Erica and Stella Owen
Matt, Erica and Stella Owen
The College Friends: Rob, Matt and Aaron
Aaron, Terri Lynn, Ainsley, and Austin Bump
All the kids!
Love this picture of Maggie and Stella...
Ainsley and Maggie: New Pals

This past weekend, the girls and I were able to go with Rob on one of his trips for camp. He was doing the emceeing for a youth rally as well as speaking for a workshop on Saturday, and so we decided to come along. We had such a fun time as a family. The girls and I went to a children's museum in Flint, MI while he was doing the youth rally, and had a picnic lunch at a park afterwards. The girls are crazy about children's museums. Then, that night, we got to see some friends from college (Tim and Haven Church and Eric and Delena Ollila). On Sunday, we went to church, and then drove to Lake Anne Baptist Camp where some of our other friends from college work now (Aaron and Terri Lynn Bump). Our other close friends, Matt and Erica Owen, were there visiting as well. It was so much fun to see the ministry that Aaron's family is involved in there, and to spend time with some great friends. We came back late Monday night.

Praise the Lord for His protection! Yesterday, we had a knock on our door during dinner. Our neighbor from next door came running over to tell us that a fire had started in her backyard. It was spreading very fast, and the wind was blowing it towards our house and the summer cabin next to our house. The guys grabbed wet towels, and were trying to hit the fire down until the emergency crews could get there. The Lord allowed them to keep it just feet away from the summer cabin next to our house; He also protected the neighbor's house and our house, as well as protecting all of the guys that were trying to put it out! It was a scary thing being told to evacuate the house with the girls...Rob asked me if there was anything I wanted to take with me, and I couldn't think of anything but my purse! Maggie was praying non-stop in the van...so precious to see her childlike faith. It really made Rob and I thankful for eachother, our girls, and also reminded us of how unimportant our earthly things are. The pictures above are the summer cabin in between us and our neighbor's house...you can see the burned grass and trees behind the cabin.

We had a wonderful Easter Sunday! The biggest thing about our Easter was our program that we did at church. We had many of the kids that ride our vans on Wednesday night, that were in the program, and so we were all really praying that many of their parents would come. They did!!! Several specific answers to prayer about certain ones coming, etc. It was so exciting!! There was a VERY clear Gospel message presented through songs, testimonies, and a challenge by Pastor Kimbrough. Praise the Lord!!!

Here are the girls in their beautiful Easter dresses sent by my mom and dad!!! Thank you!!! Their purses were hand-made in Bermuda, and were brought back for the girls from our good friends, Cary and Julie Smith!

The girls slept hard for their afternoon naps, so they were still kind of out-of-it when we woke them up for their Easter Egg Hunt. We hid almost 50 eggs, so it took us awhile to find them/remember where we had hid them!

Here are some pictures of the girls' room - now that they are both sharing a room. In these pictures, the flash makes it appear that the colors don't match, but they really do match perfectly!! And, I got Sarah Zimmerman to paint Madeline's name above her bed right before she moved away to get married! (She had done the other painting in their room, and I wanted Madeline to have her name above her bed just like Maggie does.)

Madeline loved helping Daddy ("like Handy Manny") put her new big girl bed together. Rob and I picked it up at Ikea in Chicago while we were there this past weekend. We haven't put her in it yet...still need to get the mattress...but soon!!!
Our poor, sick little girl. She's so sweet and pitiful when she's sick. Stomach Flu again...third time this year?! It seemed inevitable, since they were with two different sets of friends last week who both got it a day or two after Maggie and Madeline played with them. Poor thing! We were coming home from her Library Class today, and I could tell she just wasn't herself...sure enough...about two minutes from home...well, you know...Yuck!

Can I also take this time to thank ALL of you who made my birthday oh-so-special!! I feel so loved this year - and spoiled!!! From packages to phone calls to being kidnapped by six of my closest friends for a birthday lunch on Monday, I am so thankful for all that everyone did for me!!! God has given me such wonderful, thoughtful friends!! I love you all!

Rob and I just got back from one of the most memorable things we have done together since we have been married. For my birthday this past weekend, we went down to Chicago to attend a "Weekend to Remember" marriage conference. It was at a really nice resort, and only minutes from a Portillo's (our favorite restaurant in Chicago!!). I would highly recommend one of these marriage conferences. They are put on by Family Life (www.familylife.com - they're on the radio: some of the people involved with them are Dennis Rainey and Nancy Leigh DeMoss). It was such a great time...fun, relaxing, and we learned a lot!! They have them all across the country...if you ever get a chance to go to one, you need to do it!!