Winter/Spring Catch Up

Wasn't Christmas just yesterday??  My goodness - the first 3 months of 2018 have already zoomed by!!

So I'm doing a catch up posting before my memory fails me and I don't remember these busy days of winter/spring!

Mid January, Jeff once again had the privilege to speak at the Antioch Winter Bible Conference in Conway, AR.  It's always such a joy to join our friends at Antioch.  Thank you for loving us and your words of encouragement.  On the way home, we stopped by Ft. Smith so Jeff could see Rachel's pretty family home there.  These cuties were happy to see their Papa and DeDe!

 On January 16th, we were texted a video and some pictures to announce the gender of Andy & Carman's 4th baby.....video won't work here, but it was sure cute as the kids got to reveal the gender!

 IT'S A BOY!!!  Hooray.....2 girls and 2 boys! 💖💖💙💙
His name is yet to be announced 😍

(Laine was so sick here -- both she and Ellie had the flu twice in just a few weeks!)

 

 The third week of January, I kept Copeland, Eisley and Gideon for 3 days while Rachel worked at the Rogers house.

 Copeland went to the Bulldogs basketball game with Papa

 They are precious!

 On January 28th, Andy had a terrible reaction to some migraine medicine he was taking (Topomax) and lost his eyesight!  Carman rushed him to ER after her sister came to stay with the kids.  When we realized they were going to be there for many hours, Jeff and I headed to NWA around midnight that Sunday night.  Jeff dropped me off at the house so I could let Courtney head home and he went to the hospital.  They finally were able to get the pressure in Andy's eyes down to where they could come home (around 3:30 a.m.).  It's been a long process...2 months later and his vision is improving and the pressure is closer to normal, but he still can't read without difficulty and still struggling so with the migraines and insomnia.  He has had numerous doctor's appointments.  His church has graciously given him medical leave for 3 months.  We are praying he is able to go to Mayo.  We appreciate so much your prayers for him and his family!!  (Happy 38th Birthday to Andy on March 25th)

 We brought Shep home with us on Monday to help Carman as she had her hands full with doing all the driving, taking Andy to the doctors; homeschooling the girls, etc.

 It was Shep's first time to stay with us all by himself.  

 He did great -- such a cutie! (Although just like his big sister when she was his age--no smiles for the camera!)

 In February, Avi was part of an art show at her school.  She is a great artist!!  We sure miss seeing Michelle, Avi and Josh now that they live so far from us! 😪

We did have a little more winter than we have had in the last couple of years.   We didn't have church on a Sunday in February and a Wednesday night in Feb. due to snow/ice.

We enjoyed our annual Valentines' Outing in Rogers with the grandkids the weekend after Valentines.  Mom went with us this year and we got two connecting hotel rooms which sure helped in sleeping these 6 kids and having room for them to play. 

 We missed Avi--they were traveling that night to Arkansas for the shower.  We took all 6 of these kids to see the movie, Peter Rabbit, then for dinner at Chick-Fil-A and some playtime.  They were so, so good for it all!! 😍😍

 Rachel and Jonathan and Andy & Carman enjoyed date nights 💞

 The kids all slept great!

 Lunch on Saturday at Steak N Shake 

 Then we dropped off most of the kids with their dads at Andy's house and us girls went to the baby shower for Michelle and Saylor 💜

 My girls!  I sure do love them! 💖💖

 Michelle is doing great with her pregnancy.  I know she is ready for Saylor to be here....not long now - due April 24th.  Michelle, you look beautiful!

 With Michelle's mom, Sheila

 💗💗

 My two beautiful oldest granddaughters

 Delicious and pretty cake from Rick's bakery

 Michelle's friends gave her a great shower. Lots of wonderful gifts from friends and family!

 

 Michelle said that Josh was wanting one of these signs 😘

 We were asked to write a note to Michelle and to Avi with words of advice, encouragement, etc.

