One in Houston

(B' with PaPa) (B with Grandmother)


We went to Houston this past weekend for a celebration. PT's parents' 48th wedding anniversary and his Aunt Larrie's 74th birthday are on the same day each year and the family hosted a banquet to honor them. Patrick has a big family and it was great to see everyone.

Sunday was B's first birthday! I can't believe a whole year has gone by already! He is such a little wonder! He can walk, wave hello and goodbye, laugh infectiously, and does his best to mimic everything "the bigs" do! And he loves to talk... lots of babytalk accompanied by a few "real" words: daddy, mama, kitty cat, bye, and "cheeyoh" (cheerio). AND he just learned to shake his head "no" and nod "yes" though he uses them interchangably :0)

N' and J' think he's wonderful and all theirs. They try to drag him everywhere they go so he's learning to run fast! The three of them look for one another constantly. They do NOT like to be separated! I love their love for one another!

Happy Birthday little beloved!

Measuring Cups

When we married we received 4 sets of measuring cups as parts of wedding gifts. I thought to return three sets; who needs more than one? But at two and three dollars apiece and with no gift receipts, the hassle of returning them far outweighed the need. Almost seven years later, I am so glad we kept them all. The kids love measuring cups!

The last thing PT and I do before bed is make a sweep of the house to pick up toys, books, random shoes; anything that's not where it belongs. At least when we go to bed and wake up, the house is all neat and tidy - with most everything in its place. The last couple of weeks this sweep has resulted in a sink full of measuring cups to wash. Our cuties keep asking for them during the day and I keep handing them out. I love the creative ideas they have for them!

Things our measuring cups have recently been:

• boats, airplanes, beds, and cars for toy animals and little people figurines
• pots and pans (J' and N' both like to pretend to cook with me. The 1 cup measuring cups apparently make great pots and the 1 tbsp. measuring spoons become "cooking spoons.")
• telephones and microphones (if you talk into the cup, it has an amplified effect)
• a magnifying glass (N' uses the round hook holes on the end of the green plastic set as a magnifying glass)
• percussion instruments (bang them together, use them like drumsticks, slide them on different surfaces for a scratchy sound)
• chew toys (B' always makes sure he gets in on the action)
• rain makers (In the bathtub, the "bigs" like to stand up and pour water on each other declaring that "it's raining on you," while the other laughs like crazy! Funny how they love this but have fits about having shampoo rinsed out of their hair.)
• hats (for various toys)
• oh, and every once in a while they loan me one to measure something as I cook ;0)

Easter Best

We had a fabulous Resurrection Day celebration this year. PT organized and directed a choir again this year and we had a blast praising the Lord together. The message included a live lamb! He was soooo cute and tiny. The kids were in for service today (no children's church pull-out mid service) so they were all there to see the little lambie -- oh their faces! Our pastor used him as an illustration right at the start of the service. The best part was the closing song: "He's Alive" (by DeAndre Patterson). The band, the praise team, the choir, a Christian rapper who is a member of our church wrote a rap to go in one of the instrumental breaks, AND the children; we all performed together. The kids were in the front and had choreography, the lights were just right, it was a HUGE work and came together beautifully to the glory of God!

N' should have been on stage, but he heard some feedback at a church building we went to for a service last summer and since then he refuses, terror stricken, to go on the stage at all. So, even though he knows the whole song, had his drumsticks in hand, and danced like crazy in rehearsals; he simply would not calm down enough to go on stage with the other 3 year olds. Oh well, maybe next year.

Everyone was pressed and pretty for the day... sadly I didn't think to try to snap any pics til after church and after lunch. They just weren't interested in standing together and looking cute. J' insisted on making her "sqwunchie" face (above) and singing "He's Alive" loudly for the camera (below), N' had an accident by then which required trading his khakis for jeans, and B' just came running for cuddles every time we tried to get a pic. We "shopped" in the backs of our closets and drawers this year and created some adorable outfits -- if I do say so myself ;0)! Here's as close as I could get to sharing their Easter Best in pictures.

Jesus Paid it ALL

Those who know me best know that I eagerly await Heaven! I love to sing about heaven, teach about heaven, I just can't wait to spend forever at home with God the Father! This week is resurrection week. Passion Week. The week leading up to Easter Sunday: our celebration of the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. What a wonderful opportunity to reflect on each of the days that led up to the ultimate sacrifice, the cross; and that awesome miracle, the resurrection.

Jesus willingly came to earth as a baby, taking on flesh. He lived here without committing a single sin for 33 years, and spent the last 3 of those years ministering to those who would hear the Truth. He knew the whole time that he would have to suffer a terrible death in order to pay the penalty for each of our sins so that those who accept Him as Lord and Savior may have eternal life with God the Father! The hymn says it best; " What wondrous love is this, O my soul!"

Here are the main events of Jesus' week of passion (see Mark 11-16):
Sunday: Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem
Monday: Jesus cleansed the temple of immoral practices and cursed the fig tree
Tuesday: Jesus taught on several subjects.
Wednesday: a woman named Mary anointed Jesus' head with oil and Judas agreed to betray Jesus
Thursday: Jesus shared the last supper with the disciples, Jesus prayed in the garden at Gethsemane, He was betrayed and arrested
Friday: Jesus stood on trial before the Sanhedrin, before Pilate, and before the people; the people called for Him to be crucified, Jesus was tortured, Jesus walked to Golgotha carrying the cross, Jesus was crucified, died, was laid in a heavily guarded tomb, and it was sealed shut.
Saturday: (quiet)
Sunday: Jesus rose from the grave! He's Alive! Praise the Lord!

I so love Jesus, in whom my great JOY is found!
He is my Savior, my peace, my comforter, my provider, my King... He is everything to me!

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son,
that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life."
John 3:16

Benjamin in Action

Now what could be more fun than those first sure steps! 11 month old, B' has been pulling up and "cruising" along furniture since 9 months. Then he spent a while taking 2 or 3 timid steps and then going down on all four... but a few nights ago he took to the floor with a big smile on two legs! I grabbed the camera after the first run and PT grabbed two O's out of the pantry (no doubt he'd chase down a piece of cereal!). It was just before bedtime, hence the crazy pajama look, and he had just finished a practice run with his sippy cup (which explains the water down his front - he likes to fill up his mouth and watch the water dribble out). So, here's our precious little Benj taking his second-ever long stroll - in hot pursuit of an O!