We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. (NIV) (1 Thessalonians 1:3)

HOPE AT THE ZOO! One of my first springtime adventures is a visit to the Blank Park Zoo. This year I want to introduce you to the new baby giraffe born January 22, 2021. At birth he was 6 feet tall and weighed in at 125 pounds. He spent the cold winter months indoors and now spring is here so he--like us--is enjoying Iowa outdoors. Just this week, the new baby boy was named Raza (meaning "hope"). What a good reminder for us as we look forward to this new year--with love and hope"!

Today, March 29, 2021, I visited Blank Park Zoo to see the baby giraffe (above). I did walk the zoo trail, but my only other animal photo was of my old friends---mother-daughter rhinos. I visited them  in the spring of 2019 when Kamara was a "tiny" baby (112 lbs at birth.) Look at her now! She is almost as big as her mother. Not just another pretty face! She is a beautiful young lady.