Happy Easter, y'all! We spent yesterday with both sets of grandparents hunting for eggs and had a lovely day back at home with The Husband's side of the family.   *side note* Their Pop-pop built this chalkboard/abacus/discovery board for them for Christmas, and they are FASCINATED by it. It's super neat! Jack had THE BEST time watching his Pop-pop take care of the tree stumps. He played hard with his Uncle Nay-nay and Auntie Faith. He loved loving on his Nonnie. (Playing on those stumps is going to be such fun! I have grand ideas -thanks to google- for what I want to do with them!) Ella, however, was on people/excitement overload and fell into hysterics for most of the day and into the evening and well into the night and was only calm when in my arms with her face buried in my neck. I googled out of desperation and found this article helpful. She's obviously the one who is reduced to tears. Jack lashes out, which he ...

Today is Maundy Thursday.  It's the day that Christians remember the sacrifice Jesus made for mankind.  It's the day we reflect on the cross.   I talked to Jack a lot about the cross and Jesus today.  We read books about Jesus' death and resurrection.  The kids each painted a picture of a cross for our learning activity.  He's too young to understand the importance of that symbol, but he pointed to the cross he painted and said, "Jesus cross......happy? And I smiled and said, "Yes, buddy. The cross is a happy thing.  It's a wonderful reminder of what Jesus did for us."    Tonight, I read them God Gave Us Easter before bedtime.  This is my favorite part: Today, Dear Readers, I'm thankful for the cross of Christ. My sins and yours were the nails that held Jesus there.   And by that one  grace-filled , love-filled , mercy-filled act, my sins are forgiven.  Jesus didn't stay on that cross.  He ...

1. It's the week before Easter, so that's what I decided our learning time activities would be focused on. I wrote up these lesson plans after browsing through ideas on Pinterest.  If there's one you're interested in, let me know, and I can find the link. Mostly, I just see what's out there, and then I make it my own. Except for Saturday's learning activity. I found that baby here.  http://www.barefeetonthedashboard.com/2015/03/diy-resurrection-eggs-for-toddlers-and-preschool-kids/ It's great!  We checked out these books from the library yesterday afternoon and got busy reading.  These are my favorites so far.  Monday's craft turned out super neat, and both kids enjoyed it (although Ella was very happy when I cleaned her hands off, haha!). They love going over to the fridge to feel the puffy texture.   Today's was simple and turned out pretty neat, too. I'm looking forward to Thursday's activity :). 2.  This kiddo has spent A LOT of quality t...

It's Easter Sunday, and I've been thinking about traditions versus truths and wondering if the two can be mingled. Traditions like egg hunts and baskets full of treats.  Truths like Jesus dying on the cross for you and me and rising from the grave, defeating sin and death.   I want our children to see the joy of this truly remarkable day, and therefore I'm totally into celebrating and giving gifts.  I'm not really a fan of the Easter bunny, but we will definitely take part in hunting for the hidden eggs (they'll have their first (candy-free) Easter egg hunt tomorrow at Nana and Grandpa's!), and maybe we'll start a tradition of finding the "empty tomb egg." I also look forward to making these  with them in a few years and making that an Easter Sunday morning tradition, as well.  I'm thinking the two can be merged beautifully, and Easter is one more day of truths and traditions that I look forward to celebrating with our s...

Our church and our worship team have been preparing for tomorrow night and Sunday morning for months now.  Good Friday and Easter Sunday are two of the most important days in the Christian church. Don't get me wrong. Christmas is of great importance as well; without Christmas, we wouldn't have Easter.  But without the events that took place on Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter morning, our lives, our eternity would look incredibly different. This weekend especially, we are praying for hearts to be open, people who are bound by spiritual and mental chains to be freed, lives to be changed and restored. If you live in the area and do not have a church home, or if your church isn't having a Good Friday service, please accept my invitation to you!  You are heartily invited to come and hear the message of Good News.   It's a message of deep, abiding, sacrificial love and unwavering grace.  It is life-changing, heart-moving news.  If y...

How am I today? Uplifted by the prayers being said on our behalf. You can never know what it means to me knowing that there are so many out there bowed before our good and gracious King on behalf of our Little One. How am I today? Anxious for what this new development in my pregnancy could mean for the health of our baby.  I've cried more than once today, and it's only 10:45. How am I today? Feeling guilty for doing too much; feeling guilty for doing too little.  Around the house.  At work.  At the gym.  What if it was something I did?  But I can't go there; because if I go there, I'll stay in that place of worry. That's not a place I long to be. How am I today? Filled to the brim with love for this child.  This child. And thankful.  Hopeful and thankful, yet again, that God has chosen us to raise and nurture and love and lead this blessing.   Daddy and I love you soooo much, Sweet Baby. How am I today? Today, readers, I am...

Hey y'all!   Nope, too southern. Well, hello there!   Too "awake."  Hi again!  It'll have to do. Tomorrow is the beginning of Lent.  Do you fast (give up something important to you) during this season?  Do you go to Ash Wednesday services?    The purpose of Lent is not to sacrifice something to gain forgiveness or to make up for something you've done that you think is separating you from God's love.  Jesus already made the sacrifice for us, and the price has been paid.  All that's required of us is that we accept that truly precious gift and ask His Holy Spirit to help us repent and turn away from the sin in our lives. No, Lent's purpose is to take time away from something you really enjoy, something you love, something you don't think you can go without for long periods of time, and instead, focus that energy, that time, that effort on drawing closer to Christ.  I have fasted in the past (given up sodas, telev...