Quick check-in

Yes, I know it's been over a month since I posted.  Sorry, but real-life comes before the blog ;)  And yes, we have been busy. A quick rundown:

• Continued craziness for hubby at work, but HOPEFULLY things will slow down now that we've flipped the page on the calendar.  I can hope, right? ;)
• Repeated visits with our son to the ear specialist.  Can't remember how much I've shared here, but he had failed his hearing screening at school, and at our initial visit with the specialist, he had a cyst on his eardrum.  That has disappeared (hallelujah!) but he continues to have issues with fluid build-up for no apparent reason and does have some definite hearing loss.  Would appreciate prayers for wisdom as we navigate this path...
• Our church held *the* community Easter event.  This was the 4th annual "Egg Drop" but the first-time it was done in conjunction with the city.  The joining of church/government is just kind of taken for granted down here, but as a northern girl it still stuns me.  Anyway, it was great fun, but also very hot, super crowded, and a bit disorganized as we're still learning what works best.  Oh, and to top it off, 2 days prior to that I became the co-leader of our children's area at church.  Excited to see what God has in store, but struggling to learn exactly how things are done in our body (young church, no building, etc) and the list of things we want to accomplish is pretty long.
• Our house. The a/c unit upstairs was not working (central air, but we have two units due to the square footage), our garage door opener went kaput, we couldn't open our front door, major landscaping purge in the backyard just to name a few of the "fun" things we've been doing.  I'm trying to remember to be thankful for the shelter we have for our family.
• Did hold my friend gathering, but it didn't come together quite as I had hoped.  Although I specifically invited a diverse group, those who were actually attended were 10+ years older than me, and none of their new-to-me friends were able to make it.  Gonna have to try again.
• Had a fun girls day out with a 2 friends and their daughters, and we went to see Disney on Ice Dare to Dream.
• We now have a Costco, and we've already gone twice ;)
• Trying to get back on the "live healthier" train.
• Will try to post some pics next week.  Don't hold your breath.
• Have found some great recipes: this fennel crusted pork was a HUGE hit with the whole family, and I even used the leftovers to make a lentil dish that everyone wolfed down (anytime my kids ask for seconds on lentils, I'm calling it a win); I've made this cilantro lime rice 3-4 times now - great side for grilled meat; and lastly, if you're looking for something indulgent, I'd recommend these layered Samoa brownies (with coconut and caramel. yummo!)