Your Spiritual Birthday - August 14, 2014

Who would have thought that as I sat on the living room floor amidst a pile of laundry next to a fussy baby Ariani I would experience one of the most special moments of my life as a mom?

As I folded laundry, you were finishing your lunch in the kitchen. A peanut butter sandwich, some baby carrots, and a banana. And I heard your little voice say, “Mommy, I’m ready now. I’m ready to get saved.”

It came out of nowhere. We hadn’t been talking about it this morning at all. It came from your heart.

We have had so many conversations over the last six months, maybe longer. You have been so interested in learning about God - in class at church, at home during our family devotions, and during regular conversations when we talk about Him and how we want to live for Him. You have had all the pieces for some time, but it needed to be your choice.

So you told me you were ready and I held my breath. Is this really it? I thought. And I asked you what it means to be saved. You knew exactly what it meant. “It means I ask Jesus to forgive me for my sins and live in my heart,” you told me.

So we went through it all, one more time. You are a sinner. You know that. Your sin keeps you from God; it keeps you from heaven. You know that too. Jesus died to make a way for us to be with God eternally. You know that. You knew all of it. That you must place your trust in Christ to save you. That you must ask Him to “be the boss of your life” and “live in your heart.” We read the scriptures. You knew you were lost. You wanted to be saved.

So we prayed. A simple but earnest prayer. And you meant it. And you smiled. I asked you how you felt afterwards and you said you felt so happy. I asked you how your heart felt and you told me that it was happy and that it’s “not broken anymore.”

And I rejoiced. And cried just a little bit. And thanked God for my sweet girl and for the way He has forgiven you.

I can’t wait to worship Him with you for all of eternity!

Spring 2014 (March - May)

Spring 2014 (March-May)

What a great spring we have had! It started with snow and ended with swimming. You keep getting bigger and bigger and smarter and smarter. You are so funny, especially when you don’t even mean to be. You have become a fantastic big sister. You adore Ariani and are very helpful by keeping her company, singing to her, bring her toys, and talking to her. She loves you too and always smiles great big when you walk into the room.

You are still in the middle of your “WHY?” phase. You ask “why” about a million times a day!

Here are some of your “funnies” from this spring:

3/1 - “Kipper is on Amazon now; he’s not on Neck-flix anymore.” (I knew you meant Netflix!)

3/3 - Snow day!

3/4 - When daddy puts you in bed at night he always says, “Don’t let the bed bugs bite.” And you always respond with, “Don’t let the bugs bit bite!”

The silliest Snow White I've ever seen!

Practicing writing your name

3/6 - You feed the dog every day. Today was a special treat, however, as you fed her in your Snow White dress. It was difficult for you, but you managed.

3/7  -

Penny: “When you get old, Daddy won’t be your prince anymore.”

Mommy: “Why?”

Penny: “Because he’ll be my prince!”

Mommy: “Why is that?”

Penny: “Because when you get old you’ll die! I think you’re gonna die before him. And then he’ll be MY prince.”

3/10 - It was Ariani's first time to come to the zoo with us!


3/11

3/12 -

Penny: “Why did the fairy want to change Aurora’s dress to pink?”

Mommy: “I don’t know.”

Penny: “Why don’t you know why?”

Mommy: “I don’t know.”

Penny: “Why?”

3/13 - Daddy talked to you the other day about being a good steward. You had broken off pieces of your window blinds and he had explained why it’s important to take good care of our things. So today, when you spilled your popcorn, you picked it all up and told me that you were being “a good studor.”

Talking to Daddy on the phone

3/14 - Today you went to Jenna's birthday party! She invited you and Zuri to a salon to have manicures and hair cuts. It was so fun and it was your first time to have a hair cut by a real stylist! You loved it!

3/15 - “But Mom, stinky farts happen sometimes.”

3/18 - You were telling Ariani a story and it went like this: “One day there was a goose in my backyard. But his heart was dead.”

3/23 - This morning you told me that your morning breath (which you call your “stinky breath”) tastes like chocolate.

