Bye Bye March!

Wow -- did March just zip by for you too?

Even though it was a long month with 

31 long days, it seems to have 

marched by rather quickly!

The Oscar Mayer Wienermobile rolled into town --
their license plate  - "Big Bun"

I've had a bit of blogger's block this month.

Just got busy with lots of

little work things -- office-work, housework, yardwork and . . . 

homework!
And am afraid I didn't get as much accomplished as I hoped
due to a recurring whopper headache! :(

So happy spring break starts soon and hoping

for a break from the homework -- especially math!

Is it just me or did math get really hard

in the last few years??

Photo from May 2014 - - aren't they adorable!

Looking forward to watching

these 3 little ones on Wednesday night this week
and spending time with them again at
Easter Sunday brunch!
Yum!

Hello Spring!

I am a little bit late welcoming spring 

because I've been busy

raking and bagging leaves

and assorted gunk from the yard!

A little pretty among the the layers and layers of dirty old leaves!

And now that we've had a bit of rain,

everything is turning green and budding

right before my very eyes!

In celebration of spring and all that jazz,

Mr. Tennis decided to get a 

new ride!

Last weekend was sunny and up to 70

so a convertible made perfect sense!

Isn't he just too much sometimes!?! 

He loves it and says that with a little practice

(it's a stick shift), I can drive it too! 

So happy that Lincoln is very flat!

Last time I drove a stick shift - I had to be sure and make 

a plan ahead of time

to avoid hills!

Now that I'm a more experienced driver

and it's a lot flatter here, I really am not 

worried at all.

My biggest concern is . . . 

my hair!!

Seriously, we've just entered into the season

of bad hair days!  

You know:   rain + humidity = frizz and big hair!!

Add a convertible to that -- I'm a little afraid! 

Make that very afraid!

I noticed some robins eyeing my hair last weekend 

when it (my hair) was only slightly out of control!

Bring on the hot rollers and flat irons!

Only 2 years from a learner's permit!!!

An Update

Hello Friends!

Modeling a dress she got for the choir concert in May.

Thought I would do a quick mid-week update to let

you know that prayers were answered and 

Mr. Tennis is feeling so much better!

Out of the hospital last Friday and

even though the docs, nurses and staffers

are fabulous, we're going to try to avoid that place!

In other news, it was 90 degrees here yesterday

in Nebraska!

Holy cow -- it's still winter!

That was hot.

Today, we're back to a balmy 34 in the AM with later-day

highs in the 50s.  Perfect!

And flowers are popping up and thinking about

getting ready to bloom!

Ours are not quite to this stage just yet!

I am so ready for the trees to get some buds and green up already,

aren't you!

And that's about all the news I have -

some times . . . 

no news is good news!

Ups and Downs and Bits of Randomness

Hello Friends!
I've had a few posts percolating in my brain
for the last week, but none have actually
been completed.
Soooo, I'm going to combine a bunch of randomness and call it good.

Mads and I were starting to go a little stir crazy earlier this month
during a cold spell

so we went off to the "I Love My Dog" expo!

The highlight was seeing the

Salt Dog mascot from our local baseball team!

And then the jeep was sliding a lot on the way home

 due to the freezing rain/snow,

so we stayed home.

I baked some cookies and napped - the smell of home-baked cookies
put me right to sleep.

That was a fun day -- for me anyway! 

Since then we've been blessed with incredible warm and sunny weather!
Loving it!
I've spent a lot of time doing yard cleanup - which in 60+ temps after a long winter feels like heaven.  And I know the budding plants under the layers and layers of leaves, ice and gunk
appreciate my efforts.

Last weekend, we actually took a little roadtrip to a nearby
outlet mall!  The Under Armour store was
calling some one's name! :)

Who could resist a little hole in the wall eatery
called Voodoo Taco?
Pretty yummy!

In other news, Mr. Tennis has been in the hospital again.
Poor guy -- he rather suddenly became really ill earlier this week.
It appears all related to the nasty ulcerative Crohn's disease
he was diagnosed with in January.
Hoping he is home today or tomorrow!
He's keeping in good spirits and feeling much better.
If you could say a prayer or two for him, we'd appreciate it.

12 Years Ago

"A daughter is a miracle that never ceases to be miraculous...

full of beauty and forever beautiful...

loving and caring and truly amazing."

Dianna Beisser

March is one of my favorite months!  

Besides the fact that March ushers in spring,
 daylight hangs around longer, birds are chirping
and the grass is greening up finally,
there is another reason I love March.

12 years ago today in a conference room in the faraway city 

of Guangdong in the Peoples Republic of China, 

we met our daughter, sweet Maddy, from the town of Wuchuan, 

 for the very first time.

Two months before, we received some photos of her 

looking very serious with those beautiful

piercing dark eyes, sweet little nose and rosebud lips.

And that hair -- that gorgeous black hair!
It was love at first sight!

She's an amazing, sweet, vibrant, thoughtful, loving, 

funny and fun-loving 

13 year old now.
How did we ever get so lucky?!

We are blessed beyond measure to be able to raise her
and call her our daughter!

A daughter is the happy memories of the past, the joyful moments of the present,

 and the hope and promise of the future." 

-- Author Unknown

So Long February - Hello March

Hello Friends!

Are you ready for the month of March?

I'm thinking praying that it will be better

weather-wise than February!

Come on Mother Nature - play nice and

bring us some warm weather please!

February ended with my son, Philip's, birthday!

He turned 30 years old!

Holy cow -- how can he be 30?!

He loved that Sesame Street riding toy!

He was born on a record-high warm day -- 68 degrees!

So lovely!

I recall Mr. Tennis hitting every single pothole on the

way to the hospital!
Ouch!  :(

Philip was a healthy 9 pounder!

Such an adorable baby!

And he's been a joy ever since!

Philip at 7 years old and Connor at 5.

This past year he finished his pediatric residency and

moved with his family to Lincoln!

We are so delighted to have them here and
 celebrated at a dinner out last week.

Philip with his 2 boys, Walt and Harry

Such a great time and celebration!

Happy Birthday Philip!