Dogwoods and decks

 April is a good time to go to Northwest Arkansas.  The dogwoods were in bloom.

My mother loved dogwood trees.  She often remarked about the petals that formed the shape of a cross.  The pistil looks like the crown of thorns.  And the color at the edges represent the blood of Christ.   Mom would be thrilled to know Josh's have a dogwood tree in their yard.

Eli was outside playing basketball when we drove up to their drive.  Al had to show his stuff to Eli!  He was hot in highschool and still has skills, even at his "old" age!

We took a look at the tree house they built.

Josh had the insight and compassion to make the 

steps easier for us older grandparents to climb up

with the nice grip handles.  

We enjoyed a game of Life.  Emeri was gone for a sleepover; her first in over a year since Covid began.

The next morning, it was raining, so Al finsihed reading Sherlock Holmes to Eli that he had begun the night before.

One of the reasons we came (besides just to see the kids) was because Al came to help Josh with his deck.  This was a work weekend.  They needed to tear out the old wood that was rotting.

Josh drew up plans for the deck.  They will also be adding a lap pool later on.

Dismantling the deck.

Three generations at work.

If Jobi were a cat, he would have no problem getting across.

Eli took a couple of breaks.  He played the piano,

and played games with his Nana.

Since the guys are tearing apart and building and Eli and I were "building" Jenga, it reminded me of Eph. 4:29

Don't tear eachother down.

In the evening, we went out to eat.  Staci's parents joined us.  We stayed at their house...the Prier Hotel.  Each night after we left Josh's, we would talk with them until 11:30!  At home we usually go to bed at 9, but we have such fun with Dan and Lisa!!  Josh picked some pretty good in-laws!