My birthday present

Jerome got me cookies, a new book, and gorgeous flowers.

I got myself an ice pack and an iced coffee. Not too bad of a day.

Project 365: Week Something.... 30 Perhaps?

I have not done a Project 365 Post in two months. 


*hangs head in shame*


Rather than try to lump 475 bazillion photos together in one ginormous post to catch up, I am giving myself some grace and starting fresh from here.  Sometimes we can all use a little more grace and a little less self-inflicted perfectionism. 


And, with that being said, here is my week(ish) in photos:



Day 203/365: Bar D Time!

Last Sunday was this amazing young ladys 13th birthday.  She decided, for her birthday, that we were all going to go to the Bar D.  Our evening at the Bar D is going to be a whole nother post, but I thought I would drop this precious shot in here.

Just a bunch of kids being kids. 

Day 204/365: Sisterhood

We got to watch a precious pumpkin this week.  And my girls took to her like she was their own little sister. 

Day 205/365: The New Cooler

Got it on clearance for $9.99, thanks to my smart-shopping friend Jill.  And Madi decided it made a fabulous boat.

Day 206/365:  The Birthday Girl

All day, Madi talked about getting to open her birthday presents.  And then Mom made her take a photo first.  Sheesh!

Day 207/365:  Hmm...

As I put on my F*cebook:

Teaching responsibility or free slave labor... You be the judge!

Day 208/365:  Buddies for life


Madi especially took to the little pumpkin we had this week.  She took it upon herself to instruct LP in all things important, including but not limited to sunglasses and bubbles. 

Day 209/365: Fancy Feet

I discovered, much to my chagrin, that it was less expensive to take Madi and two of her little friends to the spa on Saturday morning for pedicures than it was to have a birthday party.  Big sister went too, and a fabulous time was had by all!  Don't you love these cute little toes?

Letter to a Birthday Girl

My Sweet Madi,


Today, you are 5.

You are no longer my baby.  Not even a toddler, or a preschooler.  You are a child.

In a couple of weeks, we will start kindergarden.  You are so excited to learn - I know you will excel. 

There are moments when you are still and quiet.  I can tell you are pondering many things.  You are so sensitive to people.  You often realize when something is wrong long before the rest of us.

You find the joy in simple pleasures.  You love to laugh.  You love to explore.  Your curiosity is only matched by your sense of humor.

And even when you are feeling a bit ornery, you are still the cutest darn 5 year old I know.

As you begin your next year of life, don't ever be afraid to live.  To let go, enjoy the moment, and truly live.

You are my precious princess, my future dictator, my little buddy, and my very big girl.  I am so proud of you, sweet Madi.  You are a treasure to my heart. 

The Non Birthday Post

Nope. 



No one in this house is celebrating a birthday today. 



No one is (gulp) 31.  No one had to ask their spouse how old they were this weekend, either.



No one is going to get yummy Mexican food for lunch and a Pirates date with friends.




No one gets to have their sister and niece fly in all the way from GA for this non-birthday.



Nope.



No one in this house has three little girls who made sure EVERYONE knew whose birthday it is not.




At least the person who is not celebrating a birthday today did not have to make a list like last year.

The Birthday Princess

My Tiny Monkey,

Today you are 3.  You have come so far, little one.

Your eyes sparkle with delight and mischief, no matter what.

Your smile lights up the room and melts hearts.

Your adventurous spirit will take you far.

But, for today, you are still my tiny, snuggly princess.

And Daddy's sweet angel.

And words cannot express how much you are loved.  Happy birthday Violet!

Today was linked up for True Story Tuesday with Rachel & Mr Daddy over at Once Upon A Miracle.  Head on over for more amazing stories.

Thankful

Ever since I started this blog, Thankful Thursdays have been a regular post.  It forces me to take the time to really look at my life and find those things to be grateful for.  It is so easy to get bogged down, overwhelmed.  Thankful Thursday gives me the opportunity to shift my focus from the negative to the One who makes it all possible.


This Thursday, I am so thankful for:

• the changing Colorado fall colors. 

• precious time for little cousins this weekend

• that God sent a dear friend to visit me at my office yesterday.  I know she had no idea I was having a very lonely morning (I had told no one).  And she showed up for a very random errand.  But, God and I know that He sent her because He knew how much I needed to see her and get a hug from her.

• for my husband's birthday, and a quiet, sweet celebration with his princesses.

• that God is speaking to my heart through His word daily about the journey He is taking me on. 

1 Peter 1:7 (MSG) 
Pure gold put in the fire comes out of it proved pure; genuine faith put through this suffering comes out proved genuine. When Jesus wraps this all up, it's your faith, not your gold, that God will have on display as evidence of his victory.

• that there will be victory in this journey!

• that I am safe in His arms!

A Very Special Day

31 years ago today, my friend Beth got married.  She asked me to write *gulp* a guest post on marriage today.  It was my first time writing a guest post, and I hope I made her proud.  You can read it here.  Go tell her Happy Anniversary from me!


But, today is a very special day for another reason.  Today, exactly 31 years ago, my sweet hubby was born!

Now, if that isn't a fabulously sexy man ...


Ahem...


Anyways...


My husband is a miracle.  He gets a lot of ribbing about his enormous hat size.  Seriously, for the least egotistical person I know, he has a huge head.  When he was born, the doctors tried to convince his parents that he was hydrocephalic.  Essentially, there was too much fluid on his brain.  They tried to convince them that a shunt needed to be put into his skull immediately.  They told my in-laws that their baby boy would be "almost" normal. 


Praise God that doctors are human!  Jerome's mom knew they were wrong, and refused the recommended treatment.  Today, he is perfectly fine. 


