Family Pictures

This has been a very busy week. Friday we went to my grandfather's birthday party. The kids and I started a scrapbook for him which we are showing him in this first picture. This will be a present that will keep growing as we have the pages here at the house and each time we visit we will add more pages to his scrapbook.

Saturday, I took the kids shopping for clothes. I almost thought I wouldn't get them any clothes this year for Easter, but when I was trying to figure out what to have them wear Scott told me it was fine to go get them something. We set an ideal amount to spend and I took them to the store and we actually found some really good prices on clothes. One of the stores we went to had a really good sale on and I found the girls some lovely dresses for an amazingly low price.

Joshua was a little harder to shop for. I told the cashier that for boys they should put the toys on the dress clothes. All Joshua saw were the T-shirts that were sold with a toy. I told him he could buy the toy separate later, but right then we were looking for church clothes. He didn't think he needed any more church clothes but I told him he did. For some reason the girls were more enthusiastic about clothes shopping than their brother.

We enjoyed our services on Sunday. Scott preached some good sermons and I had some great ideas on ministering from his sermon. During the Sunday School lesson he taught he mentioned how we should not let any Sanballats or Tobiahs discourage us from the work God has for us to do. (You should read Nehemiah to find out who Sanballat and Tobiah were. It is really a very interesting story.)

Monday we got all dressed up again and had our family picture taken. The children were very well behaved. Jonathan even smiled for the feather duster the photographer used to tickle him. Jonathan had so much fun that he didn't want to leave the table and kept reaching to go back on the table after having his individual picture taken. I'm glad he wasn't real shy and clingy.

I'll post more pictures in future blogs. Today I'll just put the picture of our family above and this picture of our children. Be sure to check back later for more pictures.

(Nehemiah 2:17-20)

Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach.

Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king's words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work.

But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king?

Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.