VBS week!

Regardless of what it looks like by looking at Katie's face, the girls enjoyed VBS at night this week. I didn't get to see any of it in person myself, but from what I hear, the Jonah "musical" that was performed at the conclusion of each evening-after classtime-was very entertaining....especially the large parrot....a British parrot if I'm not mistaken. I really think it's neat that so many people were involved in putting on the production-people with children, people without children, elders, etc. Last night, I enjoyed hearing Chris, Gramme, Gracie, & Katie singing some of the songs for me. "Give me a 'J!' You got your J, you got your J....." Katie was cute singing, "Where is Jonah? Where is Jonah? In a fish, in a fish. What is Jonah doing? What is Jonah doing?...."

Katie has been kind of clingy about going to class, so I think going to class 4 nights in a row probably helped her with this. One night when Chris picked her up, she said, "I like this church!" This is a good thing because the clinginess was getting bothersome! (Gracie is in the orange hat.) I think one of Gracie's favorite parts was the ear they made out of plaster (?) with 'ear wax' in it to represent Jonah not listening to God. I think Chris & Gramme are a little glad VBS is over just because it makes for a long week. I'm sure all the people involved in helping with VBS are a little glad too! We sure do appreciate everyone who worked so hard in putting it all together. We've been involved with VBS in Aiken, so we know how much work it takes. Thanks Jennifer!

Today is Gramps's birthday, and we're going to take him out to dinner tomorrow to celebrate. Chris doesn't work tomorrow (yea!), so it'll be nice for him to get to sleep in and stay home & relax. Maybe he'll make it out to the pool with the girls. Gramme has been spending lots of time at the pool with them. Gracie will now run & jump in the shallow end!!!!!! You have no idea what a big deal this is! I am so proud of her. I really think by the end of the summer she will be "officially" swimming. She's getting really close now! Katie is getting braver, but she's not ready to be called a swimmer yet.

Gramme took the girls to the movies this afternoon, and they also each came home with a toy from the nearby "Learning Express" toy store. Fun for them! Ellie was in the mood to be held a lot this afternoon-I think her little tummy was upset as it often is-so I held her and typed with one hand while I browsed around online. I then was able to lay her next to me on the bed and she slept for awhile. She just couldn't quite settle down in her bed or bouncy seat though. However, she slept really good last night!!!!! I fed her around 11:15 and then not again until 4:45. That was awesome!!!!!!!! So, I'll give up my afternoon nap without too much complaint since I got to sleep longer last night! :-)

Gramps & Gramme go home Saturday, so we'll be back to the real world of just us. It's been...what....6 1/2 weeks or so since we've been 'alone'? It's been wonderful to have such good help, but it'll be good to be 'just us' too!

We are set to close on our house TOMORROW MORNING!!!!!!!! Our realtor told Chris it was a 'God thing' because nothing was closing in Aiken. She said the realtor for the buyers is a single mom who needs the money, the buyers really need a house, and we needed to sell, so it works out for us all! Chris's company has thankfully been willing to reimburse us for our house payment, but that deal would not have lasted forever!

We have some friends from Uvalde (where we lived before Aiken) coming through to visit for a couple of hours Saturday afternoon. They were 'surrogate grandparents' to Gracie for the first 9 months or so of her life, so it'll be so neat for them to see her again and get to meet Katie & Ellie!

Here are some cute pics of our little "Ellie Roo."