Allergies and Energy

Today was a beautiful day. I decided since the sun was shining I would get out and enjoy it. Chloe decides pretty quick she wants to join me. We start just sitting in the backyard enjoying the warmth and looking up at the clouds to identify all different kinds of things. As I'm sitting there, I start thinking of all the other things I should be doing.

I've been wanting to start jogging again. It's been in the back of my mind for quite some time. I start thinking she and I could go to Berry and I could start that jogging thing. We come inside and I tell her my plan. I tell her she could ride her bicycle or scooter. She could choose. She thinks this plan is a fantastic one! Her face lights up and she chooses her scooter.

We make it to Berry and onto Viking Trail. I jog/walk for about 3 1/2 miles all the while she is on her scooter. She fell a couple of times. She was tough though and didn't cry. But as we almost make it back she finally wears out. She tells me, "Mama, I don't have any more allergy!" I'm pretty sure she meant energy. It was cute so I made her repeat it. I never told her the correct way. I figure she'll learn the difference soon enough....

Bruster's

After a long rainy day at home Ben was needing to give an estimate. He asked Chloe if she wanted to go and told her they would stop by Brusters on the way home if she went with him. Well, you know, Bruster's is special to me. It's the place that Ben took me to discuss the idea of Chloe. Through tears of pure joy we made it official that June evening in 2004 sitting on the Bruster's bench that God wanted us to adopt. So, knowing they were going to Bruster's I spoke up that I was going too!

After giving the estimate we arrive at Bruster's, Chloe chooses the "Dirt Sundae". It's vanilla ice cream complete with gummy worms and dirt(crushed oreo) on top.

She waits until we get home to eat hers. She informs me "I will sit at the table if you will stay in here with me."

For a brief second, I thought of all the things I'd rather be doing than sitting at the dining room table watching her eat ice cream. But the sweetness on her face and in her voice quickly changed my mind. She wanted me to stay in there with her. I don't know if it was fear of being in there alone or she just wanted company. Either way, it didn't matter, I stayed. I sat there and just watched her eat ice cream.

I'm glad I stayed...

Balloon Animals

It's amazing the things that Chloe loves. You could go spend a lot of money but it's usually the inexpensive things she really enjoys. Her Nana bought her a little pump with the balloons to make animals from the dollar store. One day several weeks ago Nana made all the balloons for her.

Chloe brought the "prize" home with her but could not do it herself. I gave it my best attempt but my fear of popping balloons proved to be too much. It's been sitting in her room for the last several weeks until tonight. As I'm on our computer she is beside me with the pump in hand. I could see out of the corner of my eye her determination. I was engaged in computer stuff but was aware of her beside me. All of a sudden she starts jumping up and down saying, "I did it! I did it!" She had looked at the instructions and made a dog balloon all by herself.

She was so patient and followed the instructions. A five year old! It's really surprising what you can accomplish by simply reading the instructions. A lot of times I don't have the patience for instructions. I think I can do it myself, I'm smart enough I tell myself.

Tonight, as Chloe succeeded at the balloons, it made me think of what all we could accomplish by simply reading "the instructions." When I say instructions, I'm talking about God's word. Imagine if we applied God's instructions to every single challenge~concern~obstacle in our lives?

It's something to consider...

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." Psalm 119:105

I want to snuggle with you....

Ben has been under the weather for the past couple of days. So as not to spread it around last night he slept in his recliner. It's a special treat for Chloe to sleep back in our room with us so when she found out her daddy was sleeping in his chair in the den, she immediately spoke up and asked to sleep in our room with me.

I know these times will come to an end all too quickly, so I jumped at the chance to sleep with my baby.

As I got into bed she was all giggly and excited. It was Chloe, myself, a webkinz cat and penguin and several pillows. As we settled in, she scooted closer and closer until I finally had to tell her, "Chloe, you're going to have to scoot over just a little." Her reply was, "But mama, I want to be close to you, I want to snuggle with you." Another heart melting moment. So, she slept practically underneath me and I must say, it was some sweet rest....

Butterflies and Otters

A few months ago Ben took all three of our girls to the aquarium. He ended up buying season passes because it was more economical. Today, we decided, was another good opportunity to go enjoy the wonder of God's creation. Hannah and Lauren didn't go this time. We miss the times with all three. Sadly, the older Hannah and Lauren get, the less we see and get to spend time with them. It's hard on us. It's hard on Chloe, but God is protecting her little heart. I have come to realize that she will be fine. Her life will go on and she'll be waiting with open arms, just like her Daddy and me, when and if they decide to return more into our life.

Since Chloe was a "pro" at this aquarium thing, she was anxious to "show me the ropes." She talked the entire way there, telling me all about the otters. She just couldn't wait for me to see those rat-like swimming animals. I remember strolling her around the big lake in Garden Lakes and seeing creatures that looked like otters. Chloe named those big lake creatures "river-rats". She pronounced it "river-raps".

After the Otters, we were off to see the Turtles. An aquarium employee was there handing out food for the children to toss over the glass to feed them. That was another highlight.

Then came the favorite of the day, the butterflies. I think, if given the chance, she would have stayed the entire time in the butterfly exhibit. As soon as we entered she began explaining to Ben and myself how she was going to try to catch one of those butterflies. I told her if she would just stand still the butterflies would more than likely come to her. And so they did.....

"Then God said, Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens. So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters abounded, according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good." Genesis 1:20-21

The perfect ending to a perfect day was dinner at Genghis Grill. It's a very interesting restaurant. I had never been but Ben had taken all three girls on their last aquarium visit. It's Mongolian dining at its best! When you first enter they give you a stainless steel bowl. You then proceed down a line and place all the items you want to eat in that bowl such as raw chicken, fish, beef etc. You then add in that same bowl all the vegetables, spices, and sauces you want. There is plenty of everything to choose from! You then hand your bowl to the cook who prepares it for you. It was delicious. Chloe was the only one out of the three of us to use her chopsticks.

