Ready for the wedding - Jeremy with his friend Lydia.  

Destiny had to show Uncle Jeremy her Easter dress. 

He's home (to a new home!)

Jeremy flew to Baltimore Airport last night and was picked up by some of his friends. I think his flight arrived after midnight this morning, so I didn't mind at all that we didn't have to pick him up! He slept at his friend's house (not long enough), rented a car, attended a luncheon with the groom and the other groomsmen, and finally came "home" after school. It was so much fun to show him around. He was properly impressed with our simple, comfortable home. He desperately needed a nap, much to Destiny's disappointment! Now he's at the wedding rehearsal, so I guess we'll see him in the morning when we wake up.

Jeremy tries out our breezy porch for the first time. 

Muffins with Mom at MCDS

This morning our first grade teacher, Danelle Michael, hosted "Muffins with Mom" in the school gym. She has done it before, and it's such a special time for the moms and their children. Next year she will host "Donuts with Dad".

Lining up for a choice of a BIG blueberry, cinnamon, or chocolate chip muffin. 

A special morning for the moms and their children. 

We ate our muffins with Karrye Hawryluk and her three daughters. Karrye took Destiny home with her for the day. 

A lovely day spent indoors, cleaning!

Yesterday the primary grades, whose music classes I always have after lunch, were on a field trip all day, so I left school early to come home and start cleaning and doing laundry. I rented Mary Poppins for Destiny to watch. It was such a beautiful day, but I think we're heading into some rainy, cool days, just in time for Jeremy's visit to the "North"! Our temps in the 60's will seem like winter to him!

Lisa sent me some pictures last evening of Sophie playing with a little friend in the baby pool. Giovanni's mother, Jill, is one of Lisa's good friend.

Playtime in the kiddie pool 

Bloopers

I have a few more entries for my book of bloopers.

Recently I've been thinking I should call the orchestra director at Manheim Central, Mrs. Kendig, and ask her a question about tuning a viola, since I now have a viola player on my worship team at church. Today I took something to the dry cleaners in Manheim. As I was about to leave, a man walked in that I thought was Mr. Metzger, the band director at Manheim Central. We said "hi" to each other. Before I walked out the door, it occurred to me that maybe he would know the answer to my question, so I said, "Hey, I have a question for you. Do you know anything about violas, like how they're tuned?" He looked a little blank, so I further explained, "Do you tune them exactly with the piano, or are they tuned differently?" He said, "I have no idea." I was a bit surprised, because I thought he knew everything about music. I said, "I guess Mrs. Kendig is the one to ask, right?" He seemed to agree. Then I blabbered on about having a viola player at church, etc. and that I just thought I'd take advantage of his presence and ask him. I walked out to my car, and it suddenly dawned on me that the man I was talking to was NOT Mr. Metzger. It was Ted Beck, the funeral director in Manheim. I could have gone right back in and explained my mistake, but I was too embarrassed, and could only think of disappearing as quickly as possible! I laughed the whole way to school. When I told the teachers they just screamed laughing. Frank Rittenhouse, the 3rd grade teacher, works part time for the funeral director, so I'll let him get the enjoyment of explaining my mistake to Ted Beck! And he WILL enjoy it, believe me. I hope I don't have to attend a funeral there anytime soon!!

The other entry for my book of bloopers is quite similar, actually. The Nolts, who bought our house last summer, went to Disney two weeks ago. Melissa's dad was planning to stay at the house while they were gone. Unfortunately, they ran out of oil the week before, and decided not to refill. They instead showed her dad how to work the coal stove. I had joked that I'd help him with the coal stove, since we had used it for 18 years.

The week they were gone, I was waiting with the last of the children to be picked up at dismissal time. In walked a man that I thought was Melissa's dad (he is a part-time janitor at our school.) I said, "HI THERE! Are you keeping warm?" He said, "Yeah, I'm keeping warm." I suddenly realized it wasn't Melissa's dad. So, having nowhere to disappear to, I explained who I thought he was, and why I had asked such a stupid question. I discovered he was a father I had never met who was there to pick up his son. I bet he'll never forget being asked by the music teacher if he's keeping warm.

I'd better just learn to keep quiet. My brain can't be trusted anymore.

Another dress, another toy!

As she often does, Destiny asked if she could put a dress on after we got home from school. She picked the fanciest one of all. This time, instead of playing with babies, she wanted to type. It's so funny to watch her - she sits and types as fast as she can, page after page. Then she says she's finished and wants me to print it out for her. It's just pages and pages of big pink letters and numbers, but she is so proud of them.

Future blogger??

You caught me, Grandma!

Can anyone interpret?

Spring program getting closer

Yesterday I took the MCDS Worship Team to Hernley Mennonite Church. That's the church I grew up in, until I got married. So it's always special to go there. My brother Dick and his wife Nancy, and their son Richard and his family attend there. Two of Richard and Jennifer's children are on the MCDS Worship Team. The service was over by 11:00 a.m. so I went to our church afterward. I just missed hearing the youth worship team leading there, but I got to hear Pastor Dennis's message for the first time in weeks.

