Blooming

 This year, my orchid bloomed for Easter. I was so happy that I was able to keep this plant living for over a year, and to have it actually bloom while I was caring for it!

 I am quite thrilled that I was actually able to keep my African Violet alive for a whole year (the longest that I've ever had a violet survive has been 4 months=(  and now we are enjoying the beautiful flowers covering this plant. It has been an exciting step in the right direction!

This poor Christmas cactus is rather confused! It was covered with blossoms at Christmastime, then started flowering again the month of February. Maybe I should rename it the "Life of Christ Cactus," since it seems to go the full cycle!  

Tomorrow we head for Riverside for the March for Babies, so we need some rest. God's blessings to all!

Off to the Beach

 Saturday before Easter, M&B came to visit, and since the day was sunny and clear...time to head for the beach! (K has been talking about this since the last visit, so we were excited to comply with her wish)

 E did not have the same excitement as her older sister, but she was happy to be in a new place to explore!

 Sand and water and toys! It was a perfect combination for creativity.

 
 Time for a snack...actually, E has been snacking non-stop since she discovered that she can feed herself!

 This is a young lady with purpose in her step, and food in her hand.

 It was really hard to tell who was having more fun--daddy or little girl!

 Time for a snack

 ...then back to work!

 time to warm up in Nana's lap

One for the road...

Em loved to sit on the step, it was just the right size for her!

Happy Easter

Even though we awoke to a rainy Easter morning, our spirits were filled with the joy that only comes from knowing and loving the victorious, risen Lord Jesus Christ. We gladly joined our congregation in singing the words to this wonderful new hymn by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend:

"See, what a morning, gloriously bright, with the dawning of hope in Jerusalem;

folded the graveclothes, tomb filled with light, as the angels annouce "Christ is risen!"

See God's salvation plan, wrought in love, borne in pain, paid in sacrifice,

fulfilled in Christ the Man, for He lives: Christ is risen from the dead!

See Mary weeping, "Where is He laid?"
as in sorrow she turns from the empty tomb.

Hears a voice speaking, calling her name;
It's the Master, the Lord, raised to life again!

The voice that spans the years, speaking life, stirring hope, bringing peace to us,

will sound till He appears, for He lives: Christ is risen from the dead!"

We were so happy that M&B joined us for the weekend. On Saturday, we took advantage of the sunny weather and went to the beach (that will be the next post). But Easter was a celebration time for our church family and our small family that was able to be here. K loved twirling and dancing in her new Easter dress...

"Ring around the rosy...we all fall down" (And look at those beautiful curls!)

There were candy-filled eggs...

and some fun with stamps.

It was so thrilling to watch this little one as she looked and found those pretty colored eggs. We couldn't help but recall one year ago; Em had only just come home from a long four month stay in the hospital and was still dealing with major health issues. It made us rejoice just to watch her toddling about! A year ago, we did not know if she was going to be blind, and here she is--looking for eggs! We praise God for His goodness.

Big sister carried the basket...

and little sister helped to search for eggs.

I love this picture of the girls hunting behind the sofa!

K showing dad her treasures

Em showing Poppi her treasures!

More surprises!

I love how she looks so intently at things!

Daddy found some free time to just get lost in his book (he said he was freezing!)

Since this little girl started to walk, she has been going non-stop! Sometimes it makes us tired just watching her constantly on the go. She is so busy and always finding something new to hold, or throw, or pick up, or taste. Such a fun time to have at least some of our family together for Easter. (Sadly, we focused so much on the kids that we never did get a family picture together...oh well, we have lots of good memories and pictures in our minds!) A blessed Easter week to all!

A Perfectly Wonderful Week

 Last week we were in Minnesota. When we arrived at my parents' house, they still had a bit of snow, but within two days we were looking at lawns that were starting to "green up."

 It felt strange to leave the palm trees and green grass here in CA that morning, and the next morning to wake up to this starkness of winter. (But after talking to my mother this morning, we are thankful that we were not visiting this weekend, as they had several inches of snow cover on the ground again!) I enjoyed the gentle, slower lifestyle of small town midwest living. Walking on the country roads and listening to the robins singing was so relaxing and calming.

 Mother writing in her daily journal

 Dad and I enjoyed some games of Dominoes

 Great Grandma's lifeline to the outer world

 I also arrived in time to witness the cresting of the Red River of the North. After record-breaking snowfalls, the Red River Valley was experiencing flooded rivers and alot of overland flooding. (The riverbed is actually back there in the middle of the picture, all the water in the foreground is from flooding)

 Sorry this is blurry, but I snapped this picture as we were crossing the bridge in Fargo, ND. The water was only about 10ft below the bridge. Fortunately, the water level was starting to descend when I left, but who knows what the latest snowfall will do to the flood conditions.

 Sunday afternoon we put together easy puzzles...

 and played more games of Dominoes!

 My dad had a daily routine of showing me his family picture. His memory is not what it used to be, but some things are very clear for him. His love of music has sustained him in these latter years, and his voice is still strong and clear, and in perfect pitch. Even though he tends now to sing more Norweigen songs (the language of his childhood), I was blessed several times to hear him sing those old hymns of assurance: 

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! Oh what a foretaste of glory divine.

Heir of salvation, purchased of God, born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

This is my story, this is my song! Praising my Savior, all the day long!

And then another day, as I was washing dishes, he came and put his arm around me. As we looked out the window at our beautiful morning sky with scattered clouds floating by, he started to sing:

I'm going higher and higher some day, I'm going higher to stay. 

Over the clouds and beyond the blue sky, 

Going where none ever sicken or die. 

Loved ones to meet in that sweet by and by--

I'm going higher some day.  

I am so blessed to have godly parents who live their faith and pray daily for us generations that follow--that we too will know and love the Lord Jesus as they do.

 There were so many wonderful signs of spring: a new baby in the family...

 tiny buds forming on the branches...

 tulips poking out of the soil...

 and clean laundry drying on the clothesline. But sadly enough, this spring also brought water leaking through the foundation and into my parents basement.

 The last two days of my stay, mom and I were in the basement every couple hours, vacuuming up the water and moving furniture and boxes to dryer places.

 It was rather depressing to stand and watch the water as it literally seaped up through any little crack in the floor. The only good thing about the situation was that we were forced to clean up the basement!

 This great little machine became our dearest friend!

Thanks, Dad and Mom, for a wonderful time of memories together.
God's blessings always!