I am getting out of my car on Sunday morning in the church parking lot when I notice a family doing the same. I don't bother paying attention as I am running late. They walk in front of me when I realize it is Tracy Boyse and her family. They left here 8 years ago and I haven't seen her since. We have kept in touch with Christmas cards over the years.
The last days of school included Annabel's promotion to middle school,
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I received this email from my Dad, and the pictures came from my Mother. I thought some of you might enjoy seeing what my kids are missing living far from grandparents. These are my sister, Kate's, kids.
I took Grace and Julia fishing in shifts this morning.
First Grace and I left at about 5:45 am and fished until about 8:30.
Grace caught 7 nice bream and had a great time.
Mom then brought Julia to the landing and I took her fishing.
I only take one at a time because if I have to save them from drowning I don't want to have to save two at a time.
Julia first caught a small yellow bass and then a nice bream. She had no trouble getting them into the boat. A few minutes later she hooked a 2# channel cat and started screaming, "Help me". I told her it was her fish and she had to catch it herself. It put up a good fight and ran to the other side of the boat and then back where it started. She finally got it near the boat and I reached down and grabbed the line and pulled it into the boat.
Not 2 minutes later she hooked a 3 1/2 # blue cat that I thought was going to pull her out of the boat. She screamed, "Help me right now!" I grabbed a hold of her life jacket and told her to catch her own fish. This turned into a major battle on the 7 ft black willow pole. She had such a grip on the pole her hands turned beet red. The fish made two runs up into the brush near the bank and I thought sure she would lose it. She finally got it turned around and near the boat and I lifted it in. Her blue eyes got as big as Easter eggs. She was one happy girl, but also a tired pup.
If you ask her how big that fish is, she will stretch her arms out as far as she can. She is not far wrong.
Mom took pictures and we will have it published in next months Texas Fish and Game magazine in the kids fishing section.
I would not take a $1000 for the experience.
Love, Dad
Grace, age 7
Julia, age 4
Bea has turned 8 and she and her good friend, Cameron, were baptized today. Their birthdays are a day apart and they have enjoyed sharing many special events together.
She is our last one to take the plunge and we are all so excited for this day.
Our families are great friends and it is like having family here. We are so grateful to all our friends who support us here and have become our family.
Wet and beautiful.
Thanks to Emma for sharing her baptism dress with Bea.
Noah conducted our most recent court of honor. He did a great job and everyone thought he was very funny.
He also received several merit badges and his first class advancement.
are finally ripe here in the northeast. I woke up early Saturday morning and realized that there wouldn't be a better time to take the kids strawberry picking than then. So, despite the rain, I woke everyone up and we took off for breakfast and strawberry picking.
She is 8!
Bea had a soccer game in the pouring rain tonight, but it was her best game ever she said. They won 9-0.
Good Morning birthday girl.
I got to tag along with Bea's second grade class on their field trip to Mendon Ponds. They have been studying pond habitats and got to spend a little bit of time getting their fingers wet in the real thing.
My youngest brother came to visit this weekend. John has been living in Japan for the last few years and we haven't seen him since he watched our kids when we went to Paris four years ago.
We now have church at 11:30, so that gives us time in the mornings to take a walk or make a big breakfast or just enjoy the Sunday paper. Today, Darren, Bea, Winnie and I went on a walk along the canal.
This red-winged blackbird was the first thing we saw. 
We saw two woodchucks...
..and an usually attractive dog hidden in the grass.
Oh, wait, that is Winnie.
We came across lots of pretty flowers.
Any idea what kind of plant this might be? We thought it was quite pretty. Did you find the bee? Click on the last flower.
Water break.
Lots of folks were out on their bikes. Darren saw a patient riding past us.
Two wiggly little bums caught my eye.
More snow in June
from these trees.
Our morning walk was a lovely way to start a Sunday and get in a little exercise as well.
