And in local weather news...

 

This is the data console for our weather station. 

Call me crazy, but for some reason, it totally amuses me when the display says,

"ITS RAINING CATS N DOGS".

Ha!  :-)

There are some perks to being a homeschooler...

 

Like playing on the swingset in your jammies.  :-)

 I asked Beth to put the dog outside yesterday morning, and I found her here... 

 

Not a bad way to start the day...

 And it was a good thing, because the rain arrived before she got in the door and stuck around the rest of the day. I love this little girl! She's at such a crazy stage in life because one minute she's having a grown-up conversation with you and you almost forget she's a kid...and the next...she's on the swingset in her jammies.  And sometimes, she's having an adult conversation with you while she's climbing on the playground equipment... She's still silly, and sweet... and she still needs her Mommy. But there are reminders every day that she's growing up fast--and so I want to cherish this time while it lasts...cause the days fly by all too quickly... I only have one little girl.   Tell me she'll always need her Mommy...  

  The moon was amazing tonight. It was so crisp and clear. I thought I'd share it with you.  ;-)
 

"When I look at Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,

the moon and the stars, which You have set in place,

what is man that You are mindful of Him,

and the son of man that You care for him?"

Psalm 8:3-4

Anniversary Celebration

 We had a bed and breakfast in Wisconsin picked out for a romantic weekend getaway to celebrate our 12th anniversary.  But my back had other plans... So, we stayed fairly close to home. A dozen roses arrived on our kitchen table: 

A dozen roses for a dozen years. Nice. Guess how many roses I got on our 5th anniversary? (You're supposed to guess 5) Nope. 5 dozen! Ha!  :-) My husband arrived on the doorstep with an armload of roses.  It was very sweet.  But I was a little shocked...and not exactly sure what I was going to do with 5 dozen roses! I admit I'm glad it was 12 roses this year--and not 12 dozen.  ;-) We did get away for a little day trip together on Saturday. We toured the James J. Hill house in St. Paul: 

This is about half of it--it was too big to fit in my camera frame!

It's by far the biggest mansion we've toured.

We've enjoyed touring historic homes around the country.

It's always interesting to hear about the lives of the people who lived in them.

If you're curious about James J. Hill's story, you can visit the website here:  James J. Hill House

It was very dark inside, so I wasn't able to take many pictures. I did find this silverware amusing: 

Would you believe this is one place setting?

I wouldn't have the first clue how to use most of these...

Well, we spent the rest of the afternoon/evening bumming around a couple of our favorite shops and spoiling ourselves a little.

Today was the actual date of our anniversary.

Besides church and visiting Grandma (because she needs a cookie on our anniversary)...

...we spent most of our time painting Mike's bat houses together.

Well, we did play a windy round of disc golf together with some people that we love...

Not exactly romantic...but we did hold hands.  ;-)

I hope we'll still get our romantic getaway at some point, but days like these are not to be taken for granted.

 

It was a good day.

12 years

 I'm grateful to say that today was our 12th wedding anniversary. Wow...12 years... Where has the time gone? Recently, I looked through our wedding photos. Crazy... We were a couple of kids! Mike had just turned 22, and I had just turned 21. Just old enough to legally taste the champagne in our honeymoon suite...and I had already promised my life away! I came across this picture in our wedding album recently: 

(Such a bummer it was pre-digital photography...) But I was just so taken by the expression of pure elation on my face. That day, I married my beloved and my friend, and at that moment in time, there was absolutely nothing that could have made me happier. And I've been living the life of my dreams ever since.  Well, for the most part...  ;-) We've always had our differences, and they emerged even before the honeymoon was over. Like at Disneyland Paris when I locked myself in the bathroom and Mike sat outside the door banging his head against the wall. Yeah, I'm afraid it probably wasn't his only head-banging moment... Merging two lives into one isn't always pretty. But by God's grace, it's possible. ~♥~ God has a sense of humor, doesn't He? He doesn't always give us what we want in a mate... but in His infinite wisdom, He gives us what we need. It must be fairly amusing to Him to match people together... Can't you just picture it?   He looks down and says, "Yes, you and you belong together.  This should be interesting..."  ~♥~ Well, I am so grateful for 12 years of walking alongside the man that God gave me. And I pray that by God's grace, there will be many more good years to come.

More miracles of spring...

