Happy Birthday, Kara!

We had a really nice birthday party on Friday evening for Kara. She turned one! I can hardly believe that she is already one year old. Her Ninny and Papop and cousins Grace and Ella came from Mechanicsburg. My parents were there, of course, since we live with them. Andy and Suz (my bro. and his wife) and their three boys came from next door =), and my aunt and uncle who live nearby were all here for the celebration. I wanted to make her a girly cake, so I talked to a few people and looked online, but I kept coming back to the idea of a flower. Here is my attempt. I was pretty happy with it, but I am just NOT "Becky Home-ecky," so don't get too excited. =) I made the main flower part from a round cake pan, the petals from cupcakes with a little notch cut out of them, and my favorite part....the stem from green finger jello! I was pretty proud of myself for that idea. Even though I'm not very good at baking it's still really fun to make birthday cakes for your kids. I think I'll try to do it every year. We ended up just giving her a little round cake to dig into, cause i just couldn't let her destroy my "masterpiece". Here's some pictures of Kara's special day. I love you, my sweet Kara Suzanne!
P.S. Something very special happened on Kara's birthday. Travis' brother, Trent, called to tell us "Happy Birthday to Kara AND her new little cousin, William Riley Gravley!" Isn't that cool? Cousins born exactly one year apart! We love you, little Will.

A Nursery for Heaven

First, I want to thank my blogging wife for allowing me this guest appearance on her blog.  If you didn't realize it was "her's," take note of the now very feminine blog template.  If it were mine, that would never fly.

Anyway, I wanted to pass on something God has been pounding into my thick skull lately.  I have been challenged by the book of Deuteronomy to step up and make my home centered on God and His Word.  Deuteronomy 6 says,

6And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise

So, first God's Word needs to "be on your heart," then like an overflowing cup, it should flow out of your mouth all throughout the day and night.

I was reminded of this challenge again today as I read this segment of a prayer from Valley of Vision, a book of Puritan prayers (this prayer was posted on challies.com for Mother's Day),

Sanctify and prosper my domestic devotion,
instruction, discipline, example,
that my house may be a nursery for heaven,
my church the garden of the Lord,
enriched with trees of righteousness of thy planting,
for thy glory;

A nursery for heaven -- trees of righteousness -- Wow!  What a thought!  As we continue day by day participating in these divine institutions (family and church), may we be known as those who knew and loved the Scriptures.  May it be ever on our hearts and on our tongues that our children and those under our influence may become trees of righteousness in the garden of the Lord.

IT'S OVER!!!

Samuel has now completed his potty training....HALLELUJAH!!!!! I really thought his senior year of highschool would be quite embarrassing with having to wear a pull-up. So glad we can put this"behind" us (if you know what I mean....heeheehee) =) Don't ask me for ANY potty

training advice. I have nothing to offer except, for this kid at least, he wasn't ready until he was ready. Last week he began sitting up on the potty (with his pull-up on). I called it "practicing". I noticed that he was always doing his thing while standing up. So....I decided to work on the sitting down part first. He did a great job with it. He would tell me when he had to go, and then I would run him into the bathroom and sit him up on the seat with his pull-up on. He'd do his thing and then I'd clean him up. Crazy, I know, but I was trying everything I could think of. Then on Mother's Day night (I'll spare you the gory details), we caught him in the act and made a big, funny deal out of it, resorting to "potty talk". He thought this was hilarious and jumped right in on it, cracking himself up about it all. The next morning, out of the blue, he asked to go to the potty and for the last twp days.....well....SUCCESS!!!! Tonight at bed time he said, "Mom, when you pray, thank Jesus that I'm not afraid to go poopy in the potty anymore." And so I did, because I really AM thankful!

Samuel - potty training begins (spring 2007)

Samuel - potty training ends - (Spring 2008)