Easter Sunday

We spent a wonderful Easter Sunday lunch with all the Biedebach siblings.  It has been several years since we have all been together like this. Aunt Lisa put together a great egg hunt for the kids and they came back with more candy and knick knacks. L-R Keith Harty holding Breanna, Sharon Biedebach Harty holding Braysen, McKenna Biedebach behind, Brian holding Allison, Benjamin, Bradley, Ami, Anita, Jake Biedebach, John and Lisa Biedebach

Cousins in Texas

We drove back to McKinney, TX on Tuesday and have been enjoying our cousin time!

 Allison and Braysen

 We also spent a day at Six Flags in Arlington

 We had fun visiting uncle John at his fire station. We were still there when a call came in and we watched uncle John drive away in the fire truck to the scene.

John, Brian and Sharon

 We also got to experience a neighbourhood Easter egg hunt for the first time.

 We had to take our picture in front of this Allyson Felix window covering. 

 This was in the store window of a Nike Store at the Allen Premium Outlet Mall.

Friends in ARKANSAS

This past weekend has been busy, but fun. We flew into Fort Worth and arrived at Brian's sister at midnight. We went to bed and then the next morning we drove in his sister-in-law's car to Little Rock, Arkansas. We spent some time with our friends, the Senn family. Brian preached for Tim Senn yesterday and we also met with their missions' committee. While there our old neighbours in Malawi, the McDonalds, drove from Mississippi to visit with us. Ami was so excited to be able to spend time with her best friend, Sarah Rose.  

 At the base of the mountain.  Brian said they almost ran up the whole way.

 Brian took the kids, minus Allison, hiking up Pinnacle Mountain.

At the Bible Church of Little Rock we were able to see friends who we haven't seen in six years! Shea is one of the sweetest women I know! She and her husband have been to South Africa too!

Fruit Cake

Today Brian preached at a church out near Whittier and afterwards their ladies' fellowship group hosted our family for lunch.  I was pretty amazed at the fruit flan cake. It was delicious too!

Shepherds' Conference 2013

Brian just finished this last weekend preaching at one of our supporting churches Missions' Conference and then this week we hosted his friend from high school who joined a group of elders from their church to attend the Shepherds' Conference here at Grace Church in Sun Valley.  We haven't seen much of Brian this week, but we're thankful for the opportunity he has to enjoy the conference and see many guys who he knows that are also involved with ministry.

Swimming at the YMCA

One of my hopes while here in CA is to have Allison learn how to swim.  We have joined a local YMCA where all the children go for lessons twice a week.  We love it because it also helps to get us out of the house since we are still plodding on with our homeschooling.  When we were at the Academy pool in Malawi, Allison tipped over with a tube on and couldn't get herself back up. Her legs were kicking frantically in the air while her head was under the water.  I was chatting to a friend and didn't notice. I jumped in so quickly and got her out. The fright was horrible.

 

She enjoys playing in the yard at the "Y" playground while the others are learning their strokes.

Instant fire

It's still quite chilly in the mornings and so the kids love to turn on a switch and have an instant fire while we do our reading together.  My parents have a kagel in their house and you have to clean out the ash and collect the coal from the bunker and then replace it so that your fire keeps burning.  Things are made easy here:)