 One of my favorite miracles of spring is when "our birds" make the long journey back to their summer home.   Today, there was a hummingbird that zipped past the nectar pole looking for a treat... Must have been one of last year's hummers because he knew right where to look. I hurried to get the nectar because I hate to disappoint our birds... I love birds. I love how they sing the praises of their Creator in spite of the fact that most of them live in constant fear of being eaten!  I wish I could do the same... They work tirelessly to build their nests, and when tragedy strikes, they start over and do it again just as diligently as the first time--and they don't complain.  I wish I could do that, too... When we built our home, I so badly wanted to have a yard with trees and singing birds. But we didn't have trees...so we didn't have many birds either. After many years of planting/growing trees, with each passing year, our yard is more filled with birds. This morning I was laying in the living room near an open window just listening to the birds sing.   I sat down in the school room this afternoon and noticed our cardinal pair in the feeder. It's so sweet... When cardinals are "courting", the male feeds the female seeds, and I've been hoping to get a picture. We rushed and got the camera, and sure enough, I was able to snap a quick shot:  

Not a great picture--but at least I got one. Mike set up the summer birdbath that has a dripper with fresh water continually, and the birds can't resist it. A robin stopped by for a splash: 

 

He was having so much fun that just a minute later, our male bluebird decided he might like to have a splash, too:

The lady bluebird thought it looked tempting... 

but she was too nervous to get in just yet.

A red wing blackbird stopped in for a few seeds...

A rose-breasted grosbeak has also been trying to figure out the cage feeder:

 

And the Oriole arrived in the lilac bush looking for his jelly...



We hurried up and put out an orange, but I'm going to have to pick up some jelly tonight...

...cause like I said, I really don't like to disappoint our birds.  

I love this time of year!

Back Injury

 The weather station temperature reads 89 degrees in Zumbro Hills and I am freezing. No, we didn't break down and turn on the air conditioning... Why? Because I'm icing my back. I figured if I have to do it, I may as well be in front of the computer. Can you believe this weather by the way??  What a strange spring... Anyway... I've vaguely mentioned before that I "tweaked" my back in mid-February. It's been sort of an ordeal ever since...  I can live with the pain, and I can do most everything...although not exactly as I normally would. I can still vacuum--with the old Oreck vacuum... I can still scrub the base of the toilet...on a stool... I can still cook and do laundry and have company and even disc golf.  But everything is slower and more tentative than it should be. And if I make a wrong move, there's a price to pay. I figured it was about time I knew what sort of injury I was dealing with and what to expect my recovery to be like. So, I broke down and made an appointment with a chiropractor. I've had mixed experiences with chiropractic care in the past, so I wanted to try someone new.  I prayed about where to go, and I ended up choosing Chiropractic First Wellness Center in Rochester. So far, I couldn't be more pleased.  The staff was so kind and seemed genuinely caring. So, the appointment began with a series of x-rays and nerve scans to determine what my injury was. He took an x-ray of the area of my back that was injured... ...and he looked at the screen for awhile zooming in and out... (And I stood there in that hot, sticky x-ray room hoping this nice gentleman didn't notice that I was soaking my hospital gown in sweat...) ...and then he asked if he could take one more x-ray for a closer look... ...and he looked at the screen for awhile zooming in and out... And he said that the injury I'm dealing with is a fracture way down in my lower back. It probably didn't happen for the first time when I opened the garage door (although let me tell you I have nothing good to say about the stupid garage door considering what it's put me through the last couple months). He said it's typically a sports injury... But I suspect that in my case, it very possibly may have happened during childbirth. It seems unlikely and I can't prove it...it's also possible that it happened even before that and I re-injured it during childbirth.  But I remember very well the first time I felt this particular pain in my lower back.  I had the most unbelievable back labor, and as Elizabeth descended down into my pelvis, I heard bones cracking.  You could hear a snapping noise when I moved, and I said to Mike, "Do you hear that??  I think it's my tailbone breaking!"  I always jokingly said it was "bone crushing" labor...and maybe I wasn't too far off! Well, she was worth every minute of it!  Every minute of twenty-four and a half hours of bone-crushing labor...  Ha! But, I went through about a year of treatment after I had Elizabeth, and very gradually, I recovered well. Today, he could press on the exact point of the fracture and I coulda climbed the walls when he did!  But I'm glad that we finally know what we're dealing with.  Unfortunately, it's not going to "go away", and this probably won't be the last time that I tweak this particular injury.  But at least I know that there is hope for rehabilitation and that I'm not damaging myself further. He said that I may even be able to go to that waterpark hotel in Wisconsin Dells yet this month!  We shall see... So, I'll be back in the chiropractor's office on Thursday, and he'll make his recommendations from there. I'm just glad that my injury finally has a name...and hopefully I'll get some relief soon!  

Bulldogs

 Mike is starting his second year of softball with the Berean Bulldogs softball team. 

