Samy's birthday and Grammy & Papaw's visit

Hard to believe, but our little girl is 2! We celebrated last Friday with my parents. Every time someone mentioned birthday she would say, "George!" in reference to her cake with Curious George on it (or my best attempt). She had her candles blown out before we even finished singing. She carefully opened her presents in her usual gentile way. My parents got her a Cinderella doll and an adorable rain coat and boots, which she wouldn't take off. We got her a bigger ride-on truck for outside and she has been wearing it out!

We had a PC picnic Saturday afternoon that was just a blast! Baby goats and ducks for the kids to pet, a playground, lots of food and even bluegrass music!

The kids of course had a wonderful time with Grammy and Papaw and were sad to see them go.

April's full!

It has been one wonderfully full month so far, with no signs of letting up :o)
The month started with the Sovereign Grace Leadership Conference, where we got to hear some incredibly encouraging messages and see some old friends including my sister and brother-in-law. It was a jam-packed couple days, but thankfully I got to squeeze in some sister time and Matthew and Michelle both got to have dinner at our house one evening. Times like those spur me on to pray one day my siblings and I will all be in the same city again, or at least within reasonable driving distance :) I am so very grateful for my dear sister and the very sweet time we got to spend together! It's been way too long since that has happened! Love you sis :)

Spring has finally sprung up here and there are beautiful blooms everywhere! Tulips, daffodils, cherry blossoms, tulip poplars, and an assortment of other flowers I don't know the names of line the streets. I'm amazed at God's creativity. It's no surprise that everything is in bloom because all it has done the last few weeks is rain (and we did have snow flurries one day). Whoever wrote the saying, "April showers bring May flowers" must have lived up here :) so we've been stuck inside alot again, but taking every opportunity to ride bikes and play in the sand box as we can.
Easter Sunday was spent with all our dear PC friends. A wonderful lunch and then egg hunts for the kids and some crazy games for all of us. They made the men do a dizzy bat race! Nothing like watching a bunch of grown men fall on the ground after making themselves dizzy! Then a three-legged race as couples. Keith and I almost caught the leaders and I have a massive bruise on my leg to prove it :) I included the picture of us as we neared the finish line even though someone stepped in front of the camera. The looks on our faces are just too funny :)

My parents are coming up tomorrow to celebrate Samy's birthday with us Friday, and hopefully my dad will be able to help Keith (or maybe I should say Keith will help him) fix his truck. That may take some serious prayer :)
Here are some pictures from the last few weeks.

The Lord's great work

Just before last Easter we bought the kids "An Easter Carol"--my very favorite of the Veggie Tales videos. It follows the same sort of plot as "A Christmas Carol" with a zucchini named Ebenezer who thinks Easter is about plastic eggs and bunnies and baskets. The reason I love this video is the precious song that "Hope" (voice of Rebecca St. James) sings. It speaks the powerful message of the hope that we have through Jesus Christ!

The kids have been watching "An Easter Carol" again recently (though they have been playing with eggs all year!) and this year Isaac is asking questions. I love watching God work in his little heart! So,we've been reading about the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ in a couple of his little Bible story books. Tonight as I was putting him to bed (I don't know why these conversations always happen at bedtime) and reading from his "Big Picture Story Bible" about God's forever King, Jesus, dying on the cross, being buried, rising again and then ascending to heaven (I must have read for a good 30 minutes--he was just so excited he had to know what happened next so we kept going and going), we had another sweet discussion. It went something like this:

Isaac: Where's he going?
Me: To heaven to be with God and be King forever.
Isaac: I want to go!
Me: You can be with Jesus forever in heaven if you trust the He paid for all your disobediences to God's Word with His death and let Him be your King.
Isaac: Can I go now?


Why doesn't Keith get these questions :o)

Could the Lord present an easier opportunity to share the gospel with my little boy?? What a privilege to share such precious truth with my child!! And how humbling to see how little effect my explanation had on him as he quickly jumped from wanting to be with Jesus in heaven to showing me how he can make the letter "T" with his fingers :) It is truly the Lord who works in our hearts to believe and love the truth of the gospel!