Firsts

Today is the first day of spring.
It is absolutely gorgeous outside today.  It is 80 degrees with sunshine and a little breeze.  I am not an outdoor-sey kind of person, but today, I want to be outside. The grass is greening up...Trees are beginning to bloom.  All of nature seems to be coming alive after a long winter's nap. I got out yesterday and pruned all of the dead foliage off of the Oleander, Hydrangeas, Roses, and Crepe Myrtles. I am excited to watch them "spring" to new life.

Spring is a time of renewal, which is why I guess, it is very fitting that my sweet, precious, little Amelia Claire is one year old today.  She was born on the first day of spring.  Her birthday will always be after a long cold winter.

I remember this day last year.  I remember the first time she filled my arms. It was such a beautiful fulfilling feeling after a long cold winter. Little Miss Amelia is one of the sweetest babies. She is so even tempered.  She rarely cries and is quick to give a kiss or hug.  She has the cutest, toothie little smile. She loves to eat and has not yet met a food the didn't like. The little stinker can crawl faster than most people can run.  She is pulling up and cruising around but just will not turn loose yet.  I think it is more of a confidence thing at this point.  I'm not rushing her because I know that walking will eventually turn into running. I think you know where I'm going with this.  This sweet little girl is just a blessing.  I have loved every single minute with her this last year and look forward to a lifetime more.
I'll leave you with a few pictures of sweet Amelia's first year.



Happy Birthday Amelia Claire!

Much love,

A Picture of Heaven

Long time no see my friends.  I have missed you.  I always miss you when I am away from you.  My impromptu blog vacation lasted longer that I expected but I think I needed to spend some time away for a few weeks. The thought of blogging seemed too difficult these last few weeks.  I joined up with Walking With You for the first in a series of documenting our journeys, and to be honest, it kinda put me in a tail spin.  It was right before Eli's second birthday and I just got myself in sort of a funk. I've not necessarily been wandering around in a constant state of doom and gloom, just feeling a little off I guess (or more off than normal, maybe).

We celebrated Eli's birthday as a family.  The kiddos and I made and decorated cakes to remember him by and we each bought a trinket to take to the cemetery. We went out and visited his place, went out to dinner, and came home to sing happy birthday and have cake.  My sister and her hubbie joined us.  All in all it was a sweet time after a very difficult morning. 

My aunt Cindy came up yesterday and she brought with her this beautiful picture in a frame. 

She handed it to me and explained that she took this picture the day Eli died.  She was on vacation with her family. Shortly after she got the call that Eli had been born, she went outside to see the most incredible sunset. She got her camera and snapped this photo.  She told me that in her mind's eye, this is what entering Heaven must look like.  Perhaps, she went on to say, that this must be what Eli beheld as he entered the gates of Heaven. 

How ironic is it that while she was witnessing this incredible setting of the sun, I was handing my baby into the arms of His risen Son.

Have you ever just thought about the sun.  Think about it, it provides warmth, light, and food. If you get too close you would burn up, if you are too far away you will freeze. 

Think about this:

Exodus 33: 18 -23

¹⁸And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.
¹⁹And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.
²⁰And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.
²¹And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:
²²And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:
²³And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.

Exodus 34:29-35

²⁹And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him.
³⁰And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him.
³¹And Moses called unto them; and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned unto him: and Moses talked with them.
³²And afterward all the children of Israel came nigh: and he gave them in commandment all that the LORD had spoken with him in mount Sinai.
³³And till Moses had done speaking with them, he put a vail on his face.
³⁴But when Moses went in before the LORD to speak with him, he took the vail off, until he came out. And he came out, and spake unto the children of Israel that which he was commanded.
³⁵And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses' face shone: and Moses put the vail upon his face again, until he went in to speak with him.

Okay, I know, I know...a lot of verses.  Moses, sweet Moses.  He got to see God's glory, but only from behind while he was hidden in the cleft of a rock.  And boy oh boy, did he ever get a suntan. He was glowing the bible says. He was glowing so much that he had to wear a vail so as not to frighten the Children of Israel. That just makes me think that God's brightness is pretty awesome, especially considering He warns Moses that no man can look on Him and live.

I do not know about you, but it kind of gives me an entirely different perspective on the picture that Cindy gave me.

Much love,