 Last year they pretty much dominated their league...which made watching the games just a little more fun. The only thing that would make the season sweeter would be if the Bulldogs could dominate my nephew's softball team.  Bummer they're in different leagues...  ;-) Mike had been out of softball for about 7 years or so, and it was really fun to watch him play again last summer. Beth Marie enjoys running around with the other kids and swiping the occasional baby to put on her hip.  And this is where I really should have gotten a picture...  But the season is just beginning, so I will have more opportunities.  We've been so thankful for the sweet friends she has made at Berean Community! Mike at bat: 

 He's gone 5-7 so far this season in 2 games... Men in red: 

Looking forward to a good season of softball...

Go Bulldogs!



 

Spring in slow motion...

 Blooms of spring continue to emerge in our yard...very...slowly... The heavy rains of this morning combined with forecast temperatures in the mid-80's for tomorrow should speed up the process.  The hyacinths are starting to bloom: 

It's been such a crazy spring that all of our flowers seem to be really stubby...  I don't know if that's typical during a cold spring?  Or it could just be ours...  I'm amazed when anything grows in our soil...

The tulips are very close to blooming...

 They're also really short.  They seem healthy and they're very close to opening, but they're only 4-6 inches tall! Hey...we'll take what we can get! Our magnolia on the other hand never disappoints. This picture was one of the first blooms... 

...but it's now in full glory.  It's still not fully mature--it's probably around 6 feet tall.  But it's covered in what must be hundreds of these beautiful white blooms.  I love how the blooms come right out of the bare twigs. The magnolia has always been my most treasured shrub.  A couple years ago, I didn't even know what a magnolia was...  But we came across them at Sargent's (our favorite local garden center) and we had to have one. A few days ago, we were Mother's day shopping there, and we saw that they had gotten in a new kind of Magnolia... It was called a "Butterflies Magnolia".  It gets larger than the one we have and the blossoms are yellow.  

 Hmm...  I liked it.  A lot. But...for some reason...Mike couldn't seem to get past the fact that we had spent $3000 last week on car repairs and orthodontist expenses.  Typical man.  ;-) I knew he was right...but it sure was beautiful. Then I remembered...  I had birthday money! Thank you Dave and Norma!!  

 I now have a butterflies magnolia waiting to be planted in the front yard where the cherry bushes got devoured last winter.  Mike has some ideas for landscaping the front corner of our yard, and the magnolia should fit into his plans perfectly! Here is a picture of the largest yellow bud: 

 I'm hoping it will still blossom well after it's transplanted... If it does, you'll see pictures later... 

The New "Appliance"

 Beth Marie has a new "appliance" in her mouth. 

(She's going to thank me for this attractive picture someday.)

 It's actually an expander that is placed on the roof of her mouth to make more room for her permanent teeth to come in.  But somewhere along the line, the dentist referred to the device as an "appliance", and that is the name that has stuck. The conversation goes something like this. Beth Marie:  "My appliance is..." Mom: "It's an expander." Beth: "I want to call it an appliance" Mom: "Appliance is the generic term, and expander is the specific term.  The refrigerator, stove and microwave are 'appliances'.  Your mouth piece is an 'expander'." Beth: "Well, I call it my appliance." Mom: "Fine.  Would you please go to the kitchen and get me a Diet Mountain Dew out of the appliance?  Thanks."  She got the mouth piece early last week, and she's been relearning how to talk with it. At the Orthodontist's office, they told her to "practice" talking as much as possible, and she took them very seriously.  We drove from Orthodontic Health Center (OHC) on north broadway all the way to South Noodles on south broadway, and she read every sign, billboard and store front all the way there.  With a lisp.  But I couldn't stop giggling because not only did she speak with a lisp (which we expected) but she also had to slirp her extra spit after every phrase. Her attitude has been great about it...even allowing us to laugh with her along the way.  (Those of you who know Beth Marie know that is a MAJOR accomplishment in itself.) I can't help but be amused as this little person with her "grown up" vocabulary lisps and slirps her way through without skipping a beat. We were walking through the park at IBM the other day when she was pondering some doomsday scenario she had heard about on global warming.  She looks at me in all seriousness and says: "In twenty-twenty when I'm theventeen, we thall thee if thircumthances are as difficult as they predict." (slirp, slirp) She brings a little pink pouch with her everywhere. we. go. (She has been so good about remembering it!) 

This contains her travel toothpaste, a toothbrush and the container for her mouth piece.

 

She turns a screw with a little key every 3 days to tighten it a notch.

(...although Mommy threatens that if she's sassy, we might have to crank it an extra turn or two)

She'll wear her "appliance" day and night for the next 9 months or so...  Hopefully it's productive!

