Palm Sunday and Little Flowers

On Palm Sunday our church has a beautiful procession with the neighboring Presbyterian Church.  Both pastors say a few words (our Bishop was there and spoke) and then we all processed around the block with palms while bagpipes played Amazing Grace.  Then we move into our separate churches and start the services.  It was so beautiful- two big choirs, tons of altar boys and priests- what a special way to start Holy Week.

Tucker and his twin-

After church Julia and I went to Little Flowers where we talked about the Blessed Virgin Mary and the virtue of cheerfulness.  We had a great time talking about how we can cheer others and how cheerfulness can be contagious!  We sang the Immaculate Mary song several times, which the girls love.  There is a piano in the room so it worked great.

After working on their coloring pages, album pages and memory verse the girls made Holy Cards.  They were precious!  Julia drew this freehand and I thought it was sweet-

Sunday pictures

 

The woodsmen

Marky and Tucker love to play in the woods.  Marky dressed Tucker to match him this morning.  He flew through his schoolwork in order to get out there to play!

 

Best buddies

 

My 10-year-old big boy!

How in the world is baby Marky 10?

  I still picture you like this- when did you get too old for Winnie the Pooh parties?  This was your birthday when you were four and Julia was turning 2.  :)

 And, no, we don't really call you Marky anymore- you're just Marc.  What can I say about my "show pony".  You are such a special boy- so bright and teachable.  Your intelligence just blows us away every day.  Just yesterday you said, "remind me who Florence Nightengale is?" and I said, "she was a famous nurse...I think maybe she founded the Red Cross..." and you said, "Mommy, you are thinking of Clara Barton."  :)  You seem to know almost all trivia.  I think it's because you always, always, always have a book in your hand.  You read and reread.  You just recently read the "real" David Copperfield, which is over 700 pages, because you'd read the abridged version so many times you wanted to move on.  You did it all by yourself- I didn't know until you'd finished.

You seem to know almost everything about everything- science facts, history dates and particulars, Bible stories, lives of the saints, etc.  You have a huge vocabulary.  You use phrases like "it is in its essence..." or "contrary to what you might believe..."  But you are not nerdy.  Somehow you pull it off so low-key and humble it doesn't even seem that odd.  Today we were talking about Saint Peter being crucified upside down and you said, "Yes, he did that because he did not feel worthy to die in the way that Christ did.  Saint Andrew was crucified on a Greek cross, which looks like an X.  Then you think about Saint Catherine of Alexandria and how they put her on a spiked wheel, but the wheel broke so they ended up beheading her.  All types of martyrdoms have happened."

This is the type of thing you say all day every day.  Your teacher in school noticed it and told me you were "very conversational" when you answered questions and that you looked her in the eye more than most children.   You received your first standardized test scores today and what a birthday present that was.  I pray you will continue to use this gift of comprehension for the glory of God throughout your life.

You are so sweet and obedient, and Daddy and I trust you.  You have always been a rule follower.  You still are all boy and love to play rowdy and wrestle and have nerf gun wars and play sports.  You love riding the four-wheeler, fishing and boating.  You will jump off a high jump at the lake and ride any roller coaster.  You love your siblings and take such good care of them- especially Charlie.  You and Charlie just "click" and seem to love the same things.  I love to see you two together.  You and Sissy and Tucker play well too- and they ask you to help them the same way they ask me.  I feel like having you in the house is like having another adult.

You have a knack for music- you do extra well at piano and Boy's Choir.  You also have a great knack at art- your drawings are awesome.  You also seem to have a knack at languages- you have picked up Latin crazy fast and blew your teacher away so much so that she asked me to let her keep teaching you when we left school.  All this said, you are the most humble boy and never ever show off.  I don't even know that you know how bright you are.  You wouldn't notice that type of thing- you're too busy telling me about how you beat Mario Brothers or how you and the neighbors are going to fortify your fort in the woods so the girls can't find it.  :)

Tonight we took you to Kobe Japanese steakhouse because we had promised we'd take you on your birthday.  You were so excited and all of you children loved the show- the flaming onion volcano, the egg in the hat trick, the giant fire.

They came out beating drums and singing Happy Birthday to you with a flaming fruit dish-

I love my biggest boy so much!  You are my very best friend- you have got mine and Daddy's sense of humor and keep us in stitches.  It's so much fun having you in the house.  You and I laugh at what the three little ones do all day long.  You think Tucker is hilarious, and we laugh at his funny antics and phrases.   You are cute as a button with perfect skin and giant dark brown eyes.  You are 5 ft. 2 inches and 100 lbs on your 10th birthday.  My big, strong, beautiful boy!  It's such a joy to watch you grow!  We love you- Happy Birthday!

 
Believe me when I say you went from this to this OVERNIGHT!

Dreams of princesses, dragons and ponies

Last night when we checked on Sissybug we found her asleep like this with a pony in one hand and a dragon puppet on the other.  :)  One of the biggest hits for her birthday was this puppet set from FAO Schwarz.  She and Tucker play with it every day- Tucker uses the knight and king, Julia is the princess and dragon.   I mean, can't you tell she's the sweetest little girl.  Oh how we love our Sissy.  

Grandparent gifts and Sunday pics

Zaza and Grandpa sent the children their presents in the mail.  Julia's came and we let her open it Friday on her birthday.

It was a beautiful pink raincoat with a hood- something she needed very much!  She loved it and will definitely take it on our upcoming international trip!

Marc's came today- we let him open it after supper-

The card had a hilarious dancing chicken that all the children have played with all night- :)

It was a ton of America- Our Country DVDs and a few others.  They know Marky is a history buff and LOVES to watch and read anything historical.  :)  He was thrilled!  And I am thrilled because that will be our summer American history curriculum.  :)

Saturday after the birthday party we went to lasagna dinner at church.  It was fun with Italian music playing and drawing door prizes.  Tucker and Charlie were moved by the music and could not help kicking up their heels-

  

And finally- Sunday pictures- navy blue edition.  :)

 

And that's the weekend. :)