Memorial, Mud & Mosquitoes

Although Memorial Weekend was rainy and infested with mosquitoes, we were still happy to get to spend it with friends and both our families. And yes, we were one of those "8 million drivers" out on the roads this weekend - traveling from Indiana, to Ohio and back again - even with the $3.59 gas. It was all well worth it :)

Saturday - Our good friends Abby (my college roomie) and Darrin came over from Archbold for a day-long shopping trip to one of the best places in the world - the Michigan City Outlets.

Sunday - Tim and our niece Taylor outside watching yard games - and relaxing after Grandpa Bontrager's yummy hamburgers and hotdogs.

Check out the water snake that Tim, Sean and Taylor found at the pond next door!

Monday - We went to a Memorial Service in Archbold with Mom and Dad Stahl. Such a great service and way to begin Memorial Day. Here Mom and Tim are enjoying their pancake and sausage breakfast provided by the local boy scouts.

And the yard game of choice this year consisted of golf balls on ropes and a red, white & blue tier. The object was to throw the golf ball rope around one of the tiers for points - in other words, I don't know the real name of the game... Here, it's me and mom vs. Tim and Dad. We did lose - BUT it was close! :)

Memorial Surprise

Every Mother's Day us kids always had a tradition - to buy our mom a hanging basket.

Every year we'd get the same kind of flower, and every year she'd hang it in the same spot on the porch. Then us kids would watch for the House Finches that came each spring to build their nest and lay their eggs - never fail. Over the years, the responsibility of finding and buying the basket fell to my brother. It became his mission that he needed to provide a home for these finches each year. And each year - until this one - he did just that.

Although Nate is doing well in Iraq, we still miss him tremendously. With this Memorial Day coming up, I was feeling especially emotional knowing that Nate would not be here to share in all the festivities. Next to the 4th of July, this being one of his favorite holidays.

While I was dusting our dining room table this afternoon, and getting ready for company... I happened to look up and out our front window. I don't know what caught my eye, but one thing I did notice... there, on my own hanging basket, for the first time since we've moved in, was a pair of House Finches. The "papa finch" with his red head, and the "mama" - hopping around trying to decide if this would make a good home for her nest. It was exactly what I needed to start out this Memorial Day Weekend. God's small reminders that He's in control - "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?... Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself." Matthew 6:26 & 34

Have a fun & safe Memorial Weekend!

Tour of Cincinnati

This last weekend Tim and I took a trip down south to Cincinnati to visit our friends Matt and Amanda. We had a blast getting to see and do a bunch of original Cincy "pastimes".

- Friday we took in a Cincinnati Reds game, and Tim got to see his childhood hero, Ken Griffey Jr., hit a homerun

- Saturday Tim, Matt & Amanda (unfortunately I wasn't able to) ran in the annual "Flying Pig Marathon" 5K and visited the nearby expo

- Saturday night we had the best ribs in the world at Montgomery Inn, and then finished off the night with a stop - and a scoop - at Graeter's Ice Cream