Result of a very busy few days....

Well my last blog was all about spending a day scrapbooking.  Then, Sunday, was not so much about relaxing.  It was a day that I look forward to all year!  It was Lia's dance recital! 

She works so hard all year and it is so rewarding to see the fruits of all that work! Lia is in a "Combo Class" that does both a ballet and tap number.   It is hard to believe that this was the 5th year she has been at this studio and in this year end show!  She started off in pre-ballet as a 3 year old and has never looked back.  Lia loves to dance!  She is very excited to be adding to her experience this summer by taking a "Lyrical" dance class.  When she is up on that stage, she shines!  It was a great day (although no photos were allowed during the recital...sadly).  This year, at the final bow, she was several rows back from the front.  Its hard to imagine just how grown up she has gotten. 

 

Then on Monday, I went up to Gwen's as usual.  Lia is still in school this week and Gwen had some errands that she needed to do.  So we headed off to the mall with Ellie, Zeke and Anna.  These kids are so good!  All they needed to be happy at the mall was a 75cent ride in a car!

Anna just rode along in her stroller.  She never made a peep through the entire trip.  We were blessed to make it back to the car just BEFORE the skies opened up and it rained and rained!   I just get so filled and happy being with these kids.  I am so thankful that I am able to be with them so often and get to participate in not only the BIG things (like birthdays and dance recitals), but also the little things like trips to the mall.  Yes, I am blessed!  After arriving home, Ken and I had lots of vacation things to accomplish.  Fortunately, I found everything that we needed to begin the packing process.  But, yes, it was a long and tiring day.

Then, today was a back to work day.  And it was also a busy day.  So I am feeling a bit.........gee I don't know exactly what word I would use to describe what I am feeling right now.  So I guess I would settle on excited!  I am really looking forward to this vacation!   In spite of the stress of the preparation for the vacation, I simply can't wait. 

Isn't that like so many very good things that we encounter?  There might be stress and lots of hard work to get there, and there might be quite a bit of excitement and butterflies in the stomach, leading up to the event, but in the end it is always worth it!  I remember my mom saying that nothing in life is really very good unless you have to work for it.  And that work also comes with some stress.   I know that I can look back and see the truth in that statement. 

So, I will sit back and relax a bit tonight.  We still have the rest of this work week before vacation.  So, get ready for more posts, as you follow along on our journey!

Thank you, so much Jesus for this busy time.  I am so blessed to be surrounded by my family and so grateful for this upcoming vacation.   Holy Spirit, help us all to know and understand that hard work and planning are part of the good things in our life.  Jesus, thank you for the many, many blessings you pour out on us.  Amen