Our Weekend Birthday Bash

Alex turned 8 last week and Alexis is about to turn 6! So this weekend we had our big birthday bash!
It started out with a massive snow storm! It was breathtakingly gorgeous outside!
Then daddy took Alex on his annual trip to Friendly's for his birthday breakfast! (Side note: Friendly's is a chain of ice cream shops in the mid-west. I worked there for 4 years as a waitress! We LOVE Friendly's in my family!)

The theme for the birthday party was dogs! Alexis wanted 101 Dalmation Dogs.


And Alex wanted military dog fighting planes. The centerpiece was our pinata!

Mommy made 2 pans of lasagna for our relatives, along with Caesar Salad and Italian bread.


Then we took pictures before all our guests arrived!

Sweet!

Cousins! (a couple are missing in the picture)


The cake was from Dairy Queen. Our local Dairy Queen said - "choose any theme and we can google it and put it on your cake!" Awesome huh? They did a GREAT job!


Singing Happy Birthday and blowing out candles.

Lexi's favorite gift - roller blades! She spent her Sunday afternoon rolling through the house! We need some warm weather so she can use these OUTSIDE lol!


Tired parents! lol!

Silence...

The evening ends with wrapping paper, plastic cups, balloons, new books and toys scattered.

Mommy gulps as she reflects on the memories of her little ones who each day grow a little bigger.

Time.

Time seemed so slow during the Barney days.

Time.

Time is moving so fast I just want to hit the pause button.

Where did the days of binky's, bottles and blankies go?

Gone.

Completely gone - never to return.

Tear *

She wonders is she good enough?

Is she doing the right things for her children?

Has she given them too much, too little, enough?

It seems like life is 2 steps forward, one step back.

Signs of maturity sparkle but then the bubble bursts and ugly messes she never saw coming spill out.

And she wonders - trembling - how will this end, will they live well?

She lays her head in the chest of her strong man and says, "I think this is hard for a reason.
God is making sure I don't think I can do this in my own strength.

He is keeping me humbled so I will learn to persevere in prayer.

It seems I forget to pray on my knees when we take 2 steps forward.

But on days when we are one step back, I am reminded I am weak. He is strong."

And 2 who are 1, comfort each other as together they look to the future with hope.

Hope in a great God who is faithful.

Hope that in our weaknesses, God will give us strength for the days to come.

Hope that our children will be the next generation to shine like lights in a dark world.

And hope for future generations.

Lord, have mercy on us - help 2 who are 1, spiked hair son and dimpled daughter. Strengthen us. May we be fully committed to you.

2 Chronicles 16:9 "For the eyes of the Lord range through out the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him." NIV

Walk with the King!