You're right

Tonight as Ben, myself, Lauren and Chloe are heading out the door to dinner, Ben tells me we are going to take the girls to Putt Putt for game night. I immediately say, "Let me grab my camera!". His reply was, "don't bring the camera tonight, just go be Mama tonight, not photographer." I pouted a little but agreed to his request. After dinner we head to Putt Putt. Lauren and Chloe were thrilled to spend some money. Chloe was especially thrilled. Five dollars a piece bought 24 tokens for each girl.

Chloe wanted to play me in a game of Air Hockey. The absolute joy on her face every time she scored against me was priceless. I began thinking, you know, had I brought the camera I would not have been able to enjoy each expression on her face. I would have been behind that camera and perhaps missed the full experience of interaction with her. Having the worst memory I don't like the idea of forgetting the little day to day time with her. I mentioned to Ben to watch her face as she's playing. His response was, "See, how could you miss that?" He was right. However, my response back to him was, "I know, I wish I had my video camera!"

"The memories I find myself sifting through the past to find, the one's I'd give anything now to relive are the one's that no one ever thought to photograph, the one's that came and went as softly as a breeze on a summer afternoon. It's taken a while, but I certainly do know it now, the most wonderful gift I had, the gift I finally learned to cherish above all else, was the gift of all those perfectly ordinary days." Katrina Kenison~ The Gift of an Ordinary Day

Yellow Box

Got a sweet surprise today. One of those, "for no reason" kind of things. I received a text from Ben with a picture of a display of Yellow Box Flip Flops that read..."What size? What Color?" It's really not his character to surprise me with gifts, although, gifts IS my love language. I was thrilled! It was so special just knowing I was thought of. He made me a very happy girl today.....

Kaci~Under the Knife

My only niece, Kaci, had surgery today. It was a minor procedure, but major to us. I took the day off so Chloe and I could be there. We gathered in the waiting room before she went back, trying to make "small talk" so she wouldn't be nervous. It was finally her turn so she and her mother went back to get her ready. The rest of us sat patiently out in the waiting room. After, what seemed like a long time, I asked someone if we could see her before she actually went down to the O.R. After a quick trip down to her "holding" room, the girl returned and said, yes, we could all go back.

We went down to her room and there she lay on her hospital bed. She looked calm and collected. Her IV was already in place. We, again, made some small talk and we were asked by her nurse if we wanted to say a prayer. Of course, I spoke up immediately and said, "Yes, we'd love to!"

I'm a firm believer in prayer. I'm not the greatest public pray-er, but jumped at the chance to pray on this occasion. It was an absolute horribly put prayer! I think at the end I said, "Thank you" instead of "Amen". A sure sign I had a few nerves myself. After finishing the terrible, but HEARD prayer, we all opened our eyes and Kaci was crying. It was awful! The first thing she said was, "I'm scared". We all reassured her and quickly made an exit.

Walking back to the waiting room, I was reminded how thankful I am for "Divine" articulations.

"Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God." Romans 8:26-27

After an hour and a half of waiting, it was finally over. Chloe couldn't wait to get back to see her. She even cried a few tears because she didn't understand why we couldn't go back and see her during the surgery.

I'm thankful the surgery on Kaci is over and she is OK...
I'm thankful the surgery was deemed a "Success" by the surgeon...
and thankful for "Divine" articulations.

Resurrection Sunday

What a beautiful day! We had a wonderful time worshiping this morning. The only thing missing was Ben, he had to work all day. :(

The "Resurrection" Bunny showed up.....he hid eggs all over the front yard, just as Chloe requested....
and it looks as though he "over-spent"...but she'll only be little once...

What a beautiful day....Praise Him!

"Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, "Peace to you!" Then He said to Thomas, "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing." John 20:26-27

Little Lessons

It was another highly profitable day for Chloe at the Soccer Field. Chloe's "PawPaw" decided he was going to have to "re-negotiate" his contract. He thought this $5 for every goal scored was a good idea at first. None of us really knew how good at this game she was going to be. Now he's decided, he will come out financially better if he just buys the Ipod that Chloe was going to "save-up" for...Her Daddy, however, is staying with the $5 per goal "contract". Don't know for how long though....This is becoming an expensive "deal".

SIX, yes, SIX goals today! She was so elated. And, of course, Ben and I couldn't stay IN our seats. I love seeing the smile on her face out there on that field. Like in Basketball, the smile rarely leaves her face. After scoring several times, her Daddy made his way over to the sidelines to encourage her to try to pass the ball when given the chance. We certainly don't want her to become a "ball-hog". And, while we want her to score and do her best, we also want her to exhibit Christ-like behavior.

The Entrance

The Warm-Up

Future Soccer Star

After the game we headed to Wal-mart to get the Ipod. Chloe was thrilled, and I think "PawPaw" was a little surprised she wanted to ride with him.

Tonight at the dinner table she and her Daddy were discussing the "winnings" of the day. He told her she had earned $30 for scoring six goals. But she was really surprised to learn she was actually getting $35. The $5 extra for showing good sportsmanship and passing the ball.

We hope the little lesson of good sportsmanship will stick.

Painting Eggs

It was our annual tradition of Egg dyeing tonight. I hard-boiled 36 eggs so each Hansard girl could dye 12. All three had a good time and it's funny how similar their eggs looked compared to last year.

Hannah was again, very patient for the vibrant colors


Lauren's were very vibrant as well


And, again, Chloe's were a little less bright because of her lack of patience. She liked dipping hers in several colors and none of them stayed in any one color long.

I also made a "Resurrection" Cake shaped like an egg.