Birthday week success...

Well, even though I had to come home from vacation, this week was a success. We had an AWESOME time on the lake with Chris' parents. I didn't realize how much I needed a vacation (after only two weeks of school), but once I got there I just felt my stresses melt away. So nice to have a break from planning, teaching, cooking, cleaning, etc. Curtis did all the cooking, which was such a blessing. I LOVED not eating out every meal or having to make any decisions about food. I was so blessed by her homecooking! We got to catch up with our friends, Clayton and Peggy (from Beaumont times) over dinner and it was such a treat. They now live in Conroe, so it was lucky for us that we just so happened to be there. They invited us up to their house for a visit before we leave for Florida. We didn't have the kiddos with us, or they might not have extended the offer, ha ha. They live out on some acres with a pond, and it sounds like it is a place the kids would love, kind of like Pap-pa's house. In fact, since we were going to A lake, the kids (especially Aiden) just expected to see Pap-pa there. Aiden kept saying, "Pap-pa's house!" Then Caitlyn observed a weeping willow tree just like the one Pap-pa has in his yard, and Aiden was then totally convinced that we were close to Pap-pa's lake. The kids had a great time at Lake Conroe as well. I love the fact that nothing spectacular can happen and they are content with the little things, being with loving grandparents, feeding ducks, swimming in a pool, observing nature. Even though we live in the "city" I feel like I have done a good job of instilling a love of nature in them. Our backyard is so small, you can almost touch the house and the back fence at the same time. We do most of our observation and playing in the front yard, although we do have a nice "observation deck" (our back patio with the torn screen - all kinds of critters get caught in there and we get to watch and then release them).