Update

I am behind in blogging----if you haven't noticed. I take lots of pictures, but they are on my phone, on the camera, on Lucy's camera or the video camera----I need to bring over all the devices and download them ALL----but that hasn't happened yet, and I don't see it happening right now either :)

On an earlier post we had pictures of our baby birds---I had mentioned there were 4 birds----well, there were 5!!! As they got bigger it was clear there were 5 of them and we enjoyed the heck out of them!!!

My mother was here for Memorial Day and we knew the birds were going to leave the nest any day---sure enough they did it while she was here and she even got the treat of witnessing their departure!!! The parents continue to watch after the babies (no longer in the nest) for the next 2-3 weeks and it was amazing to watch. It did take more patience to watch them when they were mobile and all over the front yard (and the kids lost interest at this point), but my mother and I sat out there for hours watching them.

The highlight was watching the runt bird and she was quite unsure of flying. She was on one of our lion statues head and the parents kept coming and showing her what to do and chirping/talking. It was amazing!! Finally the little bird flew from the lion to Lucy's bike and sat on the handle bar. The parent would come and sit on the other handle and "talk" to it and show it how to flap it's wings and then she would do it. I do believe that our presence out there as audience intimidated the little bird though, as once we went inside, she flew off :)

During the first week the babies were out of the nest the mother began doing renovations on the nest. She got that back up to par and has now been sitting on eggs AGAIN!!!! I have seen no evidence that they have hatched yet, but it won't be long.

Before too long we will just be covered in Easter Phoebe Flycatchers :) That isn't true of course, as the babies do move on and find their own homes. It is amazing to watch though :)


In other news---the girls have attended VBS at SmokeRise Baptist church near our house and had a great time and met some really nice friends we are hoping to get them together with. Right now the girls are at another VBS at Crossroads which is also near our house. I have no doubt they are having a great time at that too. I have video from the first one of them at their parent showcase up on stage. I have to figure out how to get that on---I will probably just put it on YouTube and post a link. They both did great!!!

This VBS is for 2 days for 5 hours each and they will be eating dinner there. Mike and I are going to have 2 dinners with no kids!!! He is working today so we won't have a ton of time when he gets home before we have to pick them up, but tomorrow----date time!!!! We are excited as we never get time without the kids!!

Last week we were sick---Clara started it and probably got it from the first VBS. Lucy got it next and worse than Clara did and I got it then too and had it horribly!!! I still have a slight cough which is quite annoying, but am finally better, thank God!!

The house has still not sold, and we have lowered the price again (this is the lowest we can go on it now----unless we do a short sale). We trust that God has His reasons and we KNOW that He will use all things for our good as that is His promise to us in Romans! We can and will hold Him to that and no doubt in Heaven we will have a big ah-ha moment when we see this time in our lives and it all makes sense and is absolutely perfect :) In the flesh though, it stinks :)

For school, we are still working on finishing up this past year. I never want to take months off for summer anyway, but am hoping to get a couple of weeks off before the next school year. The girls are both doing great! We have joined the Classical Conversations community here and are looking forward to that! We will have to drive an hour for it (Decatur), but it is worth it!! I will be tutoring Lucy's class too (which is a paid position and will help out a LOT). I will go to practicums to learn how and strategies in July which i am looking forward too as well. While I am doing that the girls will be in camp so they are thrilled :)

That seems to be it for now. I will eventually get the pictures up to date too :)