A Great Day for the Zoo!

Aunt Libby and Uncle Brad were in town for Libby and Granny's birthday.  Libby requested that the whole family go to the zoo for her birthday.  Nathan and Jordan were thrilled!  This was Harper and Carson's first big outing out of the house.  Now that flu and RSV season are over, we have a little bit more freedom.  We still have to use extra precautions against germs but it's so nice to get out and about a little more.  

Bryce, Brayden, Nathan, Jordan, and Avery...what a crew of cousins!

Kids with the birthday girl!

Thumbs up for the ELEPHANTS!!

Harper and Carson were chillin' in their stroller.  Carson did not like his stroller to stop moving.  And he was not afraid to tell us all about it.  Don't let that peaceful sleepy face trick you!!

Me and My Jordy...

Feeding the birds...

This was Nathan's second stick of birdseed.  He threw the first one down that hole behind him and said, "Here you go.  Go get it." to the birds.  What a nut!

This map reading was serious business.

Pit stop.

Sweet boy has become quite the chatterbox.

A wind tunnel!  - These boys love a little excitement!

Here is Bryan's sweet and beautiful Granny.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANNY!  She is one special lady.  She is a prayer warrior, been a member of her church for 53 years, teaches Sunday School, teaches Bible Devotionals at the local nursing home, cooks some great meals, bakes a heavenly chocolate cake,...I could go on and on.  We praise the Lord for Granny and what she means to our family.

For Granny's birthday, she wanted all of her kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids to join her at her church on Sunday morning.  We were thrilled to attend her church service with her.  Then, we all went to celebrate at lunch!  Look at this big bunch.  The funny thing is that Granny had four kids.  Sixty years later...this is the result.  So impossible for me to imagine our family of 6 multiplying like that some day!!  

Spring Fever...Summer come fast!

The days are going by pretty quickly at our house.  Life is crazy busy.  I'm trying my best to slow down and savor the small moments.  Trying to sit and read books with the big boys.  Trying to sit and rock the babies as much as possible. May is just around the corner!  YAY!  That means Carson can get out of the house a little bit.  Oh, we are all itching to go more places as a family.  In fact, on Friday, I mentioned taking the babies on a walk and Jordan said, "the babies have a stroller?!"  Bless him.  Poor babies have only been in their stroller to go to the doctor.

Here are my cute boys at soccer two weeks ago.  This week, Jordan did not have such a happy face.  Soccer is just too much for his OCD heart.  After one kid very slightly pushed around him for the ball and another kid fell, Jordan was done.  D-O-N-E.  He cried big tears because he just wanted to "rest."  I finally just took him to the van.  No one wants a crying kid on the sidelines the whole soccer game, right?  Oh Jordy...he would be such a good little soccer player if he loosened up a bit.  He might need to stick to t-ball where everyone has a spot on the field and takes turns at bat.  That's more his style.

We've been to several birthday parties lately.  Jordan and Nathan have a couple of dear little friends at school.   We call them the Four Amigos!  They just love to play together!

The boys had Drive-In-Movie Day at School a couple weeks ago.  This year, Bryan made Star Wars Spaceships!  He had some help from Uncle Jay and Vivi when they were in town over spring break too.  The boys were thrilled!  Well, until they got home that afternoon and Nathan was super disappointed that the movie was "Winnie the Pooh."  Oh Nate, the girls at school might not enjoy Super Hero Squad or Rescue Bots.

 I had to include this pic of Tot...He sure does love that Blue Blankie. 

The babies are 11 weeks old now!  Crazy.  They are smiling and coo-ing.  So stinkin' cute!!

Carson went to see his pulmonologist on Friday.  He got a pretty good report.  He is still on 1/8 liter flow of oxygen.  The doctor said that is such a low flow that we will be weaning him off before too long.  He said Carson can get out and about a little more when May gets here.  We still have to be super careful about germs but Flu and RSV season will be over at the end of April.  Those are two of the scariest viruses for our delicate Carson.  The doctor also requested for Carson to come back tomorrow for a swallow study x-ray.  He wants to be sure that Carson isn't aspirating any of his formula.  Overall, he is doing great!!  He is a picture of answered prayer!

And Harper is just fat and happy! Ha!

Thomas is in town!  We didn't buy tickets this year but Daddy figured out where Thomas sleeps at night when he is here.  The boys were so excited to see him tucked away in his "sleeping spot." After N and J got home, they kept telling me, "But Mommy, Thomas wasn't sleeping!  He had his eyes open!"  Thomas, you are such a rebel!!!  HA!

We are so exhausted but our hearts are so full.  

The Lord is Risen Indeed!

MATTHEW 28 "Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave. ² And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. ³ And his appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. ⁴ The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men. ⁵ The angel said to the women, “^[a]Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. ⁶ He is not here, for 

He has risen, just as He said." 

On Easter Sunday morning we get together with family, eat a great meal, the Easter bunny comes...but the most important thing about Easter is celebrating the resurrection of Jesus.  The empty tomb!  The fulfilled promise!  He is the reason we have hope.  He IS our hope!  

This Easter was very unconventional for us.  Since Carson is still not able to go to public places, we were not able to go to church on Sunday.  We sure did miss worshiping on Easter with our church family.  It will be a glorious day when we can get out and about with little Carson.  

The Easter Bunny visited all FOUR of our kids.  Sometimes I just pinch myself because I can not believe I have FOUR kids!  HA!

Notice the Teenage Mutan Ninja Turtle?  They are totally  making a comeback and I could not be more excited!!  "Epic!"  "Heroes in a half-shell! Turtle Power!"  Oh and neon is all over the clothing and shoe stores lately...this makes my 80's and early 90's heart so happy!

Nathan and Jordan were excited to open the babies' Easter baskets and show them their new goodies!

Too much activity so early in the morning...the babies were already needing a little nap!

We enjoyed lunch at my parents house...my Mama can cook a good holiday meal!  And, of course, we had to take the photo opportunity.

Our family of SIX!  What a blessing!

MeMe and Grandad with the kids...

We sure did miss these cute California cousins at MeMe's house!  So happy we have facebook and text messages to share pictures when we miss each other.  Can you believe Jenn made Vivi and Georgia's dresses?  So cute!  I would have given anything to hug these two necks yesterday.  Breaks my heart to be so far away.  Happy, beautiful girls...

All my little ones...maybe next year's picture will be better? HA!

The BIG Calvert Crew...

Gram and PaPa with their grandkids...

And this one melts my heart...my little niece, "A" (that's what I call her.  it just seems to fit.)  I just cried tears when I opened up this picture tonight.  Look at A holding Carson's hand.  Sweetest thing ever!

Then we drove down the street and around the corner for an annual Easter Egg Hunt at Granny's house.  So much fun! The boys had a blast with all the cousins!  There are ten babies in this picture.  Carson and Harper weren't here and 3 of Bryan's sweet cousins are pregnant.  That means next year this picture will have FIVE more cousins!  Us Calverts sure do love babies!!

 The hunt...

What a special day!