Spring Photos

Shawn is 4 1/2 & Sierra is 6

A Visit from Great Grandma Black

Last Tuesday Great Grandma Black came to stay with us for a week. We had a busy week but I think she enjoyed herself. She went home this past Tuesday and I'm sure she was ready for some peace and quiet.

Grandma has aways enjoyed drawing and she joined the kids at the island with their markers. She was trying to help Shawny learn to not get upset when he had trouble drawing certain things. He was having trouble drawing a man and threw a little fit. Grandma told him throughing a fit wouldn't help anything but to keep trying. Eventually he succeeded. CC was busy writing words. She is getting very good at her penmanship.

Grandma has always enjoyed playing the organ so I put my keyboard on an organ setting and Grandma played. She played a hymn, "The Love of God" beautifully. We sang together as well and Grandma sang a clear alto. Shawny and Sierra just had to get in on the act as well.

On Saturday Grandma went to Sierra & Shawny's soccer game. It was a little chilly but that didn't stop the kids. I think Grandma was our lucky charm, our team won 5 to 0 and Shawny scored one of the goals. Grandpa Mel was able to see the first half of the game. It was hard for him to pull himself away.

On Monday, Grandma was able to attend Grandparents day at Sierra's school. Sierra took her Grandmas on a mini tour of the school, she served them a snack, she read to them in the reading center, made a bookmark in the creation station and did an activity page in the activity center. It was a lot of fun. I'm glad my children will feel like they know their Great Grandma.











I enjoyed having my grandma visit but I think the best parts of her visit were the times I was able to just sit and talk with her. After all she has made a huge impact on me. She is part of who I am. She is so creative and I love that about her. She has played the organ and accordian, crocheted, sewn, gardened, arranged flowers, painted and tried about any other creative thing there is, but best of all she has loved me and shown me Jesus.

Dan, Dan the Yo Yo Man

Dan is doing a great trick where is pretends to eat spaghetti (the string of his yo yo).
Last week my "little" brother Dan and his family came for a visit. Well it wasn't actually just for fun, my brother was doing a yo yo tour in the Traverse City area. Dan travels throughout Michigan, England and Australia putting on Yo Yo shows in schools. He teaches kids to Never give up, Encourage others and Do your best, and the vehicle for this message is his yo. I was surprised at how great his performance was. Not really surprised at Dan because I always knew he was amazing, but at the assembly it's self. He held the kids attentions for a good hour and there has been such a buzz around Traverse City since he came. Kids all over are learning how to yo yo. Even kids that I have spoken to who have attended this assembly in past years can still remember what the word NED stands for. Dan is truely amazing with his yo yo. I am so happy that he has found a job that fits him and where he can feel a sense of accomplishment in knowing he is making kids lives better. I'm so proud of him.
He made a crazy balloon hat for the girl that remembered the "Encourage Others" part of NED.