We have sucessfully navigated through one of the busiest months of the year for us.  I thought a few times I would loose my sanity.  Mostly on Tuesdays.  I think all four of our kids had to be somewhere at the same exact time almost every Tuesday.  On opposite ends of the county and into the next county.  It was kind of crazy for a while.  We are now at the bitter-sweet end of it all.  The culmination will be in two weekends when Sophie and Chloe have their spring concert for ballet.  I watched one of the dances last night and it is so good.  I can't wait to see the rest of the ballet and the modern and jazz pieces.  I will be soooo glad when we are done and we can relax a little and not have to be anywhere.  Ahhh, summer.

So this past month we have had a lot going on.  Anissa and I took the three older kids (her two and one of mine) to Cincinnati for a major field trip.  We went to the National Underground Railroad Museum.  Highly recommended for a self guided tour.  We had a tour guide and he was very zealous about his job.  Also, we did not think he was going to let us leave!  We went from there over to the Cincinnati Aquarium for a trip.  While it was fun to see all the things they had and it was nice, I have to confess that it paled in comparison to the Ripley's Aquarium in Myrtle Beach.  Now that place rocked.  After being unable to find the Aquarium, we finally got out of Cincinnati and headed south west to Hebron, Kentucky.  We went to the Creation Museum the next day.  We had a lovely nights stay in a hotel with a pool which the boys all loved.  We got up the next morning and zipped over to the Creation Museum.  The planetarium video was so awesome.  Anissa leaned over to me mid way through and said, "I don't know what they are talking about."  Now, lest you think she is ignorant, lets just say myresponse to her was,"blah, blah, blah."  We both got kind of lost in translation somewhere along the way.  Maybe it was when they started getting a little technical.  A little to technical for us.  Then Anissa was all, " look at the pretty light show!"  It was really cool to see all that God has made and how tiny we are compared to his creation.  I personally think it is interesting to note that the same stars I gaze upon in the evenings are the same stars that were in the sky so many years ago when the patriarchs were looking in the sky.  Surely there is some miracle in that.

The museum was done 100% professionally.  They really went all out to do a fantastic job.  I highly recommend a trip there if you can.  My favorite was the Flood exhibit.  There was a video of what it could have been like for the earth to burst open and the waters to come over the earth.  Wow.  It really put into pictures what we read all the time and gave a visual.  That works for me.  Seems to have more of an impact.

On another note, we bought more baby chicks.  This time around we bought some Barred Rock chickens.  Only hens.  I think one rooster is enough for our family!  The Barred Rocks are in the same family as the Partridge Rocks we already have.  A different color scheme going on. 

Josh had his 13th birthday on May 3rd.  We have yet to have a friend party.  I am hoping to do that in the next couple of weeks.  We knew it would not float on his birthday because of all the soccer going on.  He was good with waiting.  He has been milking the whole, "It is my birthday.  My 13th birthday!" thing.  You would think turning 13 was some right of passage or something (chuckle, chuckle)?  I mean we only have three more years till we are looking at a license!  I'm voting for a moped for him.  Better on gas. 

I hope you all have a wonderful week and your school year is coming to a close.  We are trying to get through till the end of the year.  No one wants to do anything - especially the mom! 

Blessings, Tammy