Ahhhh Chocolate!!

There are some benefits to growing older - chocolate. I consider it an antioxidant now, not an indulgence. I had a great birthday. Got to share it with some family, BBQ'd, ate outside on the deck, and got gifts and lots of phone calls. It was pretty much a perfect day.
Then things got even better today with some more favorable news for Emily. Her baby's heart defect is not as serious as she was first told. The peds cardiologist says it will be quite repairable. Now we will continue to pray her brain development will improve and supposed structural defects will disappear. We have truly felt the great power of prayer. We are so very blessed with a loving, caring family.
I am trying to finish the New Testament (leftover from last year), and found great comfort from a scripture in Philippians 4:6-7. "Be careful for nothing [unduly concerned]; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ."
I take this to mean we should not be overly concerned about things, but we can surely ask for God's help. Then, if we place our trust in Jesus Christ, and place Him as central in our thoughts and deeds, all will be made right.

Farewell Dacia

It is time for Dacia to return to Iowa. We've had many adventures with her. Some fun, some interesting and some - well let's just say she loves to chew. Her latest task is to rip off the fence boards and escape. Not to give her all the credit, but Weezer gets her worked up, and feeds her information on how to escape the yard. Josh and his family made the trek from Iowa to fetch Dacia. She was so glad to see them and surely will enjoy a more youthful home life. We had a great visit with the grandkids. The Runyans came up for a day, and played with their cousins. Grandpa took the whole gang, including the Lyons, to our new McDonalds. Someone asked if they were all his grandchildren, and he said "yes," but this was only half of them!!

Annual Easter Egg Hunt #2

I guess I should have done a slideshow of all the Easter photos, but I am too lazy to sit here and figure it all out - so you will have to see them in 2 installments . Here are Kelman, Sara, Carter and Brechin

Annual Easter Egg Hunt

The annual Easter Egg Hunt at our house was loads of fun. We are happy to include anyone who shows up around Easter time. The weather was wonderful, the food was tasty, and the kids made off with some nice cash. I think Sam was the big time winner, finding one egg with a 10 spot inside. Sorry, Kendall, I didn't get a pic of you. Were you being shy? Here is Aaron supervising one of the twins, another twin finding an egg by the trampoline, Gabby, and Sam

Grandbaby #21, Lacey Beth

I am way behind on posting, so now I will play catch-up. My visit with Micah and his cute little family was wonderful. Thanks to Sarah for putting up with a Mother In-Law, so soon after coming home from the hospital. Lacey Beth was a model baby. Of course, I wasn't the one getting up for middle of the night feedings. Jackson and I had a swell time playing outside, going for walks, and even a little shopping. He said "hello" to all the ladies shopping in Coldwater Creek clothing store, and most everyone at Costco. The weather in Gilbert was wonderful, and Micah & Sarah's new home is lovely. I borrowed a book from Micah for the plane trip home - Follow the River, about a woman abducted by Indians in 1755 who returns to her home by walking 800 miles along the Ohio and New Rivers. I was surely glad I was on an airplane and not walking home.