Hey, Y'all!

Well, as this blog hasn't been updated for awhile, and as I actually have a couple of minutes here while everyone else is napping, I thought I'd chime in from Alabama and say hello to everyone. Yes, I am alive and well here in the sunny south. Yes, it is very sunny - though thanks to some storms that came through last week we haven't totally roasted yet. Current conditions are pretty mild - only 85 degrees and less than 30% humidity.

It has been so much fun to be here with Nathan & Jeanine during these last several weeks, and I've certainly been kept busy! Corrine and Winston are both charming, delightful, and active enough to be a distraction to any project, and between admiring them, caring for them, keeping Corrine occupied and out of trouble, keeping the household running and fed, and occasional time put in helping Nathan at the office, Jeanine and I have both had our hands full!

My stay "through the end of April" has bit by bit extended to "through the end of May" and now is set "through June 7." At that point Nathan will have a little more time on his hands, and I really can't stay any longer as there are some things at home that I can't put off any further than that! Besides, I do miss everyone back home, too!

Right now, Dad and Mom are visiting us for a couple of days - much to the delight of us all. Corrine is just having a blast with more people around to admire her tricks, and read her stories, and chase her around the house, and...

Well, everyone is up now so I'm going to post a few pics and sign off!

Jessica

The McDonald's visit

Over the past couple days we have been blessed with the fellowship of the McDonald Family who stopped at our house between a conference that they were at in Michigan, and a conference they are going to in Texas. They arrived Sunday afternoon and stayed until Wednesday morning. Here's a few pictures from their stay.

Talking, talking, and talking late into the night and early morning. :-)

Monday night we also had Jeremy, Sara, Caroline, and the whole Strand family over for dinner. I'm not sure exactly what's happening in this picture, but Christa appears to be moderating a "conversation" between Caroline and William.

Of course, there were many volleyball games played during their stay. I'm not sure how many games we played, but it must have been around a dozen. It was a lot of fun.
Um... Let's not mention the team records. :-)

The little ones meet!

Dress Up Time!

For the past few days we have had Victoria, Toby, and GiGi Fowlks with us. Here's some photos from when we played dress-up the other night.

On the homefront

The boys are switching bedrooms!
So it will now be Josh and Joseph in one room,
and Jonathan and Josiah in the other bedroom.

Spring is also building season.
Here's what's going on across the street from us.

Lilacs are just starting to bloom! Yeah!

Our chickens are getting big and ugly. Yumm!

Dad's mowing the grass for the first time (this year).

Our cat "Mammi" had four kittens five days ago !

Anyone want a kitten??? Buy one, get three free!!!! :-)

Oh, Boy!

Praise God for the safe arrival of a new little one!

Last night Nathan & Jeanine welcomed a son into their arms as Winston Curtis DeLadurantey arrived safe and sound! Check their blog for more pictures. Mama, Papa, Sister and Baby are all doing well this morning and are rejoicing in this little gift to their family - as are the happy grandparents, aunts, and uncles of the Erber home!

Resounding Voice

These guys are now in sunny Albuequerque, NM!

Easter Sunday

Our host and hostess, Uncle Don and Aunt Jill.

Dad thinking.

Easter Dinner

So sweet!

Caroline pushing a duck with rubber flippers that Grandpa made.

The J. Erber family

Happy First Birthday, Corrine!!!

Happy First Birthday, Corrine!!!

Father Daughter Retreat

I thought you would like to see some pictures from Vision Forum Ministries' Father and Daughter retreat that we went to!

Azaleas
Callaway gardens

The azalea trail

After the tea
A picnic on the lawn
Father Daughter games

The villa we stayed in


Butterflies in a huge glass enclosed conservatory

Happy Birthday Dad!

Yesterday was Dad's birthday.

Happy Birthday Dad!

If you'd like to wish Dad a happy birthday, please feel free to post a comment.

Surprise!!!

Thanks Hills for the ride!

Well, it wasn't easy to keep quiet, but we did and the surprise was surprisingly successful. Unfortunately, we have no pictures of the surprise, as the surprised were surprised and the surprisers didn't have a camera.

Last Wednesday we received an email from a family we know saying that they had just decided to take a trip down to Florida, had a couple of open seats in the van and would be happy to take a couple of us along for the ride and drop us off in Montgomery, Alabama for a visit Nathan & Jeanine. Almost immediately we decided that if it did work out for a couple of us to go, we wouldn't tell N&J about it and just show up. And that's exactly what happened. Although Mom was quite sure that something would come up and she wouldn't be able to go, on Saturday afternoon she and Josiah were at the Hill's home leaving for Alabama.

Sunday morning as Nathan and Jeanine prepared to leave for church (and Corrine was napping), they were surprised to hear their doorbell ring. Reportedly, they both nearly collapsed from a very pleasant sort of heart failure when they opened the door and saw who was standing there! When Corrine woke up, they sent Josiah in to get her out of bed. As he walked out of the bedroom carrying her, she was just staring at him - but soon smiled and wouldn't go to anyone else or let him put her down for half-an-hour! They are all having a great time and look forward to spending all week together.

This weekend most of the rest of us (minus Jonathan & Joseph) are headed down to Georgia for an event that some of us are attending and Josh is recording. On our way back, we'll stop at N&J's, pick up Mom and Josiah, and drop off Jessica who will be staying with them for most of the month of April before heading home.

Happy Birthday, Jonathan!

Happy 18th Birthday to you, Jonathan! Have a great one!

Two Reasons We Smile A Lot

Alabama and Update

Well they made it! Nathan, Jeanine, and Corrine are now finally moved down to the very warm state of Alabama. Various friends and acquaintances down there have begun assisting them with "correcting" their pronounciation. We miss them terribly, and are already planning times and ways to exchange visits! Nathan's first week of work on his new job seems to be going well thus far. May it continue so!

Josh and I (Jessica), helped them move down and more or less enjoyed a week of weather in the 80's that even made it up to the low 90's one day! Today, we are back home in Illinois watching a lovely (and fairly heavy at the moment) snowfall turn the world outside our windows bright white. :-)

This Saturday we'll be having a Liberty Day meeting to wrap-up 2006 and discuss our plans for 2007! If you have any thoughts on the past or suggestions for the future of Liberty Day, now's the time to send us an email. Speaking of Liberty Day, there are also now a whole bunch of pictures on the Liberty Day site for those of you that are interested!

Look Who's 13!!!

Happy Birthday, Joanna!

Also of note is that today is Jeanine's birthday, too!!!

A very Happy Birthday to you both! We love you and thank God for each of you! Have a wonderful day!