For the first time in many years we had "all" of our children in our home yesterday. God is good . . . all the time! There is such a wonderful love shared among us and we thank God for our time spent together and for His blessings on each family's lives.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MARIA . . . nine years old! We are so very thankful and proud of you . . . your kindness, musical gifts, artistic talents, sensitivity, sense of humor, your willingness to show love . . . You are very special to all of us. We love you! Na-na and Pa-pop.

"MY" WREN IS BACK!!!

Each spring I await the arrival of "my" wrens who faithfully build their nest in the little wooden birdhouse I've provided for them . . . right outside the bedroom window. What a gift to have them awaken me every morning with their wonderful songs. Wrens are such little birds, but their song is "big" - can't miss it and I love it! Spring is here!! God is faithful!!!

We spotted a grosbeak this am and finches are such a bright yellow. I am celebrating!!

NETHERLANDS AND ORANGE!

After a week in the Netherlands, my love for the color orange has not diminished. The full bloom of spring bulbs at Keukenhof Gardens near Amsterdam is the most beautiful display of flowers I've ever seen . . . but orange just does it for me. The Netherlands is an intriguing mixture of ancient and new. Evidence of God's beauty in creation and man's ingenuity in reclaiming land from the water is intriguing. We spent eight enjoyable days seeing quaint villages with manicured gardens, prosperous cities with evidence of the ancient and the new, and pastoral scenes that made our days memorable. Windmills dot landscapes with large, modern factories in the background. The cobblestsone/brick streets are narrow and picturesque and bikers are innumerable. I sensed a unique way of life which is both admirable and challenging.

WELCOME, MIRANDA SUSAN

Today, March 23, 2009, Miranda Susan Fylstra was born to Paul and Kate Sonderfan Fylstra. We rejoice in the safe delivery of a well-born child. Psalm 139: 13 and 14 say it perfectly:

Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;

You formed me in my mother's womb.

I thank you, High God -- You are breathtaking!

You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,

How I was sculpted from nothing into something.

Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;

all the stages of my life were spread out before you.

The days of my life all prepared

before I'd even lived one day.

Again we have been blessed with the miracle of birth and we are grateful for this lovely, sweet, beautiful child placed in our family. As soon as pictures are available, I will post one.

HOME, SWEET, HOME!

Neither tornadoes, nor rain, nor wind, nor snow . . . Saturday am we looked at the Weather Channel and observed that threatening weather was in Alabama and Georgia, and following close on its "heels" would be the worst snow of the season. We calculated how long it would take to pack and we decided to make a "run" for it . . . hoping to drive through Atlanta after the rain and wind and before the snow. We left at noon and the plan worked well. We left at noon and drove as far as south of Nashville w/o bad weather. We awakened to 4 inches of snow on car and a sheet of ice underneath, so we obviously had stopped just in time. We cleaned off the car and within 15 minutes of travel we were in bright, blue skies/sunshine and arrived home in time for a bowl of hot chicken soup, compliments of daughter, Marlene. We are thankful for God's leading and protection . . . and in spite of cold temps, it is good to be home. No bird sightings on way home!?*, but I checked my list and have added 6 lifers "spotted" while in FL.

one more feathered friend . . .

A knock on the door, a verbal alert to the presence of a yellow bellied sapsucker right above Bill's parked golf cart in the clubhouse parking lot. Dick and I quickly drove down there and behold a yellow bellied sapsucker . . . a lifer, folks. What a wonderful way to finish "vacation"!