Well our little Ella Grace was recovering from a high fever on her birthday, which unfortunately put a damper on any kind of celebration. Then the day after her birthday she and I flew to Texas and spent the next 4 weeks with Aunt Wendy, Uncle GG, & her new baby cousin, Jake. So this is a month late, but in honor of our sweet one year old, here are a few things we love about Ella:
~The way her entire face lights up when she smiles
~The dimple on her left cheek (still there!)
~She seems to be keeping her daddy's beautiful eyes.
~When she's sleepy she lays her head on your shoulder & sucks her thumb & index finger.
~Whenever she hears music (in the car, a commercial on TV, coming through speakers in a store) she immediately smiles and starts swaying back & forth.
~The way she can look at her Daddy like only a daughter can, & reduce him to a pile of goo on the floor.
~All she has to do is reach out her hand and give a high pitched little grunt & she gets anything she wants. (Who needs words?)
~Her hair is finally long enough that Mom can stop giving Caleb pig tails. (Just kidding about CJ - but I have come close!)
~The way she can eat an entire banana in three bites. (Just make sure the peel is out of sight or she gets really mad that she can't eat that too!)
~She seems to have skipped the open-mouthed baby kisses & actually puckers her lips to give you a kiss - LOVE it!
~She would chose her brothers to play with over any toy or baby doll.
Here is a collection of pictures from our first year with our precious girl:
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Opportunity granted
I'm always looking and praying for opportunities to reveal God to my children. I want them to know how real He is, how close He is...closer than a brother, how much He loves us...more than we can ever imagine. That He protects us and provides for our every need. I want them to know that God just isn't someone we learn about on Sunday or say prayers to before we eat our meals. He is our Father...our best friend...our creator... & loves us so much that He became a man himself, sacrificing his own life so that through Jesus we can have a personal, real, honest, daily relationship with him. Everything we say or do should first be filtered through the truth of His word & should be reflection of His love and work in our lives. I want them to know that their lives are truly in His hands, and although He has given us charge over them for a time, that their lives & futures are ultimately His.
As I type, my mind is still reeling over the morning happenings at my parent's apartment. I am here by myself with the kids for the day. To make a long story short, I owe my parents a toaster. But what I really wanted to share was the obvious way God protected my children and the many reminders of his hand in my life that he has placed on my heart in the last few hours.
#1 He is near...always! He is closer than we can even begin to imagine. The toaster was absolutely engulfed in flames & all I knew to do was to call out to him. I also knew I needed to unplug it and/or close the door to smother it...which I did...somehow. I do NOT remember how I did it. I know I didn't reach into the flames, which I would have had to do to close the door or unplug it...but somehow, that's what I did...or did He? All I know is when it was over, the flames were gone, the apartment was filled with smoke, the alarm was sounding, all three kids were screaming...but we were all safe - and He was HERE with us. I felt His presence like never before. But what He reminded me in the aftermath was that He is that close ALL the time. Why does it take a fire that threatens my family to remind me of it?
#2 He has a specific plan for each of us. I had just told Joshua I was going to run down to the van to get some clothes. (My parents live on the third floor of an apartment building) The minute I put my hand on the front door I thought, "Oh I have lunch in the toaster, I better check on it." The second I stepped into the kitchen, the toaster went up in flames, followed by the wood cabinets above. Nobody will convince me that it wasn't the Lord that spoke to me at the door. Two words for those that know me - Mommy brain. Do you know how many times a week I put bread in the toaster in the morning only to discover it at lunch time? I held on to Ella a little longer today before I put her down for her nap. As the Lord spoke the words to my heart, they came forth from my mouth, "the Lord has a plan for you, sweet girl" Jeremiah 29:11 says "I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you & not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future" I don't know how many times I've read that verse in my life, but today it had new meaning. He doesn't just have any future for us. I believe He made it clear to me today that He has a specific plan for each of my children on this side of eternity. So far all I know is that it included today. I was about to walk out the door. I would have been gone. He didn't save me today. He saved my children. He has a plan for them, & though it may be threatened, nothing can thwart it.
#3 He answers prayer. I'm sure you have all seen the news about the boy in Florida that was burned by his classmates. I had trouble sleeping those first few nights, heart-broken by the horror that little boy must have endured, trying to imagine what his Mom must be going through, and fighting nightmarish thoughts of my own children suffering a similar fate. I finally took it to the Lord, knowing these thoughts were not from Him. These thoughts are paralyzing me with fear & I know you do not give us a spirit of fear. I know I sound paranoid, but you know my thoughts anyway, so I may as well voice them to you. Please heal that boy, comfort his mother, and please, please protect my children from ever having to bear the pain from a similar experience... I release my fears to you & accept your peace that passes all understanding....
