A post about Minnesota, plants, potty, and other fun things!

Josiah and had a great trip to MN a couple weeks ago. We were able to hang out with each one of the awesome Daniels/Daniel family members - some more than others... and as always it leaves us yearning for more! Royce Daniel (my sister's first baby and the main reason for our visit) is still a tiny little peanut, but soooo strong. The boys did really well on the six hour drive up to mom and dad's and a little less than well on the way back down. The drive is what kills me, but it's worth it. I often think to myself while enduring the endless hours of nothingness "why do my parents live so far away from everything!?" - and then once we arrive and are sitting on the back porch next to the peaceful river I remember "oh yeah, this is why". It's so removed from everything - I think this was the first time I was able to get cell phone reception at their house - and the Lord uses that place to restore my soul. :) Thanks mom and dad!

A few days after our return to Portland the sun decided to come out and stay! We've been having an AMAZING time playing outside. Yesterday we picked up some plants to pot on our front cement area (we are hoping the children don't tip them over....). We are hopeful and excited to partake in hot peppers, blueberries, tomatoes, and our own fresh herbs!
The Lord also blessed us with a backpack to carry Josiah in! It the best garage sale take we've ever had - whoohoo! We are planning a camping trip for the end of June - the Wilson family FINALLY returns to the great outdoors. We'll see what Josiah thinks about that.

Most of our neighborhood friends are camping today and Patrick is at work with the car - so Josiah and I decided it would be a good day to start learning about potty and all things involved. I let him run around the house naked for a couple hours hoping he would go to the bathroom... he's been really good about sitting on the potty, but not going potty yet. I swear that kid is holding it - I had to go twice in the amount of time he ran around diaper-less. I may be in for a long ordeal.

One last fun note: Today we were riding in the car with a friend and the little 3-year-old she nannys. The sky was really clear with just some patches of clouds. Lukie looks up through the window and says "somebody cut up that cloud... that's not very nice." :)

And so it begins........

The last few days have been full of rejoicing (!!!) and yet a solemn rememberance of what is to come. School is OUT! PW finished and he finished well. We are so excited to have completed our first year of seminary and look forward to long summer days in the courtyard, a couple camping trips, chances to visit family, and the opportunity to just be together as a family. As I stood in the sunshine today outside our little townhome I watched our neighbors begin to carry out their boxes... because they are moving. Many of our neighbors and friends have finished their final semester at Multnomah - and we are SO EXCITED for them. And now they have to go.... and we are bummed. So bummed.
I've always related the constant coming and going of dear brothers and sisters to us being in school - which makes sense. But the longer I've seen friends come and go the more I've realized it's a part of being in the Kingdom of God. They came because they were being faithful to God's calling in their life and they go now because they need to be faithful. I hope that we too will be faithful to go when our time comes. This will be a hard year as several DEAR friends move away - some to be near family and some to enter into ministry and some to start a new job or school... but I'm so blessed that I can rejoice in these moves because it is for a great purpose.

So.... if you're in the area please come visit! Josiah will entertain you to no end. He is quite the little ham and is full of new words: squirrel, truck, car, stick! all of the important things a little boy should know about.