After returning home from Portland, Stephen left on a business trip to Atlanta, Georgia for a few days. He was gone for 4 days and 3 nights, and we managed to stay alive in his absence. Go us!

Of course we missed Stephen and couldn’t wait for his return, but I was surprised that I wasn’t really scared at night and that somehow I mustered the energy to take care of the boys 24/7 all by myself. I don’t know how single parents manage to raise children without a spouse, but it must be very tiring. I was exhausted!

Stephen’s brother and sister drove down to Atlanta from upstate South Carolina to spend a few hours with him. They had a great time catching up with each other. It had been nearly two years since Stephen had seen his brother Tim.

The next week, my dear friend Rebekah came for a short visit during her spring break from teaching online for a classical school. She was on her way home from California, and instead of a layover of a couple hours, she chose a layover of a couple days so she could be with us!

Rebekah and I always have so much to talk about, which is a lot more fun in person than over the phone. Though it was warm, we walked through the Japanese Friendship Garden–a small spot of green in the desert. Silas and Cooper loved feeding the koi fish. After a picnic in the park, we cooled off with handmade ice cream sandwiches from Slickables on Mill Ave in Tempe. Yum! That night I took Rebekah to one of our favorite restaurants, the Arrogant Butcher. So glad she could visit!

This past weekend was busy with food prep for our church’s Easter potluck dinner. Sunday morning definitely did not go as planned! Stephen ended up taking Silas to church while Cooper and I made a visit to the urgent care. Cooper had poked his eye with something Saturday night, and kept crying, rubbing his eye, and refusing to open it. Thankfully, no serious damage was done, and his eye is doing well. But what a stressful morning!

Cooper and I missed the Easter service, but we made it in time for the meal. I didn’t get pictures of us with Stephen, but here are some of the Easter pics we took outside church while Stephen was cleaning up.