So Many Blessings at Easter Time!

April is officially here!

Obviously I have already posted about my good news….I’m going to Guatemala and El Salvador, May 2-May 8th. I found my passport, I haven’t booked my flight, but I’m super excited. I have looked at pictures and some info that will help me. I did have a little nervousness about the Spanish. I do have a concentration in it, but past asking where the bathroom is…I don’t think it will help me much!

I finished the grant review! Julie and I created a 1” binder filled with narrative, next year’s plan, financials, and supporting documents. We figured there is about 40 or so pages compiled. We’ve gotten some basic feedback back that said the document looked great and they were impressed with our impact to date. We hope that the final year of the grant will inspire the Bush Foundation to allow for another grant. It just feels good to be done with the review!

The weather was all over the board this week from beautiful to horrific. We hit the 70’s and I got some big spring fever! All the snow has melted in my yard! Then the week ended with a rain, sleet, slush, snow storm that brought winter back to Bismarck. Dickinson finally proved to be the banana belt and had the snow that came with the storm melt by nightfall. Bismarck and Baldwin, not so lucky! I came home to see power lines broke at the base. My parents were lucky that they only lost power for most of the morning and afternoon. Others were out for days…and still are! We went to Denise and Randy’s for Easter and on the way three of the major huge metal big electricity poles. The weather took the lines low to 83 ended up being draped on a semi…closing down the highway! The worst part is the mud that was left in Mom and Dad’s driveway and the corrals…and just when things were starting to look good!

The nice thing was to see the calves bucking and enjoying the sun that came out and started driving everything up the very next day!

I went home to celebrate Alaina’s birthday. I can’t believe she’s 18…I think it was the other day when Mom and Dad gave me sonogram pictures and had to explain what they were. I hope that all of her dreams will come true as she becomes a young woman. She is planning for prom on May 1st, I will get to see her in her dress and have her date pick her up. I know that her and I don’t always see eye to eye but I look forward to watching her grow up over the next couple years and pick her life paths. I gave her luggage for her birthday…I think every girl needs a bag to pack for anywhere she’s going! I made her and Mom an ice cream cake with direction from Sheri. For my first cake...I didn't think it turned out too bad!

Mom took Alaina and I to the Fireman's Concert...the performers were the Crystals and the Diamonds. I knew most of the songs and it is amazing to think of the longevity of the songs. These songs have been around since the 60's and 70's...songs today don't have that lifespan or sustainability...afterall "Chantilly Lace...had a pretty face" and "and then He kissed me" will live on for-e-VER!

I also was home to celebrate Easter. It was fun to watch my cousin Ambour’s kids, Kemma and Carstyn, hunt for eggs. They had such great faces. It took me pack to looking and then blowing bubbles and flying kites. I will always remember Grandma Merle in the field in Lincoln helping us kids put our kites together and help us try to get them in the air!

This week is the week our partnership with URL starts. Julie and I will kick it off by being on the radio at 8:30am MST, with Stacy Sturm. Either Julie or I will be on every Monday morning at 9:00 am talking about a COCO nonprofit member, a community, or an event we are hosting. It is exciting to work with this company that has made so much progress in one year, being heard in all 50 states, 84 countries, and over 597,000 listeners!