Princess Cakes

Baking with Daddy is always fun! Miss Molly saw this recipe in her Princess Magazine and decided my birthday was the perfect time to enlist her daddy as her baking partner. While I was out these beautiful cakes were cut out, baked, assembled and decorated with 'sugar pearls'. Molly insisted regular sprinkles would not do...only pearls for her special baking!

What a wonderful birthday cake, made even more special by the cute baker!

Precious Years

Sweet Lilian...6 years ago you were placed in our family for us to comfort and love! And oh my, did you need comforting and unconditional love!
Our sweet Mei Mei you have made a difference in our life. You have grown so much, you are smart, loving, and caring. You have learned to sleep through the night (thank you for giving me my sleep back :)). You love God with all your heart and share your faith readily. You are a kind friend and are beautiful inside and out!
Sweet Mei Mei, I am your 4th mama. We are your 4th family. In your short 8 years on this earth you have endured much and have overcome much.
We are yours forever! Thank you for giving us a chance and allowing us to perfect our unconditional love and patience.
You are loved and will always be loved by your family!
Happy 6th Adoption Day!

Hands Held High

Our worship lovin' gal brought this mama to tears (once again) at our Sunday church service.

I do not think I will ever be able to hear Glorious Day by Casting Crowns again without feeling my daughter's gentle weak hand brush me from behind wanting me to raise her hand in praise.
After a moment I would put her hand down, thinking her arm would be so tired, only to feel the gentle brush against my leg again.
What unabashed love she has for her Savior.

One day when Heaven was filled with His praises
One day when sin was as black as could be
Jesus came forth to be born of a Virgin
Dwelt among men, my example is He

Word became flesh and the light shined among us
His glory revealed

Living He loved me, dying He saved me
And buried He carried my sins far away
Rising He justified freely forever
One day He's coming, oh, glorious day, oh, glorious day

One day they led Him up Calvary's mountain
One day they nailed Him to die on a tree
Suffering anguish, despised and rejected
Bearing our sins, my Redeemer is He

Hands that healed nations, stretched out on a tree
And took the nails for me

'Cause living He loved me, dying He saved me
And buried He carried my sins far away
Rising He justified freely forever
One day He's coming, oh, glorious day, oh, glorious day

One day the grave could conceal Him no longer
One day the stone rolled away from the door
Then He arose, over death He had conquered
Now He's ascended, my Lord evermore

Death could not hold Him
The grave could not keep Him from rising again

Living He loved me, dying He saved me
And buried He carried my sins far away
Rising He justified freely forever
One day He's coming, oh, glorious day, oh, glorious day
Glorious day

One day the trumpet will sound for His coming
One day the skies with His glories will shine
Wonderful day, my beloved one bringing
My Savior Jesus is mine

Living He loved me, dying He saved me
And buried He carried my sins far away
Rising He justified freely forever
One day He's coming, oh, glorious day, oh, glorious day
Glorious day, oh, glorious day

Because of her Muscular Dystrophy Molly cannot raise her arms higher than her shoulder but wanting to raise her hand high in praise, she put all inhibitions aside and allowed me to help her so publicly.
Praise for Hands Held High for our Savior!

Mountains

Molly started an art class at our local community center.
This was my favorite watercolor that she painted.


China still in her thoughts...for this we are thankful. Her beautiful city of Guilin!
I love that this was her first painting as I think it is such a portrayal of what her future holds. With Muscular Dystrophy she will have oh, so many, many mountains to climb and endure
but with her deep love of God and trust in Him she WILL climb and she WILL endure.

...and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
~Hebrews 12:1

The Boys are Back

Bill and Oliver have returned from their trip to Guatemala fulfilled once again by the people of this beautiful country and the power of the Holy Spirit. Bethel Ministries is a wonderful non profit that works with the needy people of Guatemala. They not only care for the physical needs of people but they also share the gospel and church plant. This year the guys built a home, distributed 28 wheelchairs, distributed 300 pounds of clothing and shoes, provided 15 families with food for a month, and climbed a volcano. Oliver loved working side by side with the family that they were building the house for and of course eating at Pollo Campero everyday!

new clothes and shoes

volcano climbed

waiting in line for clothing

a new pair of shoes funded by our sweet Molly

another pair of shoes funded by our sweet gal

Oliver working on a wheelchair

one beautiful boy receiving a new wheelchair

building the home

I am so grateful that Oliver has been able and WILLING (yes, he is a teenager) to make this trip with Bill for the past 2 years. I think he now has a special place in his heart for the people of Guatemala...

following down our

'paths of joy'

Oh Happy Day

Oh, Happy Day
Oh, Happy Day
When Jesus washed
Oh, when He washed
When Jesus washed
He washed my sins away!
Sang this at church today and loved hearing little girls singing it throughout our day!
Happy Easter!