Just Like Me

This is Licorice. A dog who wandered into our yard yesterday and got adopted by our kids for 2 hours. She was the cutest and sweetest dog, but kept running towards the road so we let her come inside for awhile. We asked neighbors and no one knew who she belonged to, so we called the animal shelter and they came to retrieve her. Of course that prompted lots of tears from the kids! The shelter will hold her for 11 days and then she will be put up for adoption if her family doesn't claim her. And as soon as Joel got home last night... "Daddy, can we have Licorice forever?" Oh, and we have no idea if the dog's name is Licorice or not. It's just what my kids picked for her.

The other night we were going to a birthday party and Amelia decided she wanted to look just like me. I curled her hair (she wanted a perm but I don't know if they will give perms to 6 year olds), she picked out a blue shirt like me, and jeans like me. I need to remember this day for when she's 16 and decides she doesn't want to dress anything like me!

Annual Grace Covenant Talent Show!

Every year our church holds a very fun talent show. It's always fun to watch! This year my girls were in two of the acts:

Here is a short video of Emma playing the "Snake Charmer" on the piano. Only grandparents might be interested in watching!

And this video features my girls and some good friends singing a song about the Pilgrims and then the Presidents Song from CC.

Just for fun - here is a video of Jedi Frank from Walt Disney World. He is fighting Darth Vader... and giggling.

7 Years

Here we are, pretending that we are on Little House on the Prairie with our sewing projects. I love how the girls can do their own plastic canvas projects without much help.

For 7 years I have been saying that I will make a shade for our front door! Well, today is the day. I finally bought the fabric, sewed the shade, and Joel hung it up. Now I need to pick my next project that will take me the next 7 years.

Comfort

³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, ⁴ who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. ⁵ For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. 2 Corinthians 1:3-5

This was part of my Bible reading for today. Something I have read and heard before, but today it had a greater impact on me. I have seen God do this in my life, He has used my trials and struggles to fill my heart with compassion towards other people. It can be so easy to pass judgement on other people who are suffering, after all, isn't it sometimes their own fault? Then something called Depression entered my life and I haven't been the same. As I have fought the battle with depression for years now, I have seen God literally care for me through my friends and family. His comfort is always present and real and just as I have shared in the sufferings of Christ, my comfort has also abounded through Christ. Now when I hear about people who are suffering my heart fills with compassion for them, no matter what the cause of their suffering is. For I have experienced God's comfort and compassion each and every time I suffer, whether the suffering is a result of my own sin or not.

Nature Club

The kids have decided to form a Nature Club. They picked up trash in the yard, watered plants, and made a big pile of sticks. Amelia loved reusing the water from the "stream" in our backyard to water the plants; thus conserving water. Everyone is excited about the daffodils coming up!

Frank

FRANK

I don't remember exactly when he acquired this nickname. I know it came from Joel, a few years ago, and it has stuck. So much that other people even call him Frank.

But the other day he said, "Mom don't call me Frank anymore. My name is Lukey." So here he is with his "tough" look. In a laundry basket. Wearing his Toy Story sunglasses from Disney World :)

First Day

I never thought I would write a blog. I mean, what do I have to say? But I have been inspired by some great friends who do a wonderful job at keeping us up-to-date with their families. I have been realizing how many moments are flying by and I keep thinking, I should write that down! Well, this is an attempt to do just that.