 

Lainey Bug's sweet note! 💖 

 The third week of February, Jeff had a Missions Advisory Meeting in Conway.  Paul Mooney usually goes with him but couldn't due to health reasons, so I rode along so he wouldn't have to drive it by himself.  We drove in horrible rain, both going down and coming home.  Not fun!!

The next Tuesday, I once again kept Rachel's kids so she could continue to paint/work at the Rogers house.  They were sweet babies for me.

 Dressed in their pj's for AWANA pj night.  That was fun!

 Finally, after many weeks of hard, hard work by Jonathan and Rachel and some professional folks, the remodeling is done on their Rogers house and is on the market!!  I went down one Saturday and helped Rachel deep clean while Jonathan finished up the other details.  The house looks great!!  We are rejoicing that they already have a contract on it after only two days on the market!!  THANK YOU, JESUS!!   

 I did want to add about a new member of our extended family.  My Texas niece, Shawna and husband, Nathan, recently went to China and brought home a precious 3 year daughter named Hosanna!

 She is a doll and we look forward to meeting her!

Great Grandma Boore (my Mom) flew to Texas recently to spend time with Bev and all the family and meet little Hosanna;

 We are getting very close to meeting Baby Saylor Faye Swart!!  An induction date of April 19th was set this past week!  We will be in Jackson, MS Monday-Wednesday for our National Meeting but will head to Tennessee ASAP in hopes of being there for the birth.  This family has much joy coming soon!

 I am amazed at the sonogram pictures they take these days.  Saylor is so, so cute!!! 💖

 Some miscellaneous pictures for memory sake.....
Ellie Kate all dressed up for a Tea Party!

She is so pretty! 💜

Avi is playing spring soccer right now.  She has really settled into life in Tennessee and loves going to the youth group at their church on Wednesday nights!! She will turn 14 in December! 💚👏💚

 Andy's family had pictures done at the end of 2017...all so cute

Shep - 2 years old

 Laine - 7-1/2 yrs. old

 Ellie -- 5-1/2 years old (we'll be celebrating the girls' 8 and 6 yr. old birthdays in April!)

Copeland - will celebrate his 5th birthday in May!

 This cutie is 3-1/2.  Eisley told her Momma the other day, "Momma, you and DeDe are my favorites!"  Boy, oh boy, did that melt this grandma's heart!! 💗💗

 This little guy will be 11 months old tomorrow--can't believe he's almost a year old!!  We love you, Gideon!

Andy's family went to a Florida beach for Spring Break.....I love the pictures they sent...here are just a couple:

 Baby Swart #4 will be here in June!  He's due on Father's Day 💙

Bev brought Mom home to Kansas after her visit in Texas.  One day we visited her siblings....Aunt Mildred and then Uncle Harry and Aunt Betty (we are looking forward to seeing the Boore siblings at an event in May):

 
And then met cousin Holly and Jeff for dinner and to see I Can Only Imagine.  Great movie -- highly recommend it!!

Bev joined us for church on Sunday and we went up to Chicken Annie's for lunch.  Glad we had the weekend together.

Jeff always likes to take Spring Break week off since it's a quiet week around the church.  We spent 5 days in Branson staying at the Palace View resort.  It was a quiet, relaxing time which he was in need of!!  We do recommend this place...we get the 1 bedroom deluxe suite and it's great!

 

 
We do have season tickets this year for Silver Dollar City and enjoyed some time there one day although it was crazy crowded so our visit was a short one.  We also went to see the movie, The Greatest Showman that we loved and saw the musical group, The Presleys.  They were very good too.  We had a wonderfully relaxing time.

This week is Easter week!  I am so very thankful that I serve a Risen, Living Savior!!  I pray you will find a place of worship this Sunday and celebrate our Living and Soon Coming Christ!!  If you don't have a church to attend and live in this area, we would LOVE to have you join us at First Baptist Church, Galena, Kansas; 10:30 a.m.