Missed the Wedding

Well apparently I've missed Sarah's wedding, 'cuz she is getting ready for her honeymoon! Yep, I found her in Morgan's room after school today...Morgan had an entire salon set up and when I asked what they were doing, they replied...getting Sarah ready for her honeymoon! Guess she's going to Africa with Eric (I've never met an Eric!) to see zebras! She looked beautiful by the way! (So at dinner Mike was trying to get the girls to promise they'd buy the houses across the street when they were older...he said, "you'll always have free babysitting if you do that!".) Wow, seems like just last week she lost her first tooth! Time flies!

18th Valentine's Day

This is the 18th Valentine's day Mike and I have spent together, but only the 2nd time we've actually gone away just the two of us.

When we got there, they had "upgraded" our room to a condo...we had a living room, full kitchen and bedroom... and we thought we were just getting a regular hotel room! We felt very spoiled (the rate on the door said it was $409 a night!)... that's not even close to what we paid! It was SO nice. We loved staying at Branson Landing and walking everywhere for the weekend. We unplugged from tv, computers and the phone (except for when the girls and my parents called to wish me a happy birthday! and we watched Fireproof), it was nice! For me, it was intimate on an emotional level, lots of fun (lots of laughter) and extremely replenishing! It was a great birthday! Oh yah, and I can't neglect to mention that the only reason I was able to relax so much, was because I knew my girls were having a the best time with Darian...as a parent, how great it is to go away and not have to worry about your kids for even one moment! That is a gift! (They went to gymnastics, coldstone, krispy kremes, made purses, baked and decorated cakes, went to Chuck E Cheese, and I can't even remember what else!)

I LOVE Birthdays!

It is so much fun to celebrate birthdays! Here's a few pictures from Sarah's 6th birthday.

Darian, who is like the BIGGEST blessing to our family, made Sarah's birthday cake. (She is also watching the girls this weekend, so Mike and I can get away for a couple of nights...oh yah!)

Sarah had 2 friends come home from school with her today and they went swimming at the pool with us. And just now as I was typing this up, Sarah lost her very 1st tooth! How very exciting!

I love watching her smile all day!!! She adds so much joy, giggles and fun to our lives!

My daughter's joy

There's just something magical about experiencing your child's joy. Tonight Sarah got her ears pierced (for her 6th birthday) -- she has been smiling all evening and has been (and still is) so very excited! She chose the purple ones!

And then we decided to do something out of the ordinary and actually go out this evening...so we went to Chuck E. Cheese -- oh my goodness -- you should have heard the squeals and excitement...it almost makes me want to go to Chuck E. Cheese every Friday night! I just love spending time together as a family...they are a lot of fun to be with! Chances are they will not remember this evening 20 years from now, and I might not either, but life isn't always about remembering every event (although I secretly wish I could remember it all, bottle it up and pour it out whenever I want!), rather life is about enjoying the journey, enjoying the moment we're in right now...and thru those moments you build relationships that make life so, so sweet!