One. We have a caterpillar. An inchworm, really. After playing with it for a while, including a brief stint spent literally weeping because she was afraid she'd lost it, Cambrie wanted to make a home for the little crawling thing. (James found it just as interesting as Cambrie did, but I don't think the same emotional connection was there.)
The inchworm is named Papaya after the series of roly-polies that Cambrie and her best friend had domesticated before we moved. Yes, every single one of those was named Papaya. There was a series of them because, apparently, roly-polies kept in a carefully developed red-wagon habitat have a habit of "getting lost." So far, this Papaya is still with us. Whether it survives or not is another story, but, what the heck, it's Easter weekend. Let's remain hopeful!
Two. A few weekends ago we were blessed to be able to attend the wedding of Patrick's sister and the love of her life. Seriously, I can't remember seeing two people so obviously in love and so filled with gratitude for this chance they have to be together, forever. They couldn't take their eyes off each other, and their joy and excitement spilled over to everyone watching. What could be more joyful than two people, dedicated so completely to God and each other, starting a new partnership, a new family, a new life together?
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| Owen wasn't feeling too hot, so that's the smile he could manage. Thanks to our friend Savannah for these photos! |
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| The temple grounds are so beautiful! Anyone can drive up and walk around outside. I highly recommend it--there's such a feeling of peace. |
We made the trek up to the Atlanta temple early in the morning to be there in time for the wedding. After the ceremony, it was pictures, pictures, and more pictures on the beautiful temple grounds, then another long drive back home to get ready for the reception. At the reception, there were just enough other children that my kids didn't seem like the only ones going crazy or causing a ruckus. But believe me, they had a fantastic time. Hooray for weddings!
Three. The science curriculum I chose for Cambrie this year is Apologia's Exploring Creation With Astronomy--a year-long study of our solar system and universe for kids. We have loved it, and my favorite part is that I feel like I'm learning just as much as Cambrie.
Earlier this week, though, I had a moment that really made me pause. It's happened a few times before, including once in my college astronomy course back at Southern Virginia. The moment was when we peeked in the backyard right before bedtime and saw the nearly-full moon hanging in the sky with Jupiter, fairly blazing in it's brightness, right nearby. All the stars around the moon were faded because of the strong moonlight, but there was Jupiter, staring at me.
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| I spent my time looking into the sky rather than taking pictures. This image was found here. |
Just like in my Astronomy class before, I felt overwhelmed by the vast hugeness of it all. But if there's one thing I'm grateful for, it's that I didn't feel myself cowered into a sense of insignificance. This I know: God is my Father, and He has a plan for his children here on earth. We are His reason. And while what we don't know about our universe is certainly mind-boggling (and exciting!! Think of all there is to learn and discover!!), I know that He is unfailingly mindful of us, His children, and striving constantly to help us return to live with Him again.
Four. So, I think I've established that I have the least-green thumb out there. Leafy growing things and I don't mix very well. But just after I wrote my last post to that effect, I ran into this beautiful post at Scenes From the Wild.
Ugh. This is impossible. How am I supposed to be at peace with not being a gardener when actually being a gardener means I could have something like this!
(It's not letting me share one of her photos here, so please, go here and scroll through the gorgeousness!)
It's as bad as knowing I really don't like sewing all that much, only to run into quilt after beautiful quilt everywhere I go. *Sigh.* I guess that's just continued incentive to keep improving myself, as torturous as it may have to be...
...Soooo if in twenty years you run into me and I've become a prolific gardener or talented seamstress, I expect several pats on the back. Because I guarantee you--the struggle will have been real.
Five. I'll just wrap things up with a few recent pictures of this adorable duo. Though there are many reasons we decided to homeschool Cambrie this year, one big blessing has been the time she and James have been able to spend together. Their relationship still has plenty of sibling squabbles, but it has, in general, gotten much stronger since they've had all this time to play together and be around each other.
Three years ago we had this:
Now we have this:
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| Making valentines for their friends at the homeschool co-op |
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| Working together on a drawing--a prince and a princess. |
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| Adventuring with Daddy at the Ocmulgee National Monument |
I love to hear the back-and-forth of their collective imaginations building stories and developing characters and conquering challenges (hot lava is a frequent challenge-to-be-overcome around here).
They're far from perfect siblings, but I love what they have, and I hope to see it continue!
Happy Easter, all. I'll leave you with these to help you get into the real Easter Spirit.
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