Crazy Love II

I just really feel like this book is something important that I want to remember and be able to refer back to often, therefore it is worthy of my blogging time.  After all, these are the most important lessons in life.
Again, a large part of these notes are straight from Francis Chan's book, Crazy Love, I am not taking credit for his words here.
{Chapter 2} You may not finish this chapter.
On the average day we live caught up in ourselves.  To-do lists, (Amen! I feel like a walking sticky note most days with my job!)  appointments, focus on family, thinking about our desires and needs.  On the average day we don't consider God very much.  We forget that our life truly is a vapor.  There is nothing normal about today.  Think about everything that must function properly just for you to survive.  It's crazy that we think today is just another day to do what we want to with it. 
James 4:13-14 "Come now, you who say, Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business, and make a profit.  Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow.  You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away." 
Do you really believe you could vanish at any moment?  That perhaps today you will die?  Or do you instead somehow feel invincible? 
Justified Stress
Heart Palpitations related to stress?  When I was honest, I knew what the problem was, I was immersed and overcome by stress.  When I surrendered all of my worries and stress to God and my symptoms slowly went away.  ( I have PERSONALLY experienced this first hand, I KNOW that God is faithful when we surrender our fears and worry to Him)
Natural Worries, I was the worrying kind, I'm a problem solver, I have to focus on things that need fixed. 
Then, there's the command:"Rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say again: "Rejoice!"  -Philippians 4:4 
You'll notice it doesn't end in "...unless your doing something extremely important."  It's a command for all of us, and it follows with the charge, "Do not be anxious about anything." (Verse 6)
When I am consumed by my problems and stressed out about my life, my family, my job~I actually convey the belief that I think the circumstances are more important than God's command to always rejoice.
Worry  implies that we don't quite trust God is big enough, powerful enough, or loving enough to take care of what is happening in our lives.  (Kaden's 2 year old class in learning a song in Sunday School that we sing each week, it says, "My God is SO BIG, SO STRONG and SO MIGHTY, there's nothing my God Can NOT do!"  I love that he is learning this truth so early in life.)
Stress says that the things we are involved in are important enough to merit our impatience, our lack of grace toward others, or our tight grip of control.  These two behaviors communicate that it is okay to sin and not trust God because the stuff in my life is somehow exceptional.  Worry and stress reek of arrogance.  They declare our tendency to forget that we've been forgiven, that our lives here are brief, that we are headed to a place where we won't be lonely, afraid, or hurt ever again, and that in the context of God's strength, our problems are small, indeed. 
Why are we so quick to forget God?  Who do we think we are?  I am still dumb enough to forget that life is all about God and not about me at all.  Basically, our life is worth about 2/5ths of a second in the movie of God's life.  Corinthians 10:31 says, "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."  That is what each of our 2/5ths of a second is about.  What does that mean for you?    Frankly, you need to get over yourself!  God has allowed struggles in your life so you can show the world that your God is great and that knowing Him brings peace and joy, even when life is hard.  Psalm 73:3 "For I was envious of the arrogant as I saw the prosperity of the wicked."  (Verse 13) " Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure and washed my hands in innocence." (Verse 16-17) "When I pondered to understand this, it was troublesome to my sight, until I came into the sanctuary of God; then I perceived their end."
It doesn't matter what place you find your life in right now, your part is to bring Him Glory!  The point of your life is to point to Him!  Whatever you are doing, God wants to be glorified, because this whole thing is His.  It is His movie, His world, His gift.
Thank God we are weak.
We forget we are not in control.  Isn't life always fragile?  As I sat holding my son, I realized that I couldn't control whether he would love God.  We should acknowledge our lack of control and reach out for God's help.  If life were stable, I'd never need God's help.  Since it's not, I reach out to Him regularly.  I am thankful for the unknowns and that I don't have control, because it makes me run to God.
Throughout time, 125,000,000,000 people have lived on this earth.  In about 50 years no one will remember you.  Everyone you know will be dead (give or take a few years).  Certainly no one will care what job you had, what car you drove,  what school you attended, or what clothes you wore.  This can be terrifying and reassuring. 
Are you ready?  Matthew 10:32-33 "Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven, but whoever disowns me before men, I will disown before my Father in heaven."
Be Faithful to Christ!
Ecclesiastes 7:2 " It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of every man; the living should take this to heart." 
Stories of those who died after living Godly lives are stories with happy endings.  Sadly, many people die while living selfishly.  The truth is, some people waste their lives.  All that matters is the reality of who we are before God. 
1 Corinthians 3:13-15 "His work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light.  It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work.  If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward.  If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames."
We have to realize that we can be the next person to die.  We have to believe it enough that it changes how we live.  We need to stop living selfish lives, forgetful of our God.  Our lives here are short, often unexpectedly so, and we can all stand to be reminded of it from time to time.  Nothing in life matters except our KING and our GOD.  Don't let yourself forget.  Soak it in and keep remembering that it is true.         HE IS EVERYTHING!
Now, I will be reading Chapter 3 throughout this next week.  Notes on Chapter 3 coming next weekend. 

