Blessed

I just finished another Khaled Hosseini book "A Thousand Splendid Suns". Although it was a fictional book, it was a great representation of what women are facing in Afghanistan, today! The astounding thing to me as I was reading the book was that women are dealing with the same issues in the 2000's that they did in the 1900's. And this book got personal as it followed the lives of two women amidst the communism, tyranny, oppression and war their country has faced and are still facing. This book was so compelling, that I read it in a week (it usually takes me a few weeks to get through a book). After I put it down, I felt immense gratitude for my freedoms, (almost guiltily) and I hugged my husband and children tightly, so grateful for them and thankful that God has given me this life with them. It has invoked a thankful heart that I hope to continue to cultivate!

Who needs toys?

Here are my two monsters who by the way have been couped up sick in the house for about a week, and are playing in their most frequently played place: the cupboard in the kitchen where I keep my plastic containers. I mean really......this is all they need, okay maybe not all, but it sure keeps them occupied, and for some reason they play so nicely together, taking turns locking each other in the cupboard. It is when the giggle with each other most, and that is my favorite thing!

Girls Night Out

We have had the pleasure of a visit from Tina and Jakob Nezbeda this last week, and pulled together a girls night out. It was great fun to see everyone...(Tina, Melissa, Kristina, Christiane, Megan, Summer, Amber and Liz). We went out for some great Mexican food at El Indio in Portland, and then some of us went to karaoke bar afterwards, although only Liz, Melissa and I were brave enough to grace the stage!

Spring Snow!

So yes, on Friday we experienced a mini snow storm, and it was the perfect end to a crazy weather week with days of sun, clouds, rain, hail and snow all within a few hours. March definately went in like a lamb and is going out like a lion!

Our Easter Sunday

He has Risen, He has risen indeed!! Hope you all had a blessed Easter! We were encouraged and reminded that (in Annabelle's own words) "he died on the cross so we can live". We enjoyed an easter service at our new church and then had a relaxing day with a pot roast dinner and the company of Andi and Jakob and Tina. Unfortunately Annabelle wouldn't keep her Easter dress on after church, so all her pictures are in her jammies. What can I say, a girl after my own heart.....comfort first:-)

A break from the rain!

The girls and I got a chance to spend last week in Santa Rosa, Ca. , at my mom's house for some sun and relaxation, and to see my sister, brother and mom and her beautiful yard that she and Mike have worked so hard on. Luckily it was all sunshine and warmth while we were there, so we spent a lot of time playing in the beautiful yard, and Annabelle even helped plant some new flowers with Grandma O'no! We missed daddy, but enjoyed the trip. Especially flying direct from the Portland airport into the tiny little Santa Rosa airport....made the trip so much easier!

Silly AND Sassy

We were at the dinner table the other night, and Chris had his hand resting on the top of his glass. Ella is now in the habit of chucking her sippy cup as soon as she is done taking a drink, so she did chuck it across the table towards Chris and hit his hand on the glass rim, and got his knuckle just right, to where it caused him some pain! So we are all quiet, and Chris is trying hard not to scream, and in those few seconds of silence, Ella looks at Chris with the most pitiful face she could muster and says; "Oh poor baby". It of course made us all break out in laughter, and Ella thought she was pretty darn funny. She sure knows how to get out of a tough situation. Maybe she'll be our family comedian, every family needs one of those.