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.

The Entrepreneur

Last week we visited Berry's Kindergarten class. The children were on the play ground so we chatted with Mrs. Neidrach and she showed Chloe what the class had been doing. Chloe was really excited to see that they had painted some rocks. One was painted so that it looked exactly like a piece of strawberry cake, one was a school bus, and many other very creative pieces of art. Since that day, Chloe has been wanting to paint rocks. Finally, today as her Daddy is keeping her, he lets her paint rocks. Having a gravel driveway really helps provide all kinds of great "art projects". When I get home from work she is so excited to tell me she's been painting rocks. She has a piece of paper in her hand. I have no clue what the paper is for and didn't really think twice about it. After a quick change of my clothes I return to our Den and find her on the front porch. She has a sign made saying, "open", $1 and a picture of a painted rock. She explains to me how she's going to sell the rocks.

Oh goodness, how am I going to tell her this is NOT a good idea. Not that some people wouldn't pay a dollar for a painted rock(I know her grandparents would all fall hook~line~sinker for it)...but there's not really a "high demand" for painted rocks. Not this kind of painted rock. And, the sign is hanging on the front porch, a good 25 yards or so from the road. I tell her, "maybe you should just try to sell them to relatives." Nope, she wasn't going for it. I didn't have the heart to discourage her so I decide to just go along with it. She actually "solicited" our neighbors and of course they bought one. She made $3 and seemed to be completely satisfied with her income.

I suppose all parents want their children to succeed. I wanted success for her so badly today. I know a time is coming, as she gets older there will be disappointment and discouragement. I don't know how I will be able to stand it. I want to instill Joshua 10:25 in her. I want her to always rest in the fact that success doesn't come in her ability but in His grace.

"Then Joshua said to them, Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed; be Strong and of good courage, for thus the Lord will do to all your enemies against whom you fight." Joshua 10:25