To the few people who are still holding out on the chance that we might actually post on this blog - today is your day!

We returned on Saturday after being gone for about 2 months! We heard that spring here has been very cool and rainy, but we arrived just in time for some gorgeous sunny weather. When we got back on Saturday, the high was about 53 degrees. You know I turned on the HEATER when we got home! Yes, the HEATER! In JUNE! It was so strange to leave Canada while there was still snow on the ground and return during a different season.

I have a lot to tell you. I still need to look through photos, so for now I’ll leave you with some pictures of flowers from around our front yard.

Check back soon for part I of our TX update.

Hi, friends! As you probably know, we’ve been traveling around TX. We’re having a blast, and we’ll be back here soon with lots of stories and pictures.

So far, we’ve all stayed well, with the exception of Evan’s short bout with pink eye. We were able to get a prescription for him quickly, and he’s as good as new! We were a little concerned how much it would set us back, but we were so thankful to pay only $4.

Thank you everyone for your prayers and encouragement. We feel so humbled that you all want to hear about our lives and ministry. We’ll see you here soon!

I think this video (link below) is going around through email, but when I come across a good thing, I feel like I gotta’ share it. Here it is if you haven’t seen it. We all know how much I love to hear kids sing!

It took us nearly 16 months to make it to this momentous occasion - our 100th blog post! I have thought a bit about what topic would be worthy of the big 100. I want to blog a recipe, maybe a movie review, and some other random blatherings, but for these purposes, I decided it might be fun to include you behind the scenes of our little spot here on the web.

I don’t pay to much attention to our blog stats, but I did a little digging to find out what you readers found most intriguing. (These stats are based on the number of people that actually click on that post).

The prize for the most often viewed post goes to this one. It got the most comments (29) and the most views (250).

The prize for 2nd most-oft viewed post is a three-way tie and goes to this one, this one, and this one.

The prize for 2nd most worthy of your comments goes to this post.

Our blog has been viewed nearly 16,000 times. And with around 500 total comments, that means we have a lot of lurkers. So let us know you’re here already! I can’t believe we are that interesting, but we do have sweet families and friends that try to keep up with us while we live far away. Thanks for coming back. We’ll do our best to keep you posted!

Life is full of little blessings. I try to notice them.

Remember them. Enjoy them. Thank the Lord for them.

This week has been especially full of sweet things.

Fellowship. Friends. Laughter. Prayers. Hugs. Chocolate.

I made a cake and some cupcakes for a party:

A friend brought us some tulips:

Maren turned 3 Months old:

And Evan asks to hold her all the time. These two are really beginning to “play” together, and it makes me happy:

I say it often, but we are so blessed.

We’re back, friends! Joe ran into some problems when changing our web host. But we’re back in action, ready to bring you all the latest and greatest from our family. More posts soon!

Look what showed up in our mailbox yesterday:

Does anyone else think something is a little wrong with this picture?

Yesterday morning started out like most mornings do…I got up to feed Maren while Joe got ready, got Evan up, and started on breakfast. I joined them later. The sun was shining. The birds were chirping their joyous ready for spring melodies. It was the beginning of a good day. Then Joe walked out of the door to leave for work, and came back in shortly thereafter and somewhat casually mentioned that someone had broken into our car…which is in our driveway…which is right by the front door (insert record scratch sound here). From the look of things, our car was left unlocked. We usually lock it, so it makes me wonder if this thief had checked our car before and was just waiting for a time when we forgot to lock it. Or did they just so happen to find our car on the one night that we forgot to lock it? Things that make you go hmmmm.

We don’t keep much of value in our car, so the thief certainly isn’t going to Disney World on his findings. We figure he only made out with $15, maybe $20 in change. But what’s funny is that it may have been too dark for him to tell that much of that was U.S. quarters. With the exchange rate the way it is, he lost out on that deal.

“The wicked man earns deceptive wages, but he who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.” Proverbs 11:18

I really don’t care about the money. It certainly could have been much worse. Thankfully, our home wasn’t broken into, and we didn’t have any special things taken. The part that bothers me is that some greedy stranger rifled through our things. His or her slimy fingerprints could still be in there! More than anything, I feel sad for people who do things like this and often without any remorse. I over-analyze things sometimes, but I can’t help but wonder about this person…does he or she steal from others often? If so, why? Does this person “need” money for basic needs or a bad habit? What is their standard of right and wrong? Whatever the case, it confirms in me more than ever that “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; [Jesus has] come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10

How can she be months old already?! Sometimes it seems like I just blinked and 2 months went by! That could be because I’ve been tired enough that it has all blurred together
At 2 months, our sweet girl is:

• sleeping through the night (thank you, Lord!)
• smiling a lot
• talking lots with those sweet baby sounds
• weighs 10 pounds
• not a big fan of tummy time
• loves bath time
• so sweet and content
• still sleeping through the entire church service
• SO very loved

It’s that time again…I’ve been “tagged” by Robin D., so here goes nothin’:

The directions - Share five random and/or weird facts about yourself, and then share the five top places on your “want to see or want to see again list, and finally tag five people.

Randomness:
1. Every time I look at something with a texture or pattern (like tile or carpet), I automatically find a face or object in the pattern.

2. I do not like ice tea. (Yes, I am from the south and do not like sweet tea). Never have. I’ve just begun to like hot tea in the last couple of years.

3. As a child, I could not stand the feel of velvet. I would shudder just thinking of it. I don’t mind it now, though.

4. I never get tired of peanut butter and jelly. And my poor boy is allergic to peanuts. Sad city for him that he cannot partake of the deliciousness that is peanut butter.

5. When I was pregnant with Maren, I craved chips. I ate them most days with lunch (with my peanut butter and jelly sandwich). They don’t taste nearly as good since, so I don’t eat them anymore.

Places to go:
1. Italy - we’ve been once. I would love to go back and spend more time in Rome and see other parts that we didn’t see last time. And I’d like to eat more authentic Italian goodness.

2. Germany/Austria/Poland

3. Africa. (I’m aware that that it’s a whole continent, but I want to go to Kenya and South Africa, so I thought I would combine them.) I want to experience the culture and go on a safari.

This was Robin’s answer, but I’ve always wanted to go there, too; especially since I had a good friend in college from Kenya. He showed me lots of pictures and told me all kinds of stories about his family and his childhood. He also taught me how to say “I like peanut butter” in Swahili. (Of course, they do not have peanut butter in Africa, so he had to guess).

4. The Holy Land. I want to walk where Jesus walked and see the places I’ve read about in scripture. This was also Robin’s answer, but it’s on my list, too!

5. Texas!

If you have a blog and you just read this, then I’m “tagging” you. Do it!