Life Lately April 2023

Here is a look at our life during the month of April.

 

our family in Antigua

We enjoyed many outings in town taking in all the sights and sounds of the Holy Week season.

 

We had friends join us on several of those outings.  Here we are with the Johnson family.

 

our boys with the Johnson boys

 

 

my sweet friend Sara

 

David and Jon

 

The Jarvis family stayed overnight to enjoy Good Friday in Antigua with us.  Here we are leaving our house at 4:30 a.m. walking into town.

 

sweet friends!

 

Good Friday in Antigua

 

 

enjoying a tuk tuk ride home one sunny afternoon

 

Both boys love corn.

 

Off to take the California Achievement Test at Encounter Academy during Easter week.

 

Saturday tennis

 

beautiful flowers in town

 

 

We were invited to an Easter egg hunt.

 

 

 

 

neighbor friends

 

Easter party lunch

 

We renewed Ben's Guatemalan passport.

 

Friday coffee date while the boys were at Awana class.

 

Cruz began going to a youth group and is loving it!  We took Ben out for a Chinese supper on one of those nights to spend a little quality time with him.

 

They were invited to a neighborhood swim gathering and water balloon war.

 

So fun!

 

They were also invited to a swim birthday party for their friend Noah.

 

Another party for their friend Olivia.

 

 

 

Cruz got to spend the weekend with a friend in Guatemala City. He had such a fun time! 

 

In addition, we celebrated Easter, Ben's 11th birthday, our 27th wedding anniversary, took a work trip to Mexico, and left our boys home with Lauren.  It was a full month!

 

I cannot think of a better way to end the month than in worship.  I love singing hymns!

Ben's 11th Birthday Celebration

Our sweet little Ben turned eleven years old on April 16. We began his celebration with a birthday eve party.  His original birthday fell on a Sunday this year so we his party was on Saturday night.  He invited several friends to a backyard movie night.  It is one of our family's favorite activities. 

 

his invitation

 

 

welcoming his guests to his party

 

 

He chose cupcakes this year because they would be easier to eat while watching the movie. They were definitely easier for me to make.

 

His movie themed cupcakes. 

 

 

We also served pizza, cheese balls, jello, and popcorn.

 

Happy Birthday, Ben!

 

everyone singing to him

 

a group photo

 

They watched Despicable Me 3.

 

such a fun night with friends!!

 

 

opening his presents

 

 

 

he got a lot of candy!!!

 

sleeping on his birthday eve

 

birthday morning decorations

 

birthday pancakes

 

 

 

family photo

 

 

 

 During kid's class at church they sang to him and prayed over him. It was very sweet!

 

 

He got to eat lunch with the Johnson family.  He chose Luna De Miel for our meal.

 

 

birthday lunch

 

That afternoon the boys all went swimming at the Johnson's community pool.

 

Swimming with friends on his birthday.

 

snack break after swimming

 

We returned home for supper and before bedtime did our family tradition of sharing with the birthday person things we love about them and then praying over them.   It is one of my favorite things we do as a family on our birthdays.

 

 

Ben's birthday over the years.

 

family birthday photos

 

 

Ben's birth video

 

We are so thankful that he is a part of our family and that God entrusted us to raise him. We are blessed to be his parents and thank God often for the gift that he is to us.  We look forward to continuing to watch him grow and develop into the young man God created him to be.