My Heart Soars...

All sorts of things going on this week! Last Sunday Kyle went up to the children's sermon and sat on-stage by himself for the first time. He also was the carrier of "the box" which is what kiddos take turns taking home each week. They return to the children's sermon with something of theirs from home. Kyle's turn was last week by default as a buddy of his ended up taking it home even though they were going to Disneyworld. So Kyle had the box for the first time, went to the children's message for the first time, AND went to Sunday School for the first time too! It was so awesome for us to see him being such a big boy! He told his teachers that his church is Point of Grace and that he loves it. I can't wait for him to tell his teachers that Jesus "couldn't go another inch, was put in a room inside a mountain with a big heavy door...and then on the third day, Jesus made that door come open and he came back to life and was breathing again." And as he likes to tell me after telling me this, "Mommy, that makes me so happy." Yes, it makes me happy too, beyond happy.

I have explained death to Kyle by connecting it to The Little Engine That Could story where it says the engine couldn't go another inch. He totally grasps what that means so in case you're trying to figure out a way to make the death of Jesus "real" to a toddler, consider connecting it with a story they already know--I had no idea how handy that book would be! I am really seeing signs of his heartstrings being tied to Jesus. And it is good for me to remember this as sibling rivalry is alive and well around here this week!

Other stuff going on is I enrolled Kyle in his first preschool today. He was so excited to go and is even going to be loopier tomorrow when we go back so he can "tour" it. It's here in Hutto, very small, and very personal, family-feeling. He'll start in May and will go Tu/Thurs and then in the fall go MWF. Other fun news that is always exciting is Makenna cut a few more teeth! Her top two teeth are in and I'm going to investigate more tomorrow and see if there are some more teeth on top. I felt several but I have to get a better look. Makenna is pulling to standing now and was already moving down the couch in a standing position. She also let go once and threw herself towards me so we're just waiting now for those first steps which are soon to come.

Kyle is also going to the potty now before bedtime and that is a HUGE step forward. It is only at bathtime but he took the initiative so maybe I'll potty train Makenna and Kyle at the same time in a few years! Hehe! He's very proud of himself when he goes and I'm just thrilled he's sitting on there! In his own time...For all you Moms of girls, just wait until you have a boy or maybe you do have a boy and know how different they are when it comes to the potty...or so I hear!

David's at praise band practice tonight and is a regular now at church in the band on the bongos and congos. He's really loving it--he totally enjoys the rest of the band and those friendships that are growing. We are loving our Alpha bible study on Sundays and we have just been amazed at how God is speaking to us in this group and through the relationships we've formed with our small group. It is a powerful thing when we invoke the name of God and the Holy Spirit just fills us until we overflow. I could fill pages with all my reflections on this--I suppose the Gospel writers thought the same thing as they were moved by the Spirit to write only what they wrote. They probably were thinking, "Oh man! I really wanted to include that miracle at that other wedding Jesus went to! Okay, I'll write just about the one in Cana." Who knows how that all went down--I just know there aren't enough pages to include everything that Jesus does in our lives. I suppose that is why we'll have eternity to talk about Him!

That's it for now--I'll try to get some pics of the kids up soon.

Happy Easter!

We had a fun first Easter with Makenna! Saturday we were out at the Coles in Liberty Hill for Turnipseed/Krueger Easter and the kids hunted eggs and got all sorts of candy loot. We had a few friends over on Sunday and once again, kids hunted eggs, so Kyle is now "all about" eggs and candy--oh no! He's never been a candy-eater but we introduced him to the ever-incredible Reese's peanut butter cup now and wants them all time! I only let him have one today since they have a ridiculous 55 calories in just one (and I probably had a total of 30 of those things over two days! Yikes!) And he had four around 5 pm yesterday, was bouncing off the walls, so I guess he can't handle his sugar! Worship Sunday was awesome, indescribable. Worshipping Jesus was amazing for me yesterday. To reference the sermon which focused on Jesus fulfilling his promise to rise on the THIRD DAY...yesterday was the Third Day, today is a Third Day again, tomorrow is a Third Day...cool to think of each day as a Third Day in Christ, full of new life NOW, resurrection, freedom from sin, restoration, and eternal life with my Maker and Savior, Jesus.