Crazy Love.

I bought the book Crazy Love by Francis Chan back in July!  I had every intention of beginning the book as soon as I finished reading the Old Testament.  Well, it took me until the very end of the year to finish the Old Testament.  So, I didn't actually put off starting the book that long.  I am now reading the New Testament with this amazing book.  I read the first chapter and then decided it would be nice to have someone read along with me to converse about this book with.  Just to Talk about the things in the book and have someone to pray with.  Well, I invited my friend, Megan, to read the book with me.  She bought the book, and I'm pretty sure we've both read through Chapter 2 and we haven't been able to get together to talk about the book yet.  My schedule is INSANE!  So, I thought I would type out some of my hand written notes from my notebook on Chapter 1 here.  Some of this, (MOST of this), of course, is Francis Chan's words, straight out of his book.  I am not taking credit for any of his words here.  He is an amazing Christian man.  And this is an amazingly well written book.  I highly recommend it to you all. 
Here goes!
{ Chapter 1}
Stop Praying -  Stop talking at God and take a long hard look at Him before you speak another word.  Don't rush into God's presence with words.  The wise man comes to God without saying a word and stands in awe of Him.  Romans 1:20 "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and devine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse."
Video 1- Amazed that God created such a massive universe with such detail to our tiny planet in the grand scheme of things.  My response is, "Who do I think I am?" "Why should I be worthy?" It blows me away to think of the details God put into little things-like insects and a leaf.  God definitely has a sense of humor!  Think of all the different laughs your friends have and then think about them all laughing together!  God's art speaks of Himself, reflecting who He is and what He is like.  Psalm 19:1-4 "The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the works of His hands.  Day to day pours forth speech and night to night reveals knowledge .  There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard.  Their line has gone out through all the earth, and their utterances to the end of the world.  In them He has placed a tent for the sun."  This is why we are called to worship Him.  His art, His handiwork, and His creation all echo the truth that He is glorious.  There is no other like Him.  He is the King of Kings, the Beginning and the End, the One who was and is to come.
Video 2- Just stop and think.  On some mornings I don't feel like loving God, or I just forget to.  Hundreds of things distract us from God. 
We forget that we already have EVERYTHING we need in HIM. 
What is God Himself like?  And, how do we learn to know Him?  What are His characteristics?  How are we to fear Him?  To Speak to Him? 
God is holy. We don't get to decide who God is.  God said to Moses, "I am who I am" (Exodus 3:14)  God is set apart, distinct from us.  Our words can not contain Him. 
God is eternal.  Each of us had a beginning; everything had a beginning but God.  He always has been, since before there was an Earth.  God is so much bigger, so far beyond our time incased, air/food/sleep-dependent lives.  Psalm 102:12 "But you, O Lord, abide forever, And Your name to all generations."  Psalm 102:27 "But You are the same, And Your years will not come to an end."
God is all knowing- Isn't this intimidating?  We can fool our friends and family, but you can never fool God.  He knows each of us, deeply and specifically.  He knows our thoughts before we think them.  We can not escape Him, not even if we want to.  David wrote Psalm 139, that even in the darkness he couldn't hide from God; that while he was in his mother's womb, God was there.
Hebrews 4:13 "And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him  with whom we have to do."
It is sobering to realize that the same God who is holy and eternal, the maker of the billions of galaxies and thousands of tree species, that this same God takes time to know all the littlest details about each of us.  He doesn't have to know us so well, but He chooses to. 
Psalm 139 is a favorite of mine and I wrote it OVER and OVER while I was pregnant with Kaden.  It just REALLY speaks to me.  Here it is:
"O Lord, You have searched me and known me.  You know my sitting down  and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off.  You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.  For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.  You have hedged me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me.  Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain.  Where can I go from Your Spirit?  Or where can I flee from Your presence?  If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.  If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me.  If I say, "Surely the darkness shall fall on me,"  Even the night shall be light about me; Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, But the night shines as the day; The darkness and the light are both alike to You, but the night shines as the day; The darkness and the light are both alike to You.  