A few weeks ago Destiny must have decided to do chin ups on the shower curtain rod in our bathroom when she was bathing. The whole thing came down, right out of the wall. So since then I've been taking baths and washing my hair under the faucet like in the old days. I could have used the shower in the other bathroom, but all my stuff is in our bathroom. Anyway, I finally got a new rod - the kind that curves out and keeps the curtain from getting agaist you when you're showering. It's really cool.

This week I need to really pull things together for our big Spring program at school coming up next Friday, the 19th. I also need to clean well again, because JEREMY IS COMING HOME!! He'll be arriving late this coming Thursday evening and staying until early next Thursday morning. He hasn't been home since Christmas, a year ago! And he has never seen this house! I'm so excited. He's coming home for a wedding - his former roommate is getting married and Jeremy is a groomsman. Of course, when he's home it's hard to see much of him, because all his friends want to see him too. But he said he'll be here for Mother's Day and also next Tuesday he's keeping for me. And he'll sleep here, but I imagine his sleep schedule will be a bit different from mine!

A blessed occasion

This afternoon a couple from our church got married. I played our church keyboard (with the pipe organ voice)for the processional and recessional. Dick took care of the sound. It was so much fun to see some folks we hadn't seen for quite a while and even to catch up with people from church, since I've been away so much lately with the MCDS Worship Team. The couple who got married were Virgil Weaver (Lois Herr's brother - for those of you who know her, but not him) and Jennifer Mentzer. Virgil has been actively involved at our church for many years, and this was an especially happy occasion for him and all those who have walked with him through the hard times. We're so happy he found Jen!

Virgil and Jen with his daughter Mandy and son Scott.  

The organist and the sound man hitting it off! 

What looks of rapture upon our faces!! 

Who said kids need new toys?!!

Dick took this picture this morning. I just cracked up when I saw it. Destiny loves to put dresses on to play, so here she is in last year's Easter dress, with her babies in our ages-old rusty express wagon, loaded with the old potty chair that I and my siblings sat upon, then my children did as well. The Nolts, who bought our house last year, found it in a far corner of the attic a few months ago!! Several phrases come to mind when I look at this picture, but they're derogatory, so I won't put them in public writing. If anyone is curious, let me know, and I'll email you!!

Saturday morning playtime! 

A Looong Day

This was a VERY long day at the JR. High Music Festival, and I'm too sleepy to write, so once again, I'll let the pictures do the talking.

This hits the spot after a hard morning of singing. 

Hungry, girls? 

We sang for our supper (actually lunch.) 

Looking down on the world. 

Dirty pant legs already, Alex? 

Kicking back for a while. 

My chaperones, Beth Mease and Melissa Nolt. 

Goofing around. 

The grand finale of the day - the mass chorus. 

Keeping my head straight

I spent most of the day at school getting everything ready for tomorrow at the Jr. High Music Festival. After school I went to church to get everything ready for the youth worship team to practice this evening. They will lead at church again, because I will be taking the MCDS Worship Team to Hernley Mennonite Church this Sunday. Then, while I was at church, I practiced wedding music for a wedding that will be held at our church Saturday afternoon. As I was leaving it occurred to me that I have four music events or groups to prepare for in three days. No wonder I'm having trouble keeping my head straight. Add to that the never-ending struggle to arrange babysitting and transportation for Destiny. Never a dull moment, that's for sure.

Why do we still live in PA?!!

I sit here and look at pictures like the ones below from Lisa, and I wonder, "WHY do we still live in Pennsylvania?" Does anyone blame me?

Grandma and Grandpa, why do you live so far away from me? 

Does anyone want to pick me up and hug me? 

Disney music

This evening I did something I seldom ever do. I took the time to go to a program at another school. My friend, Yvonne Devosa, is the music teacher at Ressurection Catholic School in Lancaster. It is also a Pre-K to 8 school, like ours, so it was interesting to be there. They had a Disney theme, celebrating the 100th year since Walt Disney's birth. So a lot of the songs were familiar. It was fun.

Another baby was born into the Stauffer family yesterday. Dick's nephew Jonathon Stauffer and his wife Jen in Minnesota had a baby girl, keeping the Stauffer tradition of having a girl first. Everyone in Dick's generation and the next have had a girl first, with only one exception! That's pretty funny, considering that Dick came from a family of five boys! Unfortunately, Dick's mother didn't live long enough to know most of her granddaughters and great granddaughters.

Spring Program at Ressurection Catholic School 

Three big weeks to get through

Today was the beginning of the end (of the school year, that is!!) The risers were moved from my classroom to the stage, and the first rehearsal for the Spring Program (May 19th) was held. So we'll be rehearsing for 3 weeks, then the week after the program we'll watch the video of the program, and then school will be just about over. So I just need to get through these next three weeks. I think the middle school is pretty much ready for the Jr. High Festival this Friday. I'm starting to look forward to it. The worship team has two more engagements, one this coming Sunday morning, and then the last one at our church on May 21st.

Coming home after school today was almost like the old days. Sam and Ray were home. They each had their cars at Dick's shop to be inspected. Sam took a vacation day today, and Ray works nights, so he was here sleeping. Destiny loved having Sam here to play with. After supper she got out her play make-up to show him. She started putting some on and was making a real mess, so he offered to do it. I couldn't resist taking a picture, much to Sam's embarrassment!

Destiny's loving this!!