These Little Moments...

After months of practice, Gracie's 4-year-old choir group sang in front of parents and grandparents this evening. There were new songs, but also a few classics, such as Jesus Loves Me and I Have Decided. It was very precious to watch and I was so proud of each child. I was especially proud of my daughter. This was her first-ever choir performance and she did a wonderful job. She didn't even appear to be nervous at all, even though the room was full of adults taking pictures and videos of the children singing. Being a part of this group has been such a blessing, in so many ways. I'm very thankful for the music ministry at our church. I believe it's helping to lay an important foundation for these young children. Gracie was lucky to have two sets of grandparents present to support her on this special evening!  We are so proud of you, Gracie!

Students of Calvary Baptist Day School put on an amazing show this afternoon. We were blown away by the talent and hard work that was obviously involved in making their presentation of  Cinderella With A Twist a success! The younger audience members were invited to join the cast for a character breakfast before the show. There were also games, autographs, door prizes, opportunities for pictures, and face painting. Since it was a royal breakfast, the kids dressed to impress.  Sean and I have been looking forward to this event for weeks. Ethan stayed with a sitter so that we could take this time to focus on our little princess. Gracie's best friend, Raegan, also attended, as did their buddy Harrison. Gracie and Cinderella Face Painting Fairy Godmothers The show was hilarious, and since it was a musical, there was also lots of great music from the 60s and 70s. The acting, the singing, the costumes - it was so fun to watch! I'm so grateful ...

Gracie and Ethan were finally able to meet Ryleigh today! I held off on this introduction because I wanted to be absolutely sure my kids were well before meeting this tiny baby. Uncle Sean will have to wait a little while longer, since he has a bad case of pink eye. He's being properly medicated now and feels much, much better, but we're not taking any chances. Gracie was so excited to meet her cousin, and she loved holding her.   Ethan's first reaction upon seeing Ryleigh was to lovingly poke her in the face. He then tilted his head to one side and said, "Aw...cute!" (He got a nice bruise this morning on his forehead from a fall on the gym sidewalk...)   I am loving having a sweet newborn to hold! Oh, and today was Ryleigh's due date! She's now 12 days old.

I think it's safe to say that very little went according to plan over our Easter break and weekend. I was the first to get sick (again...). I spent the better part of Gracie's spring break fighting a nasty cold. Gracie was next in line and spent the time from Good Friday to Easter Monday with a fever and cough. I was thankfully feeling much better by Saturday, when we welcomed my niece into the world, but Sean was quickly going downhill. The brand new Easter outfits we'd chosen for the kids stayed hung in closets on Easter Sunday, and even if we'd decided to at least venture outside for an egg hunt, we couldn't, because it was raining. Ryan and Bekah arrived Sunday evening and, as usual, they were a huge help (I'm pretty sure someone is always sick when they come visit...). Sean ended up with my cold and pink eye. But, we did dye Easter eggs, the Easter Bunny did drop by our house, and we were able to enjoy a fabulous Easter meal with my mom, Johnny, Austin,...

On March 30th, at 9:37 pm, another little love entered this world. I stood close by, a key witness in this miracle. I watched my newborn niece take her  first breath , and was once again awed by the strength and power of a woman's body. I also observed true love unfold and wrap around this tiny girl, as happy tears fell and soft words were spoken. A mother's first moments with her baby - there is something so beautiful about watching from a distance, especially when the new mother is your baby sister. I desperately wanted to be a part of Ryleigh's birth. A large part of me simply wanted to be there for my sister, comforting her in any way, staying strong for her during the inevitable moments of pain or frustration. Another part of me just wanted to experience it all again; and who better to experience it with than your sister? She was part of the all-important birthing team that stayed by my side during both Gracie and Ethan's births. I was there when she welcomed her...

I love the way that God works in our lives. Sometimes, it's obvious. Sometimes, it's more subtle. But when I look back over my life, I see countless examples where God was moving ahead of me, preparing the way, preparing my heart for where I am today.   I really wanted to be a choir assistant when I enrolled Gracie in the 4-year-old choir this past fall... I was always involved in our youth choir as a little girl, and then sang in the praise band and adult choir as a teenager. I have fond memories of this time in my life. Anyway, I didn't ask about being a choir assistant because the nice group of folks I saw those first Sunday evenings looked like they had it under control. I had this internal dialogue going with myself. Just ask. I didn't.   I had decided I would ask next fall and was content to attend the Sunday evening services that are held during the youth choir practices. But then I received an email. Gracie's choir group was in need of another ...

Today was an extra special day. I, along with a wonderful group of women, spent the afternoon celebrating the upcoming arrival of my niece, Ryleigh Michele. My mom and I co-hosted a brunch in honor of my sister, who will be welcoming her daughter within the next few weeks! I had so much fun "ooohing" and "ahhhing" over the precious baby girl clothes and necessities. My sister is blessed to have such generous family members and friends. I would say she is ready for Ryleigh now! (Thank you to my very talented friend, Megan, for the amazingly beautiful and delicious cake! Please note the invitation and how perfectly the cake matches!) Pretty mommy :) Congratulations, Ashley! We are anxious to meet Miss Ryleigh!