather means many fun things to do outdoors and Aly is certainly having trouble trying to contain her excitement! City Parks to visit, all sorts of animals to see at the Indianapolis Zoo, awesome art exhibits for 'hands on fun' are waiting at the Children's Museum and SO much more! This is sure to be a fantastic Spring/Summer!

Trust all of our friends and family, in Blogger-Land, have enjoyed a very GrEeN and hApPy sT. pAtRiCk'S dAy today! A green world is so much more beautiful than a dark, dried up one! Our prayer is, that YOU will each have an even better "First Day of Spring" this year, than you ever have before. (Saturday's only 2+ days away, you know!)

Síochán leat! (Peace be with YOU!)

A Combination of Cabin Fever & Spring Fever

"It may still be winter for the next 9 days or so, but it is not to early to be rejuvenated by the many sentiments of Spring. Spring is a time of growth, renewal, and new life being born. If tomorrow is another beautiful day like the past few days have been, be sure to 'stick your head out the window, first thing in the morning and let Spring kiss you..... bAnG right in the face'." [adapted from L. Hughes]
The changes in the weather of late, are sufficient enough to 'recreate' the world as we see it and to boost OR deflate our moods immediately. So, as Spring blows in, we need to keep our moods 'in check', whether there be sunshine OR rain and try a little understanding! I strive not to laugh at human actions, not to weep at them, or even hate them..... but, trying instead to understand them. However, UNDERSTANDING does not necessarily mean AGREEMENT! [anonymous] “I believe the nicest and sweetest days are not those on which anything splendid, even wonderful or exciting things happen..... just those that bring simple little pleasures, following one another softly, like pearls off a string. Simple meaning, things like putting away our worries and strife to focus on nothing, but the 'pearls' in our lives. This one act will boost our moods, no matter what is going on around us. God expects us to enjoy the GOOD times He sends our way..... like SPRINGTIME!” [unknown] Le-say le bon-ton rou-la!!!!!

Aly enjoyed the Pie/Cake Auction(2/28/10)...especially the meringue as you can see!
To ward off severe cases of Cabin-Fever, last Friday we enjoyed delicious Romano's Macaroni Grill Lasagna, at Mamaw S's with the Indy crew. Saturday, Greg, Aly and I had a terrific Spring-y day hitting the town..... Bouncer Town, Old Time Pottery, Pizza Hut and Wal Mart. Sunday, yet another good day, ending with a KMBC Choir Concert and meal following. So far, this week we've been going non-stop and are not likely to slow down much before Saturday! "It's Spring Fever. That's what the name of it is. When you've got it, you want..... oh, you don't quite know what it is you DO want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so! [Mark Twain]
It's almost Spring..... only a few days to go, do you know where your bloomers are? =)