Family Rules

I think all of us have seen some version or another of a "Family Rules" sign out in blogland. There are variations of signs, using scrapbook paper, handwriting them, but when I saw this sign, I knew I had found just what I wanted. All I needed was someone to do it for me :)

Enter, my sister. Despite the fact that she works, keeps her home in order, is raising 3 teenagers, is a pastor's wife, leads Bible studies and talks to me for at least an hour on the phone each day, she graciously agreed to make it for me (with a tad bit of coaxing).

Oh, I love it!

It will have a special place of honor in our kitchen where our girls can always be reminded of what it means to be a part of our family. Thank you Christy--you are the best evah!

If God Is Good by Randy Alcorn

click on the image to go to Christianbook.com

Randy Alcorn gives us a glimpse into a topic that can be very difficult to understand. His wisdom and insight into suffering, offers believers and unbelievers answers we search for in times of distress, trauma and simply when we ask, "Why God?"

Through stories and testimonies from individuals and families, the author simplifies possible confusion about suffering by peeling away the layers of our faith, or if you are not a Christian, gives you the opportunity to peek inside what God is truly doing in our lives when we feel we have nothing left to hang onto. He continually takes you back to the Cross and challenges the reader to not ask "Why did you do this to me?" but "Why did you do that for me?"

While this is certainly not a "light" read, the author encourages us to determine what our state of mind is, because it is there where it will be determined whether the doctrine of God's sovereignty comforts us or threatens us. Keeping and/or restoring your faith in the midst of the suffering and evil that is in the world can and is a difficult thing to hold onto but Randy Alcorn does a great job dissecting it to help bring an explanation to the whys and how's of it all.

a copy of this book was provided to me by Waterbrook/Multnomah Press (Blogging for Books Program)

We don't really have that much stuff

I feel like I am on an episode of Hoarders. We are having carpet put in our master bedroom today. One thing our house lacks is storage space so every nook and cranny, corner and closet is packed, stuffed and piled full of our things.

When you have to pull out everything from one room, you realize how much stuff you have. To top it off, we are also getting a new dresser this weekend, so everything that was in our old one is now in luggage and bags until we get our new bedroom set.

This room will eventually be the nursery. Notice the guitar in the crib. Nice.

Spring is Around the Corner

I'm not sure which corner, but these are a reminder that Spring always comes!

PS. Thank you sweetie for the flowers!

the 2 year old

We couldn't have asked for a better day than yesterday. We got more snow, so Mike ended up being home for the day; which was a treat for this birthday girl! 

Because I don't have enough patience to wait until later in the day for her open her presents, we went ahead and did them after breakfast. A T-Ball set for Daddy's girl. She loves anything that has to do with balls. 

We are working on the backwards bat technique. If you look closely, she is using her Disney princess bat to hit with. She might be becoming a bit of a tomboy, but she'll look pretty!



Her Aunt, Uncle and cousins know her well. An Elmo card arrived in the mail!



I finished her cake around lunch time and I would catch her wandering into the kitchen and climbing up on the chairs to look at it.



We enjoyed a nice dinner, I think we ate faster than we ever had, just so we could dig into the cake!

The partying has just begun...over the course of the next month we will see extended family so the birthday celebrations will continue!

Happy Birthday Anna Claire!

Happy 2nd Birthday sweet girl! It is hard to believe that 2 years has gone by. It feels like only yesterday that I was holding you in the NICU praying and wondering when we would be able to bring you home. 

You have taught us so much--more than we ever thought we would learn from a little person. There isn't a night that doesn't go by that we don't sit in bed and talk about how much we love you and what you did that day to make us laugh.

Within the past year, your personality has come out...strong! You are an independent little girl who likes to read, sing and play outside. You have learned your alphabet, your numbers, various songs, animals and their sounds and so many other things this past year. You are so good at picking up your toys and are sure to put them back exactly where they belong. You love to tell stories and you have a memory that is like a steel trap.

"Lovey," Elmo, Big Bird, Raggedy Ann, "Nellie," and Olivia (the pig), are your favorite companions and I often times find you telling them stories, or showing them something new. Just yesterday I heard you telling Big Bird about the snow in the backyard.

You bring nothing but joy into our lives and to those who love you. This year will be a big year in your life as you welcome a baby sister. I know you will be wonderful with her and I can't wait to see the relationship develop over the years. I can only hope that your relationship with her will be like the one I have with Sissy--there is nothing better than having your sister as your best friend.

We pray, that as this next year of your life approaches and as you are exposed to many and new different things, that you would begin to see and understand Jesus more. You have a tender heart towards praying for those that love you and that need prayer. My hope is that it would only grow as you mature. I pray, that as your parents, we would do our best to be an example of Christ's love in your life--extending grace, mercy and love.

Happy Birthday Anna Claire!
Love,
Mommy and Daddy

I Love the UPS Man

For Christmas, my mom got me a gift certificate to TasteBook. It's a great site where you can keep track of your recipes that you collect online. You can also add in your family favorites so that you don't have to keep looking for that long lost 3x5 recipe card.

My cookbook came in the mail yesterday.

You are able to give your cookbook a title, pick out a cover and essentially add anything you want to the book. It is totally custom made and can hold up to 100 recipes (if you don't have 100, you get credits to add the pages as you get the recipes).

I spent the better part of a day going through recipes I have collected over the years. Ones that are favorites at our table, and ones that I hope one day will be my daughter's favorites too. I have recipes in here from 2 generations back, including the famous Buckeye recipe from my grandmother.

It turned out perfect and it is already a treasure!

I knew it was going to be a....

GIRL! I think everybody pretty much did. I had thoughts that maybe it would be a boy, but then it would quickly be pushed to the back of my mind and I would think, there's no way, it's got to be a girl.

We saw our sweet girl on Monday at the doctor's office; she is measuring perfectly, was moving nonstop and seems to like hummus. Who knew? June 28th seems just right around the corner, if I am able to go that long. My doctor seems to think that I will be fortunate if I even make it to June. So we are praying that even if she decides to come early, that it won't be too early and she will need a NICU stay like her sister.

I told some friends that I am so thankful I saved Anna Claire's clothes because hopefully they will work out perfectly since she was in preemie clothes for about a month or two. I figure the money we can save now on clothes can be put towards prom dresses, makeup and purses that will need to be bought in a few short years.

So, here's to another girl, another niece, another grand-daughter, another "girl" cousin! We can't wait to meet her!

In the meantime, we had some beautiful 60 degree weather here this past weekend. Which was a total tease because it's 17 degrees out now. We got out and enjoyed the sun while we could. This soon to be big sister was chillin' like a villain.