Minnesota!

Earlier this month we left on a two day trip to Minnesota for my brother's graduation from Bethlehem College and Seminary (BCS). The first day we drove through five states: North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Indiana, where we stayed for the night.
 

Me, "Aunt Alice", Lydia and Dad.

Goose and goslings on a pond in IN.

Early the next morning we resumed our journey after a wonderful time with family and a good night's rest...for the most part;) That day we went through three more states: Illinois, Wisconsin, and finally Minnesota! All of these states I love for all the flat, rich, farmland. North Carolina has farmland all right but there are many rocks and the soil is mostly clay. This was a beatiful change.

Wind mills in Wisconsin. They were so cool.

The next day we walked all over Minneapolis, got sunburned, and saw very many neat things including this Basilica of St. Mary...

Beautiful in all ways except the corners
 and hidden stairs,
(which were a little dirty;))
and the doctrinal error.

And this old house in a park that is now being used as a maintenance building. As you can see, the pond that was full two years ago when my parents brought Gabe up, is now... dry? over grown? It was puzzling to us. And it's Spring! Why wouldn't it be full of water?...

Here is Lydia dashing through the spinklers in the garden. It was hot and we all had fun cooling off in the water...

The famous cherry on a spoon...

Later that night was Gabe's graduation. The ceremony was really beautiful and very God-honoring. There was an orchestra and everything! Sam Storms gave a really great massage and John Piper gave the closing prayer (please someone say they know either of those guys!). Then was the reception with some really good food, though we were all rather tired after all the walking we had done ealier so could not enjoy it to the full extent : )

Gabe is the second to last on the top right.

The following day we did more driving and walking around the Twin Cities and saw more amazing stuff like another Catholic Church, this one in St. Paul...

Huge old houses. This is only one of the many...

The James J. Hill House. Mr. Hill died in the early 1900's
with about 63 million dollers.
He had 10 children.
I wonder if he was ever happy with all that money?

Como Zoo is a wonderful little zoo with some really neat things in it. The tallest of these trees is about 1 1/2 feet...

After church the next day Gabe brought us to the Minneapolis Institute of Art where we saw some real master pieces...

This was just amazing! It looked like the veil was not part of the stone but an added piece of cloth. The picture does it no justice...

Early Monday morning we left on our homeward trek...

Lydia and a sweet cousin.

The park in IN was very fun...

My family thought it was the funniest thing to see me in this swing...

Sunset...

Here are some of the beautiful flowers we saw on our trip...

We are praising God for His mercy on this trip, for the wonderful times had by all, and the memories we will never forget.

Trains!

So, we had to decorate for a baby shower for a friend and Mom thought of this great idea to do a train theme (you know, "Train up a child in the way he should go..." from the Bible?)! Me and my sisters had the job of drawing a whole train: engine, cars, caboose, and all. I wasn't going to do anything because I don't draw. The last time I drew it looked something like this... 

Yeah, not so great. Anyway, I thought I would just do a little something for fun, not thinking that it would turn out like it did. So away I went...

 and I kept on going...

 And it turned out pretty good! Of course, Mom said I should be an architect, and Dad said "You know, that thing wouldn't move and inch if it where built like it's drawn." Yeah... but at least there were only ladies at the baby shower ;) They wouldn't know!

There it is, breaking out of the paper : )

My sisters drew and colored the cars and caboose.

There it is, chugging across the wall...

We put pictures of each child on the car that bore there name.
You can hardly see them in this picture.
The last one is empty, for Benjamin has not yet been born.

Another lady did the cake. I think it turned out really nice!

Well, that's that. Happy (late) Mothers Day to all you Mothers out there!