Balloons and Birthdays

birthday pictures and lots of balloons...

just had to add this one...she wasn't too thrilled with my idea.

things got better after we took a balloon picture break.

FINALLY!

I just wanted to update you all on a very important subject....

It only took 11 months and 23 days, for my wait to be over.  Three O'Clock in the morning and I have gone our separate ways!

Yes, you heard that right.  Karis Joy is officially sleeping through the night!

"Thank You, LORD!"

Two Out of Four Cookies...

First of all, I take no stock in the messages found inside fortune cookies.  Nonetheless, I thought I'd share the following experience with you.  The other day, we had lunch at a Chinese restaurant.  At the end of our meal, instead of getting our usual "3" cookie allotment; the waitress gave us "4".  Karis was included in the cookie count.  How exciting!  She's getting to be such a big girl that she now gets her own fortune cookie.  I picked up the first one and declared, "This is Karis' fortune cookie."  It said,

Her daddy and I laughed at the appropriateness of the message.  Just the night before, we had tried to feed her a couple of different food items, but were met each time with a distinctly turned head and the adamant response of, "Uh- uh!" (interpretation:  I'm NOT eating that!).  She's a girl who knows what she wants and doesn't want!

Next, came Mommy's cookie.  It said,

This seems to be a recurring theme in my life right now!

Today, I found beauty in~

• dancing in the living room with my girls,
• the tiger lillies blooming in my front yard, and
• Gracie's original artwork consisting of scrap paper, colorful pom poms and mounds of glue. 

What ordinary things were beautiful to you?

Oh, and in case you are wondering~the other two fortune cookies were pretty bizarre-o.  There was a riddle about life and a german proverb about trees not touching the sky.  :)

One more thing~ lest you think that I live in this ideal world, where all is constant happy reflection...On the day I wrote this post, I didn't get dressed til well after noon AND I had to put my big girl in time out shortly after our dance session because she absolutely threw a major fit when I didn't do what she wanted me to do when she wanted me to do it!  Ha Ha!  I love being a MOMMA!

Grace Notes

Today is our Gracie Girl's fourth birhtday.
She is that person who was in my heart and mind when I prayed in faith.  Now, she is that "substance" of things hoped for and "evidence" of things not seen. 
Even when I saw her for the first time, she would have been invisible to my naked eye. A tiny little new beginning of life, an embryo.  And yet, she was the most beautiful thing I had ever beheld.  She was marvelous, a mystery, a miracle, and I loved her. 

Lately, when I hear her laugh or sing a funny song, I think...I'm hearing a miracle.

When I run my fingers through her tossled, curly hair, I recall...I'm touching a miracle.

When her arms wrap themselves around my neck and hold on for dear life, I know...I'm being embraced by a miracle.

When we talk about lizards, God, family, heaven, flowers, frogs, and cupcakes, I realize...I'm conversing with a miracle.

When she comes in from outside, "sweaty and stinky" or gets out of a bubble bath tub, "all squeaky clean", I remember...I'm smelling a miracle. 

She is an ordinary {ordinary wonderful} little girl.  She does typical, little girl kind of things. 

She often wants her own way. 

She is independent, creative, intelligent and driven.  

She is helpful, giving, and kind. 

She is a problem solver, a negotiator at times, a thinker~inquisitive. 

When I look at her, I see the fulfillment of answered prayer.  And I am grateful. 

Happy birthday big girl.  We are thankful beyond words that God gave you to us!