Easter Sunday

I love Easter.  It's the most meaningful holiday for a Christian.  We celebrate Jesus' resurrection.  It is the fundamental basis for our faith.  My small group has been doing a four week study looking into the facts of Easter.  Upon completing this study, I stand more firm and sure of the truth behind the resurrection of Christ.  It's so encouraging to learn about the brilliant people who have set out to prove my faith wrong, and in turn walk away believing it themselves.  The evidence is overwhelming.  So many people don't believe because it doesn't make sense to them, but they only know information on an elementary level.  Look into it.  You'll find answers.  Answers to questions you didn't even know you had.

I'm going to do my best to raise children who know what Easter is really about.  I want them to know why we celebrate this holiday.  I can only pray they will listen.  Now, that doesn't mean I won't participate in dyeing eggs, or hiding baskets around the house, or faking a few rabbit tracks across the living room floor.  I just won't put the emphasis on those activities.  I hope I can do that.

That being said, one of the best things about having a little girl at Easter is The Dress!  One of the worst things about having a baby, is spit up.  She soaked her beautiful new dress before we left the house.  Bummer!

She got her first Easter basket - loaded with things she already owned.  Don't tell her.  The only new things she got was a princess wand (which she can't play with for like 2 years) and a necklace (which she can't wear until she's 10).  I'm still learning.

We headed over to grandma and grandpa's house to meet up with the rest of the family.  We tried to take a few pictures with her cousins Ethan and Allison.  It didn't work out as we had hoped.

Ally's just about had it!

We put the little one down for a nap and had an Easter egg hunt for the "big kids" out back.

Of course there were bubbles.

And the soccer ball always makes it's way out.  I love my dad's face in this one!

And these sweet faces melt my heart.

Ethan is waiting patiently for my mom to open this egg.

It was a blessed Easter.  I hope yours was too.

Four Months?! Already?

She smiles like crazy.

Is on the verge of laughing.

Warms my heart.

 Loves bath time.

Is constantly learning, watching, cooing.

(You can see her cyst here.  It's the bubble not the fold under her ear.)

Has impossible fingernails.  

She is the most amazing little gift from God.  

I'm obsessed with her.

She sucks on her hands like she's starving all the time.

My sweet little girl is four months old. 

The Surgeon Speaks

On April 11th we met with the surgeon again.  He looked Andrey over and said she looked "perfect".  I responded with "I know, right?".

He's obviously a smart man.

He doesn't think anything needs to be done about the cyst for a while.  We are set to go back in 6 more months.  The cyst is barely visible, it doesn't affect her movement or cause any pain.  There is a chance she won't ever have it removed.  It could stay small and continue to blend in with her neck.  There is also a chance that she could get sick (with an ear infection or something else just as common) and the cyst could triple in size.  Freaky.  She will most likely get another MRI in the future to make sure it isn't changing or growing into any muscles.

Side note: Dr. Surgeon Man said he just saw a two year old who came in with a cyst the size of a grapefruit on his neck.  Great.  The parents didn't even know he had one and BAM!  Citrus fruit bubble.  So at least I know she has this and I'll only panic a little when/if this happens to her.

Then on Friday Andrey had her four month check up.  She got her shots again and cried like a baby...which made me cry like a baby.  She weighed 11lbs 8oz and was 23inches long.  She is in the 10th percentile for both height and weight.  Just a little stinker!

Finally, what fun is a post without pictures?

Little Peanut was crying in almost all the fam photos we tried to take.  

This isn't the best shot but it will have to do.

Nostrils anyone?

So sweet with her daddy.

Art For The Nations

As most of you know, I volunteer as a small group leader with high school freshmen girls.  It's exhausting and wonderful.  I've been with this same group of girls since they were in 6th grade and boy have they changed in four years.

They challenge me every Wednesday night.  They make me laugh hysterically.  They have more energy than I know what to do with.  They are desperate to learn more about God, life and...boys.  I love the strange questions they ask.  I love their creativity and growing maturity.  I love them!

It's an awesome experience to be a part of their lives.  Fo sho.

This last Wednesday we went downtown for a service project.  We went to Art For The Nations.  They provide free art supplies to groups of people going on outreach projects around the world.  These people help create fun art projects with children from the area they are serving.

What we did on Wednesday was create canvas bags to hold all the supplies.  The bags are usually given to children all around the world.  I put a postcard on my completed bag with my address on it.  I'm hoping the person who ends up with it will send me a little note so I know how far it travelled.

I'm opting not to include pictures of the girls.  Just in case I get in trouble.

We started with these blank bags.

Then each girl let her creative juices flow.  I tried to mess with my cameras settings, which is why all the photos look so different.  I'm learning.

We loaded each bag with a predetermined amount of craft supplies.

Finished bags filled with goodies!

There is something so rewarding about serving with kids.  They are desperate to help others, to make a difference.  They think they can change the world.

I think they're right.

Andy Warhol

We're practically famous. 

We're like Marilyn Monroe.  

Only much better looking of course.