Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Princess Sweetpea's Birthdaypalooza Celebracione!


Four years and four days ago,
our miracle baby was born!

This long awaited princess


is such a delight in our lives


with her love of snuggling and sweet affectionate nature,


her zany sense of humor,


and how she brings fun and sunshine into everything she does!


HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO SWEETPEA!

WE ARE CRAZY ABOUT YOU!


In this picture she is dancing all over the beach singing,

"I'm not nakeeeee any moooooore!"..

because three minutes earlier she was dancing all over the beach
singing

naked.

See what I mean? She brings the fun!

Thursday, August 19, 2010

It's Happy Cupcake Day!

Three years ago, after travelling for more than 30 hours, Haus and I (along with Sweetpea) arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and met our beautiful baby girl, Cupcake!


Meeting Papa


Meeting Mama

With Almaz, the angel who handled all the details in Ethiopia
and loved on our girl until we could get there
to bring her home to her Forever Family!


Playing with Papa


and with Mama


In what has seemed like a flash, this beautiful, timid little princess

became this sassy,



personality filled



sweetheart!



We are SO thankful to God for the blessing of our precious baby girl!

Monday, August 16, 2010

The Big Four-Oh!

Last week included a milestone day for me.



It started out with a bang when I stepped out of bed,
tripped over a gift placed there to be the first thing I saw on my special day,
landed solidly on my belly with an OOOOF!,
banged my chin hard on the ground,
and knocked over 3 vases in the process!




Celebrating 40 with my own special flair!

Hey, at least I'm used to spectacular face-plants and as a bonus, it wasn't in public.

Otherwise, it was an absolutely splendid day! I had breakfast at the beach. Favorite. Spent the day at the spaaaaaaaaahhhh. Massage, facial, steam room, slices of cucumber on my eyes, the whole enchilada. Favorite. Delicious dinner at a fancy-schmancy place. Favorite. And, a bunch of my girlfriends stole me away, made me wear a sparkly tiara and we enjoyed a lovely harbor cruise and dinner. Super favorite!

Seriously, ladies, where would we be without our girlfriends? I think I'd have quit a long time ago without mine! My girls encourage and exhort me. They make me laugh, oftentimes at myself. They know my life, joys, struggles, strengths and weaknesses. They know me, see me, and still love me! They tell me when I'm off-base or flat out wrong, when I need to grow up, when I must turn my heinie around and apologize, and help me to forgive myself when I blow it. They wrap their arms through mine, cheerlead, and help me get through the hard stuff of life. And, they let me be and do that for them as well. Shoot, I love my girls!



In between laughs, they asked what I wanted this next year. What is God doing? How is my heart? Good questions.

This next year, I want to go to Ethiopia (hopefully in June) and serve. I want to finish writing a book I've been working on for a while. I want to sing more. I want to build more friendships with women, to be an encourager of my sisters in Christ. I want to be a better woman, wife, and friend. I want to be changed by God, to learn where I'm blind, to see my sins and weaknesses, and to give them to Him who has the power to transform. I want to seek out those I've wounded and repent of my wrongdoing. I don't want to reach Heaven having not made amends with those I've sinned against. I want to learn to trust God with every facet of life, to be more in love with Jesus, and to live in constant communion with Him. I want more of Jesus.

This is the verse for this year, maybe this decade:

"The LORD your God is with you,
He is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing."

Zephaniah 3:17


How rad is that?



The biggest gifts of my life:


Muffin


Meatball


Pookie


Sweetpea


Cupcake


Ok, so here I go... Into a new decade...



Here's what I think. Life is rich with blessings. Friends are such a gift. God is so very, spectacularly, beyond-my-wildest-imagination good. He has been with me every single step of the way through the big, big highs, and the stinky, rotten lows. He delights in me. Sings over me. Rejoices over me as His beloved. And laughs with me when I trip and fall flat on my face with an OOOOOF! So, come what may...



Bring it on!