April 2019

We had a beautiful spring.  Emily has lots of pretty pictures on her blog.

We loved all the redbuds in bloom this year!

Our dear friend from Colorado, who goes to college in Cedarville, Ohio came to see Emily on April 6.  They went on a hike and then came home for supper so we could see Natalie too.

We ate on the deck.

Jimmy and Danette were over also.  Danette was staying with us the end of Spring Break after SWSE tour was over.

At the end of Spring Break, we got to have Anna Winter and Jorden Messner over for Sunday dinner, along with our regular ("adopted") kids, Jimmy and Danette.

The tulips were so pretty at GBS on April 15.

Emily among the tulips

On Easter Sunday the children and young people were up front and sang songs and did an Easter Reader's Theater.  The Harms triplets and their older brother are the focus of this picture.

Emily Witt and Ella, one of the girls from the bus route, had parts in the play.

Kashleigh, another one of the bus kids, and Josh Smith did a great job.

The kids all sang "Were You There?" with three of the ladies from church:  Esther Byer, who is the Junior Church leader, Nancy Martin, and Sherilyn Stroud.

After church, Elizabeth took a picture of the Harms family with their new baby boy, Daniel Lincoln.

Jason and Karen came over for Easter Sunday, as did Bryanna Shirk, another of our GBS student friends.

Jason and Karen made this yummy cheesecake for dessert.

Emily took an Easter photo for them.

The next day, part of the Lucas family from Colorado came to spend the evening and night with us, on their way to Dayton, Ohio for Interchurch Holiness Convention.  Crystal, Rosie, and Hannah came with their parents Jonathan and Anna.  Sam, Carrie, Timmy, and Danny were not along on this trip.  We have enjoyed knowing the Lucas family for many years, and they have always been a part of our family celebrations of graduations and weddings, and helped with the children's ministry in Denver, so we loved getting to see them again in our new territory!

We enjoyed visiting on the deck on that beautiful evening.

The girls took a walk in our neighborhood and got a picture by what we call the "carnation" tree.  We don't know what it is named, but it is beautiful in middle April!

Janet, Elizabeth, and Emily got to go to the Interchurch Holiness Convention on Wednesday that week.  Janet got to see and visit with two of our kids' mother-in-law's.  Janice Johnston and Jan McKay.  We call this the "Jan" picture.

Because of being involved with SWSE playing at IHC, Emily got to go on Wednesday and Thursday.  She is pictured here with Luke Hughes, Candace Kessen, Jenny Mejia, Rachel Klotz, and Danette Teed.

Our friend Retha Elger had her Miss Fitz Puppets booth again.  She is holding a butterfly prop, but it's hard to see against the background of all the puppets.  Click on the picture to enlarge and see it better.

We girls went to the Women of Worth meeting.  There were probably 900 ladies there!

Our friend, Mary Klotz was the featured speaker.  We love "Mama Klotz."  She is a favorite adult on GBS campus among all the students.

Elizabeth is pictured with Jenny Mejia and Merilee Barnard.

Our pastor, Darrell Stetler preached on Wednesday evening.

On the same day, Randy and Joy found out the gender of their baby coming the end of August or first of September.  There were balloons inside this package, either blue or pink!

The suspense is building!

We are thrilled they will be getting another girl!  Jewelyn has been outnumbered for years!

On Thursday evening, our friend Mikah Litchfield and her friend Katie Paulus spent the night with us.  Katie's brothers have been to our house a couple times for Sunday meals, so it was special to have Katie come.  We always love to see Mikah and hear her stories of what God is doing in her life.

The following Sunday, (April 28) we had some more GBS students for dinner.  Jimmy and Danette, Chandler Witter, Jake Stetler, and Austin and Anthony Paulus (Katie's twin brothers).  Jake, Chandler, and Anthony played piano and guitar music for us before we ate.

Danette and Jimmy played Jenga with Elizabeth.

Janet got to hold Levi Wilson at church.  He is the oldest of our church's recent rash of babies being born.  Levi is 6 months old now.  He is always so attentive and happy.

We looked at a house the next evening that we really liked.  We tried to get this house, but it seems we cannot get an offer accepted when we don't have ours sold.  

The weather has been pretty and the patio at GBS is a favorite place to eat meals with friends and family.

This is a picture of the DPS division of studies at God's Bible School.  Emily and Elizabeth are both in this division.  DPS stands for Department of Professional Studies.