Europe Trip. {Part 1}

In late May/early June my grandma took Megan {my sister}, my cousin and I on a trip to Europe.  It was a lot of fun and we all enjoyed it so much!  I have not been able to load all the pictures on to the internet yet, but here are the pictures from the first part of our trip.  Hopefully, I will be able to post more soon!  If you are friends with me on Facebook, these are the exact same ones I posted there {I was able to transfer them from there so it did not take so long. :)}The first stop on our trip was Amsterdam as Meg and I were able to get a direct flight there.

Canals in Amsterdam

Old Windmills.

New windmills.

We went to the clog factory.

Casey and Megan on a tram.

This is the bike garage - all of those are bikes!

Inside the flower market.

Then, we took the train to Paris and stayed there for a couple of days.  You could see the Eiffel Tower from our hotel room.

My cousin, Casey, you can see the Eiffel Tower behind her.  This is from our hotel room.

We were blessed to get to see a rainbow over the top of the Eiffel Tower!  Can you see it?

Inside of Notre Dame

Looking down from the top of the Eiffel Tower

Paris at night.

Arc de Triomphe

Just a few of the many stairs we went up and down. :)

The Opera House is over-the-top beautiful!

The Louvre Museum

Mona Lisa

Venus de Milo

Then, we went to London for a couple of days!

The London Eye

Tower of London {also below}

Being silly.

Getting ready to go on the London Eye

London Bridge.

Stonehenge.

Buckingham Palace

The Roman Baths

I hope you have enjoyed these pictures from the first week of our trip!  I plan to post the rest soon.

O, be swift to love.

Thursday, July 11, 2013.  Sweet Tiny Rosie ended her short, painful life on earth and began her eternal, joyful life in heaven.  She lived 11 years on earth and we were blessed to have her at GSF with us for the last 4 years.

I hope to write more about her life later on, but for now I leave you with some quotes, verses and songs that I have thought about as I think about Rosie over the past couple of days.

But God chose what the world considers foolish to shame the wise. God chose what the world considers weak to shame the strong.  And God chose what the world considers low-class and low-life—what is considered to be nothing—to reduce what is considered to be something to nothing. ~ 1 Corinthians 1 27 - 28

Don't be mad if I cry
It just hurts so bad sometimes
'Cause everyday it's sinking in
And I have to say goodbye all over again

You know I bet it feels good
To have the weight of this world
Off Your shoulders now
I'm dreaming of the day
When I'm finally there with You

Save a place for me, save a place for me
I'll be there soon, I'll be there soon
Save a place for me, save some grace for me
I'll be there soon, I'll be there soon

I have asked the questions why
But I guess the answer's for another time
So instead I'll pray with every tear
And be thankful for the time I had You here

So You just save a place for me, save a place for me
I'll be there soon, I'll be there soon
Save a place for me, save some grace for me
I'll be there soon, I'll be there

I wanna live my life just like You did
And make the most of my time just like You did
And I wanna make my home up in the sky
Just like You did, oh, but until I get there
Until I get there

Just save a place for me, save a place for me
'Cause I will be there soon

Save a place for me, save a place for me
I'll be there soon, I'll be there soon

Don't be mad if I cry
It just hurts so bad

~ Matthew West, Save a Place for Me

And the King says, “Look! God and his children are together again.  No more running away.  Or hiding.  No more crying or being lonely or afraid.  No more being sick or dying.  Because all those things are gone.  Yes, they’re gone forever.  Everything sad has come untrue.  You see – I have wiped away every tear from every eye!”

And then a deep, beautiful voice that sounded like thunder in the sky says, “Look, I am making everything new!”

~Sally Lloyd-Jones ‘The JesusStorybook Bible’ {A dream of heaven}  Emphasis added

"Life is short and we have never too much time for gladdening the hearts of those who are traveling the dark journey with us. Oh, be swift to love, make haste to be kind!" ~Henri Frederic Amiel

For another perspective on Rosie's life and death click here.