Sewing continues through next generation...

This weekend rekindled some very sweet memories for me. Anna Grace, it was such a pleasant time teaching you to sew your first little project. Instantly, I was flooded with memories of when my Granny would guide me through my first few sewing adventures. I loved staying with Granny and Pop when I was sick and out of school. On these days, when the afternoon came and I was feeling better, Granny and I would get into some creative projects. She always wanted to make sure I knew how to use the sewing machine. I am so glad she did because, without her guidance, I would not be able to dress up my "dolls" in my very own creations! The first thing I made was a pillow. The first thing you wanted to make was a purse. NO surprise since you are such a girly, girl! I know she was in Heaven just smiling down at us as we worked. She is so proud of you, just like Mommy is! The purse turned out precious and you loaded it down as we headed off to eat at Cracker Barrel with Granddaddy. He came down to watch Ailee during your surgery and then you asked him to treat you to your favorite dinner.

You girls just loved piling up on Granddaddy while he visited us all day. I am not sure who enjoyed the company more, you girls or Granddaddy.

Surgery Success...

We had a wonderful experience this morning at Scottish Rite for Anna Grace's Deflux procedure. You can see from the above collage what fun we had waiting for the operation. Mommy forgets how fun you can be, silly goose, when you are not in the big sister role having to help care for the little ones around you. Today, we had fun just goofing around and sharing in your contagious giggles. I love the photo of you "getting your groove on" when you made a good basketball shot!

Mommy was a little saddened when you looked up at me with the gas mask on and huge tears filled your eyes. Then, your beautiful blue eyes just closed so softly and your arms went limp. That was when it hit me and I didn't want to leave you in the operating room. The sweet male nurse with rubbing your head and playing with your hair. I could tell from his care and concern, you would be in great hands. The procedure went great. Once they got in, they realized that you actually had it on both sides and so they preformed the procedure for both the left and right. Now, we are just praying it works and you are only due for a few follow up tests.

I surprised you once we were back in the car with a little sewing machine. You have been asking to learn to sew for a while so I promise to teach you soon. This is a perfect first machine for a 5 year old. As soon as we walked in the door from the hospital, you wanted to make a purse. Maybe this weekend we will starting learning.

Rain, Rain...Girls at Play!

You girls love a chance to wear your rain boots! You were silly splashing around in the puddles while Mommy loaded up the car for school yesterday morning.

Tomorrow is a big day for you, Anna Grace. You were diagnosed with urinary reflux at the age of 3 because of multiple urinary tract infections. After two years on and off of antibotics, we hoped you would out grow the issues. However, that is not the case. You are going to have a little surgery tomorrow to help prevent future infections and any damage to your kidneys. We went for pre-op today and you did great, although Mommy is struggling a little. I guess no parent wants their child put to sleep or to have to endure something like this at such a young age. I have been in prayer to our sweet Savior through out the week and I have a peace about going through with the procedure. We are very fortunate that they are doing a new less invasive surgery now first to see if you will respond without actually having to cut and reroute the tubes in your urinary tract. I am ready to have the problem corrected so you do not have to endure anymore infections, testing and medications. I love you, angel!

Our Weekend Update...

The girls and I had a blast recently decorating our table for Easter. This is the first year we will be enjoying Easter at our home. Mimi and Granddaddy will be spending the weekend with us going to the Country Club Egg Hunt and to our church on Sunday. Saturday evening we will be hosting an Easter dinner for them. We went ahead and prepared our table settings and the girls helped me by painting wooden eggs to go in our baskets. They are currently growing real grass to hide special eggs on the table. It has been fun including them on the decorating!

You girls had fun in the sun Friday playing on your playground and with your golden retriever,Riley, in the backyard. I heard Anna Grace tell your sister..."you do not look like Ailee Claire now but your voice still sounds the same." Ya'll are so fun together and I love ease dropping on your converstations. We all have recovered from Ailee's hair drama and I know she is very sorry. Last night, Ailee, your prayer included these sweet words..."Dear God, thank you for ever letting me do what I am supposed to do and to listen to my Mommy and Daddy." I am so thankful for almost everyone's reaction upon seeing her hair. Once we inform them that the haircut was not intentional, they have done a great job at protecting her self-confidence without encouraging the actions of disobedience. This is the toughest part of the whole situation for Jon and I because it is a fine line between appropiate discipline and hurting her self-image. I am so glad she now understands how she broke our trust and has asked for forgiveness from us! Mission accomplished!

