:::::Becker's Birthday Bash:::::

We celebrated with a small party the day after his birthday.

The weather was glorious (you never can be sure for a winter outdoor party here).

The kids got sick the day before so we went back & forth about whether to have it or not.

But we pressed on since most of the kids that were coming had already been exposed to us before we were sick, earlier in the week!

The theme was sort of a circus...I always have theme ideas in my head but then they don't quite come out like I was expecting.  Oh well!!

Just 5 kids came, 3 families with little buddies about Beck's age.

Then some of our fabulous, local, adopted grandparents/family.

Beck definitely was not his usual smiley self.  That was a bit sad.

But we are glad that we had it and shared this occasion with loved ones.

He is most definitely loved by MANY!

::the food::

::the cake (which I was awfully proud of!)::

::the goody bags & activities::

::our sweet friends that we love::

::the cute birthday boy playing::

::the eating of my masterpiece::

Thank you for helping us celebrate Beck's first year of life!

{Our Sweet Beck Turns One}

 Oh my little guy, how sweet you are!
This past year has been pure joy (with a lot of tired moments)
It's hard to believe that you have been with us for 12 months.
It's hard to remember the days when you weren't here!
Your sister loves you dearly and is thrilled every time she sees you when she's been away from you.

We love your little personality, as does everyone that comes into contact with you.
We all think that you are delightful and super smiley.
Thank you for that!!

March 2012

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

January 2013

February

March

You love to play "open them shut them" and animal sounds.

You love to sing and I swear you sing/hum along with me when I sing to you.

Every time we go into a commercial bathroom, you know it & immediately start calling out so as to hear your voice and the echo.  EVERY. TIME.

You enjoy eating and will very shortly eat more than your sister.

You love macaroni & cheese and Golden Spoon frozen yogurt (can you tell he's a second born?)

You smile all the time...except when you are sick, which has been a lot this winter.

Your life has been a gift to us.  We are thankful that the LORD chose us to be your parents & family.

We are excited to see what your future holds, how your little personality continues to shine through.

"Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act.

He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.

Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;

fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!

Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!

Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.

For those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land."

Psalm 37: 4-9

{this moment}

A moment I want to pause, savor,  and remember.

Sweet friends that moved to NH came back for a visit.  Notice the hand-holding!!

Oh, this little guy just kills me!

Chase had gotten frozen yogurt for a treat and (of course) couldn't finish it.

So, what better time for brudder to try something sweet?!?

Apparently he likes chocolate.

On another note, notice ALL of those teeth!  You can't even see 3 others that are coming in on the sides.  It amazes me that Chase didn't have any teeth until 14 months old!

right now.

Right now I'm...
- in full on party planning mode for my sweet baby Becker.
- reading Paul Tripp's, Relationships: A Mess Worth Making. It's been convicting, but good.
- also reading Sally Clarkson's, Desperate: Hope for the Mom Who Needs to Breathe. It's been wonderful & so very encouraging.  She is such a mentor to me.
- listening to Chase webchat with her cousins.  I'm so thankful for technology today that allows us to communicate this way.
- exercising like a maniac every day.  My workout of choice for these months is Les Mills Combat .  Love it so very much and it is definitely getting me in shape!
- signed up to run my first 5K in a very long time!!  My sweet friend Lydia is going to do her very first one.  It is the Hot Chocolate Run and at the end you get a hoodie sweatshirt and a big serving of chocolate!!  What better way to end a race??
- studying the book of Revelation and learning all sorts of new things.
- amazed that Chase will be starting transitional Kindergarten in the fall!  How time flies.  She does not make the cut-off for starting Kindergarten like most of her friends.  We go to an informational night this week, put on by the district.  We'll make a date night out of it & go to dinner afterward.
- loving the sweet sounds of siblings playing.
- happy for my hubby to have a fun trip home to have a fun weekend of golf, college buddies & his parents and grandfather.
- so very satisfied in life.  I'm thankful for those times when I'm completely content.  Oh how I can ebb & flow in my spirit, unfortunately.  Thank you Lord for sustaining me in these long, tiring days!