I could not have asked God for a better best friend, husband, and father to my girls.  He has walked beside me through more than his fair share of yuck.  He is an amazing provider for our family, leads and protects us, and has the patience to handle life with the estrogen clan.  Need I say more?!?!?!?!?!


I am so blessed to have Jerome by my side every day.  Happy Birthday love!

When Did You Get So Big?

It seems like just yesterday we got the horrible news.  My body was broken.  I probably would never conceive on my own.  Your daddy chose to marry me anyways, reassuring me that God would give us children, and it didn't matter how they came.

It seems like just yesterday we stared at the pregnancy test in disbelief.  Really?  We were pregnant?  Six months after getting married?  We were giddy.  Grandpa went out and bought your first rifle the day we told him. 

It seems like only yesterday I was winning the "giant prego as big as a whale" competition. 

You spend a pregnancy with French pastries and see how much weight you gain!

It seems like just yesterday you had your first dance with Grandpa,

your first fashion statement,

your first trip to Coors Field to watch our beloved Rockies.

Believe it or not, she watched the entire game.  As in sat on our laps and really watched the game.  I love this kid.

I still vividly remember your first birthday.

And the horrible, healthy cake I tried to feed you.  You wouldn't touch it. 

I will never forget this Christmas.  It was our last with your Great-Grandpa.

The two of you sat together like this for a long time, sharing a conversation the rest of us never heard.  At one point he patted your arm.  And you put your other hand on top of his.  Then the two of you just sat there like that, looking into each other's eyes. 

A few months later, Great-Grandpa's pain ended, and he got to meet Jesus face-to-face.  As long as I live, I will never forget that Christmas.

Where did your baby fat go?  The little rolls on your arms and legs were my favorite!

You have always been ready for adventure,

ready to have some fun!

When we found out we were pregnant with Madison, you were so excited!  You told everyone you met that Mommy had a baby in her tummy, and you were going to take care of it.  You danced and sang the day your sister was born.  From her first moments, you have been a wonderful big sister.

When you turned three, we had a barbecue at our house.  You somehow got ahold of the extra invitations I printed, and passed them out at church.  We had no idea.  We stopped counting partygoers at 75.  There were people in our house we had never met!  But you loved it.  You have never met a stranger, and have one of the sweetest, most welcoming hearts I have ever seen.  It was perfectly natural for you to have half the church at your party - that's just how God wired you!

As you have grown, you have learned what it means to be loved by a daddy, and what it means to be a family.

Just a few months after you turned 4,

You got the joy of holding another baby sister in your arms.  You have always been a wonderful big sister.  God created you special, just for this role.  He knew it would take someone extra special to love Madison and Violet, to show them the ropes.  And He made you.

You were so excited to go to kindergarten.  My little social butterfly - you thrived in the classroom. 

In first grade, you had to grow up more than I would have liked.

The mommy of one of your best buddies passed away.  It was a shock to all of us.  You, my sweet angel, were amazing.  The teachers would tell me stories of you and your buddy, sitting on the playground and crying together.  They would tell me about how you seemed to always be able to comfort her, to make her smile, to always understand.  I know God gave you a wisdom and empathy far beyond your years.  God knew your friend would need someone amazing to walk through this heartache with her, and He made you.

And now that you are seven, you continue to amaze me.  You have learned to persevere.  You have learned to stand up for what you believe, to express yourself. 

You have learned to overcome obstacles, to face your fears. 

My dear, sweet Katrina - I love you more than words can express.  You are my little girlfriend, even though you aren't so little anymore.  You have challenged me to rethink how I see myself, because there is so much of me in you.  You have shown me what it means to love your neighbor, because there isn't a single person you don't love.  Really love.  You love like Jesus does, something adults struggle to do. 

God knew there would be people who needed someone to hold them in their God knew I needed an extra-special daughter, and He made you.

Happy Birthday, my dear, sweet princess.  You are my treasure.

Monday Mugs: Summer Recap

Go visit Oswald Cuties for more Monday Mugs!  Because Mondays are hard! Blogging on Mondays shouldn't be!  


What a perfect way to publish all the summer adventure posts I have had sitting and collecting dust!  Beware, this is a photo blitz!


Our summer started off with a bonfire and marshmallow roast Memorial Day weekend.  Memorial Day was also someone's birthday, but since said person turned 30 and was generally avoiding having a birthday, it was a Memorial Day weekend bonfire instead.  I have no idea who that person was.

And now Rachel can't say that I dont' put photos of myself on here!  We ended up having about 50 people all together. 

Katrina became an expert roaster.

And Violet consumed her body weight in marshmallows.

And because I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to keep children from falling into the fire, my dear sweet cousin Heather, who had come up for the weekend with her guy Tony, took, those beautiful photos for me.

This summer also brought our family's first venture into organized sports.  Kat played tball, with Daddy as coach.  For one game, they got to play on the big kids' field.

They had the teams line up for the national anthem, just like the pros.

My adorable third-base gal, who actually fielded the ball without losing a shoe.

They got to sit in the dugout.

Look at that swing!

We had a wonderful, surprise visit from my bloggy & IRL friend Michelle, who had the nerve to move all the way across the country.  Sheesh!

Kat participated in our church's VBS sports camp, and had a wonderful time.

We spent the majority of our evenings in the backyard.  Swim gear optional.

We took our circus to the Shriner's Circus, and had a wonderful time.

We all agreed these guys, who balance each other, ride the motorcycles, and sell the programs and candy, were our favorite.

On the 4th of July, we got our faces painted

and watched the parade with Grandma

and got rides in Grandpa's Shriners car.

We spent a lot of time at the park this summer,

goofed off,

and celebrated a very special 4th birthday.

We also proved that Mommy & Daddy can get dressed up in something not covered in food particles or bodily fluids and stay nice for longer than 10 minutes.

We did so much this summer, but I'm not ready for it to be over yet!