The Blessing of Family

 A beautiful sight.....

They have each other!

Go Get Daddy!

 As I get older, I realize I'm becoming more claustrophobic!  I realized it even more so today when the bathroom door jammed and I was held prisoner inside.  Now, I've spent a considerable amount of time in that room of the house so it wasn't that I was unfamiliar with the surroundings.  It was that I couldn't get out.  The idea of being stuck was unsettling, so I started screaming.  Dignified,  I know.  But I did!  Luckily, Gus was still in the house in between basketball plays outside!  I yelled "Let me out!  Go get Daddy!  NOW!"  

Calm, cool, and collected were not anything I was so elegantly displaying.  I seriously was contemplating how hard it would be to escape out the skylight.  Mind you, it is a permanently sealed window.  I thought of digging!  Genius!  I could dig through the carpet and fall a story into the basement.  So, obviously, I wasn't thinking clearly.

Finally, when I say this I realistically only mean about 5 minutes, help arrives!  Like a knight in shining armor, once again, Super Daddy came to my rescue!

After, bolting out the newly opened door, I felt free.  Free from fear!  Free from that ever shrinking bathroom.... 

Irrational fear, however, led me to thinking that I called out for help and Daddy delivered! What a  wonderful of a reminder, that Abba, Daddy, God our Father, hears our desperate cries and comes to our rescue.  God did a lot of rescuing in the Bible.  He rescued the Israelites many times over!  He intervened in battles so His will would be done, rescuing many!  David praised the Lord many times for the rescuing He provided throughout his lifetime!  Rack, Shack, and Benny (Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego) were rescued from the fiery furnance, Daniel was rescued from the lion's mouths!  Truths after truths, the scriptures proclaim God's ability to rescue!  

Jeremiah 1:8 boldy proclaims: Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you," declares the LORD.

And ultimately, Jesus made the biggest rescue of all, when He gave up His life on the cross to die for all of us.  He died for the mistakes we make.  He did it out of love.  And He still hears our cries!  He does not ignore us!  He wants to hear from us....even when the prayers are desperate and come from a bathroom!  

Thank you Lord for reminding me that rescuing is something you do so well.  

                            Thank you for reminding me, I can get myself into situations I can not get out of.

Deuteronomy 31:6
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

A ray of sunshine through the door knob!

So small, but so strong!

Of all the doors in our home, there are only 3 that remain original. Slowly, over the years, each has broken; taking prisoners on each occasion!  A little advice on remodeling?  Don't use  this brand of knob!  

Such Talent!

 Whistling on the front porch in the evening....

 Cupcake is just learning!

Everyone was whistling a different tune, even!

Fun!

Stay Calm!

She parked so she could "talk"!

Concentrating!

Over the river and through the woods!  I know Nee Nee's house is around here somewhere!

What'd you do?  Cupcake bumped the van and we were giving her a hard time about leaving a mark.  See mark below.

Okay, so it wasn't her that did that.  It was me (and not with her truck!).  But we still had fun with it.

Some Pretty Cool Chicks!

A couple of my favorite chicks!  (and Mary Ann & Professor H.D.)

When going out, ALWAYS wear your wings!

LetITbead is an awesome store!  We made our own matching anklets!

Some our handy work!!

one extreme to another!

Chilly mornings~!  Snow suit & bare feet!  

First sun tea of the season!  MMMmmmmm!

Pickin' & a Grin'n!

Playing "spoons" just like Grandma Nee Nee!  

Yeeeeee haw!

Yes, that's how it goes.

I can see clearly now.

Well, it's official. 

 It's Spring!  

Bring on the cleaning!  

A New Perspective!

I once heard a story of a woman that took her car to the mechanic because of a faulty windshield.  She used  the windshield wipers.  She bought new fluid to spray across the glass.  After all the trouble she went through, the mechanic reported back to her that the INSIDE of the windshield was simply dirty.  Once it was washed, she could see quite clearly.  

This sounds so silly, but how often do this with our perspective?  We often think troubles are over there, or because of that, or it's because they___fill in the blank.  Sometimes, we just need to start with ourselves.  Look inward.  How's our attitude?  Are we seeing things from a Godly perspective?  Are we doing what God wants for us?

Things don't get unclear overnight.  Just like the windshield, it can build up!  We can have a small issue or even a remark from a loved one that digs its heels in and keeps gnawing.  It chews itself deeper and deeper as we nurture it.  We sometimes do not let things go-- just yet.  We're not done brooding yet!    

We convince ourselves we are entitled to anger! What's the point in that?  Who wins?  You're not actually hurting the offender, you are making yourself miserable.  You are not allowing the power of forgiveness to work.  There is more loss than gain. 

Ephesians 4:26 Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry and do not give the devil a foothold. 

There is time. Wipe your slate clean.  Do not give satan any place to put his feet.  Knock him down by standing on the truth.  We are forgiven.  Extend that grace to those around you.  

THIS is March?

Where's the Snow?

It was 81 degrees today.  We're not complaining.  This poor cardinal may need some counseling, however.  

Ready, Set, Race!

It's that time of year again!  

The Pinewood Derby!  

Grandpa Moo is a great car cutter!  

A very very loud saw!  "What?"

Good Luck boys!  Remember, it's really about the fun!

Just Add A Little Dinosaur!

With this beautiful burst of warmer weather, we've taken to being outside as much as possible.  See, the thing about the sand, though, is I'm paranoid.  We do not own cats!   However, we live in the country.  Some folks have told us that a sandbox is like a kitty box on steroids!  So, even though we have taken the time to try and cover it, I had to be sure!  I raked it over and then, yes, I did this--I Lysol'd my sand!  

