Elsie is TWO! (and a Birthday Park Playdate)

Elsie Grace,

Why hello there sweet little girl?!  I truly cannot believe that it was TWO YEARS ago that you came into this world and forever changed our lives. 

Elsie, you truly have been adding sweetness to our days since you're birth. Our prayer is that you continue to do this very thing every day of your life. {Because everyone could use a little more sweetness in their life?!}

This past year has been full of kisses, dirty diapers, smiles, cheese (yes... cheese is your favorite food), dress up, tantrums and tears, memories, play dates, time impressing your future boyfriend/hubby, Jackson, wars and hugs with your sister, dance parties and most of all, incredible amounts of JOY and GRACE.

We absolutely love watching you grow and standing on the sidelines as God works His way in you. Your spirit is oh so very sweet and we're convinced that you'll be the one daughter who won't ever move too far away from her mommy.  :) (Can we guarantee that now?!)

For your birthday this year, we spent your actual birthday celebrating with our little family.  You opened your gifts (with lots of help from your big sister) and indulged in a red velvet cupcake.  The following day we spent the morning celebrating with friends at a nearby park where we played and enjoyed a little birthday cake (all while wearing a pink tutu, because every birthday girl gets to wear a tutu to the park on her special day!). 

All in all, it was a great celebration of your life!

Elsie - our prayer this year is that you would "grow in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men" (Luke 2:52).

Just as we know that God delights in you, we too delight in you day in and day out.

xoxo,
mommy and daddy

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The Best Kind of Full

These days whenever I go out with all three girls it seems almost a foregone conclusion that someone will tell me "It looks like you've got your hands full?!"  In the grocery store. While shopping at Target. During playtime at the park. And even when walking into our church each Sunday.  I'm not over exaggerating when I say that this phrase is uttered at least once a day to our little family.  

Now thankfully I'm not one to take offense when someone says this to me.  I really don't think the people who utter these words to us have ill-intent.  They are just stating a fact.  We do have our hands full.  

The best kind of full.  

Our hands are full of little hands wanting to be held as we cross the street because they know they are safest when they are close to mommy and daddy. 

Our hands are full of groceries waiting to be put into our fridge and thankfully this marks the goodness of God's provision for our family. 

Our hands are full of three little laps wanting to be read to because we value the art of literature and are blessed to be able to read. 

Our hands are full of Apple products because honestly, how would we get through the day without the genius work of Steve Jobs helping teach our littles their letters via the iPad or taking photos with our iPhones.

Our hands are full of a cup of coffee (and sometimes a glass of wine) as it really is one of the secrets to surviving these years with little ones under our wings. 

Our hands are full of little hands joining us as we pray to our Heavenly Father each night before bedtime. 

Our hands are full of little piggie toes wanting to be painted the exact same color as mommy's. 

Our hands are full of "water wrinkles" (we say our hands look like prunes) because bath time serves two purposes - it is an opportunity to clean our little babes and it provides an hour of entertainment during some of the hardest minutes of the day.  

Our hands are full of countless toys needing to be picked up after the kids have gone down for the night and rather than begrudge the task of putting them away, we choose to thank God that we're fortunate to have children to play with them.  

And last (but most importantly), our hands are full of God's Word, because there really is nothing else we can turn to that can guide us in this parenting journey the way that God offers to teach through the Bible.

It's true.  Our hands (and hearts) are very full!  

The Best Kind of Full. 

~Happy Mother's Day~

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