For you formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb.  I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well.  My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.  Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.  And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.  How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!  How great is the sum of them!  If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You.  Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God!  Depart from me therefore, you bloodthirsty men.  For they speak against You wickedly; Your enemies take Your name in vain.  Do I not hate them, O Lord, who hate You?  And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?  I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them my enemies.  Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting." 
I just LOVE Psalm 139 for SO many reasons!  I hope you can find special meaning in it too!
God is all-powerful
Colossians 1:16 "For by Him all things were created both in the heavens and on the earth,visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-all things have been created through Him and for Him.
Don't we live instead like God is created for us?  To bless us, to take care of our loved ones?  I heard something this week that REALLY stuck with me, "Don't tell God how big your mountain is, tell your mountain how big your God is."Amen!  Isn't that the truth?  And don't we all need that reminder from time to time???  I LOVE that saying, I will use it FOREVER!
God has more of a right to question us, than us Him.
Daniel 4:35 "All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, but He does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of earth; And no one can ward off His hand or say to Him, "What have You done?"
God is fair and just
God is the only Being who is good, and the standards are set by Him.  God hates sin, He had to punish those guilty of sin.  (This is portrayed over and over and over again in the Old Testament, which I just spent the last year reading.)  God says in Proverbs 8:13 "I hate pride and arrogance."  God never excuses sin.  Whenever we start to question whether God really hates sin, we have only to think of the cross, where HIS SON was tortured, mocked, and beaten because of sin.  Our sin.  No question about it:  God hates and punishes sin.
Many facets of God expand beyond our comprehension.  He can not be fully explained by our vocabulary, or grasped by our understanding.   Revelations 4 & Isaiah 6 describe a Heavenly Throne Room.  In Revelations, when John recounts his experience of seeing God, its as though he is scrambling for earthly words to describe the vision he was privileged  to see.  He describes the "One" seated on the throne with two gems, "jasper and carnelian,"' and a rainbow that looked like an emerald.  God resembles radiant jewels more than flesh and blood.  Imagine the most beautiful sun set you've ever seen and the lack of words to describe it.  John describes flashes of lightning and rumblings of thunder coming from God's throne, there were 7 blazing torches before the throne and a sea of glass that looks like crystal.  He described those who surrounded God, 24 elders dressed in white wearing golden crowns.  Four 6-winged beings with eyes all over their bodies and wings.  One has the face of a lion, one an ox, one a man, one an eagle.  It would be terrifying to see one of these creatures out in the woods.  He tells us what the beings are saying.  24 elders cast their golden crowns before the One on the throne, fall on their faces before Him, and say, "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being."  At the same time the four creatures never stop day or night saying, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come!"  Just imagine being in that room.
The prophet Isaiah also had a vision of God in His throne room, "I saw the Lord seated on the throne."  Isaiah saw that and lived?  The Israelites hid themselves whenever God passed by their camp because they were too afraid to look at Him.  They were scared they would die if they saw God.  But Isaiah looked and saw God.  The bottom of God's robe filled the whole temple and the seraphin appeared above Him.  Each had six wings similar to John's description.  Isaiah says they called out to one another, saying, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Alimghty; the whole earth is full of His glory!"  Then the foundations shook and smoke filled the house.  His words to God,"Woe is me...I am ruined!  For I am a man of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty."  And then one of the seraphim brings Isaiah a piece of burning coal that had been smoldering on the altar.  The creature touches Isaiah's mouth with the hot coal and tells him that his guilt is taken away. 
John's description helps us imagine what the throne room of God looks like, while Isaiah reminds us what our only response to such a God should be.
May Isaiah's cry become our own.  Woe is me!  We are a people of unclean lips! 
This is how we should approach God, I am unclean...
Go read Isaiah 6 and Revelation 4. 
Stand in awe of God, stand in silence before God who's tremendous worth becomes even more apparent as we see our own puny selves in comparison. 

