LIVE! From Rochester, New York

Just a few days ago, we visited the National Museum of Play here in Rochester. It is set up with all sorts of areas that are an imaginative child's delight: an area set up like a miniature theatre, complete with ticket window, tickets, costumes, a red velvet curtain on the stage, and a sound/lighting booth; a grocery store where children can pretend to shop for items, be the baker or the fruit seller at the store, or be the check-out clerk; a historic room with all sorts of items from a colonial kitchen and parlor; and many, many more areas to pretend and play! One of my favorites was a TV studio complete with cameras, a board to report the weather, and an anchorman's desk to do the news. I haven't uploaded my pictures yet from that day, but in the meantime, here's a bit of the news, LIVE from Rochester!

We are visiting with John's sister Beth and her family. It's an important week for them as their oldest, our nephew Joel, had to make a decision this week about where he would go to school. Joel is an exceptional young man and has excelled in academics and music. He was offered several full scholarships to various schools and had to choose by April 30 which one he would attend. That decision has now been made (I won't announce it here since I'm not sure where he has shared it so far!) but we've been excited to be here at such an important juncture. We offered our prayers and support as he was thinking and praying about where to go!

We've had a great week already and have until Monday morning to enjoy our time with this wonderful family. The weather has cooperated and so we've had some fun outside, particularly at Highland Park yesterday seeing acres full of lilacs, pansies, tulips and daffodils. We left spring behind a few weeks ago when we were in the South and had moved into summer, only to travel north to New York and experience spring again!

Clara Anne, Chloe, and Christin have had a great time with their cousins; Anna is 13 and Amanda is 15; they've taken great care of the girls and have had a fun time together. Joel has entertained us all with nightly jazz piano improvisations, what a treat! This is definitely a musical family; we had a sing-fest around the piano a few nights ago and just last night enjoyed leaving the girls here and going to a free concert at the Eastman school of music, hearing their orchestra and chorus perform. I hadn't been to a concert in 7 years (not that I could remember, anyway!) and so I particularly relished that time last night.

So, our journey across America continues. We continue to be so blessed by the people we've been with along the way; we've had some rich times of fellowship and worship together. For those of you who are faithful readers of my blog, if we've been to your place and I haven't talked about it here yet, don't worry . . . I will post pictures and catch up one day! Today I'm on a borrowed computer so don't have access to my photos.

And tonight we're going to see a baseball game; the Minnesota Twins farm team is here in Rochester, so we'll see them play tonight. Fun for everyone!

Until next time. . .