Happy 2nd Birthday Miriam Rose!

You have been such a blessing to me! Here are just a few of the things that I have grown to love about you over the last two years.

I love how you:

• always love to be hugged and cuddled.

• love fruit and especially grapes, and if given the choice you would eat them all day.


• lovingly care for your baby doll; how you rock, feed, kiss, take her for walks, and include her in all that you do.


• have such big blue eyes.


• say "Hi" to everyone we pass whether we know them or not.


• try to help and care for your baby sister.
  
• say "Hi Mommy".


• have a great concern for anyone who is distressed and crying, and how you pat their back, hug, and kiss them.


• always have to have soaks on your feet when you go to bed.


• always love to be tucked into bed.


• try to be neat when you eat, but always end up making a mess.
  
• run to the garage door when daddy comes home, and say "Hi Daddy, Hi Daddy".


• love to be and play outside.
  
• when your sister is practicing her memory verse you always want a turn to try and say it.


• love to play with water.


• always want to be and do what ever your older sister is doing.


• you like to be a little comedian and make people laugh.

Happy Birthday Miriam Rose!!!

Thankful for the Little Things

Thursday is our grocery shopping day which brings me to the little thing that I am thankful for today. With three little ones it can be a task to get the grocery shopping done. When I first found out that I was pregnant with our third little one who was a bit of a surprise. At the time I did not know how I was going to get certain things done (like grocery shopping) with three little ones, three and under.

We were shopping at the Wal-mart Supper store back then and they had the carts that had plastic sunken down seats, which is all well and good except my youngest would not stay in them for more then 2 minutes. My guess is that the cart made her feel confined and for those of you who know Miriam know that she does not like being confined and is good at making it loud and clear to all around when she is not happy (something that we are working on).

The little thing that I am thankful for is the Meijers Grocery Cart. When we found the Meijers grocery cart, that is pictured here, that had a bench for my two oldest to sit on it made grocery shopping with my little ones so much easier. All I need with it is a few snacks to keep them occupied along the way and we are good to go. Thank you to Meijers for their shopping cart with a bench!

Oh, and let me take a minute to introduce you to Penny the mechanical horse. Penny lives at Meijers. I do not usually let my children ride the toys you find inside and outside of stores, but it only cost a penny (hence her name) to ride and it gives the girls something to look forward to once we are done with the shopping.

Miriam on Penny

Madisen on Penny

Lord help us to be thankful always

in all circumstances (Thessalonians 5:18)

and most of all to be thankful because

You are good, and your love endures forever (Jeremiah 33:11)

"Living For Jesus"

"Living for Jesus a life that is true, striving to please

Him in all that I do, yielding allegiance, glad-hearted

and free-this is the pathway of blessing for me.

~~~

Living for Jesus who died in my place, bearing on Calv'ry

my sin and disgrace-such love constrains me to answer

His call, follow His leading and give Him my all.

~~~

Living for Jesus, Wherever I am, Doing each duty

in His holy Name; Willing to suffer affliction and

loss, Deeming each trial a part of my cross.

~~~

Living for Jesus thru earth's little while, my dearest tre-

sure the light of His smile, seeking the lost ones He died

to redeem, bringing the weary to find rest in Him.

~~~

Chorus: O Jesus, Lord and Savior, I give myself to Thee,

for Thou in Thine atonement didst give Thyself for me. I

Own no other Master-My heart shall be Thy throne: My

life I give, henceforth to live, O Christ, for Thee alone."

This prayer that was latter made into a Hymn was quoted in The Joy of a Word Filled Family by Dr. John S. Barnett. Thomas Obadiah Chisholm wrote these words when he was 51 unable to finish his career, weak, sickly, unemployed, and trying to make a living selling things door to door. Because of his sickly state he spent most of his time sitting at a writing table. He loved to write and wrote more than 1,200 poems, of which 800 were published. What a great example of devotion!

Hidding God's Word In Their Hearts

Over the last nine months Maddie has been involved in Awana Cubbies at our church, last night was award night. Maddie received a little Cubbie bear for her vest, for learning her all of her verses during this first year of Cubbies.

Maddie has enjoyed and looked forward to Cubbies every Sunday night. It has been such a wonderful blessing to see her so excited about learning her verse every week. It is so neat to see her use her verses to explain what she is learning, how she should treat others, or many other application.


If you have a little one and you have not started memorizing scripture with them, may I encourage you to do so. Maddie was two when she started memorizing scripture in Sunday School. They are little sponges at this age and the verses that they learn now will be with them for the rest of their lives. If you make it a part of your daily schedule it really does not much time just a little effort.


Every week we take Maddie's verse and write it on a little piece of paper and keep it in our napkin holder on our kitchen table, this way every time we sit down to eat we have it there to review. We also like to review verses, in the car and at bed time. It is such a blessing to have the Lords word working in their little hearts.

Verse of the Moment

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, 

patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 

gentleness and self-control."

Galations 5:22 & 23

Daddy's Little Girls

Today Madisen and Miriam got to go with Chris to see the Backyardigans Live show in Indianapolis. They had a wonderful time together. Madisen had fun telling me about the whole show when they got home. They have been watching this cute show for about the last year. If you have not seen it, the five characters in the show all live in the same neighborhood and go on adventures in their backyards together. Whether it is a western adventure, a trip to the moon, or a mystery, they always have a lot of fun along the way, sing many great songs, and are always home in time for snack.