Hello

Everything here is kinda Normal again. Back to school after a week off. Enjoyed my week, but as usual, didn't get much done. Had a nice visit with Chris & family the week before Easter and Howie & family on Monday after Easter. Made a trip back to Suffolk to meet Howie to pick up my keys and phone after Clay got them out of my purse on Monday at Margaret's. Whenever I was doing something that Amber could stay with me, I invited her to come. It would have been a little hard for Hannah to keep both children at Cherry Welding & get much done. I really enjoyed working in the yard, even though the interior of my home probably needed attention more.

Little Clay is pretty busy now. He even fell into the pond at the back door last week. Hannah and I were right there, but he was too quick. He was trying to retrieve his ball. After the initial 15 second cry, all he would say was B-ball! B-ball! B-ball! That's when we realized why he fell in.

Hannah has been working hard to get her yard back in shape. After Isabel, they cut all their pine trees down so they are trying to get the yard landscaped and get the grass back growing. Jason and a friend are doing lawn care in the afternoon and on weekends. He already works 12 hours most days at Jimbos Jumbos. I really don't know how he can do it. That summer heat already is hard on him. A good part of his day is outside and that late afternoon heat mowing and weed eating is bound to take a toll on him.

I guess the lack of blogging means that everyone is in pretty good health, although Rick has had some recurring knee irritation. When his problems began two years ago, the first indication was that it hurt the knee to let it hang down when sitting on a high seat without th foot touching the ground. He is not on any prescription meds at present, just Aleve once a day.

Got great news! Scott Venters's brother made a profession of faith last Sunday. His wife, Betty is a great, gentle lady and a wonderful Christian. She has been praying for him for a long time and asking us to also. Tommy, Scott's brother, hardly ever went to church with her. Over the last few months, he's been a couple of times. Well, during the invitation, after the first verse, the pastor said we'd sing one more verse. Then Tommy went up. I looked over at Betty and her son who is a senior in high school and they were both all to pieces hugging and crying. In a few seconds, they were both up there at the front of the church and in a huddle crying. By that time, no one was hardly singing, cause there wasn't hardly a dry eye in the church. Oh, what a joyful day!

Heard that Joyce and Ed are building a new room on their house. What's up with that?

May will be pretty busy. Planning Bible School, end of the year program for the Goose Nest, helping out a neighbor with her daughter's wedding. She's having two ceremonies. One, a traditional wedding in Edenton, and one in Cary, an Indian (husband's family is from India) wedding. I'm going to both. One on the 15th and one on the 16th - should be interesting!

Hope all is well with you and yours! Love, Bertha