Grandma, Grandpa, and Oma join us for Annie's soccer game

Praying the Rosary for school intentions

Even though it is at an inconvenient time, the girls and I pray the rosary each week for school intentions in the school Chapel. Some of these children are going through really big struggles! There are always a few prayer intentions that make us smile. These are a few. The biggest one? There is one every single week that says "for pets and flamies, that they are safe."

Annie as Sacristan

Both girls do this very often, but I have always neglected to take a picture until now. It is so special that the girls do Sacristan with me on Fridays! Annie especially likes one particular thing, eating the "soiled" hosts that fall on the counter or the floor. Of course, mama is not "careful" at all ... on purpose... Not sure if that is a sin. It is my hope that the girls will make being sacristan a lifetime Pursuit.

Annie finds a salamander

How Leia sits in the car

Snacks from mamma's work

... pretty much the girls' favorite thing about me working for online grocery.

Easter Brunch & Easter Dinner

Easter Morning 2017

Cloer Sunrise Service on Easter Sunday

Was a beautiful service to celebrate Mamaw this morning. The last gravestone is the one I would like for myself featuring Brian, me, and Shana.

Daddy's Easter Morning 2017

Easter Eve

Leia as the Easter Bunny

... and trying shaving cream eggs!

The Bunny Trail 2017

Leia's Living Stations of the Cross

There are no words to express how touched we all were by these living stations, as is the tradition during the 8th grade year! Leia, Annie, and I have been to every single performance since we moved here in 2008. I long for the day that my daughters would be a part of them! Now, here is Leia as both a woman in the crowd and the angel proclaiming Jesus resurrection! I could not hold back the tears of joy! I was looking forward to this more than graduation. There were many more pictures taken during the rehearsal, but they were made into a special book that should accompany this blog. There was even a little miracle found in the cloak of Jesus right at the moment of death. If you look closely at the wrinkles, you can see a shadowy figure of Mary holding the baby Jesus! I took this to mean that both Mary and Jesus has greatly blessed this 8th grade class. Tears were shed by all. Set to the score of The Passion of the Christ, the entire performance was incredibly moving!

Annie Decorates for Easter

Annie really enjoys decorating the house for different holidays! She especially likes putting the different items up on our corner hutch, an heirloom from Brian's side of the family. This year, for Easter, she wanted each shelf to have a different theme. The first bottom shelf has a spring theme, the second shelf is is about Jesus rising from the featuring The Resurrection set made from toilet paper rolls that Annie made in second grade, and the last top two shelves are dedicated to bunnies!

Pickens, SC on Tom Cloer's Birthday

Leia was thrilled to have some time to herself on the grounds with Harvest where they did all sorts of sword fighting! Meanwhile, Shana and I spent lots of time with Tom, who is like a second father to me. For his gift, I got him a CD of his grandmother talking about Christmas in the 1950s!

Annie & the "Trail of Tears"

Every year for living history day, the 4th grade depicts the Trail of Tears that the Native American Cherokee tribe endured during the presidency of Andrew Jackson. Annie was very excited about this! She got to play the main Squaw, or the chief's wife! She actually got to die right in the middle of the reenactment! It was also exciting because Mama's best friend, Shana, is a direct descendant of the Cherokee tribe that got to stay behind in North Carolina. As a result, Annie got to wear Shana's Cherokee costume and moccasins!