Take it as you may, but I believe with all of my heart that He answered that prayer today. By the way, I did take the opportunity to talk to Joshua about God's obvious hand in our lives this morning. It was a sweet time. Our pastor really challenged me last week with this question: "Is the life I'm living worthy of the death He died to give it to me?" I hope to make a better go at it.
I came so that they may have life and have it more abundantly John 10:10
As I type, my mind is still reeling over the morning happenings at my parent's apartment. I am here by myself with the kids for the day. To make a long story short, I owe my parents a toaster. But what I really wanted to share was the obvious way God protected my children and the many reminders of his hand in my life that he has placed on my heart in the last few hours.
#1 He is near...always! He is closer than we can even begin to imagine. The toaster was absolutely engulfed in flames & all I knew to do was to call out to him. I also knew I needed to unplug it and/or close the door to smother it...which I did...somehow. I do NOT remember how I did it. I know I didn't reach into the flames, which I would have had to do to close the door or unplug it...but somehow, that's what I did...or did He? All I know is when it was over, the flames were gone, the apartment was filled with smoke, the alarm was sounding, all three kids were screaming...but we were all safe - and He was HERE with us. I felt His presence like never before. But what He reminded me in the aftermath was that He is that close ALL the time. Why does it take a fire that threatens my family to remind me of it?
#2 He has a specific plan for each of us. I had just told Joshua I was going to run down to the van to get some clothes. (My parents live on the third floor of an apartment building) The minute I put my hand on the front door I thought, "Oh I have lunch in the toaster, I better check on it." The second I stepped into the kitchen, the toaster went up in flames, followed by the wood cabinets above. Nobody will convince me that it wasn't the Lord that spoke to me at the door. Two words for those that know me - Mommy brain. Do you know how many times a week I put bread in the toaster in the morning only to discover it at lunch time? I held on to Ella a little longer today before I put her down for her nap. As the Lord spoke the words to my heart, they came forth from my mouth, "the Lord has a plan for you, sweet girl" Jeremiah 29:11 says "I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you & not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future" I don't know how many times I've read that verse in my life, but today it had new meaning. He doesn't just have any future for us. I believe He made it clear to me today that He has a specific plan for each of my children on this side of eternity. So far all I know is that it included today. I was about to walk out the door. I would have been gone. He didn't save me today. He saved my children. He has a plan for them, & though it may be threatened, nothing can thwart it.
#3 He answers prayer. I'm sure you have all seen the news about the boy in Florida that was burned by his classmates. I had trouble sleeping those first few nights, heart-broken by the horror that little boy must have endured, trying to imagine what his Mom must be going through, and fighting nightmarish thoughts of my own children suffering a similar fate. I finally took it to the Lord, knowing these thoughts were not from Him. These thoughts are paralyzing me with fear & I know you do not give us a spirit of fear. I know I sound paranoid, but you know my thoughts anyway, so I may as well voice them to you. Please heal that boy, comfort his mother, and please, please protect my children from ever having to bear the pain from a similar experience... I release my fears to you & accept your peace that passes all understanding....
Take it as you may, but I believe with all of my heart that He answered that prayer today. By the way, I did take the opportunity to talk to Joshua about God's obvious hand in our lives this morning. It was a sweet time. Our pastor really challenged me last week with this question: "Is the life I'm living worthy of the death He died to give it to me?" I hope to make a better go at it.
I came so that they may have life and have it more abundantly John 10:10
Friday, October 9, 2009
I'm an Aunt!!
...I guess I should also mention that Donnie is an uncle :) Well, apparently all I had to do was blog about my impatience to send Wendy into labor. Almost immediately after I posted yesterday's blog, her labor started. Jake Ryan Miller (my nephew...I mean our nephew) was born yesterday at 9:09 pm and weighed 9 lbs 1 oz, 20in long. Yes that's right, my little sister pushed out a nine pound baby! I have nothing on her now :) I was there for every second of it and I wouldn't have traded that moment for the world! Hopefully I got a good video despite the fact I was trying to see through an ocean of tears. Wendy was amazing through it all, & for the first time I witnessed a daddy actually jump up and down as his son was delivered. (I needed a laugh at that point - thanks G) Jake is doing well. He needed some oxygen for awhile last night, but he's a trooper & doing great. Here is a link to the first pictures of our new little linebacker. We love you baby Jake!
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Waiting...
Well Ella & I have been in Texas 1 week and are trying to be patient as we wait for the arrival of our sweet baby Jake. It's been such a blessing to be able to spend some time with my sister, but I'm ready to be an aunt!! Here are some snapshots of the last week.
sleepy girl...
Ella & Aunt Wendy sporting their Texas longhorn shirts...
Our ONE year old...(party is being postponed until Daddy & brothers get here)
Daddy, Joshua, & Caleb ~ WE MISS YOU!!! XOXOXO
Thursday, October 1, 2009
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