Can our little princess really be 5?

So so thankful for Gracie Jo and 5 years with my girl...

thankful for her helpfulness- often asking how she can help, how she loves serving our guests
her compassion- always jumping at the chance to calm a crying brother
her love of reading- when the boys were telling me what they wanted to do tonight (a pillow pile made into stairs, combined with hide and seek and freeze tag- thank you Bryn! :))- GJ said, "I just want to relax and read books" :)
her style the way she rides her bike through our complex with 8 princess dolls in the front, one princess bear tied with a ribbon to the back, a silver helmet, heart jacket, flower tights, poofy skirt, gym shoes and a backpack (and sometimes swimming goggles)
her growing love for Jesus a few weeks after moving into our new home sweet Grace in a moment of clarity asked about what it meant to be a Christian...we talked and since then she's been very thankful that she is now "a Christian"

a few pics from the big day- (including her biggest gift- from a neighbor- a huge box of fireworks that him and craig later shot off for our viewing pleasure! :))

Easter

The sweetest of days- hope power joy encouragement victory...

and some pictures:

Sermon recommendations

These have been deeply encouraging- so good - listened to many times already here... Highest of recommendations! (I know I do this too much, but can't help myself...)

Platt on m work
And piper on the love of god

yay for visitors

KK (as we like to call her- but actually gracie spells KK Kiki- ha!)- is our official interior decorator and has over the ocean chosen paint colors, given me ideas for our new home... One idea of hers that I'll be working on soon in some way is putting up pictures of all our visitors- who we've been blessed to have already in our short time here- Thankful for these sweet friends who came to encourage, help, explore, hang out!

We're back!

And much to write- much much to be thankful for...Settling here in our new home, encouraged.

Below are some snapshots of our life the last few months...(Still need to figure out our new 50mm lens)


Our little crawler- oh how did he get big enough to move around??


Yes, that is our latest find on taobao, our new hoop.


Across the street- our "backyard"




Tito's 3rd "cars" birthday :)


We have had winter here- probably in the 30s this morning...although warming up, unlike tropical Illinois!



yes, the sun...although many days have not looked like this!


And this- surprisingly still so much there- the Borden "Gospel Hospital"- that our friend Otto ran in the 40s, what a sweet place for us to see/visit.

Christmas program

here's tito!

Pretty typical...