Happy 25th B-day Matt

Today Matt is 25. He is living in Oklahoma City - having moved there from Jacksonville at the end of January. Joe and I are so proud of him. He has taken a road less traveled - moving away from home and family to pursue his dreams. I know it's hard for him sometimes, but he had become quite a man. His birthday card said Happy Birthday O Rare and Awesome One - and we truly believe that statement.

I spoke to him a few minutes ago - he has spent most of his birthday so far in a airport - trying to get from OKC to JCK - he is finally moving his furniture to his new apartment. Because of a freak snowstorm - two flights he was supposed to be on yesterday were cancelled. He was re-booked on an oversold flight today. We both were praying to St. Jude for help. And, he finally learned that he had a seat assignment. (Thank you St. Jude) So - he'll make it to Atlanta anyway. I didn't ask about the rest of the trip - but there are lots of flights from Atlanta.

What a journey this has been for Matt - not the easiest - but he's a fighter and a winner.

Happy Birthday O Rare And Awesome One

The Spring Flower Show at the Krohn Conservatory

One of my favorite places in the city is the Krohn conservatory. Yesterday Julie asked me to watch the Tyler and Leah while she got her hair cut - so we made a day of it instead. First - we went to the movies and saw Monsters vs. Aliens in 3d. The 3d was really cool. After that we went to the Krohn Conservatory for the first day of the Spring flower show (and the remarkable reptile exhibit). Then we went to the overlook at Eden Park to see the view of the city. Leah thought she could see Harrison (although the overlook is a view of the river and all points South - not West). I have tons of pictures.

Us -

The flowers:

(kumquats)

And now - the reptiles (how we got Tyler to have fun)

Ty and Leah wanted nothing to do with this python!

In Eden Park amongst the Daffodils....

At the overlook - a cloudy day ...

But there was fun to be had:

Danny's Wedding

Last weekend we went to little Danny's wedding - not so little now, he's 23. Laura Martin took a picture of Joe and I for me. There was a very funny story about her picture taking. She came up to me and asked if I would take a picture of her and "Uncle Joe". Joe was so proud - and happy to oblige. Afterward she told me that she wanted pictures of her with all her uncles. That way when -25 years from now - they died - she would have this picture of her with them. Later, I explained the purpose of the picture to him. She was taking death pictures - and we laughed all evening as she made her way around the family snapping pictures with her uncles.

Leah Can Ride a Two Wheeler!

Here is the fabulous bike wheels!


And here is the fabulous Leah!

A smile for her subjects ......

Isn't she so talented?

And another smile .......

With a talented brother, too.

Tyler's Spring Concert

Tyler's Spring concert was very cute. It was for first and second graders at Whitewater Elementary. Tyler's class were foxes. He was pouty because he didn't get a speaking part (Julie said Joe Joe was in the house) - but was fine by the time I saw him. Leah was dressed in her Easter dress - it was beautiful, and very Jackie O. The story of the concert was - the circle of life - set in the woods. I believe the title was Nuts - and was about an acorn that eventually grew into a tree with the help of animals, sun, rain, and soil. Here are some pictures. The song they were singing with the sunglasses was called "the Angry Squirrels" and was a hip hop kind of song.

Mary and the Shamrocks

I added a live plant - some shamrocks, to my Mary shrine. Here's a picture - more of the shamrocks that Mary - but you can see her peeking through the blooms.