Happy Birthday Grammie!

Dear Grammie,

Happy Birthday!! 

I know it’s a special birthday for you – it’s your first birthday you get to celebrate in Heaven with Jesus and of course, with your hubby and family in Heaven as well!  This day is hard for me Grammie, although I know you already knew that.  I wish so badly I could wake up, get your card filled out, wrap your gift, pack my kids up in the van and make that hour drive to visit you.  We’d just sit and talk, take pictures, try to eat and enjoy some fun laughs.  I’m sure I’d play with your hair and give you tons of kisses.  Maybe I’d bring some special friends and family along that never had the chance to meet you.. I know they’d adore you.  I’ve been able to visit with you the past few years on your birthday and will definitely miss seeing your beautiful smile this year.  I know I haven’t dealt real well with your passing; it’s been so much harder than I ever anticipated.  I praise God every single day for you and for all that you taught me about life and about being a good person.  Thankfully, my memories of you will never fade.. they will live on in my heart and in yours.  I continue to try and fulfill that promise I made to you.. to be the shining light of your beautiful spirit.. to show people the love and grace, concern and friendship that you showed everyone.  I pray this birthday is the best one yet!  I know my day will come.. when I get to run into the arms of Jesus, just as you did.  I know you’ll be waiting there for me and I cannot wait to give you the biggest hug and sloppiest ‘soap opera’ kiss ever =) 

Happy Birthday Grammie, I LOVE YOU!

    

Betty Louise Cundiff – June 21, 1923 – January 9, 2011

Happy Retirement Mom!

I am SO proud of my mother!  After 12 years of working as a speech and language therapist in several elementary schools for one district and for years before that working as the director of a day care/preschool center, she has decided to retire!!! =) 

Mom – You are one very special woman!  You have touched SO many lives through the work that you do and I know those students and staff members are going to miss you like crazy!  You were the teacher that saw potential in every student you worked with.  You were the teacher that focused on the positives, not on the negatives.  You were the teacher that saw each student as a young little soul who needed your guidance – not as a young little brat who didn’t want to listen or learn.  You were the teacher that had the fun games, the cool prizes, the creative learning strategies and the awesome ideas that all the other teachers stole =)  As you pack up your office and say your ‘goodbyes’ try to remember the impact you had in the schools where you worked.  Try to remember those special moments.. those breakthroughs with the tougher students.. those powerful and exciting times when students began realizing their potential through your work with them.. (like when that little girl finally spoke at school, in front of her class!)  I know that you will miss your job but I pray this new journey brings even more happiness and joy into your life… you definitely deserve it after all your years of hard work!

You have always been my biggest cheerleader and I LOVED being able to cheer you on as you celebrated your retirement with coworkers and friends.  I am blessed to have you as my mother and appreciate all that you do for our family!

I LOVE YOU MUCHERMOSTESTMOREMUCHERMORE!!!!!

*Okay, so I had some information a little mixed up.. My mom worked in public education for 16 1/2 years and in preschool/private education for 11 years.. all while being one incredible mom!!! SEE – SHE IS AWESOME =)

Peanut Butter is 8 months old =)

Wow! Time flies =)  I can’t believe my sweet little Gage David is 8 months old already.  He is growing and learning and changing so much!  Gage is our little fussy pants.  He definitely has very grouchy tendencies, which we think are amplified right now because he’s close to getting some teeth.  Although I didn’t understand God’s plan when I first learned about my baby Gum Drop – I praise Him every single day for this gorgeous, dimple-filled face!

 

• no idea what you weigh or how long you are – I will try to figure that out soon!
• You sit like a pro =)
• your poor knees are all red from trying to crawl – you get up on your hands and knees and rock back and forth but no actual crawling yet
• you’re a great eater – bananas seem to be one of your favorites
• you like to eat your toes all the time
• bath time = crazy splashing and kicking!!  [finally!]
• your hair is super blond now and I love it!
• mommy’s brown eyed boy – just like your big bro!
• your brother can always get you laughing
• your sister has become SUPER jealous of you and often tries to sit on you =)
• you are quickly outgrowing your infant carrier car seat
• separation anxiety seems to be kicking in.. I hope it doesn’t start happening on Sundays at church.. I’m not sure mommy can handle that!
• paci = lifesaver!

Love & blessings!

my ring =)

My special ring came on Friday – and it couldn’t have come at a better time – I really needed it!!  I LOVE it and cannot thank my dear friend Katie enough for this amazing birthday gift.  Like I said before Katie, you are such a doll and I can’t imagine my life without.  You have been so inspiring to me in so many ways – I appreciate your friendship!  I really hope my daughter (and my sons) grow up to be as kind, as generous, as thoughtful and as faithful as you!

