April showers bring...

more May showers, evidently...

After an unusually dry February-March, it has been a terribly wet April-May.  But the garden looks great...

...and we were finally able to get out to Adventure Farm for their Friday evening music and fun.  Wonderful church friends:-)

And then this guy came to visit after who knows how many years!  

 He. Does. Not. AGE!

That may change after the first little girl arrives in August. 

 

 Beautiful afternoon at King Family Vineyard, until the bottom dropped out.

  These two boys go back 24 years.  

Happy to be celebrating Mark and Dianna's sweet expectation with them. 

 We have babies again....just wish we could see them under the deck. 

 And apparently the new portion of the deck is being utilized, too!

 Pentecost Sunday---"We are the Church!".  Quite a few kids missing, but they sang just beautifully and said it was lots of fun!  Mission accomplished. 

 Miss Margaret's "response time" after the story in Children's Church.

Volunteering has its benefits. 

95 years young!  We had the honor and privilege and celebrating Mary Spencer's 95th birthday on Sunday.  What a joy and inspiration she is, whether in Small Group at her house, Sunday School, or just chatting in the Sanctuary.  Her suite-mate at Wooster was the to-be Ruth Graham....what a chaperon Mary must have been for those two!  Billy would be proud of how Mary has blossomed and shared the Gospel.   

Performance Season

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 It's spring, which means performance season all the way around.....

Sweet friends - Margaret and Garrett preparing for their 

Kindergarten/1st Grade Spring Musical.

 Margaret "Sprouting"

 I do believe she has learned to perform for the camera, as well.

 

Matthew wanted in on the action and performed this stunt on himself...ouch!

At Ash Lawn, Margaret learned how to make candles and how to "perform" games they use to play for evening entertainment.

Matthew, again, pulling his own stunts in Sunday School.

 Apparently we have morning doves this year (in addition to the nests underneath the deck).  She chose not to bother building a nest inside the house and just laid her egg right there on the roof!

I failed to capture their enthusiasm, but Andrew and Margaret LOVED playing hooky to go see The Lion King in Richmond with Dody!  Granddaddy and Matthew had a special afternoon together while we were gone....not sure who had more fun---there seems to be quite a mutual fondness there:-)

Andrew's first piano recital was on stage at the auditorium at PVCC.  A grand piano staged his grand performance.  He did just great but, much more importantly, said it was a lot of fun, just like playing in church and in the church talent show!  (Praying this lasts...)

And Mommy's performance of the month???  Aging Michael an extra year on his birthday cake!  I'm ALWAYS relieved for his humor with me, "This is gonna be a bittersweet picture if I don't make it to next year!"  #whatwasIthinking

We hosted a Church Family Playdate on Derby Day, including Derby races for the kiddos (complete with a formula to adjust their times for age appropriateness), picks for the Kentucky Derby, and "pretty pink prize" for the winner---what a fun afternoon!

 

One must wear a helmet when riding a horse!

The pretty pink prize goes to Vail and Ella!

Michael and Andrew's Mother's Day lax game----Susan loved being back on the field again!