A Priest Forever

So blest to have attended the 1st Mass of Fr. Adam Sparling yesterday.  Amazing!  I feel a special connection to him & his classmates, since they were my last at St. Gregory's.  Looking up at the sanctuary, I saw it half-filled with former students... some now priests, some deacons, one a religious brother, some still seminarians, some husbands & dads... in the pews even more of the latter.  What an incredible gift to have watched these men grow in holiness & now to see them taking such strong roles in our Church & world.  I feel incredibly blest!  We all should.

Last day of school

 Here's our new 3rd grader!  (with half an eggshell on his thumb)

And our new 1st grader.  Welcome to summer!

Tootsie

Teresa, at three & half years old you are the funniest little girl.

You keep us laughing all day long... though sometimes it is under our breath. 

- I love how you like to do everything with your dolly.  Her most common name is "Felissa", though lately you've been deferring to "Rose". 

- Your favorite salad dressing is "Dorfy Lynch".

- You are currently in the habit of when you tell the occasional fib, you follow it with "Really!  I'm not lying!"  We'll enjoy that tell for as long as it lasts.  ;)

- You talk to & hug your baby sister in my tummy all day long.  Sometimes you have complete conversations that usually end with, "What are you doing in there crazy baby?"

-  You can play a few simple tunes on the piano for real, but you like to look at music books, run your finger along the notes like you are reading them, & plunk out additional songs.  I'm pretty sure you think that you are really doing it right.

Baby Cecilia Irene

 We were blest to attend my niece Cecilia Irene's baptism on Pentecost Sunday... she is so sweet!

 Can you spy the red booties on her feet for the occasion?  Come Holy Spirit!

 The cousins present

More realistic

Welcome to the family of God, Cecilia!



Hail the conquering graduate

 We spent Mother's Day weekend in Hastings with a joyful group of family to celebrate my oldest niece Clare's graduation from high school!  Such a great reason to celebrate & a blessing to have so many of us together.  Here's baby-loving Maria enjoying Lily rocking her shades.

 The boys camped out on the bunkbeds

 crazy zebra-lady

 The kids were SO excited to stay at a hotel.  We spent Saturday evening swimming with cousins.  Actually, Andrew's really the only one who did any swimming.  Rebecca just bopped around a little bit between the hot tub & the "so cold" indoor swimming pool & Teresa spent most of her pool time like this in Maria's arms.

 If you thought swimming was exciting, it was nothing compared to sleeping in a big bed.

 After a continental breakfast, some sweet cards that the big kids made at school, baccalaureate Mass, & sandwiches for lunch, we ventured out to the local park to enjoy the ducks & the playground.  Perfect day!

 Then after a nice ceremony (including our new Bishop!) we headed back to the house for the party.  I was especially fond of the cappuccino punch... oh my goodness it was delicious.

("Aunt Bobby" with Clare & Elizabeth in 1999)

Watching a cute slideshow that they put together, I could remember so much from when Clare was just a baby.  I lived with them a few summers in a row working with Rich out in the cornfield during the day & enjoying time with my sister Melissa & the babies in the evening.  I kind of adopted them as my first kiddos before I ever had kids.  Now she's going to college!  I may have cried about a box-worth of Kleenex... in-between smiling so much that my cheeks hurt.  :)

Love you, Clare Elizabeth! 

You are such an amazing woman & I am blest to be your aunt.

Birthday Excursion

 Darren likes to take each of the kids on a special excursion just with Dad for their birthday.  This year Rebecca picked the drive-through zoo.  They had a blast! 

 bald eagles

 screech owls

 black bear

 The other times we have visited, the wolves were nowhere to be seen.  But this time this big fella was relaxing right up by the fence.  So cool!

posing with the white buffalo

Rebecca especially liked the baby geese

 The petting zoo is a nice new addition.  This was her favorite goat. 

Hope that you had fun with Daddy! 

Happy Birthday, Rebecca! 

Surfin' Safari

 Well, not surfing exactly, but on our way to swimming lessons this month we've been pumping ourselves up with a little Beach Boys on the way.  It was especially helpful on the two Thursdays that it was SNOWING on our way there versus the other two that were hot & balmy.  Crazy Nebraska! 

 Both kids did great.  Andrew learned how to backstroke & knee dive.

 Rebecca further mastered arm movement & face in the water... though her feet have a tendency to stay on the ground instead of float.  Oh, well.

 She's brave enough to jump off the side & off the diving board, though!

And occasionally kick.  ;)

Meeting Cecilia

 We are pleased to announce the arrival of our new little niece Cecilia Irene!  She was born the morning of May 6th to proud parents Cara & Taylor.  She is welcomed by enthusiastic big brothers Jonathan & Nicholas.

We love her so much already.  Can't wait until she can meet HER new little cousin in about a month.  Congratulations!

Duet

Teresa & Red Grandpa playing a "Twinkle, twinkle" duet

She can also play most of "Mary had a little lamb" & "Birthday party"

Puzzling

May Crowning

Moms Group at the Chidren's Museum

Thanks for a fun day, ladies!