LET IT SHINE!

I love you Grammie, and feel like I miss you more with each passing day.  I will wear this ring proudly and do all that I can to let the light of your beautiful spirit shine through all that I do and all that I am.

Isaiah 41:13

My eyes and my heart have been opened to a lot of things in my life recently.  I won’t go into any of that but I would like to share my daily devotion from Saturday with you.  I can’t even tell you how perfect this devotion is.

Help!

For I am the LORD your God
   who takes hold of your right hand
and says to you, Do not fear;
   I will help you.

– Isaiah 41:13

No matter how well we may think we run our lives, the truth is that we need help with everything.  We need all kinds of help in our everyday lives.  Often, realizing how much help we need takes a long time.  We like to believe we can do whatever needs to be done independently and without assistance.  However, the Lord sent us a Divine Helper; therefore, we must need help.  Jesus Himself continually intercedes for us as He sits at the right hand of God and that tells us that we continually need God’s intervention in our lives.  We are actually very needy and totally unable to handle life properly on our own.

Although we may seem to manage ourselves and our lives well for a while, sooner or later something happens and things begin to fall apart if we are living in our own strength instead of receiving divine help.

Many times, we do fine until trouble comes.  It may come in the form of a broken marriage, the death of a loved one, the loss of a job, or something else that is important to us.  But eventually, we all reach a point where we have to recognize our neediness.

If we want to live life the way God intended – filled with righteousness, peace and joy, we have to admit that we need help and we have to receive it from the Holy Spirit, the One God sent to help us.

God’s Word For You Today: Admit your need for help and trust the Holy Spirit to help you.

Love & blessings!

G – cubed!

Gavin – He’s definitely learning how to test the waters with things.. he likes to push a little with mommy to see how much he can get away with.. sadly I probably let him get away with a little too much.  He’s a smart little man but is also very sensitive.  He’ll talk to anyone.. I mean anyone whenever given the chance.  He invites every single person he talks to over to his house.  I’m afraid one day I’m going to come home to every clerk, waitress or mailman in the county at my house =)  Gav starts preschool in the fall and he seems to be excited.  I’m not looking forward to paying for the preschool but I know it’s very important for him, socially and cognitively.  He’s super excited about our trip to the beach in July; I hope he can have some big kid fun!

Gabby – oh my goodness this girl – she is a trip!!  She is so independent and stubborn.  She is a doll but is a fierce little miss when she wants to be.  Gabby loves playing with her brothers.  She and Gav usually play pretty well together.  Lately she has become very jealous of Gage but we’re trying to work through that.  She is learning silly new words each day is is finally starting to say mama again =)  Whenever I’d ask her to say mama she’d shake her head no.  I am so so so happy that the Lord blessed me with a daughter.  I get scared when I think about the ‘girl’ stuff that lies ahead but when we get there we’ll face it together.  She has the prettiest eyes and the cutest curls =)

Gage – hard to believe he is almost 8 months old.  Part of me feels like I just took that pregnancy test 8 minutes ago.  I won’t share too much abotu Gage because I’ll be doing that soon in his 8 month post.  He’s very close to crawling and ‘talks’ all the time!  His dimples are to die for =)

 

Heaven’s address

I miss my Grammie.  Her birthday is this month.. I wish I could go visit her ‘spot’ in Traverse City.. or maybe someone knows the address for Heaven, I’d really like to send her a birthday card.

memorable Memorial Day weekend!

We had an AWESOME, fun, busy, silly, memorable holiday/birthday weekend!  Yes, I turned the big 2-8 yesterday =)  Saturday began with Gavin’s last 2 soccer games.  He scored 3 goals in his last game!! Boy was he proud of himself =)  Saturday afternoon we headed to our aunt and uncle’s where we enjoyed LOTS of laughs, swimming, baseball, yummy picnic food and some relaxing (and much needed) time in the hot tub.  Sunday morning we headed to church and afterwards had lunch at a yummy pizza shop.. man, I love pizza!  Shortly after we got home from church we headed to my parent’s house for another Memorial Day picnic.  There, my dad shared with me a little about his time in the Vietnam War.  I will treasure this time..  The kids had a blast playing and running through the sprinkler =)  I loved spending time with family and taking some very special photos.  Monday evening the kids and I headed up to a cute little ice cream shop and enjoyed more wonderful family time and had a great time playing on a playground.  Many awesome memories were created this weekend.  I feel so blessed to have such wonderful family – both my family and Steven’s.

 

working from home today.. lots to do.. hoping to have more time later to do a good update on the kiddos =)