Sorry... no pictures again, maybe sometime soon! heheh. It's kind of a long post... but if you don't want to read the first part please at least read the story at the end.
Lately I have just felt so so blessed with the life that I live. I have an amazing husband who loves me and does so much for our little family! He sacrifices so much, and I feel blessed just to have him in my life. He's amazing! The conversations we have are so funny sometimes. We were talking last night about how much I laugh when I'm with him and really... it's non-stop.
I have a BEAUTIFUL daughter! Yesterday afternoon, I took a nap and about an hour into it, I was woken up by Lily slamming our dresser drawers. Todd came up a few minutes later and we all decided to play on our bed. Todd was being a "steam-roller" and Lily was diving over him. Then she would go "OH DADDY!" We were cracking up! We played ring-a-round-the-rosies and all sorts of fun games with her. She was jumping all around and by the end of the play session she was sweaty... it was so funny. She really is getting such a fun personality. Todd taught her to talk to the baby last night. It was so cute. I was laying on the bed and Todd leaned into my belly and said, "Hi baby!" Lily proceeded to lean in and say, "HI BOOTS!" She repeated everything Todd said. It was stinking adorable! I wish we would have caught it on tape... maybe another time. She seems to be really excited to have a baby brother. I asked her if she wanted a baby brother or sister and she said brother... so let's hope she stays that way for a while.
Speaking of the baby... we are getting SO excited for him to come! I love all the little kicks I'm starting to feel and how much more frequent they are getting. I love talking to him and just appreciating everything that is happening in this pregnancy. I was introduced to a support group in Cedar for women who have all lost babies. It's amazing sitting there with these amazing women. They are all so strong and every story is different, but it's so good to hear how they all commemorate their babies. I think many times when someone loses a baby, the world looks as it as they don't have that baby anymore.... That is COMPLETELY wrong. I am a mother of two beautiful children with one on the way. But going to this group makes me realize that I do need to get excited about every thing that happens with this pregnancy, because you never know when it will be taken away from you. Which brings me to a story that I was introduced to this past week, It makes me cry every time I read it!
The white rose
All the earth's mother were gathered together at God's garden of flowers. Those beautiful budding spirits who would someday come to earth, were nurtured and tended in the garden. A loving father spoke to the mothers. "See the works of my hands, someday you will be mothers to these radiant spirits". The garden glowed with the mixture of all kinds and colors. "choose ye", he said. Now in the east corner of the garden, pure white roses stood as sentinels. They were not so colorful as the rest, but glowed with a kind of purity which set them apart. One by one, the mothers stepped forward. "I want the blue eyed, curly haired one who will grow to maturity and be a mother in zion". Yet another chose a brown eyes, brown haired boy, full of life and love who would someday be a prince in a grand country. The garden buzzed with excitement as the others chose their own special spirits, they whom they would soon welcome into the warmth and love of an earthly home. Once again the father spoke "But who will take the white roses, the ones in the east corner of the garden? These will return to me in purity and goodness; they will not stay long in your home, for i must bring them back to my garden for they belong with me, but they will gain bodies as was planned. You will miss them and long for them, but i will personally care for them." "No, not I," many said in unison. "I could not bear to give one back so soon." "Nor I," said others. "We will take those who will remain and grow to maturity and live long lives." The loving father looked out across the multitudes of mothers with a longing in his eyes for someone to step forward. But there was only silence. Then he said "See the most pure and perfect of all the white ones? I chose him. He will go down and be a sacrifice for all mankind. He will be scorned, mocked, and crucified. He is mine own. Will not anyone choose like unto him?" A few mothers stepped forward. "Yes, lord, i will." Then another, and, "I as well," "Yes, we will lord." Soon all the white roses were taken, and they rejoiced in the choices of their mothers. The father spoke again, "Oh, blessed are you who chose the white roses, for your pain will be a heavy cross to bear, but your joy will be exceeding beyond anything you can understand at this time." The white ones embraced their mothers, and so full was their purity and love that it filled their souls with such endearment. Each mother knew they could endure the task. The greatest of all the white ones, gathered them as a hen gathers her chicks, and the outpouring of love surrounded each mother and child, consuming all the white ones as he prepared them for their task. And each mother who bore the weight of the white rose, would feel the overwhelming love of God, as they all shouted "Thy will be done."
So this weekend we had yet another birthday party for Lily and another cousin. Her cousin Robbie and her are 10 days apart and are seriously just best friends! They have so much fun together and love each other so much! It's the best watching them interact together. Well since Robbie was visiting this weekend we decided to do another little party for them for both of their birthdays. It was basically just a bunch of us getting together at the park so they could play and eat some cake and ice cream. The pictures of them together was right before the party, but right AFTER they had just made a huge mess in the bathroom with the bathtub. Hence the no pants on. :)
