To My Friends

Friends are a blessing.

Raising your children along side other moms who see the importance of raising Godly children is an even bigger blessing.

Thank you all for being my friend.

Lucy's Birthday

Now that's its been almost a month since Lucy's birthday, I thought I would share some pictures with you all. As I've mentioned in other posts, Lucy is obsessed with her bike. She loves to ride it. So, what better birthday theme than a "bike party." We had her party at the Family Life Center at our church and the kids had a blast. Everyone brought their favorite bike/scooter and they just rode and played ball for 2 hours straight. We are so fortunate to have access to such a nice facility. It makes hosting a party so much easier. All in all it was a wonderful birthday celebrated with family and friends.

This is the bike dress that Lucy wore. Isn't this just too cute?

The bike cake

Ella with my Ro and T

Lucy was so sweet to let Ella help her open presents. When she would get one to open, she would hand one to Ella. Lulu loves Ella so much!

See? I told you!

Lucy got really embarrased by all the attention. She hid in Nanny's chest while we sang Happy Birthday.

Then I had to practically hold her to help her blow out her candles. Rather out of character for her, actually.

Erik's mom, Grandma, made Lucy a super-cute dress and then a matching dress for her Bitty Baby. Ella's already put in her order for her birthday!

Grandpa, Grandma and Erik

Adios to the First Tooth

This is Ella....

Ella has worked so hard to get this loose tooth out....

She has done this every night for the past 2 weeks. Bless her heart. She has been so persistent and dead-set on doing it herself.

Well, it finally happened. The tooth is gone. That little look of horror in her eyes only lasted a brief moment. I think she was just so stunned that it actually came out.

So she is offically a snaggle-tooth. Now we just have to start working on the one right beside this one. It's almost just as loose. And as a side note, her replacement teeth have been coming in for about a week and it is really freaking me out. It's just weird seeing those teeth coming in while the baby ones are still in there. That's a lot of teeth in this little girl's mouth.

And it's all worth it for this..... she'll dream about getting money from the tooth fairy all night.

Emotions

As I sit down to create a post for my blog, my attention seems to be somewhere else.

I was prepared to write about what a wonderful time we had with our friends at a recent Tiger bball outing and our trip to Colorado with our friends, the Williams. But I can't seem to erase the images I have of Jennifer at the hospital bedside of her baby. The baby she was told would surely die at birth, who was miraculously healed by our Father, and then in the blink of an eye is near death again. Jennifer's blog and Angie's blog are just two of the ones I follow on a daily basis. They are both incredibly gifted writers with an unmatched yearning to know Christ, to live for Christ and to share His gospel.

They have both faced trials in their lives that would challenge each of our relationships with God. For some, I would suppose that those trials may even destroy a relationship with God. Not that God would leave us, because he would NOT, but that we would leave Him. I can only imagine the anger, the heartache, the fear...



I pray that I would be an Angie or a Jennifer. But would I? I guess only the Heavenly Father really knows that.



I do know that God has used both of these remarkable ladies to further his kingdom and that they will one day be rewarded for praising Him during these storms in their lives. For turning times of despair and utter sorrow into times of deep searching into what God calls us to do and how He wants us to live our lives.


As I read the countless journals of families who are suffering great losses, I am constantly reminded that I am not to fear the unknown. I am not to lose sight of what is really important. God has put me and my family here on this earth at this particular time for His purpose. Whatever that is, I pray that I will seek His will each and every day. Through other people's trials, I am constantly reminded that I am blessed beyond measure with a wonderful husband, 2 healthy kids, 2 great sets of family and a TON of great friends.



So with that said, I am posting some pictures of some of those great friends (actually, just 2 sets of our many wonderful friends). I am blessed to be friends with one of the funniest people I know. My friend Amanda. This picture does her justice :)

This is an afro "wig" you wear over your ski helmet.

Erik, me, Amanda and Nelson after our snow mobile ride
Yes, this thermometer says -8 degrees! What were we thinking?!?!


A great spot of picture-taking

Erik and I at the top of our snow mobile ride. I promise it is us, although this could be any two random people as bundled up as we are.


The Krulls, the Williams and the Eaves eating dinner at Sol before a recent Tiger Game. The Eaves aren't so much Tiger fans as they are fans of hanging out at cool restaurants.

At the game

Have you given thanks for the many blessings in your life today? What about thanks for the trials? God calls us to remember Him during the good times and the bad times. It's so easy to shout out a thanks when things are moving along as we like them to. But what do you do when the chips are down? I know what I do...and I am working on it.

Lucy's New 'Do

If anyone ever told me that I would purposely cut either of my girl's hair short, I would have vehemently argued. I love long hair on little girls. I think that's the way its supposed to be. But then that little saying "never say never" screamed loudly at me as I sat in the Depot yesterday having my little girl's hair cut--short!

Lucy was, unfortunately, not blessed with thick hair like Ella. I have often heard that blond hair children often have thin, wiry hair. Well, that is definitely the case with Lulu. Bless her heart.

Do you remember this ? Really, the child needed some help---badly!

Her haircut turned out perfectly and we all just love it. Erik, who I was most worried about, thinks it suits Lucy just right! It really is the perfect cut for her.

Shiner Update

Here's yesterday's picture of Ella's eye. Looks worse then it did the day before, but she's so proud of it. I would be lying if I said she has not loved the attention that she has drawn from this black eye. Oh, my little attention seeker :) I just love this girl!

The 2nd Shiner

This is Ella.....with her second shiner

Last night at swimming lessons she tripped in the ladies locker room and went hurling towards the corner of a wooden bench. Face first! It really was as bad as it looks.

But to put it all into perpsective, she's still so darn cute. Isn't she?

And, most importantly, a hug and kiss from Daddy still makes everything better. As soon as she fell she started crying for Erik. Hasn't left his side since we got home.

Oh, and did I mention that we have graduation pictures tomorrow? That should be interesting.

For old times sake, her is a picture of her first shiner. It was caused by a reaction to some kind of fly insect that stung her. Still don't know what did it. This was the spring of 2007.

Dangerous Snow

Erik's parents came to visit last weekend for Lucy's birthday. Since we still had a good deal of snow on the driveway on that Wednesday, I decided to sweep/shovel all the yucky, melting mess so that no one got hury walking up the front walk. My Lucy came out, dressed all by herself

to give me hand.

And in the process, fell and hurt her knee

But Daddy saved the day

and when it was all over, everything was a-ok!

Wordless Post

Are words even necessary?

More February Snow

One of the days that it snowed our friends came by to visit. We had such a nice time, but the kids were just about over all the cold, cold snow by this point. My warm-weather girls had just about enough! I love how all the pictures turned out that I took in the snow. The colors just seem so vibrant.

Mrs. Sarah hamming it up
Lucy on the sled

Ella "knee-deep" in snow.....literally

Ella and Grace

4 snow angels