Yeah for Chocolate

I oh so love chocolate. Seriously, it is grand! So I jumped at the opportunity to expose my children to all the wonders of chocolate when Sarah and Danny K. invited us to the Chocolate Festival on 2nd Street in Belmont. And on the way home Mak fell asleep with gum in her mouth ( mom learned a lesson) and got gum stuck in her hair. So we tried out the Peanut Butter approach. Then bubbled up the bath tub to get gum AND PB out of her hair. And it actually worked!! Here is the evidence of a day well spent on family and good friends.

Beauty for Ashes

A dear friend of mine got my thoughts rolling a month or so ago. This idea of Beauty to Ashes. Thank you for challenging me.
The following is a song by Crystal Lewis- the words struck me today.

He gives beauty for ashes
Strength for fear
Gladness for mourning
Peace for despair

When sorrow seems to surround you
When suffering hangs heavy oer your head
Know that tomorrow brings
Wholeness and healing
God knows your need
Just believe what He said

He gives beauty for ashes
Strength for fear Gladness for mourning
Peace for despair

When what youve done keeps you from moving on
When fear wants to make itself at home in your heart
Know that forgiveness brings
Wholeness and healing
God knows your need
Just believe what He said

He gives beauty for ashes
Strength for fearGladness for mourning
Peace for despair

I once was lost but God has found me
Though I was bound Ive been set free
Ive been made righteous in His sight
A display of His splendor all can see

He gives beauty for ashes
Strength for fearGladness for mourning
Peace for despair

"...to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair." (Isaiah 61:3)

3 + 2 = Buds for life!

We get the joy of hanging out with the McElderry Trio every week. The trio consist of Eliana (Eli), Vivian (Vivi), and Cael (Cael boy). They are a crack up! Mak and Zeke have grown up with these guys, almost like honorary cousins. Just thought I would show off the buds enjoying another random day of play at the weavers. Dress up is one of the favorite pass time--even for Zeke. And as the first photo shows, Zeke loves having someone to take care of. A week ago, Cael was sitting in his chair and Zeke brought his toy cars over to Cael and played for 30 minutes showing Cael how to move the cars around. It was sooo cute! And the girls...their imagination never ends. Between playing "mommy", or "princesses" or "school" ( sometimes all three together) there is a lot of laughter.

Say what?!

Makayla was sitting on her grandmother Kathy's lap. All snuggled up, she turned her head gave out a long heavy cough. Her cousin Corbin had been over the previous day who had a cough. As Kathy held Mak, Kathy said, "Did you get Corbin's cough?". Mak looked up at her with a very serious and astonished face and said, "No! I have my own cough!".

Oh how everything seems to belong to 'me' when we are young! Even sickness.