Easter and Beyond...

I can't believe it's been over a month since I've posted...a lot has happened.

Grandma Denyse came over the day before Easter to dye eggs with Brooke. Easter was a small celebration with Mike's parents and my mom (Grandpa Ken was visiting Great Grandma Millie in her last few days). The Easter bunny came...because he was so excited that Jesus rose AGAIN! and delivered a few items for both Brooke and Clayton. Brooke was most excited by the jelly beans in the egg and Clayton thought all the eggs were "balls" so he was just thrilled - not to mention that some of the balls made a cool noise when you shook them because of the candy inside.



Sadly, on April 2nd, at the age of 83, Great Grandma Millie lost her battle to cancer. She was an amazing godly woman and will be greatly missed, but we look forward to when we'll join her again in heaven. I explained to Brooke that Grandma had died because Jesus invited her to come home and that we were sad that she wouldn't be with us anymore, but that we are also very happy that she's with Jesus. Brooke's response was, "Mommy, I'm not sad - I'm just happy she's with Jesus." I was able to make 2 trips down to Florida at the beginning of February, one with Brooke - I'm so grateful for that time.



The first weekend in April Clayton and I took a trip with Grandma Nancy to Toledo, OH for cousin Erica's baby shower. Clayton was a good traveler and we were able to catch up with many family members. Matt & Erica recently purchased a new home and we were able to stop by to see that too.

Mike and I then traveled to Florida for Grandma's funeral last week. My saint of a friend, Karen, took care of both kids (while caring for her 2 and being 7 months pregnant!) It was a good visit and the weather was beautiful as we celebrated grandma's life.




So that's been us...here are the stories that I can remember. (Clayton even has a few!)

Brooke was coloring at the kitchen table while I was making dinner and she's saying the letters of her name and Clayton's name and "writing" them out (only a few recognizable). She then says, "Mom - how do you spell "dot com"....can you tell that we live in an age of technology and Internet?! I almost fell over laughing.

Recently Brooke has been very interested in caring for "Little Pooh" - this little stuffed animal. He gets royal treatment of food, snuggling, tucked in at night, etc. Well, a few weeks ago she told me he had a fever in his eye. She kept saying that over the days to come...then finally she said it just a little bit different - she called it an "eye fever". So now it all makes sense to me. She must have heard us say someone had a "high fever." That English language...I'll tell you - tricky, tricky!

And Clayton is still obsessed with dogs - or "bow wow's" as he calls them. I think it's funny that he'll go running for our picture window yelling "bow wow" hoping to see someone walking their dog. So the other day I had bought Cottonelle toilet paper that was sitting in the kitchen waiting to be put away. I found Clayton sitting in front of it shouting "bow wow, bow wow" as though he expected the picture of the puppy on the front to bark back.