It's almost time...

It's almost that time. Yes, the BIG day. The day we never thought would come. The day that almost a year ago we could never have envisioned...as we were way too sleep deprived and still thought we would die of lack of sleep. But we made it! Yes, folks, it is almost time for Ella's first birthday bash! I have cried about this several times this week: not out of sadness, but from remembering when there was a time I wasn't sure if I'd ever have a child's birthday in this home. What a joy it has been getting to know this child of God! 

Mommy needs a TIME OUT!!...and please pass the Tylenol...

Normally, I talk about how wonderful and fabulous motherhood is. Don't get me wrong, it is all those things...but I am over this week. She can't help it that she is sick...I mean, we should have seen this coming. On Sunday as we are dropping her off at the church nursery, I see him...yep, that snotty nosed sick kid who SHOULD NOT be in the nursery. Please parents...stop bringing your kids to the nursery when they are sick!! 

Sure enough, the croupy cough started which progressed to wheezing yesterday. The short story is that we took Ella to the ER and they pretty much concluded she is either asthmatic or has reactive airway disease. What does this mean? It means when my kid gets sick, it will go straight to those little lungs and she will wheeze and need breathing treatments and steroids. How does this affect you? It means if I see you dropping off a sick kid in the church nursery, I will very politely have to say something to you. 

As a result, Ella is now on her second day of oral steroids...which means she has turned into "evil child". I don't blame her. I know she can't help it. I know what it feels like when you are on steroids. Plus, she can't sleep because she is constantly coughing. Throw on top of that every 4 hour breathing treatments where she kicks, screams, etc...well, let's just say I need a time out and some Tylenol.

Dear Ella,

Ok, so it breaks my heart that you are sick. But can you please hurry up and get well?...mommy is getting gray hair after this week. 

Your mommy

Pretty in Pink...

They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder; well, this beholder thinks this girl is just a gorgeous vision in pink. Pink is her signature color after all. I can't even think of any comments to place next to these pictures because they really speak for themselves. Happy Easter!

Easter Eggstravaganza

So, this weekend we decided to host our very own Easter Egg Hunt! It was so much fun and it made my heart feel so good to watch a bunch of kids enjoy themselves. The weather was perfect for hunting multi-colored plastic eggs, including a special Golden and Silver Egg. Here's some pictures of all the precious little ones. I think I got snapshots of most of the kids, minus a few of the babies that were nestled in carriers and such; I think the grand total (including adults) was 43!

Ella finding her very first Easter Egg!

Jennifer and Briggs 

Carter 

Madison (who found the Golden Egg)

Abby, Nate, and Emma 

Nate (who found the silver egg) and Mia

Grady and Garrett 

Sarah Kate

Alexia (who was more interested in going down the slide with Ella than hunting eggs!)

Miles

Colby

Abby

Ian

Zach and Logan

and shy little Annabelle!

We can't wait to do it again next year!!!!

A Legacy...

So, this day is always a happy/sad one for me each year. 5 years ago today, my grandmother, my inspiration, was given a new body...she was greated by God and I am sure His first words to her were "Well done my good and faithful child!" 

She had very little, but gave everything she had to others. She was a quiet woman who never uttered an unkind word to a single human being. She never thought of herself as anything special, although she was an incredibly talented pianist; she was so humble about her talents. She loved children, flowers, her piano, her bible, but most of all, she loved the Lord. I can only hope to become more like her. It is such a beautiful story how she went to be with the person she loved the most on the very day that we celebrate His resurrection: Easter Sunday. The picture posted here is Ella at around 7 months playing my grandmother's piano. Although this piano is nothing fussy or fancy, it holds such a special place in my heart.

Right after she passed away, I heard this song on the radio that I have on my blog: "Legacy". I thought of her right away when I heard this song. It has new meaning to me now that I have a child. I wonder if I am living a life that will be a legacy to Ella. I wonder if she will think of me the way I always thought of my grandmother. "How will they remember me? Did I chose to Love? Did I point to you enough to make a mark on things?...I want to leave a legacy."

I will never forget the special memories we made while she kept me every Monday and Tuesday as a child. I always think of her when I play so poorly on her piano...because I am sure she would say "Sarah, that was beautiful"...as she often told me as a child. I laugh when I think of how many times she told my parents I was an angel even when I had been completely rotten that day. And I will always remember how she always told us as children to be "peacemakers"...although, I'm not sure I understood her at the time.

I wish I could spend a day with her...tell her how much I miss and love her. I wish I could show her how beautiful her great granddaughter is. But, I know without a doubt that she and I will be playing duets on the piano again in eternity. How lucky I am to have known her and the legacy she left for me. 

A trip down memory lane...

With Ella's 1st birthday quickly approaching, I was thinking I should make a collage of my favorite photos over this past year. Of course, now that I look at it, I realize I made it using only recent pictures...so, this is just my practice one. What? You thought I was going to cut and paste a collage...oh please! Why would I do that when I can just download a fun program that can do it for me?! I'm probably going to get a virus from doing this. But, hey...this is pretty good, eh?

My teacher, my daughter, my heart...

As we grow up, we have many teachers...teachers in school, our parents, perhaps a minister. But, no one told me that my child is the greatest teacher I would ever have. We are told as parents that we are to raise them and guide them, but I can't help but feel that Ella is teaching me way more than I could ever teach her.  When you look at your child, you have a small glimpse into God's heart; you start to have a small understanding of how much He must love us, his children. 

Ready for Spring in our pink clothes!

Learning to walk

The family

My teacher...my heart...my daughter...