The Beach

Lila and Charlie LOVED the beach! From the moment Lila's feet hit the sand she had the biggest smile on her face! Being late April, the water was still cold but it didn't stop her and Charlie from splashing in the water and running from the waves. Emily spent most of her time sleeping on the beach, although she did take a little walk with Mimi to collect some shells. Kate didn't like the sand and the prospect of crabs that live in that sand and swim in the ocean paying her a visit, so she had Poppa hold her almost the whole time we were there!




We really had a great day at the beach. We went to the best 'hole in the wall' on the island for lunch and stopped at a shell store for souvenirs of the day. Lila loves her shells and holds them up to her ear to 'hear' the ocean over and over again. Next year we can watch both of our girls splash in the water and build sandcastles. It brings back so many memories from my own childhood. I love that my girls get to experience it as well!

Backyard Fun at Mimi and Poppa's

Lila and Emily LOVE any chance they get to play with their older cousins, Charlie and Kate. Lila and Charlie became best buds and played together from sun up to sun down. Kate played with them too but spent a lot of her time helping to take care of Little Emily.

Mimi's yard is one big playground with lots of things to do and lizards and frogs to capture! The kids had a lot of fun swinging, sliding, swimming, running, riding their bikes, picking flowers, riding the "tractor" (aka lawn mower) with Poppa, making stepping stones with Mimi, chasing butterflies and catching lizards and frogs. There were even firework shows at the end of the evenings! Charlie was a bit protective of the girls but they all loved the show Poppa put on! It's a great big world out there and Mimi's yard is the perfect place to explore it!

Iwo Jima Monument

So the story goes...
Harlon Block was a Marine from The Rio Grande Valley. During the battle of Iwo Jima his platoon was sent to raise the flag on the highest point of the Pacific Island, Iwo Jima. Their picture was taken and history made. This monument, in Harlingen, is the original cast that the bronze statue in Washington DC was made from. Harlon Block died in battle six days after the flag was raised. He now lies in Harlingen with this Iwo Jima tribute.

I lived in Harlingen my whole childhood and never actually visited the monument before, although I've driven by it hundreds of times. It was fascinating! I had to marry a history buff in order to take in the history of my own hometown! Lila had a lot of fun running around the monument and didn't want to stand still long enough for a picture but we did manage a few!

*** Shannon just emailed me to let me know she heard there were six men in the monument but 13 hands... the other mysterious hand belonging to God. I'm not sure if it's true, but if so, I love that the sculptor included God's hand.. for afterall He was there protecting them and giving them strength. I'll have to check it out next time I'm there! Thanks Shannon for sharing that lovely image! ***

Mimi and Poppa's House

We took a road trip to Mimi and Poppa's house! It was a long ten hour drive but Lila is still talking about all the fun she had on our visit, and I loved that we were able to finally get away and spend some much needed time catching up with the people I love most in this world! Thanks Mom and Dad for a great trip!

We hadn't seen Grandma and Grandaddy since Costa Rica so it was fun to see them again. They got to meet Miss Emily for the first time and love on her and all the great-grands. It was so fun to just hang out and enjoy each other! Grandma took the kids to the bookstore and let them all pick out a book and they loved having her read them over and over and over again! Thanks Grandma!


Grandma, Grandaddy and the Great-Grandkids

My Papa and Emily

Gram and Kate
(Summer and I accidentally switched cameras... or kids?!)

Storytime!

Grandma and Emily

Four Generations of Fabulous Women! : )

The Kids

Charlie and Emily... so sweet!

Surgery Update

Emily's surgery went very well. She had a rough four days of pain and struggled to eat, but has since gotten herself organized and is eating and babbling more than ever! Her ENT is pleased with her recovery and has cleared her for table foods! Yea Emily!

She is doing very well with all the new foods she is getting to eat but is still struggling with her bottles... quite the messy drinker! Apparently drinking is harder for some kids than eating so we are giving Emily a few more weeks to get used to her new tongue and figure things out a little better. Her speech therapist is very pleased with her progress however and thinks she'll get it down soon! There have been many curve balls and adjustments Emily has had to overcome, but she continues to show great resolve and won't let a little prematurity stop her!

Answered Prayers...

" For Thou dids't form my inwards parts;
Thou dids't weave me in my mother's womb.

I give thanks to Thee, for I am
fearfully and wonderfully made

Wonderful are Thy works,
And my soul knows it very well."
~Paslm 130:13-14

Thank you all who have been praying for Emily the past few weeks. Today we received the results from the MRI and CT scans. All came back 100% NORMAL!!

