Performances

 The children's choirs performed and RonTrail and his brother came with us and did a great job singing as well!

 Gloria and Jackson!  The theme was hymns.

 Lydia now has done something I have never done:  sang a duet in front of an audience!  She and Meredith sang the 2nd verse of All Creatures of our God and King!

 Final Friendship Tea Party Children's Performance.

Wildflower trip

We did our annual spring visit to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and as always it was beautiful!  Since it was the plant sale it was also crowded.

In the tower, you can see my reflection.

A funny one with the grandparents.  It is so nice having them close so they can come up for part of the day.

After trying to get bluebonnet pictures and climb the tower, we had lunch and the girls and grandpa played in the little house while Mom and I went for a walk in the new arboretum.  Such a lovely day.

A Daily Dose of Truth and Encouragement

A Godward Heart-Treasuring the God Who Loves You

50 Meditations for Your Journey by John Piper

I love John Piper; he, like CS Lewis, seems to put deep thoughts into clear words.  When I saw I Piper book available for bloggers, I grabbed it!  I received this book for free from the publisher’s Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review.

I had not read one of Piper’s devotional books before, but plan on getting more and know I will reread this one again in the future. 

Each day is three to six pages and covers a crazy range of topics, from meditations on a specific verse, to voting, to race, to prosperity teachers, to suffering and joy and twitter!  I got this book at a time when I really needed to be regularly presented with thoughts on God’s love, plan and purpose for us.  That is the best things about Piper (though lately I have been enjoying reading authors/bloggers who disagree with him on both theology-Calvinism and presentation, I think I can be fed by both) he hugely advocates for God’s sovereignty but never never never stops stressing GOD’S LOVE.   The way he talks about both is compelling and beautiful.

A quotation from a discussion with his daughter, “You know that whether you die in a bridge collapse or in a car accident or from cancer or terrorism or old age, God always keeps you, even when you die.”  Honesty and truth that can be beneficial to us all.  

Easter!

 Grammy came to visit for Easter weekend.  We went to the mall for me to get a flowery Easter dress and then lunch at Hula Hut, cool breeze, tons of people and fun nature to watch on the water.  Then back home to dye eggs.

 Our neighbors came over for an egg hunt including candy, confetti and Resurrection eggs, we told the story with them while they kids ate candy.  Caleb fried fish for dinner!

 Easter Sunday-he is risen!  Lydia lost a tooth so both the Easter Bunny & Tooth Fairy visited.

 Family in front of our agave which is blooming!  It should be pretty and then die after.  We had a great time in our SS class and then Caleb and I worked out last nursery (forever!) with 13 three year olds.  The weather was nice so we spent a lot of time outside on the playground before making playdoh crosses and empty tombs :)

 After a crockpot lunch on the picnic table we took pictures in the drainage ditch which has pretty buttercups.

Eating bunny ears with Grammy!

Animal Fun

 I bought a groupon for a Horse Riding lesson for Lydia.  She of course had a wonderful time.  While Lydia was learning all about grooming and posting, Gloria and I played with a bunch of dogs.

 Gloria enjoyed petting the horse too.

 After Friendship Gloria and I went to a teacher's home for picnic and to enjoy the calves and bluebonnets.  This is Tiny, who was bottle fed and enjoyed being petted.

A few of the friends who came!

Enchanted Rock

 First trip to Enchanted Rock since the spring I was pregnant with Lydia!  This time everyone was able to carry themselves.  Janine from Germany came too.  We enjoyed the wildflowers on the drive, and had a nice picnic before heading up.

 We made it to the top and crawled through a rock crack.

 Family pic!  Lydia was super silly and Gloria was really go to HOME!

We stopped in Fredericksburg for lunch at a German restaurant.

March Fun

 After a great Spring Break camping trip, and giving blood for autism research, we spent the weekend in Salado and enjoyed the spring weather with Nana & Grandpa.

 For Friendship we went on a Field trip to the Elisabet Ney Museum.

 Attempt at curls :)

 Lydia was Sally Ride, the first female in space, for the 1st grade history of firsts performance.

 Carrie and family came to visit and they kids spent the whole time outside including a visit to see

 WILDFLOWERS.

I had a horrible sinus infection but we all enjoyed the quick trip.