You love to sing “Let It Go” from Frozen but instead of singing “to test the limits and break through” you sing, “to test the lemons and make fruit.”

3/27 - A sweet sister moment...

...and a goofy girl.

4/1 - Yet another sister photo

4/5 - Your cousins came for a sleepover and you had a blast, of course! Here you are getting ready for a race.

4/5

4/8

4/9 - We went to the zoo with the Hefners and Burgetts (Tracy, Natalie, Savannah, Austin, Ai, and Kayla) and I took this photo which is now one of my favorites!

4/11 - You called a bluebonnet flower a “blueberry bonnet.”

Here you are with a "special drink" from QuikTrip

We went for a walk tonight and you got to bring your baby in her stroller. :)

4/12 - You just had to have a picture with your baby sister in your jammers.

4/13 - I Love My Church Sunday! Where else do you get to play the kazoo during church?

4/15

4/16 - Tonight was your first time to be in church during the Lord’s Supper. You were so interested in what was going on. When they passed the grape juice around and Daddy got one, you asked him if you could taste his wine. :)

Some photos from today:

Your cousins, Jordan, Alex, & Tatum left a surprise Easter egg hunt in our yard today. It was so fun! Here you are with some of your stuff.

4/17 - I can tell you are learning a lot about Easter. You talk a lot about “Jesus’ empty tube.” (I know you mean His tomb!)

4/19 - You call the theater the “movie theadador.” Also today you made up this story: “ ‘I just farted,’ said Grandpa. ‘You just farted!’ said Grandma.”

You pushed your baby while we passed out tracts today.

You also convinced Daddy to plant a garden with you.

Getting ready for naptime.

And later hanging out with your baby sister

Then this evening we went to Grams' & Pops' house for some Easter fun! Here you are getting ready for the egg hunt.

4/20 - Easter!

4/22 - You are a bit confused about the word “mistaken” and you use it like a verb. So you often say, “I mistaked a little bit,” or “I was mistaking.”

4/23 - Today when I was chopping onions for dinner you looked at them and said, “Mom, what’s that called? Is that called worm?”

4/25 - Today you ordered coffee with your breakfast. Seriously. And you drank it! (I got you decaf of course.)

4/26 - We love Josh's Sno Shack!

4/27 - You had a lot of questions about Jordan’s “piano recycle.” Haha!

5/1 - We were watching TV and someone on the show was milking a cow, so naturally you said, “That cow is peeing milk!”

Girl, you are CRAZY.

5/5 - Kayla came over to play today!

5/11 - Mother's Day! Daddy took you to Target to buy my gift and he let you pick it out all by yourself. You bought me Strawberry Ice Cream Oreos, fuzzy pink slippers, margarita glasses, and a card that said "Happy 3rd Birthday." (You don't know that I don't like Oreos and don't drink margaritas - haha!) You were very excited to show me what you got for me! It was so sweet.

5/13 - You keep walking around saying, “We need to have a compersation.”

Today was parents day at your gymnastics class. Daddy and I got to watch you and see how much you have learned! It was fun.

5/16 - You get the word “Pre-K” mixed up with “capris.” So you asked me this morning if you could wear your “Pre-K leggings.”

5/19 - When talking about the temperature you use the word “disease” instead of “degrees.” For example, “I think it will be 58 disease outside.”

5/20 - Just swinging in your pajamas and cowgirl boots :)

5/21 - Your first "swim" of the season!

You told me you like to play beach. :)

5/22 - We just bought the card game Uno to play. You call it “Oh-no.”

AWANA Recognition Night - You're the cutest little Cubby!

5/23 - First visit to Krispy Kreme

5/25 - I was trying to explain Memorial Day to you. I told you that it is a day to remember people who have died. But being so young, you don’t really know about anyone who has died. Then you remembered that the sea lion from the zoo died last year so you said that you would just remember Briney the sea lion.

5/26 - I love when you say the phrase “each others.” You always make it plural like that.

5/28 - “My tummy just hurts so I need a blankie to rub it.”

5/29 - First splash pad visit of the season

5/31