Every year, on Mother's day, I am so thankful for the privilege of being a Mom... With each passing year, I am all the more reminded of the miracle of motherhood in my life. While all indications are that I will never have a "quiver full" of children--at least not biologically--I am so incredibly grateful for the darling (I'm not going to use the word beautiful in this post) little girl that God gave to me.   

 She is such a treasure--and I'm so thankful that I get to be her Mom! We enjoyed visiting our Mothers today--and Mike's grandma also (because she needed a cookie for Mother's Day). Some flowers also appeared on my porch in honor of Mother's Day...  

 

Aren't they pretty?   I have no idea what they are, but they like full sun, and I hope I can keep them alive so that we can enjoy them--at least for awhile. Oh, and last but not least, Beth Marie picked these out for me: 

I haven't potted them yet, but they'll also beautify the porch this summer. Mike explained that the hanging pot was "from her, too" but she is so fussy about those sorts of things.  She is one of those people who needs to shop for and bond with gifts personally...so these were the ones that called her name and she picked them for me all by herself.  I love whispy flowers.  So, I hope that all of you had a (insert something other than beautiful here) Mother's day...enjoying your Mothers and, for those of you blessed to be mothers yourselves, treasuring the little (and not so little?) ones that made you a Mom. 

Beautiful faces...

 Well, the beautiful day would have never been possible without all of the beautiful people who came to share it...  And honestly, I don't have many "people pictures"... I don't even have many ceremony pictures... There were many precious people who had a part in the lives of the couple that came to witness their vows... We left most of the people photography to my sister Renee who was dutifully documenting every detail of the day.  And I'm glad she did.  The day was so special and I'm so glad that someone could be trusted to capture all the details and the people who had a part in it. But the day was bittersweet.  As I looked into the faces of all of the people, I couldn't help but be reminded of what was missing...  But that's the reality of life.  All you can do is embrace the beauty of what you have, though you can't help but weep over what could have been. So, I wanted to devote my attention to Bethany, and leave the photography to someone else.   But I know everyone wants to see the bride and groom, and so I'll post just a couple of pictures for you...  The bride and her dad: 

  Beth Marie with Bethany and Isaac: 

   Holding my Bethany one more time: 

I told you she was the most beautiful bride ever.  :-)

I hope that she and her groom are having a wonderful honeymoon together at this very moment!

And now we're all wondering whose the next wedding will be...

Simply beautiful...

Well, Bethany and Isaac wanted the day to be special, but simple. So, there weren't a lot of decorations, but what they did have was very nice. Besides the beautiful gardens, the only added decoration at the ceremony was the unity candle:  

Isaac and Bethany made the two beeswax taper candles together on one of their first dates at a historic "Rendezvous" event.

 I know there were several people who came along side them and had a part in making the day beautiful...and while I don't know them all, we're all very thankful for those who had a hand in making the day special. The flowers were amazing...there were beautiful arrangements all over the house and patio.  Here are just a few:  

 

It was a cake and tea reception...

And Bethany determined that if it was going to be a cake reception--it was going to be good cake.

And it was amazing cake!

(The cakes were from Daube's bakery in Rochester)

Let's see if I can remember...

There was white cake with raspberry filling,

chocolate hazelnut,

lemon torte with blackberry filling,

and my personal favorite, chocolate carrot cake.

Mmm...

The house with all of its history and antiques was a perfectly fitting atmosphere for a cake and tea reception.

I love old houses...if only all those walls could talk...

If they could, they would now have one more story to tell.

Two are one...

This last Thursday afternoon was a beautiful day...

Which truly was a gift from the Lord considering that the forecast called for a cool, windy day with a 70% chance of rain.

But I think God knew that someone very special was hoping for a beautiful day...

and He granted her wish.

So...

I know there are a few of you who were hoping to see some pictures.

And to be honest, I spent most of my time attending to the bride, and very little with camera in hand.

Thankfully, my hubby was content to keep the camera with him and get a few memories of the day.

~ ♥ ~

Bethany and Isaac chose to exchange their vows in a small ceremony at the Plummer House in Rochester.

The house and grounds are an especially beautiful setting for a wedding.

I was a bit concerned with the late spring we've had that it might be a little disappointing...

But the daffodils in the gardens were in full bloom...

The birds were singing in the trees throughout the ceremony...

And the other local critters came out to take a peek as well...

I couldn't help but think it was special because the cardinals and the chicadees and all of nature seemed to be celebrating the day with us.  Those are the sorts of decorations that money could never buy, and that only God himself can provide...and He did.  Against all odds, He gave a beautiful day to a beautiful couple because He is good...  For a couple who love the outdoors, it couldn't have been a more perfect way for their story to begin...the day when their two lives became one.