Friday Before Holy Week

1. I'm having difficulty believing that it is Friday already. My mother arrived safely last Saturday and the days have just been packed since then. I know I try to plan all kinds of fun things when she's here, as well as all kinds of useful cleaning projects (like going through all of Miranda's drawers and pulling out all the clothes that don't fit anymore) but I'm seriously disoriented. Friday, again, really?

2. So Miranda started her soccer program for kids with special needs last Saturday (each child is provided a buddy to help them follow the coach's instructions) and she did well for the first half and then she wanted to sit on the bench for a while with me. I think it's going to be an excellent challenge for her to listen, focus and follow directions. And she looks adorable in her uniform:

I really need to take her out to buy soccer shoes, though, so she doesn't slip and slide her way across the field in her sneakers. It was on the list of things to do this week and just didn't get done.

3. I missed the opening of spring at Longwood Gardens last year, what with one thing and another, so yesterday, my mother and I spend the morning and early afternoon enjoying the flowers and taking about 200 pictures. My photos are here; sometime this weekend we'll open a Smugmug account for my parents and get her pictures uploaded.

Here's a taste a few of my better pictures for you, though:

Have I mentioned before how much I like flowers? :)

I'm hoping to go back, in May, with a dear friend to enjoy the wisteria blooms, which I've only managed to see once before at Longwood. They are glorious!

4. I did make some progress on my cross stitch this week, but not a lot. Too many evenings where I was just exhausted from all the fun stuff we did all day. Like catching up on my weeding and trimming back my hostas. I still need to spread the corn gluten meal on the front yard to help with the proliferation of weeds. I'm sure Miranda can help me sprinkle it around; she's in the helping stage of childhood development. Sometimes it's useful, sometimes it's just downright annoying. Of course, my mother laughs and tells me I was much the same at this age.

Here's your progress picture:

5. One of my friends from high school who recently moved to the Delaware Valley is bringing her husband and dog to meet us and enjoy a nice dinner together with my family on Palm Sunday. Unfortunately for Miranda, her husband's name is Wolf and the dog's name is Truman. When we first mentioned them, she thought a wolf was coming to visit, and, as she told us gravely, she is afraid of wolves. So, we've been practicing with Miranda that Wolf is a person and Truman is a dog.

6. Marshall has been making tremendous progress on the bookshelves this week, so we honestly hope to have one of the built-in shelves up and ready for books early next week and the 3 large book cases currently taking up space in our front room moved over to his parents' house for their enjoyment. Hopefully, I'll have pictures for you next Friday!

7. My mother's book, Bathsheba's Lament, continues to earn praises and recognition from among a growing number of readers. There is a great review of it on the International Christian Fiction Writers' blog that you must read! There is another awesome review of Bathsheba's Lament on LeAnne Hardy's blog. Read it here. Remember, if you haven't already ordered a copy, you will find it available here, or, if you are a local fan, inform me that you are claiming one of my few remaining copies.


And here's Jen.