Nine Candles

It's Birthday Season in our home

and we like to celebrate!

The festivities begin with my daughter's birthday

-------------------------------------

First up... 

a spa party sleepover with facials,

mani/pedis, giggles and girls galore!

Homemade "Cookie Cake" by Auntie Sunshine

with a 1985 flashback
(proof that second generation friendships rock!) 

The next morning the girls woke to a lovely continental
breakfast and then made and decorated rainbow cupcakes

(plain white cake mix with food coloring
so the girls could make their own color variations)

 

Then we opened the doors to our

Children's Art Studio

for more fun with...

 

Microwave Puff Painting

   Cloud Dough

Rainbow Rice

and homemade

Chocolate Play Dough 

that looked and smelled

good enough to eat!!

Thanking God for All of That... and a Bag of Chips

Eleven years ago today,
our son was born

healthy

happy

whole

We marveled that he didn't cry at birth.
My mother worried, but the doctor told her...

"He doesn't need to cry,
he needs to breathe...

and he's breathing"

my husband

his father

God's man

took our tightly swaddled bundle of joy
to the side of the room and whispered into his ear

Later I asked him
"what did you say to the baby?"

It was...

"Hear the conclusion of the whole matter.
Fear God, and keep His commandments,
for this is the whole duty of man"

That was eleven years ago today...

This morning I overslept and woke
to that same child's lips pressing against my cheek. 

My eyes opened and a broad smile spread across his face
as he said "congratulations, you have a son."

Later in the car I listened as he and his sister
took a trip down memory lane

"I remember when..."

"And then we..."

"Oh yeah, and what about the time when..."

(and as I listened) 

I smiled as I noted the things
they were referencing

were not things

they were

experiences

moments

times

we have shared together as a family

They were sharing memories!

"Remember when we went to the snow for Christmas?" 

"My favorite part was in the cabin

with hot cocoa, marshmallows...

and a bag of chips"

I smiled at the details they remembered

(from a trip we took over 4 years ago)

I smiled, grateful for the memories
(the lessons in life and love)

and I thanked God that

my life

my experience

my gratitude

really is for

"all that and a bag of chips!"