Bug hunting

We all know how Mack feels about her bug friends. Her new favorite thing to do is to go to Grammy's and look under all the rocks ( and I mean all the rocks- gives new meaning to " no stone unturned) for new and exciting bugs.

Mack has been missing Grammy since she and Janet went to Australia. She was delighted when Grammy went bug hunting with her. It was still pretty cold for most bugs but Mack did catch a few hearty worms and roly poly's :

Something on the horizon?

Recently Mike began noticing a trend in the nursing field. While there are plenty of floor nursing jobs available, he isn't seeing positions for upper management. It seems that the more seasoned nurses just aren't giving up their positions as easily as they once did. Add to that the fact that have a " clinical nurse specialist" on the floor may seem to be somewhat over a luxury in these times. This is bad news for Mike since his dreams include becoming a CNS and , eventually, a PhD in nursing. All those things, plus the need for Mike to find a CNS to work with in clinicals next year , have caused us to take a good hard look at our future and whether Michigan is really the best place for us to pursue our hopes and dreams. While you'd think I ( a Colorado girl to the core) would be over the moon at the prospect, there are lots of details that would need to be worked out in order for me to feel comfortable plucking our family from it's comfy spot here in Michigan for the open possibilities of Colorado. The thought of being closer to our family and friends is exciting on one hand but incredibly sad on other . It seems that going " home" would mean leaving the life and family we've created here. The first few years in Michigan were tough for me. I'd just left my family and all I'd known for a place where I wasn't really sure of myself . Once I saw that I needed to MAKE a life for me here, the world opened up and with it, a wonderful support system- people I'd miss more than I can even say.

In all of this, I guess I am asking for prayers of discernment. We want to follow God's plan for us but it's hard when we're not exactly sure what those plans are. We appreciate your prayers and you'd better believe we'll be back with more info as soon as we know it!
Mx3

April showers...

They say April showers bring May flowers but no one ever specified which type of showers those might be.

A girl and her Grams

My mom left yesterday. I thought that saying " good-bye" would get easier over time but it's been 6 years and a still miss her like crazy, especially after a visit. I have learned to be happy and thankful when she can come visit and to cherish the memories we have when we get to spend time together.

Mack has consistently said for the last year or so that her best friend is Grams While my mom was here, Mack was glued to her side. The two of them chattered away constantly and Mack hasn't stopped talking about going to see Grams ( we have a trip planned in June) since before she left.

Here's a peek at our visit:

In honor of my 30th and mom's 50th birthday, Mike treated us with a box of Godiva chocolate:
Each morning Mack would rush out to be sure Grams was still there.

Then they'd have breakfast together. The discussions got quiet animated:
Mack and Grams' watching Sesame Street:
Check out these cute pants mom made for Mack. She made a dress, too!
As always, we had so much fun laughing together:
And we got a little something to commemorate our big birthdays:
Mom brought this push light to Mack but the batteries had died. Just as soon as I replaced them, Mack ran off. This is how I found her- naked and using the bathroom by " candle light".

Marie and Chloe

Marie and Chloe were here for Marie's spring break from school. It's always so fun to see them and I always leave wishing that I could spend more time getting to know them. Their visit overlapped the visit with my mom so we only managed to squeeze in one day together but our trip to the Ann Arbor Hands on Museum was a fun one. We spent almost two hours there before heading over to Mongolian BBQ for lunch. I am already looking forward to next spring!

Aunt Meg ( Grandma) hangin' out with Chloe in the wild life room. Chloe is such a funny girl. Each statement, good or bad, starts with " Oh no!" It's so fun to watch her grow, even if it's just through the blog most of the time.
A pow wow in the back of the ambulance to decide about lunch:

Buggin' out!

Well, I know one person who's glad to see the return of bugs!
You can click on the collage to see it bigger :)

A few quiet moments

Sometimes I can catch Mack in a quiet moment where her concentration is so deep she doesn't even notice me. I especially love it when I happen to have my camera to capture it. OR.., in a slightly less tranquil manner, it could just be that she's wearing a cute outfit and I coax her to sit still for a few snaps. Today I coaxed.