What's Up?

Oh, all sorts of entertaining things.  : )
~Daniella's reading has improved SO much over the last 3 or so weeks.  It's not nearly so painful sounding out word after word.  She's finally recognizing words!  Now if I could JUST get her to remember the difference between d, b, and p! I'd be so happy.  That drives me nuts.  haha
~Marissa has gotten over a major hump (mental block) in math!  Yay!  We are still taking it slowly, but it's coming, and more importantly, we've had a major change of attitude.  We actually just get in there and get it done everyday, without complaining and rebelling, and usually without even being told!  Whew!
~They both LOVE me reading to them about ancient history. Go figure. 
~Ashley still loves her job out at camp training under the director.  She designed (with the help of the Olive Garden takeout menu; hahaha) a pamphlet for their Child to Camp program.  It looks awesome!  She's now working 3 days a week, plus some events, until the last week of May.  Then she will go to 24/5 (Sun night-Friday noon) through the 2nd week of Aug, 
~The only exception to the that above schedule, is that she will take off a few days in June to go to Guatemala to be maid of honor in Dulce's (Sweet Ruth) wedding.  She's going to have the most exhausting few weeks of her life May through Aug.!!
~Briana was chosen to be an understudy of one of only 2 female characters in a 9 member play.  She and the 15 year old she is understudying are the only "non professionals" in the play.  It has been a really great experience for her to be in rehearsals with the others.  Plus, Briana gets to actually do at least 6 of the shows.  This dramatically increases her speaking role.  haha.  She has a full monologue, plus other lines.  In the past, she has only had 2 or 3 lines in a show.  (Just between us! We think she would have probably been chosen to do the part, except for her height.  The part is for a teen daughter, and Briana is an inch or 2 taller than the dad!  : )  ) 
~All of us but Ashley are going over this Wed. to spend 2 nights with Briana, so that on Thurs. James and I can go see her in the play for her first time.  I'm excited!
~Ashley and I went to stay with Briana for 4 nights a couple of weeks ago.  It was super fun!  I had only seen Briana for a short time once in the previous 9 1/2 weeks.  Wow, I missed her!
~Ashley, Marissa, and Daniella are all in praise dances for our church Easter program this Sunday.  Marissa is actually going to start joining the older girls on some of their dances....the ones that aren't too hard and fast.  She doesn't have any dance training, so hopefully, she will be working her way up and getting better.  I am so surprised she likes it so much.  She just doesn't seem like a dancer to me. 
~Ashley and I are almost at the end of a Beth Moore Bible study that we've been doing together~Esther.  It has been so timely and full of things I needed to hear.  Isn't that just like God? 
~My husband is writing a book!  Can we all just say, "What?"  My husband who doesn't write and is one of the most grammatically challenged people!  : )  He heard God tell him probably a year ago to write.  He questioned it, and didn't know what it was that he was supposed to write.  So, I told him to just start writing the things God was teaching him.  (He has been in intense Bible study, sometimes now most of the day, for 2 years.)  This led to God having him write papers to present to a person he has been counseling....I am his editor (haha).  For a while now, he's had a feeling he was suppose to write a book, but had no idea what about.  The last 2 weeks it has been heavy on his mind, and he began today.  God is showing him so much!
~So much more is going on in the Spiritual realm here.  It is exciting, scary, hard, wonderful, humbling, and difficult to wait.  We are learning such a deeper, closer walk with the Lord.  God has us in place we have never been and could never have fathomed.  One day maybe I can share more. 
There's life in a nutshell.  It's overflowing with blessings, changes, challenges, and joys.  Just like yours!  Hope everyone has a blessed week!

ANNIE

Briana is in ANNIE, which opened on Feb. 5th.

Ms. Hannigan with the orphans

Hooverville~Briana is in the center

At Warbuck's house~Briana is just to the left of "Grace".

Briana in back being lifted high!

"The silk sheets? No, the satin sheets, I think."

NYC

NYC~ Briana is in yellow

NYC

NYC~ Briana is the one in the middle up in the air. : )

"Immediate seating. We have immediate seating."

The Bert Healy Show~ The ventriloquist is Briana's young man, Troy. He was most of the other numbers, too.

Briana delivering a telegram (to Troy). Here he is the President's aide.

"Annette" and "Cecil"

These are just a few of the over 1200 pictures James took at dress rehearsal!! : ) I've seen the show twice, and hope to go back again in about a week and a half. I'm missing that girl. Only seen her once in the last 8 weeks. Ashley and I plan to go over for 3 or 4 nights for some mother/daughter/sister time. James has actually seen her a couple of more times, so I'm ready for my turn. : )