We have a.....

WALKER!! :) Claire started officially walking on April 11th after about a week of real practice. She is getting really good at it and starting to kind of run. Of course, the running is still a little rusty and needs some practice! I cannot tell if Owen likes having her walk now or if he enjoyed her being more stationary! He is much more territorial of his toys now since she can get to them without him knowing. This has been a struggle with teaching him to share, but that will come! :)We had a wonderful, low-key Easter that included church (for Neil, not so much for me since I was out walking Claire around because she wanted to squeal and talk through the service), dying eggs, an Easter egg hunt, and a very tasty dinner cooked by...me :) The weather was spring like, which for us is something to brag about since last year it snowed on Easter!

Neil injured his foot on March 24th and had surgery on April 8th. It has been a long 3 1/2 weeks of him being on crutches and not being able to do anything. I have had to take care of 3 people, myself and the house and it has EXHAUSTED me! Neil goes back to the doctor Wednesday to hopefully get the stitches out. He then MIGHT be going into a boot but will still need to use the crutches for at least another 2 weeks. Then, he should be able to walk normally using the boot. The doctor said if everything continues progressing the way he thinks it has so far, Neil should be able to run at the end of May. Oh how I pray that happens! The training he was supposed to go to starting April 12th, has been rescheduled (temporarily) for him for June. If he cannot run, he cannot go. So, pray for him!!

Other than those things, we have not had much going on. We are patiently waiting for the weather to decide to stay spring and for our grass to green up. I am tired of hearing how green everything is in Virginia and North Carolina! :) Brown grass and no trees are really the only

things that would keep me from wanting to live in Colorado forever. Oh, and not being near family! :) hahaha I took Owen and Claire to the zoo the day after Neil had his surgery so he could rest and it was so much fun! Claire LOVED the river otters and could have sat there all day to watch them frolicking in their area. Owen loved the giraffes, bears, monkeys and gorillas. As you can see, we got an AWESOME picture of him with the snow leopard. I would not be able to recreate that picture if I tried 100 times! Claire was almost attacked by the peacock during her lunch and the only way I could keep it from pecking her alive was to continue throwing food at it until he finally walked away! She thought it was hilarious! :)

I hope to come home at some point this summer but we shall see!