On June 12-15, Matt and I traveled to Buffalo to see the sibs play baseball and softball. We enjoyed about 40 innings of baseball and softball and were able to see 4 of the 6 siblings play. Peter was playing in Canada that weekend. It was our first time watching Noelle play softball; Charlie played at Ithaca College and David's team won a high scoring game. Plus, Chris played on his Legion team and they won their weekend tournament. Exciting!
The weekend also included playing catch with Noelle (she can throw hard! My hand was sore the next day. :) ), playing Business World with David (a game he created and designed), catching up with friends, playing golf with Dad and Charlie and hanging out with the family. Rach came home from Chicago for the weekend, so the whole family was together!
Matt giving Noelle pitching tips:
The Game-Master:
Chris and his legion team (Chris is on the far left)...
Chris:
Charlie pitching at Ithaca College:
Charlie decided to golf in style. He added a goose feather (found on the golf course) for extra flair. :)
The fans at David's game: (not sure Charlie wanted his picture taken, but Rach is smiling!) :)
David:
Noelle:
Matt and I have been helping to lead a church soul care group. This Spring brought the addition of a baby to our group. Our friends Dave and Sarah welcomed Jacqueline Grace into the world. She is a gorgeous little girl. Matt and I babysat her recently and only had one minor escapade when we were trying to change her. :)
This Spring I joined Gordon Conwell's Staff Association. Basically we get to plan fun events for the staff on campus. On June 5, we held 'Staff Day' which included a big breakfast, a photo scavenger hunt, mini golf and ice cream at Richardson's. Gotta love mini golf. Gotta love ice cream. :)
On one of the few sunny days here, a whole bunch of Gordon Conwell/7 Mile Road (church) friends got together for a picnic on campus- the time included much Bocce Ball, conversation and food:
On May 27th, Matt and I celebrated our 3 year anniversary!!!!! We made it a whole weekend event. We went to a Red Sox/Mets game at Fenway, toured Portsmouth, NH, went to the beach, and then stayed at our beloved Hyatt on the Charles River. We walked all over Cambridge and found a whole bunch of fun hole-in-the-wall restaurants, some funky thrift stores and some quality used bookstores! Previously, we had stayed mainly in the Harvard Square area of Cambridge, but there are numerous other 'Squares' which are actually preferable (in my mind, anyway). Beautiful flowers at the Hyatt (this one's for you, Mom!):
The Hyatt pool: 
And the breakfast extraordinare (this is my favorite part of staying at the Hyatt :)) Matt eyeing the pastries:
The view:
Views of Cambridge:
Portsmouth, NH:
At Fenway:
It was awesome to have Chris (Matt's brother) around during the school year! Thankfully, he only just completed his freshman year, so we get to hang out with him in New England for three more years. :)We also had the privilege to hang out with Megan and Lindsay- two Gordon College girls whom we drove to church each week.
Our church crew: (Megan, Chris, Lindsay)
Because we had to get bikes for the triathlon, we've been taking advantage of having them by biking to Manchester by the Sea (a beach near us):
And here are pics from our first sprint triathlon. So for a relatively quick recap:1. Bought the bikes a couple days before the race- cutting it preeetty close - yikes! But it all worked out...
2. The triathlon was kind of far away. On the way there, our bike rack dropped and one of Matt's tires got ripped up. It was very traumatic, especially given the fact that I was already super tense because of nerves. And then the thought of not doing our first one together? TERRIFYING.
3. We spent a restless night at the hotel and woke up super early to see if the triathlon location had a bike crew.
4. Thankfully (gotta chalk this one up to a huge God thing), there was a very efficient bike crew on hand. They didn't have Matt's tire size, but they did have some company bikes there. A worker took a tire off a bike, put it on Matt's bike and told us to return it after the race! Both of us were incredibly relieved. I wanted to sing the doxology. That's how thankful I was. :)
5. We set our gear up in the transition area and surveyed the scene. There was a good mix of hardcore people and middle to beginning level people. It's a strange scene when everyone starts heading toward the pool. I've never been in a situation where there are 200 or so people lining up wearing swimsuits, Speedos, swim caps and the strange one piece tri-suits with no beach to be found! Hard to explain how odd it is.
6. The transitions are pretty difficult. You come out of the swim in a daze and then have to pull on your biking clothes and shoes while being really out of breath and having sore muscles.
7. You start to bike and it's crazy hard to get going because your muscles are all out of wack from just swimming. But, after a little while, your legs get used to it and you get in the flow of biking. Along the route there were various groups of people cheering. I hadn't realized how encouraging just one person smiling and saying 'you can do it!' could be.
8. After biking the 9 miles, you transition again, this time into the run. Another crazy hard thing to get your land legs back after biking. When you first start running, you feel like you could walk faster than you're running because your muscles just don't work right. I wanted to run and have spring in my step, but there just was no spring to be found! Again though, after a while, your legs adjust and you are able to find a rhythm. I/we never anticipated just how hard the transition part of the triathlon.
9. This all being said, we did it! Because our swim times were different, Matt saw me start and I saw him finish. It was very sweet to be triumphant together and feel like we had accomplished something and met our goals. We bonded. :)
The happy and relieved couple: :)
My husband looking quite studly:
The finish line!!!! 
I am so thankful for all of our family's prayers, too. I am totally convinced that we never would've been able to complete it without those prayers! God is faithful even in the little things- even in helping two crazy kids attempt something they've never done before. :)Since then, we are now training for our second triathlon. Prayers are again welcome on July 11. :)
For the second one, we have to swim a longer distance in open water (a lake), bike a longer distance and run a 5k. I have come to realize that these triathlons are opportunities to conquer my fears and opportunities for God to show himself faithful. Case in point- I've been having a hard time adjusting to swimming in open water (we've been practicing at a pond nearby). But this week God provided just the thing for me- blue tinted goggles which allow me to see where I'm going, but not see any of the fish, plants or other creatures of the deep. :) Matt somehow is able to enjoy seeing the fish, but I find the fish much less pleasant.
So the triathlon journey continues and I think we are both anticipating #2. :)
Matt's family came to visit us over Easter! We did the Boston thing- saw the acquarium, ate numerous meals at Au bon pain and watched the Gordon baseball team.
David at the Acquarium IMAX 3-D show:
At the acquarium (I love this picture- it wasn't posed and the whole family was bunched together oohing and aahing):
Penguins!
Watching baseball:
My parents also came to visit this Spring! Last time they visited they saw some Boston sights, so this time we did the North shore and Maine. In Rockport (that Red barn is famous- one of the most photographed barns in the uh...world? maybe just the US):
It was quite chilly and blustery, but my parents are very good sports :) :
Mom and the lobster man! Doesn't he look very much like a New Englander? what with the beard and the forehead curl?! it's perfect! I love this picture of he and my mom! 
Side note- my parents just celebrated their 40th anniversary on June 14. AWESOME! 
Come again, Mom and Dad! Finally, toward the end of the winter, Amy Haas came to visit! She and her friend came up and we walked Boston and took in some shopping on Newbury street. Good times...
Amy and her canolli from Mike's!
The beauty of blogging every 4 months is that it makes it seem like we lead very adventurous lives, doing nothing but spending money and hanging out with our favorite people. And a final note: Matt has promised to conquer his year and 1/2 battle with writer's block by writing the next post. :)
