Gracie's 2nd Birthday

Minne Mouse water bottles =)

Cupcakes!

Special cupcake for the birthday girl!

Mouse tails!

Fruit cones!

Chocolate covered strawberries!

"Photo booth"

The table =)

Banner, made by the amazing, Nicole Werner :)

The Piñata I made from a box, and black tissue paper! So fun!

Photo frame for "autographs"

Creativity table!

The birthday girl, with her adorable shirt from the talented Emily Campano!

Cheaters

My husband is a cheater.

It's a choice he makes. He chooses to cheat.

Wait.

Before you go getting all upset that I just said that on my blog, let me explain!

He has three main titles: husband, father, and medical student. He cheats one to be better at the other two.

In a message I listened to recently from Andy Stanley called "Choosing to cheat", he says, "Everyday we make a decision on how we will spend our time. There is not enough time to do everything that needs to be done. Therefore, something always gets cheated. We need to learn to cheat at work and stop cheating at home. Instead of asking God to fill in the gaps at home, we should ask God to fill in the gaps at work and trust God to be faithful."

Tim cheats. He cheats at school but does not cheat at home. While others in his class are getting together to study after classes are over, Tim comes home to play. He comes home to eat. He comes home to watch Gracie so I can have some time to myself. He puts 6 hours a week into a part time job that brings in some money to make it possible to do fun things, eat out, for me to be able to go to Orlando, and drive a new car.

I am so thankful for a husband that CHOOSES to put his family first. Because he does, God fills in the gaps. When he can't do anymore, he trusts God with the outcome.

It says a lot about Tim when other people are not doing as well as he is and they have less than he has to worry about. They have no wife, no child, no part time job, and no leadership positions that they hold at school.

It makes me smile when I think about all that Tim Graeser is accomplishing because he answered the call on his life to go. To move to Miami, to enroll in school and be the leader that he is.

But be sure of one thing.

He doesn't do it in his own strength. He couldn't. He does it only through the strength of Jesus Christ, and to glorify Him alone. He could be at the very top of his class, and the valedictorian, but instead he is at the top of God's will for his life.

That my friends, lasts for eternity.

If you have a husband that cheats everywhere but home, tell him you appreciate him. I know I don't do that enough, and from what Tim says, they never get tired of hearing it! :)

Dear Hope

There is not a day that goes by that I don't think about you and wonder what you're doing in your heavenly home. It has been 12 weeks since we learned that your grande entrance was made into heaven and that it wouldn't be made here.

Sometimes I think that it gets easier but more often than not, it feels like it gets harder.

You are not forgotten. Life has gone on for everyone, and has gone back to normal but you are not forgotten. The questions may have slowed down to see how we are doing living without you but you're not forgotten and you never will be.

While we are praying for the Lord to grow our family- it hurts thinking about you not having a crib in our house, toys on the floor and clothes hanging in a closet. I imagine your crib, toys and clothes are more amazing than anything I could give you here. Our home can't compare to your home. The stationary rocking horse can't compare to the all white horse that I imagine you riding around on.

It feels wrong actually- asking the Lord to create life in my body in His timing after begging for your life on that Wednesday, December 14th. Sitting at Omie's house texting others to pray for you. For me. For daddy.

The truth is your have life. Fully. You are fully alive in Christ- and while the tears still come, that makes me smile.

It is in fact baby season again. 10+ people that I know are pregnant and it seems more are sharing their joys everyday. I am so thankful that the Lord gives life abundantly. I find myself praying for them, but in a different way. I pray that they will never know the pain I have come to know. That they won't have to experience the deep heart hurt that my dear friends, Lindsey, Emily, Angela, Sarah and so many others know.

Although I wouldn't wish this pain on anyone, the fact is you are with Jesus and I do know it. But because I know it I can understand, relate and pray on a deeper level that I have never known before. Through knowing the pain of losing you, I have learned the pain of knowing Jesus much deeper.

Following Jesus has never proved to be easy. Just worth it. The pain on this side of heaven is to much to carry sometimes, until I remember that its temporary. This will all be worth it.

Hope Caroline, you have changed me. In the short weeks I knew of you, you changed me. You changed my heart and opened cavities in it that I never knew existed. I will never forget you because my heart will never be the same.

I love you,
Mommy