New Hip

FB Post: What a crazy day. We drove through the snow (on this April 11th) to the hospital at 5am this morning for Greg’s hip replacement surgery. Watching the snow fall all day was a great distraction for me. So pretty! All went well, and he’s settled back at home tonight. Amazing the things these doctors can do! It was a long day, but we’re thankful to be back home and thankful the snow melted, so we could get home easily. Hoping for no more surgeries for a long while now!

I took four days off work that week, and his mom came to stay with him during the day on that Friday. Recovery took longer than he thought it should. After two weeks, he was doing better, though, and was able to go back to work after two and a half weeks. 

Senior Prom

After Kari's Snowball experience, confirming that she just doesn't enjoy dances much, she wasn't real eager to go to another, but she wanted to go to prom "for 10 minutes." She went with a group of friends--Julia, Allie, Kylee, Noah, Katelin, Boaz, and Jackson. We took pictures at the Rasmussen's house, and they served the kids dinner before heading over to the dance. I chaperoned the dance and took tickets with Tiffany, so I got to see them there. I loved it. It was cold (had snowed earlier that day!) but fun. Kari made it much longer than her original plan of 10 minutes. She was ready to be done by 9:30, but she stayed until it was over at 10pm. She even had some fun. :) 

Easter

This Easter was not picture perfect—didn’t do the “grassy tomb,” were late to the Good Friday service, baskets were just so-so, Greg wasn’t able to join us at church as he was still recovering, no family Easter photo, and I didn’t do all the things I normally do to celebrate, because life has been crazy. But it’s ok. Jesus didn’t die just for put-together, polished people. He died for messy, broken, sinners like me. He lived, died, and rose again, so that we can live forever with him and enjoy a perfect, new earth with him someday…if we choose to accept this gift. That is good news, and that gives me hope. Happy Easter! (I did manage to snag a photo of all four kids before we headed into church this morning ☺️).

I made an Easter meal of ham, cheesy potatoes, and Grandma Carrie beans that we all ate together, and then the kids drove over to Grandpa and Grandma Arnold's for a visit and then over to Grandpa and Grandma Moffat's. Greg wasn't quite up for going anywhere yet, so he and I stayed home. It was a good plan for the situation we found ourselves in. 

 

Last set of braces

Last set of braces in the family! When you’re the youngest, and your mom is working, you get to go with Grandma. He got MOD pizza AND a smoothie. Thankful for parents who are willing to help us out.

 

Dad's retirement

At the end of February, my dad retired from full-time ministry, most recently as the pastor at Cornerstone, the church he started when Kari was a baby. We are amazed at how God brought us two young pastors to carry the torch and how well they and their families fit into our church body. The transition of Skyler coming on was almost seamless. It really couldn't have gone much better, and I think my dad's gracious handover was the main reason for that. He trusted God to bring the right person along and trusted as he eased his way out, supporting Skyler and building him up. Then God brought us our youth pastor, Caleb, and that has been a huge blessing, too, as Shauna had her twins and needed to step down at that same time. It was emotional for me to think of my dad no longer being my pastor, but now that's it's done, I can see it is good. My dad's stress levels are so much lower, and he's getting to do the things he loves and does not have to do the things he doesn't. We are thankful for the ways in which God has blessed Cornerstone and look forward to watching what He does in and through our church in the coming years.