Happiness

While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter and day and night shall not cease.  Genesis 8:22
This verse comes to mind when I hear people grumbling about the long, cold winter and wondering if it will ever end. I am so thankful for God's word, this world can be a scary place but it would be even more so if I didn't know my God is in control.
           There are tiny green shoots poking out of the ground! My perennials survived the winter!

And with spring comes the mud. Like most children, Tristan and Joseph are attracted to mud. 

Tristan tried to fly a kite this afternoon. The wind blew in gusts so the kite was on the ground most of the time

Joseph loves to ride his bike. 

Tristan

Kiana

Joseph

This tree is their house, climbing tree and hiding spot. They gather sticks, stones and leaves and play house underneath it. Joseph learned to climb in this tree. It is missing a lot of it's lower branches thanks to some industrious loggers and looks rather bedraggled. We have talked about cutting it down but I know we would have some unhappy children.

Mr. Potato Head is growing hair. Joseph is about ready to give him a hair cut. 

I am still using my luncheable containers. Dean enjoys fresh salads and these containers work beautifully.

Tomorrow Braden is coming home for another visit. He is now officially transitioning home which means he will be at home with short visits to TAP versus being at TAP with short visits home. Our bond grows deeper all the time. Last time he was home he told me it is scary growing close to us. We talked it over with Miss Sharon and she asked him what happened when he opened his heart to a mom before. He said, "She broke it." A baby is born with an "open heart" and when a child is neglected they close their heart to protect themselves from further pain.  He talks about how he feels and I love the smiles and hugs I get when I pour on the love and he is able to receive it without sabotaging it. He loves when I rock him and sing. We praise God for the healing he has done in Braden's life and also for allowing us to be his parents. I have learned so much about love and how much we as humans need one another.