Easter pics

Hello friends! Spring is slowly starting to pop up here- the kids and I got into the garden and started digging today - we're expanding our garden this year. Autumn and Evan delighted in the roughly 32 worms we found, which they tossed into our new compost bin. Mark's been sick all week with bronchitis and now a strange nausea; please send him some healing thoughts - he's pretty miserable. We have an upcoming trip to the DC area this weekend to visit our old neighbors, which we are excited about. Wanted to put on a few Easter pics - we spent the day with friends here in Charleston and had a lovely time! The kids searched the yard (with very adorable grocery bags) for 200 eggs that Emily and Rebecca tenderly filled. Autumn is hugging her friend Truman, just one year her junior and extremely cute. Hope you all have a wonderful week!

Preschoolers for Peace

Today is the fifth anniversary of the start of the Iraq war, which Mark and I were active in opposing while in Michigan those many years ago. I was at a Joan Biaz concert in Kalamazoo the night the war started, with everyone holding hands and some crying. We haven't been very active since Autumn and Evan were born, although I did try to start an anti-war group in Montana but feared for our lives in our small conservative town. So when I heard that the West Virginia Patriots for Peace were putting on a peace rally, I decided to take the kids (Mark has been out of town all week). Although their concept of war is limited to their recent viewing of Disney's Mulan, they helped chant "No More War" as I pulled them in their wagon with a crowd of about 50 - 100 at the state capitol. It felt good to get my activism blood flowing again! After the long event, the kids' reward was to frolick on the capitol steps and stop to view some daffodils in bloom. Despite the somberness of such tragic anniversary, it is also the first day of spring, and we have great hopes with the coming election. Love to all, and happy spring.

A Big Week

IN LOVING MEMORY OF JOHN T. BERRY "PA PA"

December 4, 1920 - March 1, 2008

We didn't make it in time to say goodbye to Marisa's grandpa, but we were able to go to Michigan for the visitation, funeral, and family time. He had not been well or happy for a long time, so we know he's in a better place now. Despite the somber circumstances, it was nice to have an unexpected few days with all the Berry clan, and getting to stay with Grandma Laurie. Here's Joel with cousins Jill, Heather, and Aunt Lynn. Jill continues her difficult recovery from a bad accident last summer; please keep her in your prayers.



Here the kids dine on icycles from Grandma Laurie's porch - what a thrill they got out of that!











We got back late Tuesday night after driving through an ice storm in Ohio, and at the end of the week Marisa performed with the church choir in "Broadway on the Boulevard," a fundraiser for our choir in which we sang a selection of Rogers & Hammerstien songs. We had a great turnout for the dinner event, including my dear friends from work, Amy and Stacey. Here Marisa sings one of her favorite songs, "My Favorite Things."

Needless to say this weekend we were exhausted, and besides church and a birthday party, we tried to stay home, get some work done around the house (bills and 8 loads of laundry, for example), and relax, as we have another busy week coming up, and then Mark leaves for a week in Boise. Love to all!