Sweet Adelynn, you are trying to learn to sit up and Mommy is not encouraging this. I want you to stay a little baby for longer. You are sick right now and we are off to the doctor today. I hate when you little ones are not feeling good. It breaks Mommy's heart.

5 yr old interpretation...Priceless!

When Anna Grace got in the car today from school, she shared her realization of the happenings from the night before. (The previous entry will get those of you who do not know yet up to date on what drama occurred at our home last night.)

She said, "Mommy, do you know what our verse was today? Proverbs 13:1 Intelligent children listen to their parents, foolish children do their own thing." I was amazed how she was able to remember, process, and use this verse in context to our current events. How cool that God's word can speak to a sweet little girl at preschool! I just hope she will share this new insight with her little, sassy sister!

Ailee's Devastating Cut...

Ailee, today you broke Mommy's heart! In a desperate attempt to be like your sister, Anna Grace, you tried cutting your hair by yourself. You said it was a surprise for me but you did know how very wrong it was...proved by the fact that you hid the mass of beautiful locks under your doll and monkey in your room. You and Anna Grace had been doing crafts together and you vanished into your room, only to come out like Billy Ray Cyrus's little sister! I was extremely disappointed in the way your once silky, long hair now looked chopped in a million different ways but even more disheartening was the act of disobedience involved. I guess my real days of parenting have only just begun! You are now very sorry and you desperately needed my love and approval to cope the reminder of the night. I want you to know that you are beautiful no matter what your hair looks like! The real focus now must be on being beautiful on the inside and a good start is learning obedience and honor.

I was extremely alarmed at the reaction of poor Anna Grace. I couldn't believe how upset you were over the situation. I think you felt responsible because you were not with her. It is rare that the two of you are not together. You couldn't believe she would do something specifically that Mommy had told you both never to do. You also were embarrassed for her and kept saying that you couldn't look at her because it made you cry over and over.

But the reality is...we all survived and it is not the worse thing that could have happened. Hopefully, we all learned something from it and will use it as a lesson on the road ahead. And...you really do look pretty cute with your new haircut. Just next time, could we please go about it the easy way and call Ms. Mandi first?

You are excited in the end because you think you look just like your best friend, Isabelle, and your big sister. You are a mess, little sunshine, but, luckily for you, your sweet smile can brighten most any situation.

That Tricky Little Leprechaun...

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!! As most of you know, I love any opportunity to get creative and have some fun with my sweet girls. I love to see the joy on their little faces over simple surprises. I also think times like these it becomes very evident just how much I miss teaching kindergarten. It is such a fun age and I love watching how the mind expands during this one short year. Well, one day all too soon I will get back to the "Mrs. England" days. But for now, Mommy sure did have a blast preparing and watching the "little leprechaun" playing tricks in our home. The expressions on both of your faces were so funny!

These fun photos show the little green footprints he left in our house and even on our "frigger" as you called it Ailee. He even turned the milk and water green along will the icing on your cinnamon rolls. You both had a blast going on the scavenger hunt he left for you. You hunted all over the house for the hidden shamrocks to finally find your pots of gold. The cake and cupcakes below you both helped me make to surprise Daddy when he gets home from Boston. You can see the excitement on your faces when you discovered your "green" breakfast and drinks. What a fun morning! I love you girlies so very much! (Anna Grace, I had to tell you that I was actually the one doing the tricks because your best friend Whitley is terribly afraid of leprechauns and you were scared she wouldn't come over anymore if she knew one got in our house.)

Half way to ONE Today!...

Adelynn, Mommy cannot believe you are already 6 months old today. I thought it flew by with #2 but it seems even faster with you, despite the fact, that I have tried my absolute hardest to enjoy every single second with you and permanently etch each of them in my memory...your first smile, your sweet little snuggles, your silly little laughs, every late night feeding we have together just the two of us in a quiet house (which happens very often now, you little stinker!) and the precious smell of your clean, soft skin while I rock you to sleep and sing your favorite lullabies. You have begun eating baby food really well now and we have introduced a few common veggies and fruits. You had your first sick visit to the doctor last week and had a little fluid behind your ears. So, you had your first antibiotics and now you are better again. You are extremely picky about who you let take care of you and Sunday morning worship church is not going over really well right now. You are fine playing for a little while but when you get tired or hungry only a handful of people with do..preferably mommy. I know this will pass all too quickly and your big sister, Anna Grace is definitely proof of this! We all adore you and cannot imagine how we functioned prior to 6 months ago without your precious little spirit in our home!

