It's a...

BOY!!!

One Perfect Baby

Two little feet,

so tender and sweet

That have walked with the angels

On heavenly streets

Ten little fingers, and ten little toes,

With every new day continue to grow.

One little mouth that sings to our Lord.

And two little ears to hear His word.

One prefect baby for us to love,

With wisdom and guidance from our Father above.

By K. Maloney

We can't wait to meet you little one!

"My Daddy"

...by a young artist.

Our Resurrection Cross - A New Easter Tradition

A few days ago I started showing you some of the changes that we have made in our home for the Easter season. Today I'd like to share one more with you.

This year my husband made a large wooden cross with the boys during the season of Lent.

On Good Friday he talked to them about how Jesus was nailed to the cross and about His immense love for us. He took out 3 nails, let the boys look at them and hold them, and gave them a little poke on each of their hands and feet (don't worry...it was just a small poke) so that they would understand that it HURT Jesus. Then, they nailed 3 nails into the cross.

On Holy Saturday, we placed a cloth on the cross.

And on Easter Sunday, we began to decorate the cross with beautiful signs of life (i.e. paper flowers, butterflies, ladybugs, bees, etc) to celebrate Jesus' Resurrection.

It is now our Resurrection Cross and we have placed it in a prominent place in our living room, to remind us of Christ's love for us, and His victory over sin and death.

It is such a joy to listen to the boys as they tell everyone who comes to visit about their "Easter/Resurrection cross". They'll say things like,"Jesus is not dead anymore","Jesus got on the cross because He loves us so, so much", and "Jesus is risen and His boo boos don't hurt Him anymore". Precious.

Here are a few pictures...

Good Friday Cross

Holy Saturday Cross

Easter Sunday!!! - Resurrection Cross

 

Note: I have to give partial credit to Kimberlee and Dana for the inspiration behind this project (...the rest was Divinely inspired). Thank you for your beautiful ideas!

Lift High The Cross

Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim,
Till all the world adore His sacred Name.

Led on their way by this triumphant sign,
The hosts of God in conquering ranks combine.

Each newborn servant of the Crucified
Bears on the brow the seal of Him Who died.

O Lord, once lifted on the glorious tree,
As Thou hast promised, draw the world to Thee.

So shall our song of triumph ever be:
Praise to the Crucified for victory.

Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim,
Till all the world adore His sacred Name.

Words: George W. Kitch­in; mod­i­fied by Mi­chael R. New­bolt in 1916.

Music: Crucifer, Syd­ney H. Ni­chol­son, 1916

Things That Make Me Go "Hmmm"...

Shadrack, Mishak, and Abendigo???

There's no trap big enough for the critter who got this cheese...

Sand for breakfast...

mmmm...

 

No words...just hmmmm...

Hope this put a smile on your face! Have a great day!

From the Mouths of Babes...

Yesterday, as we sat down to pray before lunch, I noticed that my ten month old folded her hands when the prayer began, and kept them folded until the prayer was done. I made a comment to my boys about how lovely it was that their little baby sister was praying with us. Without skipping a beat, my "nearly three" said "Oh yes. That  makes Mary so happy".

What an awesome privilege and blessing it is to be a mother!

From the Mouths of Babes...

Early this morning my "nearly two" got a boo-boo on his finger which I promptly washed, kissed, and mended with a Band-Aid. Later this morning my "nearly three" noticed his brothers' bandaged finger and said:

"Mommy, did my brothers' finger get wrecked?"

Precious.

...and I have to tell you...when selecting Band Aid designs my son passed up Spider Man, Blue's Clues, and even Cars Band-Aids for...

Yes. My "nearly two" is sporting a pink Dora the Explorer Band Aid today!

The Most Beautiful, Beautiful...

Over the past two weeks my "nearly three" (our first-born little) has been using the word "beautiful" a whole lot. He will use this word to describe his crayons, toy cars, block towers, play-do creations, and on, and on.

After a few days of running around the house in loose T-shirts and sweats (don't send Stacy & Clint over here...I'm ok. Really.) I decided to put on a skirt and a little make-up for my Mr. When I came out of the bathroom my little guy stopped what he was doing and said "mommy, you look beautiful!" My heart melted.

Shortly thereafter, my husband went out of town for a couple of days and my "nearly-three" began using the phrase "the most beautiful, beautiful.....". Precious.

I had gone to the dollar store, the movie store, and the grocery store the day before my Mr. left and had picked up some cheap toys and books, some fun movies, and some yummy junk-food (I will readily admit that the junk food was mostly for myself...ahem...) for each day that my Mr. was away and tucked them away in a "treasure bag" to be pulled out every time I got too frazzled to cope for another second a few each day.

Each time I would pull something out of the bag my nearly-three would exclaim in all seriousness, "Mommy! This is the most beautiful, beautiful present I have ever got!!!" or "Mommy! This is the most beautiful, beautiful, movie I have ever seen!!!" or "Mommy! This is the most beautiful, beautiful cookie I ever tasted!!!" and similar other "beautiful, beautiful..." phrases all weekend. It was as if he'd never seen or experienced these little treasures before. Each time he used this phrase I couldn't help but throw my head back and laugh with complete delight in my child. It felt so good and brought such joy to my heart.

I share this story with you, not because there is anything out of the ordinary, or anything cuter here than you've heard come from your own childs mouth, but because when I pondered these events later, this thought came to me..how much more does Our Father in heaven delight in US His little children. Do our words touch His heart and make Him throw his head back in delighted laughter? I think yes. You (yes you) and I are His beautiful, beautiful children...(shall I assume you're all women reading this? I think I will)...we are daughters of the King! And what we do and say, no matter how insignificant it may seem, matters to Him. So no matter what your days may bring, no matter how frazzled, insignificant, tired, little, sinful, hidden, unappreciated or lost you may feel, remember that you are a daughter first and that your daddy cares and thinks YOU are the most beautiful, beautiful. He will help you through it all. "Who" you are brings joy to His heart.

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with might through his Spirit in the inner man, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have power to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and ever. Amen.

Ephesians 3:14-21