Updates, Part 3

Moving on with updates!  So, after Memorial Day weekend we had a week of finishing up most activities-- last nature school for L, and last swim lesson:

(All three big girls have come SO far this spring with swimming... we have been with this same instructor for two years now and he is just awesome with the girls.  They love him!  Watching their confidence and love for the water grow has been such a treat!  Not to mention that summer time beach and pool outings will be far less nerve-wracking for Mama with three big girls who can pretty much hold their own.)

It was also the last week of preschool for C.

After the week of "lasts" we had a crazy weekend-- but an absolutely amazing one!

First, on Saturday morning, it was bread-baking for N with her Eucharist Instruction class:

Such a sweet group of girls!

We went straight from church to Great Wolf Lodge where L's gymnastics banquet was being held.

We had some yummy food and L was recognized and given her certificate for completing Level 1 of the Junior Olympic program.  So proud!

Because all of her teammates were gathered, and the banquet fell on L's actual 7th birthday, we brought a cake, and we all sang to her and she blew out the candles!

After that we checked into our room and enjoyed all the water slides and the arcade at Great Wolf Lodge.  There was so much that we didn't have time to do everything, but the kids had an absolute blast and we all crashed in the hotel room around 9 that night.

The next morning we were up and at 'em to check out of the Lodge and head off to church.  Not only was N being recognized as part of the Eucharist Instruction class, but in the weeks leading up to this event as we were learning about the sacraments, she had asked if she could be baptized on that day as well.

It's pretty hard to put into words how special that day was.  The fact that N had made this decision completely on her own, with a surprisingly adult understanding of what she was doing... her amazing maturity and understanding throughout the Eucharist process, and the fact that her baptism also fell on Pentecost, and we were all thinking about the coming of the Holy Spirit... N was truly a witness to me on that day, and I know it was a Spirit-filled day for lots of others as well.  Humbling, emotional... amazing.

After church that day we all went home and crashed, exhausted and thoroughly happy after all of those wonderful events.

There's one more amazing weekend to write about here, so look for a part 4 soon!