Springing Forward while Sloshing Out...

Wow! What an awesome weekend we had with a splash of spring type weather. Saturday morning we had a our annual Women's Conference at church and I was so excited about getting to spend the day worshipping with the women of my church, my best friends, my sweet momma and Aunt Lynn. I so very much enjoyed the message God sent through our speakers Angela Thomas and Gail Wilkins. God taught and reminded me of many things yesterday that I hope to carry with me as long as it takes to internalize them and it becomes a common thought for me. One of the greatest reminders was that God created an empty space in me that can only be filled by Jesus. I know I try to have other worldly things fill my cup and that will always leave me thirsting, panting for the taste of my Savior. My sweet man, as wonderful as he has become, cannot fill my cup. Perfectly well-behaved little darlings cannot fill my cup. A sparkling clean house with a manicured yard cannot fill my cup and the list goes on and on...All of these things can be sweet blessings but none will quench the thirst I was designed to have for Jesus. Only when I hold my cup out for Him will I be satistfied. Circumstance this week served as a huge reminder that no matter how hard we try to do the "right" thing, we will be disappointed by the humanness of others. This world will leave us feeling like we have put all of ourselves out there but we get nothing in return to "fill us up"...it leaves us feeling empty, horribly empty. I was SO thankful to have my cup filled up with my Savior on Saturday morning. I hope to go around sloshing everyone, as Anglea said, because my cup is so full it is running over. I know each morning I will need a "refill" on my cup and, thankfully...Lamentations 3:22-24
It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in Him. He was sweet to show me this right away because I was forced to slurpe down some of my "Jesus water" that very evening. I prayed hard that I would not speak words that would condemn and hurt but His words that would bring peace. That everything out of my mouth would be from Him because I knew my own words would cause bitterness. And, to no surprise, He came through for me. Then, this morning I was ready to hold my cup out again and I could quickly feel it running over!

Shep taught on worrying this morning in Sunday School from Luke 12:33-34 ...a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Although this world will bring disappointments and struggles, if our treasure is in Christ Jesus then we will not need to worry. Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness... As Derick said, if I am truly doing this, then when I feel the need to worry, if I will ask myself "does it affect my salvation?" and the answer is NO, then do not worry. For if my treasure is Heaven, then worrying about outcomes here does not really matter. Where this hits home for me is my family. The fear of losing them is one of my biggest worries, especially my children. Another verse used both Saturday and Sunday that brings comfort and perspective to me for this is...Philippians 1:21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. The only way that dying is gain, is to live for Christ. If Heaven is my treasure, then dying is not a loss, even when it envolves those I love the most. The loss will only be temporary because we will all live forever together very soon. However, because I am human, knowing this and living it is entirely different. That is why I need a new, full cup of my "Jesus water" every morning. "Thank you, my dear Jesus, for filling me up each morning. I pray my cup is so full of You that others around me get soaked. Help me to find my upmost treasure in You and the Kindgom of Heaven. Thanks for the wonderful words You had for me this weekend. I love you! Amen"

As Gail talked about this weekend, I was blessed with sweet miracle moments today. We decided to make the best of such a gorgeous afternoon and picnic in the park after church. You girls loved feeding the ducks and the huge fish. Adelynn, you were both amazed and confused with the geese and their noises. It is such fun to see this world through your eyes. Each of you bring such new meaning to each adventure we take together.

Adelynn, you had your first taste of some "real" food today. You grabbed onto Daddy's roll during the picnic and against Mommy's best judgement, he allowed you to take a taste. You were not real sure about it and spit it back out. Your big sisters thought it was so cool that you were trying to eat something "real." Of course, your second mommy, Anna Grace, was worried at first and had to make sure that Mommy knew and that you would be okay. She is always checking up on you and ensuring that you are getting the best care. I hope this does not cause lots of trouble when you are 13 and she is 18!

I love this photo of Ailee where she is on the highest of tiptoes just trying to see over the rail to feed the fish. It is a great illustration of your daily struggle to keep up with your big sister and her friends. Please don't rush it though! The days are already flying by too quickly.

And below is one of Mommy's favorite things about a warm, sunny day...

barefoot baby toes!