Happy Birthday, Grandma!

We thank the Lord for you!

We're looking forward to seeing you – very soon!

interpreting modern art

Can you find the three giraffes?

What about the castle, the one that's saying "Cheese!" (or so I was told) because it's getting its picture taken (at the little artist's request)?

See the letter "E" – and the letter "D" too? (There might even be a letter "O" – but if so, it wasn't identified to me as such.)

And can you see the blue balloon?

My favorite is probably the staircase – after all, world-renowned artists made staircases that led to nowhere!

b-day season (cont.)

Yes, the cake did have twenty candles,

enthusiastically placed by Elizabeth!

Tío Alfonso (who is back in town) took us to a Mexican restaurant

to celebrate – my 15th birthday (according to him).

I couldn't believe it when the waiter started spreading

whipped cream (from the complimentary dessert)

on my nose and chin!

b-day highlights

Counting my blessings...

• Iris in bloom in the flowerbeds!
  
• Inheriting a whole stash of (organized!) coupons from Andrea – who taught me how to really coupon in the first place! (Now I can hardly wait to figure out the ins and outs of CouponCentral!)
  
• Finishing taxes on April 14 (one whole day before the deadline!), not working on taxes at all on April 15, and getting to the post office before supper on April 15!
  
• Supper at Moe’s – courtesy of a b-day coupon!
  
• Looking forward to using the remaining b-day coupons – mostly of the ice-cream variety!
  
• Elizabeth saying: “Dat’s yoh pwesent!” while viewing Uncle Daniel’s e-card
  
• Laughing with JM over Shannah’s e-card
  
• Phone calls and/or voicemail from family
  
• B-day greetings from FaceBook friends and family
  
• Looking forward to the rest of “b-day season” – especially the b-day cake JM and Elizabeth are planning to make and decorate!
  Elizabeth: “Mommy, what’s yoh numboh?”
  Me: “A lot!”
  Now she vacillates between plans for twenty candles and four candles! (Twenty might sound flattering, but in reality it’s the highest number she knows!)
  
• AND (best of all!) my gift from JM (and Elizabeth) – a CD with wonderful Scriptural texts and guitar accompaniment: Cantate Domino – Sing to the Lord

I am truly blessed!

Hallelujah!

Christ is alive!

HE has risen! And HE lives forevermore!

Jesus Christ our Lord...was...declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.

I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes...

For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, 'But the righteous man shall live by faith."

~Romans, Chapter 1

Ahoy, Mates!

We've been listening (a lot!) to "Sing Along with Patch the Pirate" at our house; it seems to be the latest favorite. ("The Wise Man Built His House" by SMS is the other favorite – and one I highly recommend.)

My favorite Punkin Spice lines so far are:

When listening to the O-B-E-D-I-E-N-C-E song:

"Letters! It's a letters song!"

And when listening to the Jonah song:

"Jonah wasn't in Wally Whale! He was in another big fish!"

Wally Whale is her favorite character, too.

Come, Ye Disconsolate!

On Sunday evening, we sang a hymn I had not sung (or even heard) for quite a while. These truths, expressed poetically and set to moving music, brought tears to my eyes as they were yet another reminder that hurting hearts are all around us.

What a blessing to remember...
"Earth has no sorrow that [God] cannot cure!"

Come, ye disconsolate, where’er ye languish,
Come to the mercy seat, fervently kneel.
Here bring your wounded hearts, here tell your anguish;
Earth has no sorrow that Heav’n cannot heal.

Joy of the desolate, light of the straying,
Hope of the penitent, fadeless and pure!
Here speaks the Comforter, tenderly saying,
“Earth has no sorrow that Heav’n cannot cure.”

Here see the bread of life; see waters flowing
Forth from the throne of God, pure from above.
Come to the feast of love; come, ever knowing
Earth has no sorrow but Heav’n can remove.

Big Girl Bed!

Our Little Punkin Spice very happily transitioned to her "Big Girl Bed" one week ago tonight. Her Daddy and Mommy are very thankful for a very smooth transition; she hasn't even tried to get out of bed – not even once! (Not yet anyway!) Must be like her Daddy was. (Right, PaPa and Grandma?)

Here she is – pleased as punch – with her Mono Grande and Mono Chico, formerly known as Mono con Moño!

¡Feliz Cumple, Abu!

Wishing you God's richest blessings on this special day!

Children's children are the crown of old men;

And the glory of children are their fathers.

~ Proverbs 17:6