april 2016

April blew right by us. The entire spring was jam packed full. It was good and hard and just trying to run through the tape on the semester. 

April involved 3 wedding showers, 2 bachelor parties, 1 going away party, 2 YL fundraiser desserts, 3 Young Life parent nights, the start of baseball season, a week of van repairs (I was sorely mistaken when I thought we could be a one car family now), 8 sessions of pre-marriage counseling (divided between 4 couples), 1 senior night, 1 day of pre-marriage counseling training, our 16 year anniversary and a trip to Clearwater Cove (a new Young Life camp in Missouri). Whew! I'm tried and broke just thinking about April. So here are a few snapshots of the month. I was bad about pictures.

April was absolutely beautiful. So we ate, did homework, played and anything else we could outside.

 

Sophie isn't allowed to eat on the couch. So after school she drags a dining room chair to the living room with her snack and watches a show or two.

My sister came through as she made a move south. We had dinner with her and our cousin Brandi and her husband, Chad.

On our way to gymnastics Sophie and I often stopped to check out the chicks. It was a sad day when they weren't there anymore.

We had 3 bridal showers this month. I only took pictures at one. Oops. Sorry Ash and Gabe. I do love you. Just put my phone away. Delaney babysat Sophie and Libby (sitting and watching) this summer so that was fun for them to come too.

I planted some flowers.

Ben and I were desperate for a date night. But the one night we had scheduled, Ted was puking. So Ben took Sophie out instead. Ben and I got a date in the following weekend which was awesome and very needed.

My flocks in the backyard. I do love them. I also wish they stayed longer.

And then there was fighting and apologizing with the children.

Ben and Rusty at a house show for PW. We had some things come up and couldn't stay long. But this warmed my heart - the matching shirts and all.

I hung up the eno under the deck. Sophie would come home from school, pull out the beach chairs, and play school. It's great. This particular day she was opening her mail from Aunt Sara.

Mountaineer Area & Harrison County Young Life Staff

Our two areas do most things together. We started having staff meetings this year with me, Ben, Seavy, Looch and Cameron and that has been a good thing all the way around.

Back Row: Kaitlyn Richardson & Daniel Seavy (Marion County Staff Associate) (they are getting married in June) and Cameron (YL WVU) and Sarah King

Front Row: Gina and Nathaniel Lutyens (Harrison County) and Ben (Area Director) and me (Area Admin)

Our newly placed leaders!

The seniors and staff we said good bye to in May. Man, this is an incredible group of people.  This was a particularly close class to our family and our kids are really sad about some of these people graduating and moving on.

 

Devon, Justin, Tommy, Jordon, Arch, Delaney, Alex, Alicia, Ryan, Greg, Ash, Stephanie, Sarah, Gabe, Jesse, Blake, Cameron, Kaitlyn, Ashley, Blake, Brittany, Kaitlin and Sarah

We went into April knowing if we made it through we could breathe on the other side. And that we did! Kind of because I'm writing this in June! =)