Sammy is on his Spring/Easter break right now,and we have been having fun! Often I dread the breaks because it seems like I can't keep him busy enough to not be bored and not wear myself out. But this one has been a good balance of activity and being home hanging out so far. The weather in Tucson is so amazing right now...sunny, breezy, high 70's...enjoying it while it lasts!

Yesterday at the Park:



 


Today went on a hike to lovely Sabino Canyon with a couple other moms and their kids; so fun!

   

We colored Easter eggs too; always fun, reminds me of being a kid and doing it as a gang. Maybe next year I'll host an egg-coloring party. I am so thankful remembering last year when I could barely drag my jaundiced sick with mono self off the couch to do them with Sammy. Praise God for good health! Our Easter plans mostly include our church's big outreach service and my services helping out in the 2 year old room! They say we get around 75 kids...and so far 10 adults and junior high kids in my room. I'm sure it will be wild and fun!

We had a wonderful answer to prayer today..We found out Gabe gets to stay in Tucson and fly for Customs! We've known for a while that he had a job with Customs, but thought we'd have to move to TX or Yuma, AZ...and were prepared to accept that if that's where God wanted us. But hadn't heard for sure. Then two days ago, we both independently started praying that he could stay in Tucson, convicted by the words of Jesus (paraphrased) "you have not because you ask not" and the bit about "your Heavenly Father knows how to give good gifts to His children when they ask Him". So right now we are feeling so overwhelmingly blessed! We have a lot of good things in Tucson right now...relationships, church, jobs, Christian school for Sammy....and a better housing market than when we moved here almost 4 years ago. I'm so excited I can hardly believe it! It's amazing how I've come to believe God is like me as a parent; constantly saying no and looking for ways to teach me a lesson...and forget that He is also loving and merciful and wants to bless us abundantly along with all that. To Him be the glory

Here we are a full week into February and I never even posted stuff from January. I don't understand how 2 kids and a very occasional job and just life keeps me so busy. Argh.

So let's see: Gabe's birthday, Jan 6. We had a fun day. I hung out with him all day, what more could he want? Went to the photography museum at the U of A, were a bit put off but all the nudity masquerading as "art". found the Ansel Adams, had lunch at El Charro, and then I made him a fabulous dinner (don't remember what a month later! oh yeah..ribs and sweet potato fries) and cake!

 

Then, I don't know, just life. He found out, praise God! that he got the job flying for Customs/Border Patrol, but they might move us to Yuma, AZ which is (unbelievably) 10 degrees hotter in the summer than here! It is also, notably, 3 hours closer to San Diego. Still, it is a job, which a lot of people don't have right now, and move closer to getting us out of the Air Force and able to eventually live where we want. So we're pleased, and of course I'm proud of him. If we move, we move. We have good friends here, but we really do believe God's plan is bigger than us.

I started a book club. So far one meeting last Monday evening, which my kids obediently stayed in bed during! (I bribed Sammy with a computer game the next day, I admit) and we had a good discussion of which books to read next. Of course, everyone else agreed that they can't leave their husbands alone at bedtime (which was kind of the point!) so we moved it Sunday afternoons. Should be a good time. Certainly some titles I would never have otherwise picked up.

Oh, and we are dieting, back on the South Beach. I've lost like, 7 lbs in 3 weeks and Gabe has lost 1! Nuts...I don't get it. But we feel healthier. So now I need to really exercise more and stick with it.

I also started up with Women's Bible study again this time trying it in the evenings (since I can leave my kids for Gabe to put to bed...guess I didn't know how lucky I am!). We're studying Luke, and though the study book is dry as the Sonoran desert, the Word of God is alive and I am learning new things all the time! And hopefully, making new friends.

The church thing still feels new, since we've really only been going faithfully since August. The messages and the people there have touched us during a difficult time losing Gabe's mom, and have stuck with us . The growth we've seen in Sammy as God speaks to him and he learns the Bible is incredible. So, I think our experiment since college of trying to pretend we're not Christians and fit in with the world around us has officially failed. We are who we are, and He has called us to be set apart. So be it.

A few more kid pics, to end on a lighter note:
 my water babies, doggie hat, adorable apron my mom made her, sweet soft baby doll from Aunt Caroline.

 

So Gabe felt bad that I said it was difficult for me to access all his excellent photos and wrote me a program! that resizes and watermarks them in a batch so you know he took them, not me. For your amusement/enjoyment: