Carmen is 6!!!

How did my baby go from this:

...to this?

I love the song "Stones Under Rushing Water" by Needtobreathe.  The lyrics say
"the years...go by....like stones under rushing water" and that sums up exactly how I feel about watching my kids grow up. 
After a whirlwind delivery ( she was born exactly 15 minutes after I walked in the hospital doors) and a torrential rainstorm the night we drove home from the hospital with her, we should have known she was gonna live out loud!

At times it seemed that Carmen would be that defiant, stubborn little two year old forever.  The one who would plant her hands on her hips, dig in her heels and let me know that if it wasn't her way, it wasn't happening! She redefined parenthood for us, and after having two easy, complacent children before her, we sometimes wondered where we had gone wrong in parenting her! :)  Two more turbulent years went by with her trying to find out who she was, testing the waters time after, but suddenly the tides started to shift.  All those qualities that are just so difficult to manage as a parent suddenly became her BEST traits.  She is now so mentally STRONG, such a leader, and we know that as God continues to harness the strong will he gave her for the good of his kingdom, she is going to do amazing things!  We are so proud of our girl!!!  She is loved by so many!


Morning of her 6th Birthday!




Getting her ears pierced the night before her b-day!




Ta-Da!!



ONE

One month on Waitlist!  Many to go.....

"And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus."  Philippians 4:19

Julia's First Day!

 Julia had her very first day of Preschool in Miss Bonny and Joy's 2 year old classroom on Tuesday!  She was so excited to finally get to go to her own school and have her own cubby to keep her coveted Princess backpack.  She ran right in and started playing giving me the "mom, go on and leave now...I got this" look.  As I looked around at the other parents both in her class and in other classes, I suddenly realized I was the "grandma-mom"! No longer the fresh-faced 26 year old that I was when I brought Bella to this very same room nearly 9 years ago, I just couldn't get over how YOUNG all the parents looked.  Most of them were also either pregnant or were carrying newborn babies in slings around their necks and I suddenly felt ancient! :)  I hopped in the car (alone for nearly the first time in 10 years), cranked up the radio, rolled the windows down, and just drove.  If felt so great to just "be" for that quiet morning, but by the 11:30 pickup time, I was so ready to see my J.  She LOVED it and had stories to tell all day long!
                                                           It happens in a BLINK!!!!