I know, silly, but with that precious little bundle of adventure in there, I have to take extra precautions.  She is so careful to stay clean.  No way!  In fact, she may be more resourceful than fashion savvy.  She informed me the other day that its okay that we ran out of kleenexes  because she had not one, but TWO sleeves!  EW!!  

For Gus's Third birthday, we had a dinosaur theme.  In sand box, we must have buried 100 dinos for an archeological dig.  To this day, a few make their way to the top!  He's now 10.

Our Little Princess "baking"!  Lots and lots of cakes for me! And NO calories!

Assuring me the are clean!  Not buying it. 

Still Waters

(Still Creek photo curtesy of the internet.)

So, I was walking/jogging this morning and this song was stuck in my head like a cadence.  "He leads me by still waters.. I'll walk with Him always... always... always"  It's a song I learned at Summer camp many years ago and really haven't thought about it in a long time, but the rhythm of my pace kept time to the tune.

Over and over the chorus repeated in my thoughts.  As i passed ditches of water that were rushing to get the water from one place to the next, I noticed its speed.  I heard the babbling water dancing across the stones on its journey.  The puddles rippled as my tennis shoes disturbed their glassy surfaces.  The song played on mentally.

Finally, I started thinking, I had yet to see still water.  Why would the psalm say Still water and not babbling brooks?  What was the importance of the stillness?  Stillness is important!  God said in Psalm 46:10 "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." When we are so busy being busy it is hard to concentrate!  Sometimes, we need to be still and listen.  It quiets our soul, brings peace.

So me being still is important, but what about the water?  Then it dawned on me!  Still water reflects!  God can lead me to still waters so I can see who I am, where I've been, and what I will become in Him!  

I'm glad He put the song in my heart this morning.  I'm really glad He keeps leading me, even to places I don't always understand.  And, I'm really glad He will never leave or forsake me, even when the still waters rage.

The Magic Never Gets Old!

We spent our day at Kraynaks!  This time honored tradition is something we all look forward to! It's always so exciting to get that first peek around the corner to see what the first themed room will be!  This year was just as spectacular!  Maybe even more so!  

I'm so thankful they really remember to put the true meanings of the holidays in their displays!  I love that Baby Jesus and the Christmas story is brought to life so elegantly every year!  I love that the three crosses and empty tomb are  not overshadowed by chocolate bunnies and some hiding eggs!  What a blessing!

This room actually smelled like sweet bubble gum!

So many cupcakes! So little time!

Abby Cadabby giving Zoe a manicure!

The Circus!

Easter Bunny Tea Party!

The Asian Themed room was awesome!

Jesus washing feet.  Cupcake was taking it all in, too!

Jesus praying in the garden.

Praise God for the empty tomb!

She did much better with the Easter Bunny than with that man in the red suit who will remain nameless!

It's almost time to get those gardens planted!

Gus found the perfect one!

Some Bunny Loves You!

First laundry hanging of the year!

This Spring-like weather has me in love!  

In love with the idea of new possibilities and the awesomeness of our Creator. 

 I am giddy when I discover the new crocuses that we planted just this last fall.  We were diligent about planning their growth positions in that we let Cupcake run all over the front yard and wherever she stopped-VIOLA! A new crocus bulb found its home!  All 42 of them are scattered across the yard in such a fashion I could have tossed them from the front porch!  

I love that I have been able to wear open toed shoes!  Who would have thought piggies could get cabin fever, but these 10 little wigglers were ready to see some sunshine.  So much so, I slipped on a pair of flip flops and jaunted across the yard.  Granted, I go slowed down by the mud around the new garage...so much so I lost a shoe and the other clicked up so hard with much it splattered the whole backside of the garage (and me!) with mud!  But they were basking the glorious sun either way!

I love to teach the children about new growth.  We go for walks to discover the branches tipped with red showing how much it has grown from the passing season.  And we've investigated the red pods on the maples that are aching to burst into leaves.  We've noticed the touches of the white softness on the Quaking Aspens (Super Daddy has fondly renamed these the Tree Uglies).  We've found green sprouts that will soon be Red Hot Pokers, Lilies, and Daisies.  Of course we spotted the yellow heads of Colt's Foot just a few days ago on the trail that rendered a call to my mother to announce Spring's soon entrance.  And we even found some weeds, poking their sassy heads in my flower gardens taunting me already. 

I love that we have made the Annual Spring To-Do list!  The red inked list has its usual spot on the front of the fridge with lots of plans in place.  Picking up sticks, cleaning out the play yard, are sweeping out the treehouse are all on there!  Each year it helps to have a list of things to get done so we can get to the good stuff!  Swimming!  Hiking!  Camping!  No one wants to be home doing work all Spring and Summer!  Besides, even after a mild winter, we are all anxious to get outside!  

We all want to feel that tickling grass between our toes.  

Now if we can just get rid of the bugs!

12 mile Bike Ride!

We joined up with some awesome friends to bike the entire trail around the lake!  We did it!  A couple of tires needing air and a broken chain or two later we did it!  Everyone did the 12 miles!  Great job gang!  Let's do it again soon!

Breaking for lunch!

Hanging with the big boys!

Loves riding with Daddy!  Not too fast!  Not too fast!

One of my favorite spots along the trail....

Way to go girls!

Sweet rewards after a hard days work!  It's hard to be this cute!

Laughing together!