This concludes Chapter 1.  Chapter 2 notes to come very soon.  I also bought this book for my best friend, Hilary last night and gave it to her.  She is going to be reading as well. 

2nd Birthday Party!

We had Kaden's party on Saturday, February 5th, snow and all.  And a lot of people showed up, because they were sick of being home in the snow after about a week of it around here.  We were so happy some of our friends and family came to help celebrate. 

Isn't this the cutest cake?  I got it at Costco for $16.99 pre-made.  It was a chocolate cake filled with 2 pounds of chocolate mousse.  It was Yummy!  I am very pleased with it, and we will be getting Costco cakes from here forward.

Kaden picked out the Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck napkins, plates and cups.  He loves Donald, and Donald is very hard to find!  And, no, we were not able to do a Barney cake, but it all worked out, and Kaden really never missed Barney.  We can still get away with that this year.  :)

The balloon thing just didn't work out well this year.  We went in the snow to get balloons blown up the morning of the party.  I had bought some cupcake shaped helium balloons and some birthday candle balloons.  They all ended up popping when the lady filled them, so we ended up with an Elmo helium and a few random balloons.  Elmo got popped before we got into the house with him, and about 4 of the little balloons popped before the party even started.  They continued to pop throughout the party when kids would touch them.  Scared me to dead all day long!  It just wasn't meant to be, I think it was the dry air with no humidity, which is RARE for Texas.
Here's the birthday boy in his birthday hat!

He acted a little shy while we all sang to him...

Kaden was a lot more interested in eating grapes than cake.  He ate a whole pound of grapes that day!

Blowing out the candle!

He wanted the grapes, had no interest in the cake!

Mommy, Birthday Boy Kaden and Daddy

Granddaddy, Kaden, and Granny Cay.

Hayden!

Thanks to Megan, Jeff and Hayden for attending. Megan took pictures for me because my camera was not working. Thanks so much Megan!  It was so nice having you take pictures and not having to worry with it, maybe I'll take pictures for you at H's party.  Hayden loved the horses and horse barn, and the chocolate cake! Hayden got Kaden the cutest new back pack bag with his name monogrammed on it.  He loves it!  And, yes, the writing is still on our living room wall!

Kaden got several great birthday gifts from his friends and family.  He is a very loved and blessed little boy. 

Kaden had a great party! 

A birthday and snow day.

Today is my sweet husbands birthday.  We brought baby Kaden home from the hospital on Lance's birthday two years ago today.  That is a memory we will always have.  I don't write a lot on here about my husband, but I truly couldn't make it without him.  He is so thoughtful and helpful and sweet.  He helps me do everything at home from washing dishes to laundry to taking care of Kaden.  He is a wonderful husband and an amazing Daddy to Kaden.  Lance equally parents Kaden with me.  We both have Kaden 2 days each while the other works, and the other 3 days that one of the two of us don't have him, he's at JJ and GrandDaddy's house.  I love that my husband wants to do everything for us and with us.  He is a wonderful man, and I am blessed beyond words to be married to him.  I know I don't tell you often enough honey, thank you for everything you do for us.  I love you!  And, Happy Birthday.

It is also a snow day for us all.  We are all home together today.  I like these days, they don't happen often enough.  I love being at home, I have no need to be anywhere else.  Everything that is important to me is right here with me.  :)

This is Lance and Kaden opening their Birthday cards from Aunt Chrysteen and Uncle James last night. Lance's Aunt faithfully sends us all birthday cards, she is so sweet. Kaden LOVED opening them! He was excited!

Thank you for our "2" card Aunt Teen!
 

Grand Daddy, JJ and Daddy got Kaden a Mickey & Minnie Mouse cake for his actually birthday since his party isn't until this weekend.  He loved it!

Kaden thought it was his first birthday all over again and he just dug in with his mouth!  So funny!

He had to be stopped!  :)  He got a nice mouth full though.

I am so mad about my camera.  Lance bought me a Canon Rebel T1i back in July.  My 18-55 mm lens is jammed and will not photograph on Auto Focus because of the jam,  I can only shoot on Manual.  And, I do not know how to take picture on Manual focus.  So, here you go!  And, I will not have my camera working for Kaden's actual party.  So, here's the quality of pictures you'll probably see.  Makes me mad to spend a thousand dollars on the camera and two lenses, and the small lense that you have to use for indoor, close up use of course is the one jammed.  I can still take distance pictures, but that is it.

