Happy Birthday Lily Kate & Ella!

(Actual picture from their party)

Lily Kate, you turn 3 today!! Even though I know that’s not old, right now it seems ancient. You, my little girl, are something else. You talk all the time, love to help me and are quite dramatic. As I was telling the babysitter that you fell yesterday and hurt yourself, you heard me telling the story and ran into the kitchen to very dramatically fall to the ground right in front of us. Seriously, you have quite the flair for drama. You are also the little mama around here. When you are following me around the house fussing about nothing, I will distract you by telling you to go and tell the brothers they need to clean their room. Oh, mercy, you forget all about your mini-drama, immediately go into “little mama mode” and run to crack your whip. You make me laugh! Often and hard!

Katie, Kate – I love you little one. I love your gorgeous smile, the way you whisper when you want to tell me something really important and I love listening to you pray. Nothing brings me more joy than your love to pray. I pray that you never lose your love of praying to God and that you know at an early age that He will never leave you and will always love you. I also pray that you know how loved you are by your family, especially your mama.

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Happy birthday Ella! Sister, you crack me up. I was telling you the other day that you’re going to turn three and be a “big girl”! You said, “No! I baby!” You, seriously, have no plans of being anything other than my baby. You put up a brave front and act like you’re all tough, but your bark is way bigger than your bite. Gracie, you are currently obsessed with dora, dinosaurs and ME! Oh, mercy, you love your mama. You also love to twirl this lock of hair, while at the same time sucking your fingers. When you are watching a show and you get scared, you put your blankie over your eyes. SO, very, adorable!

Gracie, Grace – I adore you child. When I look at your little face, my heart swells with love. I love how content you are to sit in my lap and talk to me. I love that in your little world, everything is made better with a fruit snack. You are quite addicted to them. I love that whenever we are in the car, your window has to be “up” (which really means down and you refuse to call it anything other than “up”) and you like the radio loud. Very loud. Sweet Ella, I pray that you know, personally and passionately, Jesus to be your friend and your Savior. I pray that you are so filled and secure by God’s love that you never need any one else to love you. I also pray that you know how adored you are by your family, especially your mama.

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Holy God, please shower these girls with contentment, joy, respect, kindness, peace, and love. Fill their cups with those attributes so that they spill over on to everyone they meet. Father, please let them feel so loved by you and their earthly Daddy that they never feel the need to look for love. Please fill them with purpose and let them find that meaning and purpose at an early age. I pray that their lives glorify you and make you smile. Thank you for sending your son to die on the cross for them. And for me. I love you Father. Amen.

My little oaks

While looking at old blog posts and listening to hymns today, I sobbed. My kids are getting so big.

Caleb has beautiful cursive, is bright, thoughtful, loves animals and has a strong moral compass. He asks BIG questions. Things I have never even thought about before. While discussing evolution and the different theories he says, “So if their theory is that we evolve, what will we evolve into next?” Um, right? What will we evolve into next? Of course, I have no answers for him other than my standard, “Let’s ask Daddy when he gets home.” That child keeps me on my toes and some days can be mentally exhausting, but I can’t imagine life without him.

Luke, mercy, that child is something. His eyes melt my heart. He is so happy-go-lucky, simple, generous, funny and happy. He loves Caleb and so wants to be big like him. He definitely has the “middle child” thing going on where he likes to point out all the ways that he is either different or better than someone else. He has such a simple heart, loves to tell his sisters about God and has such an excitement for life. Lukie is the child that will have me frustrated beyond belief in second and in the next laughing…hard!

Oh, and then my sweet little sisters. Gosh, how I love them. Tomorrow is their big birthday. They have NO idea. I’ll wait until Saturday morning, the day of their party, to decorate their room. They are so funny, I have no idea if the decorated room when they wake to will scare them or make them happy? They are so fragile at times. SO girlie.

I was telling some friends the other day that Motherhood has really defined the word “bittersweet” for me. Tomorrow is another bittersweet moment. My baby girls turn 3. Gosh. Three. Wow.

Sweet Savior,
I don’t know why you chose me, with all my faults, as mama to these amazing, gorgeous children, but thank you. I’m a mess most of the time. And I can’t hide it from you or from these little lovies. Yet, you all still love me. I know I don’t deserve that love and am so humbled by it. Thank you for my little people. My heart is overwhelmed with thanks. Please, Lord, continue to grow these little oaks strong. Firmly rooted in your Word and love. And may they always know that I love them with all that I am. And that is also how I love you, Sweet Savior.