Bless this "Thyme"...

That was the theme of our Mother/Daughter Brunch today.
I was in full swing this week preparing for the decorating of the banquet, as well as housing our "guest speaker" for the weekend. I have come to realize this week that I am not good at being busy. Even a little busy in comparison to most people. I get nervous. I get flustered. I'll leave busyness with those who can multi-task.
I was asked to substitute on Friday. Ok. Be flexible. I was able to set all of the tables during last hour. The auditorium set-up went super smooth on Thursday evening. I came home from school and realized there was no chicken cooked for my chicken pot pie I was making for our company. The company that was due to arrive within the next two hours. Again. Relax. Be flexible. Luckily frozen chicken boils well...
Once my friend arrived for the weekend, I felt myself relaxing. I think the preparation of a hectic weekend is more nerve-racking than the actual event. Kari and I had a great time of fellowship. Friends are like that. You pick up where you left off. We laughed. We shared heartbreaks and burdens. We told, "You wouldn't believe it if I told you..." stories. Our children played wonderfully together all weekend. We stayed up well past our bedtime.
The brunch went wonderfully. The decorations were beautiful. We have very talented ladies in our church. Everyone came together to really pull off a stunning display in both the auditorium and the table area. The food was delish! The devotional was very encouraging.
Bless this time...
- My home is my greatest ministry at this moment. Do I treat it as such?
- Weeds grow quickly and can destroy plants. Do I tend to the "weeds" in my home daily?
- God has designed our lives to have a "bouquet" of support. Parents. Friends. Relatives. Church family. Children. I am thankful for those in my life that add to the beauty of living. I would not be where I am today if not for the wonderful people God has used throughout my life to help me grow.
Thank you to Kari for your time of preparation for this weekend. You were a blessing to me in countless ways. I truly treasure your friendship.

Bowling...

This was the first time Calla or Amelia had been bowling. It was so fun watching them try to hurl that ball down the lane. Dana tried to teach Calla how to "granny-bowl", but I don't think she has the arm muscle for that yet. Amelia needed help carrying the ball. After every throw, she would skip back to the seats and say, "My turn now." We let Amelia wear bowling shoes, even though they were four sizes too big. She loved it. The girls had a great time. The three adults had an even more enjoyable time watching bowling through the eyes of children.

Nonny...

My girls love their Nonny. This trip Amelia called her Amma. We continually corrected her, but it her little brain hasn't figured it out yet. To her, Amma and Nonny are one in the same. We were able to do lots of fun things while she was here. Bowling. The park. Shopping of course. We had a wonderful time.

Queen Calla Caroline...

Grossly overdue...
Calla's fifth birthday party.

Her outfit was adorable. Complete with glove sleeves and pearl buttons.
This is the best picture we were able to get of her in it.

The fare.

She was deathly afraid that the sparkler candles were going to explode or make a loud "POP!"
We had a wonderful "golden jubilee" for our big girl.

The Domes...

I was invited to ride along with my sister-in-law to visit The Domes in Milwaukee. I had never been. Sounded like fun. Three large botanical domes. Each one with a different climate. The first was a hot, humid tropical dome. This was awesome. I saw a plant that looked like a supersized version of a common houseplant. It was magnificent. A little overboard for describing a plant, right? I couldn't stop staring at it. I tried to take a picture but the humidity did not do well with my camera.
The second dome was arid zones. So many different types of cacti and such. This second dome caused me to think about how amazing our Creator really is. Each plant, down to its leaves, was intricately designed by God. Unbelievable.
The last dome was Wisconsin climate. We were able to look at plants that"supposedly" grow well in Wisconsin. Well. Maybe in a controlled environment, but not in my front yard! I am learning to enjoy the beauty of flowers and plants, but my thumb is as brown as ever. I think I may even emit a strange toxin that kills off most plants I try to "lovingly" tend to. Oh well. I enjoy the trying, too.

Easter Sunday...

I realized I never posted a picture of the girls in their cutesy dresses from their Amma. They had gloves and sweaters, too. Those didn't last too long. "You can dress 'em up, but you can't take 'em out!"

Happy birthday, little brother...

I am wishing my brother, Bo, a great 25th! May this year be filled with joy!
Love you!My brother is a great guy! I remember, when we were young, I would think about what Bo would look like when he was older. He was such a scrawny, toe-headed kid that my thoughts were way off! He is such a big guy, but his heart can be even bigger. He has a humor bigger than himself. He can make anyone laugh with his English humored one-liners!. He has so much of my dad in him, too. Mannerisms. Humor. And heart. My brother showed me part of his heart when our Amelia came into this world. He had made the trek to Michigan so that he could drive with my mom when Amelia was born. It was wonderful enough to have him be there at that special time. But he went a step further. Bo never even saw my house. We live 15 miles from the hospital. The first night, Mom and Bo stayed at a hotel. From that point on, Bo was with me. He read every last boring parent magazine in the room and lobby. He would share "interesting" facts that he had read. When I had to stay an extra night in the hospital because of Amelia's jaundice, Bo stayed with me. He stretched his massive 6'5" frame onto that uncomfortable hospital "chairbed." We chatted into the night. He made me wake him up whenever I went in to see Amelia or she had another blood test. He was so faithful.
I love you, Bo. Thank you for being my brother.