Happy Easter!

Kyle is Three!

Kyle turned three on Friday, March 14! We still can't believe three years have passed by, all full of adventure and craziness and every possible emotion there is. This is also the earliest Easter has ever been and so Kyle's birthday was right at the edge of the beginning of Holy Week. Today our service was focused on Palm Sunday and Kyle loved all the branches we waved during worship. Our Pastor preached on the word Hosanna. I remember praying early on when Kyle was just a few weeks old "Jesus, save me" when I was feeling like I was going to come undone. I've been praying these words often lately too so it was especially fitting when I heard a meaningful sermon on it. It's a beautiful word and my prayer is that Kyle and Makenna will whisper, shout, sing Hosanna as a natural part of their daily walk with the Lord. My excitement for Kyle is that as he grows in the next three years, I can't wait to really hear him express his faith and love for Jesus. Kyle knows God without a doubt and I just am on the edge of my seat waiting for the day when Kyle raises holy hands in prayer and I get to witness him testifying about the love Jesus has for him.

Makenna Loves the Outdoors

Makenna had some good fun in the sun today on our back porch. She was really interested in the grass and weeds and I had to make sure nothing went in her mouth of course! She also officially started crawling on Monday and by yesterday, had totally mastered it--so today, it was all about keeping her safe and in sight! She is mobile now and it's about time to get our stairs guarded and all the outlets covered again. I'm in unchartered waters now--two kids on the move!

Having Fun in Sugarland

Always Look Around Before Sharing Your Pin

I'm probably a glutton for punishment sharing one of my most "blond" moments ever, which occurred this morning in Canton, TX. I was headed out for my second day of the shopping extravaganza at the Canton Market Days. My sister had pulled into a station for gas and I was on a mission to get her a drink (a soda, it was only 9 AM!) and myself some cash from an ATM. Hint: Always do your ATM stuff BEFORE hitting Hwy 79 and then Hwy 19 because there are no Bank of Americas or ANY banks in sight! Just lots of ATM machines with hidden fees that have hidden fees hiding within them like those nesting dolls from Russia. But I digress...I'm prepared to pay my fee and any hidden fee that might be lurking when I see that the ATM is out of order but to ask for cash back at the register. Perfect! I take my time getting my sister's soda and then decide I deserve a nice frothy yummy coffee imposter drink. I head up to the counter and tell the clerk that I need cash back. He says "your pin please." I do not see a pinpad. In a nanosecond, I process that this is a really small town, they aren't used to doing cash back at the register (since they usually have their trusty money-sucking, fee-happy ATM machine on hand), and he needs to manually enter it on some magic machine that I can't see. I furtively glance around, like I'm about to share the most intimate details of my life, lean in, and begin to whisper my ATM pin number. (Please know that as I'm doing this, I feel like a loon and can't BELIEVE I'm having to verbally give the dude my pin, and how UNSAFE is this???--but girls, I need my cash for Canton!!!!) He then repeats something about the pin and motions down to the counter. I then start whispering, now nearly just mouthing the numbers, to him. He then says that the pinpad is there. And oh yes, it's underneath the nice display of lime packets that are so sour that your eyes will pop out of your head if you even look at them. So now I feel like a total moron, some sad character castoff from Steal Magnolias. I goofily giggle and I explain I thought it was strange that I needed to say it (he reassures me that he won't remember the numbers that I mouthed at him) but I didn't see the machine, and oh boy, I bet that's happened before right? And no. Never before has that happened. He then says it's only his third week, maybe in an effort to make the dingbat shopper-lady feel better. So I enter my pin and tell the dude he'll have a funny story to tell and laugh about, or a lady to laugh at--I grab all my drinks and Canton cash and dart out. The only thing that could've made my "act" better was to have been dressed in zebra print spandex pants, a halter top, stelletos, and a big ol' floppy red hat, and big ol' sunglasses. It would have just completed the whole episode's look. When I told my Mom and sister, we all just laughed until we cried and were gasping for air--it was probably caught on camera and will air on the Late Show as part of a montage of dummy people. Oh well, nobody's perfect--I DID just get my blond highlights done again...maybe that had something to do with it? Don't judge me!