Sunday, April 21, 2019

Holy Week

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"All glory, laud, and honor
To You, Redeemer, King,
To Whom the lips of children
Made sweet hosannas ring."

Palm Sunday with my Little Man  

 
 This never gets old...


 Jay's always such a good sport - took the kids out to his truck so they could see (and take turns wearing) his fresh National Championship cap. 

Thank you, UVA Coach Myers, for another awesome lax season.  Thankful to have the indoor football facility as an option, but too bad the weather didn't allow us to have our season-ending party on King Family's polo field again!


  We've had these Resurrection Eggs for years but just finally opened them.  Margaret loved reading each scripture and explanation to Matthew as he discovered what was inside. 


Our Maundy Thursday is the most touching service I've ever attended, but we also seek a Good Friday service.  Last year was First Pres, this year Christ Episcopal.  


It was a fittingly dark and stormy night, with schools cancelled early due to tornado threats.

Christ Episcopal did a brief and lovely walk through the Stations of the Cross, explaining what happened Palm Sunday, then Thursday-Sunday of Holy Week.  Each child received this sheet with scripture...

 and then hand painted stones with a corresponding picture. 
 The 30-minute education ended with candle lighting in front of their cross. 
 Andrew's final middle school workshop was cake baking day!

While the kids were at Golf, the big kids played!  
First time at Septenary Vineyard, Seven Oaks Farm.  Tom Goodrich's son-in-law, Andrew, is the tasting room manager. 

Because one sunrise service doesn't sufficiently wet his pallet, Andrew and I went to two!  Our dear friend, neighbor and mentor (Michael Guthrie) was instrumental in beginning and continuing this service at UVA's amphitheater.  In rehab recovering for Gillian-Barre Syndrome, we wanted to go in support of him.  Daughter Becca facetimed him in since he came down with a fever and couldn't attend. He was afforded a lovely tribute for his on-going efforts.   
   Beautiful morning.  Lovely service, culminating in two student testimonies. 

I was only moderately distracted when I looked up from our opening prayer to see who was warming my toes:-)  What a man.   
  
  And then on to our second sunrise service, with nearly 70 in attendance, of all ages!

Christ the Lord is risen today, Hallelujah!
  Their attempt to recreate a picture from "years ago", being tiny people.





Janey!  Margaret's Greystone counselor was so very sweet to come visit with us on Easter.  

While our Coop has gotten smaller...  
 ...our people are only bigger!  
Thank you, Jenn and David, for hosting such a perfect afternoon.
 My heart is complete when I'm with these ladies and their families.  
Next time, a picture with our handsome men, too:-) 
 
And Jenny's talent captured it all...
https://video214.com/play/RPKB7KKK8NvzTwSAYLEn6A/s/dark
 Pin the ears on the bunny:-)

 


  They sure look cute, complete with green grass, but I need to figure out how to get the eggs to stay on better.
 
  They begged for an Easter sleepover, all three of them. 
 I pray they'll always lean on each other this way...perhaps without the drool. 


Reading to neighbor baby Ben.
 Loving being big brother for the afternoon:-)
 Just a few years ago...














 

Sunday, April 7, 2019

Spring Break

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Less than 8 weeks after Colorado, not possible to take another week off for spring break, but we do our best to create some rest, relaxation and make fun memories.

At least the weather was nice while they patiently watched me shovel and haul 5 cu yds of river rock from the driveway down and around back to generously cover 600 sq ft of area under the deck...and sweet Andrew helped so much, unsolicited...just because that's who he is:-)  




 Irises coming back nicely....starting from scratch on the rosemary and sage.

Gettin' there!  All 700, repetitive pieces with the box front font so tiny we could have used a magnifying glass!

The highlight of the week may just have been Dody and Granddaddy's new toilet---touch-less lift,  heated seat, "cleaning feature"----brilliant and entertaining!  Good thing Matthew had clarified up front that this was not a barfing toilet since he later pulled his headache-vomit-sleep 12 hours- possible migraine routine:-(


The banks of the James

 Beautiful, revamped bridges over the James River's class III and IV rapids.

"Confederate troops set fire to the military, tobacco, and cotton warehouses before evacuating the city across Mayo's bridge."
"The next day, Abraham Lincoln arrived unannounced in the city and walked up Main St. to the square."
 "Thank God that I lived to see this."  -President Abraham Lincoln 
Truer words were never spoken. 
 The climbing wall on the far side.



 The Richmond Zoo in Midlothian - ready to climb!
Dody "chaperoned" Matthew on foot for the Junior course while Andrew, Margaret and I hit the legit high ropes course---took us nearly 3 hours to complete!


Margaret's first challenge obstacle

Margaret's first of 15 ziplines and Andrew's obstacle.

Margaret and Andrew simultaneously zipping over the lakes.

Very proud of his 3-in-1 LEGOS---did all three in a day!




Cheering on the racers of the C'ville Marathon and Half-Marathon as they came through the 'hood---sadly, I've never heard good things about the course, so I pass on the local option and opt for the annual mulching project. Not sure which would be more painful.
 We intentionally did NOT take baskets to the Dogwood Festival's event at Fairview, but the festival folks were prepared with bags for all. 
So. Many. Eggs. Came home:-(
 The annual family baseball game.  It's NEVER missed!  Since our patchwork sod could not be touched and the Guthries were, sadly, still in rehab (though doing great!), they offered us their field since we've been picking up their sticks and debris for them.
 Andrew's homemade jerseys were something else! 


The never-ending spring break (a full 12 days!) finally concluded, but we
"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For his mercy endures forever.”
I Chronicles 16:34 –