Home Sweet Home: Updates: Encouraging Breakfasts, Gymnastics, Fun with Friends, and Enjoying the Great Outdoors

We have enjoyed so many great days since my last updates! Since I waited so long to give you all an update, I will simply try to give you all a few highlights from the past couple of weeks. I know I am going to leave some things out.

*I hope you all had a fabulous Easter (I know this is a bit late)! Last Friday, our church held an awesome Good Friday service. The music was rockin' (seriously) and the message was bold! It was such a special night for us and our church family to reflect on the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ. I don't think that I will ever fully grasp the love that God's has for me. He gave his one and only Son to die on a cross for ME! It is truly unmeasurable and incomprehensible!

* We spent Easter with Nathan's family and the children. Nate's parents were kind enough to let us all join them for a wonderful lunch. It was a beautiful day outside so we enjoyed a fun game of wiffle ball before lunch. Earlier in the week, we (at the Linc) died Easter eggs, had an Easter egg hunt, and reflected on the meaning of Easter with the children. I was surprised to find out that many of our children do not celebrate Easter every year (unlike Christmas, which most of them celebrate yearly).

* Nathan and I continue to eat breakfast with some of our dear friends who are dedicated to the Lincoln Village Ministry on Sunday's before church. We take turns cooking for one another on Sunday mornings. I must tell you that we all make a mean breakfast! It is an awesome time of encouragement and it allows us to be refreshed before we go back into battle on Monday. Please continue to pray for the staff and volunteers who are part of Lincoln Village Ministries! This is a picture of us all eating at Natalie and Brent's house.

* We only have 3 more weeks at The Linc. We can hardly believe that this school year is almost over. The kids have made SO much progress (academically, behaviorally, and emotionally)! We have been blessed tremendously by the presence of these children in our lives. I am so thankful that they have so many people who continue to show them the love of Christ. Please continue to pray for the children!

* We are not sure how I will be spending my summer at this point, but we know there are going to be some changes. I hope to be able to spend it with the children, but as I have mentioned before, I need to complete 600 internship hours this summer (to complete my speciality for my Master's), so if they don't allow me to complete the hours with Lincoln Village Ministries, I will not be able to be with them over the summer. I am waiting to hear back from my internship professor regarding her decision. Pray about that as well!!!

* Two of our boys competed in a gymnastics competition this Saturday to compete for a place at Nationals. Jeremiah will for sure be attending Nationals, while Derrick will need to travel to another competition to try to earn his place. It was so much fun watching them tumble. Several people from our church came out to support them, which made them feel very special. We were very proud of the patience and discipline that they showed at the competition. The video below is of Jeremiah tumbling.

* In the past couple of weeks, we have been able to share meals and play games with some of our friends. It is so nice to be able to get together with people who truly love and encourage you. We are so thankful for our great group of friends who continue to share their lives with us. A few of our close friends have sweet babies and a couple of our friends are expecting. Spending time with these babies and the mothers to be is a true joy for me!

* Nathan and I have really been enjoying the nice weather. A couple weeks ago, we planted some new flowers in the front of our house and freshened up our back porch. We both enjoy spending time outside when it is nice, so we have been running, spending time in the yard, and eating dinner outside more. This is such a great time of year!