A visit

This past week when I was babysitting my granddaughter, Claire, my young mom friend Sarah asked if she could come to return a couple of card tables she had borrowed for her garage sale.  Her daughter, Kate came along.

 Since Claire's family has moved to another town, they don't attend our church any more.  If Adam were still the worship pastor here, and hadn't gone to do a church plant as a pastor, these two would be in the same Sunday School class.

Claire was actually supposed to be born first, the month before Kate.  But Kate arrived a whole month early, so these two are only about a week apart in age, with Kate being older!  (except Claire was cooked a little longer!)

 They both have blankies.  Claire calls her "Baba" and Kate calls her "Nigh-nigh".

 They both suck on 2 fingers, although different ones.  Isn't Kate cute, how she holds her fingers with her other hand?  Looks like Claire is wondering what she is doing.

 They both have blue eyes!

 Both girls had their hair fixed the same way this morning.

Kate got soaked and had to go home to change!

Claire loves Papa's fountain too!

Sarah said they were going to the park for a picnic and to play and asked if we'd like to go too.

Oh yes!!  That's the next post.

Changing times

Last year at Easter, we were in Jerusalem worshiping at the Garden Tomb

with people from all around the world.  Spectacular!

A little glimpse of heaven.

Below are some dear friends we made on that trip!

This year, we drove to the home place on Saturday to celebrate the day with our family.

This summer, Al's brother plans to add on to the house so it will look different.

 We were a smaller group this year.  I think it might be the first time in many, many years we have actually had a sit down, rather than a buffet style dinner.  And the first time not to do an Easter egg hunt when we got together!

These kids think they are too old for it and none of the little kiddos (grandkids) could make it this year.

Susie and Jared are both graduating from high school this year!

Lots of laughs - we do that a lot!

We went to the basement for a little nostalgic tour.

I guess farmers need lots of hats.

 Would you believe that the folks got this refrigerator when they got married in '48?  And it still works!!
They do NOT make appliances to last these days.

 The laundry shoot.  Al remembers throwing all kinds of things down it - not laundry.

 Reminiscing.

 The old pantry for canned goods.  Such a pretty glass window!

This was hanging on the wall.

Can you guess what it is?

 Back in 87, the round top caught on fire by a spark and this was all that was left of the lawn mower!  You can see the plug in the middle of that melted mess.  (Sarah F., you should have Luke take a guess at that!)

Now for a little rabbit trail....  Here are a couple pictures of them building the round top, back in the late '40's or early '50's.

Then here is a picture of the round top in the left side of the back ground.  It was a great place to store tractors, farm trucks, and several antiques.  Luckily, I asked the folks if we could have the 3/4 size bed that was in the loft.  We refinished it for the kids to use.  So glad we got it out or it would have burnt up too.

And here is the picture of it after the fire.  The fire was so big, they could see the black smoke clear to Wichita and Hutchinson, half an hour away!  For awhile, Al's dad thought Sid had perished in the fire when he tried to drive a tractor out and Dad had gone inside to call the fire department.  It was a very scary time until the fire could get extinguished.

Back to the present day...

still in the basement - the high chair that all the kids used.

The family shower used to be in this spot.  The kids would soap up the floor and slip and slide all over. Laughing over memories.

A beautiful evening to sit on the porch.

The seasons of our lives are changing.  We are getting older.  The young families are having their own celebrations.  That's ok.  A time will come when we will be too old to get together too.  My parents are not able to be with their siblings much anymore.  And Al's parents are both gone from this earth.

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.  Eccl. 3:1

On Easter Sunday morning, the Easter bunny (aka Mary Ellen) came to church!

She was pretty sure that she was the most important thing about Easter but the children in the audience quickly relayed to her that she wasn't!  Dave's sermon, entitled "Beyond the Bunny" was excellent!  You can listen to it here.    Hoppeluia!

Looking forward to the next series!!

Al and I both worked the nursery 3rd service then left to have Easter dinner with my parents and also with Aunt Belva, my dorm parent in Japan when I was in the 1st grade.  She lives in the same complex as my parents.

A wonderful time!  My heart is so full with His presence, His love and His rescue!


Enjoy this sweet cartoon!