More Visitors

We have had a lot of visitors this spring! No, they don't usually come by the bus load, but one weekend it actually did happen! We were honored again this spring by a visit from the Hillcrest choir from Minnesota.

I guess that we are getting older, because these kids are younger looking all the time!

We had a very good attendance at the concert, and the choir did a great job. It was also exciting for us to visit with so many Hillcrest Alumni who came to the concert.

Several family members were in the choir...

...and we were able to enjoy another mini-concert back at our house later that evening! So much fun to host these girls...we only hope that some of them will indeed decide to come west for further schooling.

Right after we returned from our trip to MN, our niece Kari came to spend a couple of days with us.

After so many months of snow and cold, she was ready for an afternoon at the beach!

Even though our day there was rather cool and windy, we loved walking the beautiful pathways...

...and just spending time together!

We ended our time together with a treat

Kari helped me locate our special Gelato shop

Thanks for a lovely visit, Kari! We miss having you here!

Celebrating little boys!

 The last day that I was with my parents, my youngest sister arrived from Iowa. It had been almost two years since we had seen each other, so was fun to talk with each other late into the night.

 On Saturday morning, we headed into town for a couple of birthday celebrations.

 First, we stopped by to visit our brother and sister-in-law...

 ...then we met this little sweetie, just a couple of months old!

 How excited we were to share in the #1 birthday party for this little guy.

 lots of family present to document the "eating of the first birthday cake"

 Yummy!

 Grampa and Gramma!

 Then we were off to visit his cousin who was celebrating his #3 birthday that same afternoon!  

 He had so much to talk!

 We felt so privileged to be able to attend both of the birthday parties for our great nephews! How fun to see them and their parents grow up.

 That evening we enjoyed another family meal together with our niece and her family.

The most special treat that evening was an entire book read for us by our great nephew. Such a good reader, such a great performance!

The next day we boarded our plane and headed for sunny California. We are so thankful for the safe travels and for all the family and friends that we were able to see during our week back in the Midwest. We are so blessed!

Family and Friends

The best part of our visit is seeing family once again...our niece and great nephew...

missionary friends...

recounting memories from our past...

...and spending time with dear friends.

We are so blessed and thankful for the hospitality always accorded us by our family. 

We made several visits to homes in the city that we used to live in. First to our niece and her husband...

...and in the evening a reunion with our friends from the Bible study group that we were involved with.

What a blessing to fellowship together once again. We miss you friends!

We were also able to spend a few days with my parents. That first day my dad seemed to recognize me so that was an answer to prayer. 

It is always such a blessing to see the tenderness between my parents. 

snowy Minnesota in April

Ok, really far behind again!!!

 This is actually the scene that greeted us a month ago when we made a trip back to MN. The day that we arrived, the weather was still "spring-like." But within 48hours, winter weather had blown back in.

In the past 6 years of traveling back to MN in the spring and fall, this is the first time that we have had to cope with snow and ice on the roads, so we feel very blessed.

Heading north...

The snowy landscape had a beauty all of it's own. But, by the end of the week,  we were glad once again that we have not had to battle the roads and storms of winter the past several years!