Visitors

February and March were filled with guests, family and close friends, that all blessed us so much with their visits and sacrificing their time to come spend it with us. We actually had visitors for a solid month but the time seemed to go by so quickly. 

We are going on month 6 of living in Louisville. We survived the winter and (hopefully) there will be no more snow, but as with any new place you live, it can be hard to feel truly at home. Having people come visit allowed this place to feel more like home for a few weeks. 

Shortly after Eli's birthday and the grandparents coming to town my brother and his family came to visit. 

Jadon (3), Caleb (8), Ed and Eli 

Amy, Jadon and Eli painting to pass the time until we could go play in the snow. 

The first day they were here it snowed 6 inches so we quickly changed our plans of going out and seeing the city to staying at home, playing in the snow, drinking hot chocolate and finding new things to do. Overall the kids were fine, lots of new toys to explore and people to entertain them. Eli really surprised me by allowing Caleb (his 8 yr old cousin) to pull him around on the sled. He took it all in stride...

...literally. 

Once the roads were clear we were able to get out the next day. We spent time at the science museum (Eli's home away from home) and Churchill Downs. With the Kentucky Derby less than a month away I am quickly learning what a big deal this race is in Louisville (more on that later). 

The Churchill Downs museum was very interesting and taught me a lot about the race and it's history. There were even mock races that the kids could play on. 

Eli still has a ways to go before he can stand up on the horse. 

It was such a special time to spend with cousins. We are thankful they decided to spend their spring break by coming to visit us and see our world. It was special to see Eli bond with them. He still talks about Aimee and Ed, but can't quite say Caleb and Jadon yet. It was great to have people in the house during day, to talk with during naps and hang out with at night. A definite highlight for Keith and I!

We love you Ed, Amy, Caleb and Jadon and hope to see you soon!

The following week some of our best Texas friends came for a visit (talk about feeling homesick, I truly did this week, but it was worth it). 

Steve, Tamara, Kami, Madi and Tyler Dortch were our family in Austin and it was so fun for them to visit our new home. We also call their kids Eli's cousins because they are so good with him! 

A definite change in the weather this week!

Since the Dortch family also spent time in China when Keith and I were there they have a love for Chinese food. It was so fun to share a meal with them, have them at our house, grill out in the 32 degree weather (a tradition we had in Austin minus the freezing temps) and just hanging out. 

The Dortch family does hope to return to China one day soon so their time in Texas may also be limited but it is fun to have shared 3+ years with them there and continue to stay connected. 

We SO appreciate your visit. You brought Texas laughs, fun and sunshine here for a few days and for that we are grateful! 

I thank The Lord that because we have moved many times we have friends and family in many different locations and have tons of options of places to visit, but it is still hard to see people come and go. I guess this is just a hard part of life. Never really knowing what lies ahead job-wise, with family, friends. Thankfully God knows and for today I will rest in that!