Our God is So Good! This news confirmed what her Daddy and I have hoped and prayed for - she will have a rich, full life and not be held back by a lifetime of testing and surgeries. The scans of her brain came back with no abnormalities. No tumors. No hydrocephalus. The scans of her spine did give us a diagnosis of spina bifida occulta but it will not hinder her life in any way. Praise God!

"Great is Thy Faithfulness.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided.
Great is Thy Faithfulness, Lord unto me."

Thank you God for Emily. We've weathered another storm. The clouds are parting and the sun is peaking out, beginning to shine down on us again, bringing your warmth and cheerfulness in everything we see. Thank you sweet Jesus!

Emily will continue with her surgery as planned on Tuesday so please continue to pray for her this next week. My heart is smiling.... Thanks again!

Emily's Basket

This is Emily's basket of paperwork... medical bills, insurance statements and therapy feedback from the past year. Anyone want to guess as to whether or not we will get the deduction for medical expenses for 2007?!?!? : )

Sunday Afternoon Snooze...

Lila's Sunday afternoon nap in her favorite chair...

thirty minutes later...

another thirty minutes later...

and finally back to the original position...

Have I said before just how much I LOVE this girl?!? She's too cute!

TV Breakfast

Just eating breakfast and watching our favorite shows on tv...

A Letter From My Father

I love this and have found comfort in these verses this week. Just thought I'd share...

My Child~
I know everything about you…Psalm 139:1
I know when you sit down and when you rise up…Psalm 139:2
I am familiar with all of your ways…Psalm 139:3
Even the very hairs on your head are numbered…Matthew 10:29-31
For you were made in my image…Genesis 1:27
In me you live and move and have your being…Acts 17:28
For you are my offspring…Acts 17:28
I chose you when I planned creation…Ephesians 1:11-12
I knew you even before you were conceived…Jeremiah 1:4-5
I determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live…Acts 17:26
You are fearfully and wonderfully made…Psalm 139:14
I knit you together in your mother’s womb…Psalm 139:13
And brought you forth on the day you were born…Psalm 71:6
You were not a mistake, for all your days are written in my book... Psalm 139:15-16
I have been misrepresented by those who don’t know me…John 8:41-44
I am not distant and angry, but am the complete expression of love…1 John 4:16
And it is my desire to lavish my love on you…1 John 3:1
Simply because you are my child and I am your father…Matthew 7:11
For I am the perfect father…Matthew 5:48
Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand…James 1:17
For I am your provider and I meet all your needs…Matthew 6:31-33
My plan for your future has always been filled with hope…Jeremiah 29:11
Because I love you with an everlasting love…Jeremiah 31:3
My thoughts toward you are countless as the sand on the seashore. Ps. 139:17-18
And I rejoice over you with singing…Zephaniah 3:17
I will never stop doing good to you…Jeremiah 32:40
For you are my treasured possession…Exodus 19:5
I desire to establish you with all my heart and all my soul…Jeremiah 32:41
And I want to show you great and marvelous things…Jeremiah 33:3
If you seek me with all your heart, you will find me…Deuteronomy 4:29
Delight in me and I will give you the desires of your heart…Psalm 37:4
For it is I who gave you those desires…Philippians 2:13
I am able to do more for you than you could possibly imagine…Ephesians 3:20
For I am your greatest encourager…2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
I am also the Father who comforts you in all your troubles…2Corinthians 1:3-4
When you are brokenhearted, I am close to you…Psalm 34:18
As a shepherd carries a lamb, I have carried you close to my heart…Isaiah 40:11
One day I will wipe away every tear from your eyes…Revelation 21:3-4
And I’ll take away all the pain you have suffered on this earth…Revelation 21:3-4
I am your Father, and I love you even as I love my son, Jesus…John 17:23
For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed…John 17:26
He is the exact representation of my being…Hebrews 1:3
He came to demonstrate that I am for you, not against you…Romans 8:31
And to tell you that I am not counting your sins…2 Corinthians 5:18-19
Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled…2 Corinthians 5:18-19
His death was the ultimate expression of my love for you… 1 John 4:10
I gave up everything I loved that I might gain your love…Romans 8:31-32
If you receive the gift of my son Jesus, you receive me…1 John 2:23
And nothing will ever separate you from my love again…Romans 8:38-39
I have always been Father, and will always be Father…Ephesians 3:14-15
Come home and I’ll throw the biggest party heaven has ever seen…Luke 15:7
Love, Your Abba, Almighty God