April!

April was great!  It started out on a sad note with Grandma Harvey passing away in Fort Wayne on April 1. We were thinking of and praying for her that week and beyond.  Bob and I went to the countertop store on the morning of the 1st and picked one out (victory!).  Finley had his liver ultrasound on the morning of the 2nd, which came back clear, so they put him on 30 days of a liver supplement and Ursodiol.  We go back on May 6th for the next step in the saga.  Anna babysat for her favorite family, the Lemons, on Thursday evening.  My car got new tires on Friday the 4th (a few weeks before it hit the big 50,000 miles, right at 2 years from buying it!).  

I went to confession on the morning of the 5th for Lent, and Erin worked that afternoon/evening.  She's usually been working a 6-hour shift on Saturday and another one on Sundays most weekends, except when she's got something else going on.  She's also had a 4-hour shift one weeknight most weeks.  The Harris Teeter job is going very well, and she's feeling comfortable there - yay!  

Because of her work schedule, she was not able to attend Logan's Eagle Scout ceremony on Sunday the 6th, so Anna and I went to Harrisburg for that.  Way to go, Logan!

I went to Fort Wayne early Tuesday morning until Wednesday evening so I was able to take part in all of the funeral-related events.  There was a family rosary on Tuesday afternoon at the funeral home, then a 4-hour visitation that was very well-attended that evening.  Wednesday, there was a family viewing/closing of the casket, then the funeral mass, then burial, and luncheon.  The driving on Wednesday was: funeral home, church, funeral home/cemetery, church, airport.  Everything is fairly close, though.  I didn't have any flight issues (through Charlotte both times) and enjoyed my Chrysler minivan rental.  Everything went smoothly, and thanks to Bob for holding down the fort at home!   He and Erin even went to a college fair at school on Wednesday, where Erin got to talk to several reps.

I was back to CPO and also went to adoration at Gibbons on Thursday.  The kids had a half day on Friday the 11th due to the prom (only juniors and seniors go, but the whole school got the half day).  On Friday, Erin did a make-up piano lesson for a week when she was sick awhile back.  Saturday, Erin was back to work and Anna did some shopping and saw a movie with Lyla.   Anna had another babysitting job on Sunday, and Erin was back to work.

Bob went up to New York from the 14th to the 16th for some meetings.  The rest of us did the usual stuff, though it was a short school week before they got out for their 10-day Spring Break on the 17th!  We all toured Elon that afternoon and were quite impressed.  It is a mid-sized school just over an hour from us.  It has grown a lot and seems to have a lot of great programs and activities.   It's a solid contender.  

Friday, we had an early flight to Tampa for our 4-day Spring Break trip to Anna Maria Island!  The flight went smoothly, we picked up our car, and headed towards the island, stopping at a Walmart in St. Petersburg and then for pizza/pasta for lunch in Bradenton.  We couldn't get into our house until 4pm, so we went straight to the public beach at Bayfront Park and got started soaking up some rays until we could get into the house.  Then, we unpacked, I picked up some (fish) tacos for dinner, and we tried out the pool at the house.  Saturday morning, we did some shopping/biking around town, checked out the kayaks at the house (which is on a channel), 

had lunch at the house, and then checked out the larger beach along the gulf.  After heading back to shower, we biked to a very good dinner at The Sandbar, walked on the beach after, and got ice cream.  

Sunday, we went to St. Bernard's church for Easter mass (it is on the island, 10-15 minutes from the house), then got a delicious cinnamon roll and shopped at a place near our house and had lunch at the house.  Then, we went to the pool or various beaches, and got takeout from the Beach Cafe, which was fish tacos for the parents, a chicken sandwich for Erin, and chicken tenders for Anna.  We then biked to Bean Point, the tip of the island, and walked around.  Monday morning, we had to be out of the house by 10am, so we packed up and started driving back towards Tampa.  We first stopped in Clearwater for a Mexican lunch, and then walked around that area.  Erin and Gina were nostalgic for our trip there 3 years ago.  From there, we went to the Clearwater Aquarium, where we had a very nice afternoon touring and enjoying the animals.  

After finishing at the aquarium, we drove into downtown Tampa, walked on the Riverwalk for a little bit, and walked around downtown.  We had a delicious pizza dinner at Tampa Pizza, then proceeded to the airport for our 9pm flight, which was uneventful.  All in all, it was a great trip, and we enjoyed seeing a new area!  Much of the area is still rebuilding from Hurricanes Helene and Milton which both hit the area in 2024, but most places were still open.  We noticed a lot of construction, and homes being rebuilt with cinder blocks to withstand future storms.  Finley did well at home with Camden, and it was a successful trip!

Upon returning, the kids had dentist appointments on Tuesday, and Erin had piano that evening.  Wednesday, Anna went to Defy with Bella, and I had a piano lesson and took dinner to a family from church.  The girls and I all went to CPO on Thursday, and they did a great job assembling carts and running them to the families' cars.  Bob and I had a fun time getting dinner at Neomonde and then attending a Wolfpack baseball game that evening.  The #25 Pack swept #2 Clemson in that series!  Friday, Anna and Bella went shopping and hung out at our house, and Erin had another piano lesson to make up for the one she was going to miss during dance rehearsals the following week.

Saturday, we all loaded up bright and early and ventured to the Charlotte area for a tour of Belmont Abbey (dropping Anna off with Ansley at Concord Mills on the way).  We enjoyed the tour; it's a smaller school with a very pretty campus.  

Erin needs to decide if it's too small, and if it has enough options for a major that she might want to do.  After the tour, we met up at Elliott's baseball game (he did great!), then on to their house for pizza lunch and April/May birthday celebration.  What a fun day!

Sunday, Bob and Erin went to church in the morning before her afternoon work shift, and Anna and I went to the evening youth mass before the last youth group session of the year (Erin used her second of 3 allowable absences for the year due to working).  Anna had two simultaneous cat-sitting jobs between Sunday-Tuesday.  I hosted book club on Monday evening as well.  Erin started her busy week of dance rehearsals/shows on Monday, plus Confirmation on Wednesday!  

Confirmation was wonderful!  The bishop was there (Bishop Zarama), and Erin, along with 118 other kids, got confirmed.  Erin was asked to read the first reading, which she did a great job! 

The bishop was so friendly and down-to-earth; he spoke to them about the importance of being themselves, loving others, and keeping the faith.  Grandma A. was Erin's sponsor, and she and Grandpa drove up for the mass.  Gina was Olivia's sponsor and felt pretty cool getting to shake the bishop's hand afterwards!  It was a beautiful evening.

So- we packed a lot into April, but it was a lot of fun, and very productive as well.  Other smaller notes include making selections for the kitchen project, doing some yard work, and the usual other stuff.  We are looking forward to the end of the school year and summer ahead!  May looks to be a little more relaxed, with 3 more weeks of school and then a week of exams.  The end is in sight!  We also look forward to celebrating Bob's and Anna's birthdays and the completion of our kitchen and laundry room renovation in the middle of the month.  Exciting times!