my girly girl turns 4

kaitlynn,
you are my girly girl. you love to play pretend with your dolls and brothers.
you are the mini mom of our bunch.

you light up when you see a new outfit and some cute new shoes.
and you already have a keen sense of style, that's all your own.

you are the quick to praise your brothers and equally as quick to let us know when something is wrong.

you are my little helper. you put a smile on my face with your many dances and songs.

one minute, your spunky and brazen...
putting on quite the show when you don't get your way.
and the next your gentle and loving...
batting those long lashes and giving out the full lipped smooches.

beautiful, both inside and out!

you are such a blessing to my life,
and overflow me with joy.
so thankful God chose me to be your mommy!!!

Lord,
such a treasure you have given my with my girly kaitlynn.
my prayer for her life,

I pray you help her to overcome obstacles.
when she hits a wall, that she will remain strong. I pray she picks herself up off the ground and always keeps moving forward,
no matter how hard her given situation may seem.

i pray for your wisdom and guidance for mike and i as we grow this amazing little girl that you have entrusted us with.
thank you for my girly girl, that brings me a heart full of joy.

Courage!

It takes a lot of courage to be a mom. Whether assessing a skinned knee or holding your child while he or she is immunized, mothering takes bravery. You are forever changed once you are handed your first born. Our hearts grow to encompass infinite hope for the prosperity and happiness of our children. With that also comes fear of loss, fear of failure and the fear that we wont be adequate to the challenge.
The role of mom involves risk- taking and making chocies that will determine the health and livelihood of our children.Every decision, every reaction matters. This is not a class we can dropp or a career choice we can change; Once a mom, there is no going back, so we muster the moxie and do our best.
The thing is I don't see the whole picture. I only see my small part of the story. But God is constantly watching out for me. God is always there in my struggles, whether I choose to see him or not, I have no reason to fret. I am free to trust God and live my life with courage.
Joshua 1:9 says " I command you- be strong and courageous: Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." God is always with us. It is a promise, and with this promise is the freedom to face our fears and take action to go roward the life of our dreams.
"The Lord is the stronghold of my life- of whom should I be afraid?" Psalm 27:1
God wants you to step out in faith and TRY- Trust and Respect Yourself! Have the personal integrity to decide what matters to you, take reasonable risk and go for it. Mistakes happen, kids get sick and thr coffee (milk, juice, shampoo, laundry soap) will spill. we live in a broken world, and the rality is that no one gets through it without a hiccup or a mountain, but we can get through it with God's protection.

Franklin D. Rooaevelt said it in his First Inaugural Address on March 4, 1933, "Let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself." Bingo! [earf robs us of the full life God intends for us. A better way is to look to the Lord each day, release our worries, pray and procees with courage and quiet confidence. Knowing that God's got out back.

what is a dad?

A dad is someone
to shelter and guide you,
to love you as only he can.

A dad is someone
who's always beside you
to lend you the strength
of his hand.

A dad is someone
who gives you his best
and shares all his wisdom
and skill

In every girls heart
there's a place set apart
that only her dad can fill

Thank you, Dad
for all you've done...
and for all that you still do
to bring so much happiness
to my life.

Happy Birthday