Blowing out his "2" candle with Aunt "B"

This little boy LOVES the snow!  We HAD to get him a bowl of 'ice' this morning as soon as he woke up.  He struck his face in it!  Silly boy!  I made him some home made snow ice cream for the third time now in his little life. 

We took him outside this afternoon to play in the snow.  All 9 inches we received here at our house this morning.  It's beautiful fluffy, dry snow, never had snow like this before here.  Kaden threw the BIGGEST fit he has EVER thrown when we had to come back in the house, I had to threaten to spank him he was being so ugly.  He definately LIKES the snow!

Even the donkey's say 'BbbbbbRrrrrrrr' today.

Going Private For Good.

I have made my blog private once before, but now I am going private for good.  I realize I do not have very many readers, and I do not blog for a fan base, I blog to keep a record for Kaden more than anything.  So, if you are a reader and would like access please email me at: kellymabe@yahoo.com 
I will make the blog private in a few days. 

Happy 2nd Birthday, Kaden Angus!

Wow!  It hardly seems possible that it's been two years ago today that I gave birth to you, my precious little red headed boy. 

(This picture was immediately after birth, I requested that you be put on me at birth, and not be taken away to be cleaned up first.  And, that worked out perfect, because you were perfectly healthy.  So, we immediately had skin to skin bonding time at birth because I think it is very important and we bonded.  As you can see I am stretching my neck and head as far as I could, to try and get a good look at you.  I wanted to see every detail about you.)

I still can't believe you weighed 9 pounds and 3 ounces!  Oh My, what a big baby!

(You were so mad when they took you away from Mommy to weigh you and clean you up a little.  I couldn't believe how you could scream, everyone outside in the hallways of the hospital heard you, and knew you had arrived.) 

You have been such a blessing to your Daddy and I, and you have changed us, for the better, every day since you were born.  We love you so much our hearts want to explode sometimes.  You bring us so much laughter, joy, and love. 

(You have been a Daddy's boy since day 1.  You love your Daddy, and most days I'm pretty convinced you love him a lot more than you love your Mommy.  Your Daddy will do anything in the world for you.  )

Here you are on your first birthday, just walking.  You had a black eye on your first birthday.

Luckily, you do not have one for your second birthday.  The year between one and two has been so much fun.  The journey from infancy to toddler, and from not talking to saying sentences.  You have brought endless joy and laughter to our hearts this year.  We go to bed every night or wake up each morning talking about things you did or said that day.

You say and do so many things as a two year old that it would be hard to record them all, but here are some of our favorites:

You shake your head yes and say, "Au-huh!"  It's so cute!

You say, "Oh No!"  A lot!

You say, "more's!" when you want more.  Love that!

You call chicken noodle soup Granddaddy Soup because you learned to eat it with Granddaddy.  This is one of your favorite things to eat right now.  You had a bowl for breakfast the day before your 2nd birthday!  You love it!  You also love "Meemaw crackers."  Your Daddy started putting butter on Ritz crackers for you like his Meemaw did for him when he was little, so you call them Meemaw crackers.

You say, "Turn it, turn it!" when you are putting together puzzles or working with your tools.  You are putting together 10 or so puzzles per day that are age 2-7 years.  They are 25 piece puzzles!  You are so smart.

You scream 'HOLD ME DADDY!' all the time!  You LOVE your DADDY and you scream and through the biggest fit every time he leaves you.

You melt our hearts when you say, "I wuv you, Mommy, Heart."  Those have to be the sweetest words ever for a Momma.

You calls your thumb 'thumkin', and his big toe 'thumkin toe!'

You can say all your colors, you can count to ten, but only 1, 2, 3 are in order the others you mix up still!

You say to me, "I want it Momma."  You can say all kinds of animals names, too many to count and make their sounds.  You LOVE crayons.  You love to draw in the bathtub and on your marker board Nana bought for you.  You've only drawn on the walls once.  I think you know now that you shouldn't write on the wall. 

You say little commands all the time like, 'hold it' or 'this, that'  'Kaden's' 'Momma's'

In the morning you say, "Get up Momma, Milk!"  Before I had my laser vision correction surgery on Dec. 31st, you would always go get my glasses off the night stand and hand them to me and say, 'glasses Momma'.  I had to teach you that glasses went Bye-Bye because I didn't need them anymore.  You asked me every morning for about three weeks, "Momma where glasses go?"  I would tell you, "glasses went bye-bye."  You finally caught on. 

