Ark Encounter and Creation Museum Field Trip!

 We found the cutest restaurant in Ohio- "Bite". 

 It's such a treat to find healthy food and to be with my family-I love going on adventures with these people.

 There it is! A re-build Noah's ark. It was astonishing to walk next to and inside the ark! God's plans are amazing, and He thinks not like we think- His ways are so much higher and better than our ways. 

Here's our group- so fun to do life with these people! We're in front of the door to the ark- now I understand why God is the One who closed the door!!!

 Inside the ark were cages and examples of how all the different animal "kinds" really could have fit in the ark.

I loved talking with Savannah about why God had to destroy the earth with a flood. The people were only thinking and acting wickedly continually the Bible says. Sin will be punished. God made a way to rescue Noah and his family because they followed Him and worshipped Him. Just like that, today we need to repent from our own sinful ways and seek Jesus' sacrifice as the only way to have forgiveness and to enter eternity with God. He is a Rescuer!

 We did a little mining for gems and fossils. All of the fossils actually point to a young earth, and not that it came into existence millions of years ago. 

 We did a little geology work with naming gems!

 And the arc had a petting zoo- of course!!

 So thankful for Maddie's sweet friends!

 After touring the ark and then swimming at the hotel, we went to the Creation Museum at 8pm for a night IN the museum!

 These gorgeous butterflies were one of my favorite finds on our flashlight scavenger hunt. 

Here are some helpful plaques about the 7 C's of history. Neat to see a timeline attached to the large groupings of what God was doing/is doing throughout history.

This one is great on explaining how we know the Bible is true. 

 Midnight was "lights out" even though many of the displays still had there lights on all night :)

All the ladies slept in one room of the museum and the guys in another. It was quite an experience!

 Savannah needed four friends to help her wake up the next morning!!

 Breakfast time. So thankful they had coffee!!

 The grounds were so beautiful!!

 Thankful these two have been friends since they were babies.   

 We stayed in the museum for a while the next day and went to a reptile show. 

 It was a highlight for the girls!!

 I can't believe how brave all the girls were. They reached into a container and grabbed out cockroaches to feed large geckos, held a hissing cockroach, and handled snakes.

 "Daisy" is a 100 pound, 15 foot, 8 year old Burmese Python. It took 4 adults to hold her!! 

  EW!!!

  And that's a wrap. They napped a little bit on our 9 hour drive home. So thankful for this trip!   

Papa Time

 We were thrilled to have Papa here for 2 weeks! He came to teach a counseling class at the seminary here. So by day he did home school and life with us and by night he taught! It was a pretty good deal. Thanks Mimi for the beautiful matching dresses!!

 Reading time!

Reading Spurgeon :)

 Time for night class! The girls loved walking the teacher to his classroom!

 I was spoiled this Mother's Day! Jesse and the kids made crepes and planned a whole special meal for me! They set the table beautifully and even bought me flowers. It was special to have my dad here, too. We missed you, Mom!

 Papa was able to come to the Spring Concert at co-op!

 He watched soccer.

And read more.

Thanks for being so flexible and fun to be around, Dad! I love talking with you- your love for the Lord and for us is so evident.

Update Time

 The last few weeks have been filled with visits from friends and family coming from out of town, home school, AWANA awards, book clubs, welcoming new babies, saying goodbye to good friends, soccer, and many other adventures. Through all these events, God has proven Himself faithful, His mercies are new every morning, and nothing is done without His perfect care. I see Him giving me strength. My favorite part of the day is early, before the house is awake when I get to meet with Jesus. I'm reading through the Bible this year. It's been a joy to give the Lord each day, praying for my family and I see Him at work. Only by God's grace do I see my need for Him greater and greater. I love walking with Him all day. 

 We had a great visit with the Davis' when they came in town. 

 We had an outing to the National Cathedral and flower mart. 

 Slumber parties, dress up, school, play time, creek adventuring, Bible study, and movie nights made for a memorable visit!

 We were so thankful for the Spring weather, so we walked to Green Springs Park and had an afternoon enjoying God's beautiful creation while reading.

 This one is catching on pretty quickly!

 My precious Maddie girl. I'm so thankful God has given me these girls.

 Creek exploring!

Sisters are the best!

 

Cooking lessons with Miss Penny are full of learning techniques and yummy treats!

 We were sad to say good bye to the Voctures as they moved away. 

We are excited for their new opportunities, but they will be missed.

 

My little readers.

Maddie sometimes gets to be a mother's helper, and wanted to welcome this little one to the family!

 More creek time.

 Geneva finished her Puggles book this year.

 Savannah completed her Sparks book.

 And Maddie finished her T&T book. 

It's exciting to hear the girls quote Scripture and know God's Word by heart. I've seen the girls grow in their ability to study and understand the Bible this year.

 Maddie got braces!!

We had a wonderful visit with dear friends from Cali!