Where To Start

We have just enjoyed a wonderful visit from a dear friend in Scotland. Karen (of Reyburn Photography) came over to photograph a wedding but stayed long enough so we could have some fun too.

We spent lots of time talking about photography, shooting pictures, drinking tea, and catching up on all the news from the town in Scotland where we used to live and Karen still lives.

We had a list of places to take Karen and managed to fit in just about everything before she left.

One of my favorite places to visit is the garden on the grounds of the Indianapolis Museum of Art.

With no kids in tow we had to concentrate on the flowers by themselves.

After a month of rain, we are "enjoying" a few days of very hot, very sunny weather. Not exactly ideal for photos, but for sure better than pouring rain.

The Japanese peonies were in their full glory!

The leaves have finally come out on the trees just this week.

We also drank a lot of tea while Karen was here.

Karen has a blog where she is documenting a different tea everyday for 90 days. You can find it, and several of our tea adventures, here.

I just couldn't get enough of the peonies:

I think I like seeing this house because it does remind me of Scotland:

Then we headed to a local tearoom for a "proper English tea". Sadly, we were very disappointed, and our visit turned into a disaster (see Karen's blog for more details). Oh well! We'll have a funny memory anyway.

And now it's back to regular life, the last day of school tomorrow, Emily's graduation this weekend, party planning for next week, getting flowers into the garden, and a myriad of other things, not to mention catching up on blogs.

May is Race Month

May is the month of the Indy 500 (a car race). While we don't have anything to do with the race ourselves, life takes on a bit of a fast pace all it's own. So, I don't have time to post properly for awhile, but someday, when we get a yellow flag, I have lots of birthday pictures to share, Michael's Japan trip, and fun times with friends from far and near, not to mention lots of knitting.......

Laura Turns One Year!

Today our sweet little Laura Elizabeth turns one year old!!!!

(birth)

What a year it has been! None of us could have imagined. And yet, our life is richer and deeper, more so than we would have thought.

(one month)

Laura smiled early (3 1/2 weeks) and hasn't stopped. We certainly see that as a gift from God in light of all that Laura has been through.

(two months)

It's been so fun to have a little girl again to dress up in beautiful clothes!!!

(three months)

Laura is so very much loved by her siblings. It is wonderful to see how they interact with her.

(four months)

It was at four months that the doctors began to discover the medical problems Laura faced. Sweet thing. No wonder she couldn't put on any weight.

(five months)

Laura has enjoyed many lovely hand-me-downs from her cousin Sophie, including the beautiful white dress she wore for her five month birthday.

(six months)

Here is Laura right before her surgery. She was at the beginning of her time with an NG tube.

(post-surgery)

It still grieves my heart that our precious girl had to go through so much, even before she was one. And yet, at the same time, I am learning to trust that God has His purposes in everything that happens, and often we don't see the reason in this life. Looking back, the pain is not easy, but I feel as though more good has come from this than bad.

Laura's journey is not over, and at times that is hard for me to think about. But, I know her life will be a reason for me to grow closer to my Heavenly Father and to trust Him more. That is good.

(seven months)

Our happy little girl returning after surgery.

(eight months)

Sitting up on her own at Christmas! A perfect gift!

(nine months)

It is good to see progress over time.......and around this time Laura got off her NG tube!

(ten months)

Is that a chubby tummy????

(eleven months)

(one year)

Thank you all for your love and prayers for us and Laura over this past year!!! We can't imagine our life without her and every day we praise God for blessing our lives with her. Happy Birthday dear Laura!!!!

A Day of Joy

Sunday was certainly a joyous day! To begin with, there was the resurrection of the Lord Jesus to celebrate, and then worship to enjoy, and then a great big feast with family and good fellowship all afternoon long.

Rachel worked hard on these flower cupcakes for Easter lunch:

Hot cross buns are a tradition in our house:

Christina and JK hosted us and we were treated to a beautiful and delicious feast, beginning with yogurt creams, mimosas, muffins, and homemade donuts.

Spring flowers were everywhere:

I finally tried Paska for the first time and now know why Lovella's family is always asking her to make it. It is delicious!!! The perfect accompaniment to tea (or a meal as we had it), and several of us wanted it for dessert as well. You can find Lovella's recipe here.

Here was the table with the appetizers:

And then the tables decorated for us to eat our meal:

Everything was festive and looked like spring:

Here is Laura sporting her new spring jacket, standing by the chair that was her grandmother's:

All the children together. Laura came down with a virus that has brought out blisters on her lips. Poor thing does not look very good in the pictures:

Laura wearing a white dress from Italy that I found for about $1 in a charity shop in Scotland over eight years ago, hoping for a little girl to wear it someday.

Lunch was delicious: ham, quiches of all sorts, strawberry-spinach salad, paska, hot cross buns, gluten-free scones, asparagus, and fruit salad.

The Easter Bunny made an appearance:

Here's the food:

And someone put together baskets for all the children:

I secretly knitted John a chicken with little chicks underneath. I love the face!!!
A hen hat is a good idea:

Easter goodies:

Happy faces:

Time for the Easter egg hunt:

John was pleased to get into his boots and tramp about in the yard:

Christina's tree was blossoming:

Yes, it was a rainy day, with a few breaks in the clouds:

Laura with her new hairband:

I love this picture of the two of us:

Big brother takes a turn:

Lots of pictures of Laura,

My favorite picture of the day!!!! Isn't it wonderful!!!!!

Oh, yes, and then there was dessert: cheesecake, cupcakes, and lemon-meringue ice-cream pie!

Rachel's hard work paid off:

The lemon meringue ice-cream pie:

And, we made chocolate easter eggs for later on. Christina and I have a memory of going to someone's house to make these when we were young. We decided to recreate the recipe this year and had so much fun doing so.

We made peanut butter, lime-coconut, and maple-walnut.

And here's the hen with one of her chicks:

Thanks Christina for all the lovely memories!!!

And now, Michael arrives home in just a few hours and tomorrow Laura TURNS ONE!!!!!!