Gregory's 7th Birthday

April 27th, was Gregory’s 7th birthday, so a couple of days before we started celebrating and continued throughout the weekend.  Friday during school, we shared birthday cupcakes with Gregory’s classmates and then after school the boys from his class (along with one other who is a good friend – Tucker) met at Sensapolis for a fun time of running around, climbing (rock-climbing wall), shooting balls in the “jungle area” and so much more.  He had a Star Wars themed party and had cupcakes to share again with his friends.  He also overcame a huge “fear of heights” and he did the rock-climbing wall.  He did an awesome job and climbed incredibly high (about 2 or 3 stories high!)  Throughout the rest of the weekend we pulled out gifts from family to continue the celebrating.  One of his "big" gifts was a telescope we got from a student in our youth group.  We can't wait to be back in the USA and to let Raquel, who's newest "gig" is teach Astronomy at a college in Minneapolis to teach us how to use it :-)   

March and April

So February was finished and March came and we heard from Cadence that we weren't accepted to be missionaries with them and we got the approval from the Air Force that we can retire early.  Knowing we only had four months left we planned a "bunch" of trips.  In April (birthday month for Roxanne & Gregory) we headed north to the Netherlands.  The tulips were beautiful!  This trip was probably one of my personal favorites of our nearly three years in Europe.  My birthday was spent with the ones I love and with such beautiful scenery.  We also stopped in and visited with my friend Hope Hamer (that I met at MOPS when we were in Colorado Springs).  It was great to catch up with such a sweet friend who is living out her dream of FINALLY being in Germany :-)