You are a typical little boy who loves 'Big Trucks', 'Dump Trucks', and 'trains'.  You make all the appropriate truck noises.  You love boats, and you call Mommy's van a 'car' and Daddy's truck a 'truck'. 

You will lay in bed at night and list EVERY single person you can think of by their names.  It blows us away the people you remember.  You list everyone in your everyday life, but then you'll randomly say cousins names and friends names that we rarely see.  It's really sweet!

You love Tony Llama.  You keep saying the last couple weeks every time you see him that you want to 'ride it.'  I think we'll pass on Llama riding, but it is cute that you think you should ride a Llama.

You can name all your body parts.  'head' 'ears' 'eyes' 'mouth' 'chin' 'neck' 'chest' 'tummy' 'back' 'bobo' 'pepe' 'belly button' 'hands' 'elbow' 'arm' 'leg' 'foot' 'fingers' 'piggie-toes' 

When you want a bite of something we have you say, 'bite it!'  Or, "I want it Momma, right there."

You Love to sing songs.  Your favorite is No More Monkey's Jumpin on the Bed.

You put your foot up in your Daddy's face for him to bite your toes, then you say, "bite it, No, No, No, Daddy!"  You are silly!

You adore your cousins.  You love playing with them.  Chance, Chase, Chandler, Chandra, Chloe, Dustin, Dakota, Emily and Jacob.  You also talk about Megan and Hayden a lot now that you know how to say their names.

You talk about Memaw Mabe a lot.  You say, "Meemaw, heaven."  Sometimes we wonder if she is your angel because you talk about her so much.

This is you being silly in the bathtub the day before your 2nd Birthday.

Little crayon artist at work in the bathtub.

You just started attending Sunday School last Sunday in the two year old room.  You have the sweetest spirited lady teaching your class, she does an arts and craft activity with you with a lesson, and then you get to play music and sing songs.  You LOVE it!  It makes my heart happy to see you in Sunday school learning all the basics of God and Jesus and His love for you. 

I pray for you everyday, Kaden, that you will be a man after God's heart.  I pray that you will find purpose in this life through serving Christ and others.  True satisfaction in life comes from serving and giving to others.  I hope I can teach you to give to others and to have a helpful spirit.  I pray that you will be content in life, and have a clear direction waiting for God to direct your life.  You are such a blessing to my life and I love you to pieces little man.  Can't wait to see you grow!  I love you!!! 

Remembering Mo Mo

As sweet as it was to have you here Montana Lane, I know that Heaven is your home, and it's all you'll ever know.  And that is comforting to me.  So, today I remember and celebrate your birthday.  I will never forget the day, because I took off work that day to be with your Mom in labor and delivery.  You were so perfect when you were born and came out with your eyes wide open, ready to see the world.  You were such a good and happy baby.  I was a single lady when you were born, living alone in a little rent house.  You, your Momma, and Chloe Mae would come spend the night with me pretty often on the weekends.  Your Momma would burrito you up in a blanket, you loved to be all snugly and warm, and you would sleep all night long right in between us.  You were as good as could be, never crying, waking or complaining, just sleeping all night long.  Then, I would always have a photo session of you while you were at my house, I'm so glad I captured all those memories of you.  Your sister was so proud of you and the pictures I took of her holding you for the first time in the hospital just melt my heart.  She sat down and we handed you to her and she sneezed right in your face.  That scared me to death because I just knew you would get sick, but you didn't.  You loved your sissy from day 1.  She misses you so much, Montana.  Your Mommy has been so strong through all of this.  I know she doesn't think so.  She still hurts for you everyday, she cries about everything, and I know all those tears she cries are for you.  I know one day Jesus will wipe her tears away Himself as He hands you back to her to hold for eternity.  Your Momma loves and misses you so much buddy. 

We all miss you and your cute little ways that made us all laugh and smile.  We all think about what you would be like today, as a three year old, and how you and Kaden would be great buddies.  I wish Kaden could have known you, but I feel like he does know you.  I feel like you are an angel who watches over Kaden.  It says in the Bible that all children have an angel, and just maybe you are that angel for him.  I love you and miss you little man, and until the day we meet again I will honor your sweet little life, because you touched my life and taught me about the important things in life.