Weekend of fun in the sun.

We had a great weekend getting to enjoy some nice weather in the valley. We had softball games all day Saturday, and I am fired up to get to work with these girls. Abrielle wanted nothing to do with inside but wanted to be playing outside all day. She got to go to the park and she went down the huge slides face first on her belly, no fear. One of them is really fast and good thing Nana was at the bottom or she would have done a face plant with her doll in hand in the sand. Grandpa spent a lot of time with Abrielle out front throwing the frisbee with the dogs, Abrielle busting up the whole time. As you can see Grandpa is one of the links to her beautiful blue eyes, as her Great Grandpa Paul is the other link.

Hmmm

Well, it is not every day you can post there are lots of new things going on. First, we are expecting our second little one this summer. I am 13 weeks now and due in the end of July. When I got that news I have never been more excited to not have to spend the summers in the Valley. We got this nice little surprise just before Thanksgiving. A big surprise it was, but how can you not be excited about the miracle of life. We just bought tickets to go to Hawaii over spring break and I am super excited about that. Two of my friends adopted infants in the last month. I started a new Bible study last week and it will go through the end of Feb. In three weeks softball season starts and I am going to be coaching the JV team. I am starting to get really excited about this. There are some awesome girls I will get to hang out with. And we are getting ready to go on our annual ski trip the first week of Feb. Abrielle is growing fast she is in the 96th percentile for height and 94 for head circumference and average weight. She makes us laugh every day, what could be better. We are sure enjoying her. Hope all is well with everyone. Miss you all.

So much fun to be had

Abrielle has been really enjoying having Brent home these last few days. He introduced her to egg nog. She loves it! Today we went tubing in my parent's back yard. Abrielle loved it. I could not believe she would go down the whole hill by herself without any fear. She even would go over the little jump and get a little air and would just laugh. Puppie Ellie (my mom's Christmas present surprise) was funny trying to jump on the tube with Abrielle. What fun.

Christmas Tradition

Every year we decorate sugar cookies. This year perhaps was a little more enjoyable for the few members of the family who do not enjoy this tradition as much as others. Abrielle was so funny enjoying herself, her joy rubbed off on the rest of us.

Creator of the earth and sky

Driving home tonight I was watching the horizon as the sun set over the rim. What a beautiful view to begin with. Tonight, there was just a sliver of the moon with a bright star just above the moon. That sight brought me to think how awesome God is, creator of the earth and sky. And to know, we only see a sliver of God’s creation made me in awe of God our Creator and Creator of the earth and sky. On a night where some are filled with such darkness, I am thankful to be in awe of the Creator and King of all Kings. Here are a few pictures on this day given to us to worship Him.

Remembering the days

Remember the days when your child was just brand new and each and every day seemed to be so important. We would count how old they are by days. Then slowly it turns into weeks, now months oh and I know it is coming...years. Wow. Well, here is what happens in the life of a 373 day old baby, or 1 year, one week. We had a fun week enjoying being one.

Happy Birthday Abrielle

Here are some of the many pictures we took today of Abrielle's birthday.









What an awesome day! We had so much fun celebrating Abrielle’s birthday. But I think what is really overwhelming me right now is an emotion of thankfulness. Mostly of all the great memories I have over this past year of Abrielle but as I think of those I become thankful for much more. Thankful for God to send his Son so through Him and His sacrifice for my sins I may have eternal life. That is where it only begins but the grace God shows goes way beyond eternal life. I life in His grace daily and I feel so very thankful for that. So much so I am really at a loss for words right now. I am trying to describe this thankfulness I have, and it is beyond my ability to write. Then, I am thankful for my wonderful husband who loves both me and Abrielle so very much. He has a way to communicate this love on a daily basis. I am thankful to have a husband who loves the Lord and his family. I am thankful Brent is the father of my one little baby girl, Abrielle. Putting Abrielle down for bed was really sort of tough for me tonight. I guess God was fully aware, Brent just before I was going to put her to bed asked if I was about ready (he was outside working on our yard in the cold) to put her down. I said yes, and he came right in. We got her in bed and Brent prayed over her, but as I was kneeling next to her crib praying I was just overwhelmed with thankfulness for her. I am thankful for some of the little things like her blue blue eyes, and her smile and her ONE tooth (although she is getting another one). I am thankful for her love for life. I recall the first night we had her home and I was praying over her as she was lying next to me and she smiled her first smile. I believe it was the Holy Spirit bringing joy into this beautiful little baby. She has always been a joyful baby. Seldom is upset, and if she is there is something really wrong. Regardless, I am so thankful for God’s presence in her life over this past year. Although, she is only one I can see God in her. My prayer for her continues to be God would keep her secure and protected in His hand and under the protection of His wing and she would choose to live a life consecrated to God. I pray God will continue to draw her spirit to Him. I am thankful for how she hugs me and says Ahhhhh as she does so. I love how she laughs when I tickle her. I love how she looks for her dad around the house. Wow, why is it that you can become so overwhelmed with thankfulness you stop the ability to think? That is where I am at. I guess I can only end it with saying, I am thankful God can see my heart right now and truly know how thankful I am for this beautiful little girl and the amazing privilege of being called her mom. I am also thankful for God’s grace for all the times I have messed up as her mom this year and for the grace He will continue to pour into me for the times I will mess up in the future. I wish more than anything I could not mess up for this little girl, but am SO thankful for the grace I find when I do. I love you little Abrielle Elyse!

What is wrong with this picture? Look so very close. You might be thinking she really needs a bath, or poor girl she still does not have any hair, or mom did you forget to get her dressed this morning? You better look closer.
We went to the parade this weekend. We had fun but the parade was some what of a dud. It literally rained on our parade and that was sort of funny. It seemed to be sunny everywhere except for directly over us. Abrielle had her first lollypop, she suckered grandma into that one.
Brent took this picture this weekend and I just love here eyes in this picture. Look closely you can see something wrong in this picture too.
We went woodcutting this weekend. One of my absolute favorite things to do. The forest is so pretty right now, and the weather perfect. Here Abrielle is trying to help with the chain saw. She also thought she could help the dogs dig their hole. Too bad I did not have the camera close then. She climbed into the hole they dug and had a stick trying to help with this proud smile on her face.
Well, ok did you find what was wrong in the picture? You are right, she used to have two teeth and now she has one. What? Ya she pulled a table down on herself and knocked her tooth out last Tuesday. OOPS! We call her little miss pirate. She looks a little silly. Oh well,

Climbing

My mom has been telling everyone how much I like to climb. Here is proof. Mom was doing the dishes and turned around to see me like this. She looked a little nervious, something like I was a little close to the tile. I do not know what she is worried about. I have good balance. I do make my mom laugh though when it is bath time and I am trying to climb into the tub. She thinks that is just cute. Hope all of you are doing well.