Someone once said about their father:
"I'm not looking for you to accept me, I'm looking for you to love me."
I loved it and it's suck with me. I wish every father, every man that has ever hurt any woman or child would hear this, know this and do this. Know that love is the key to everything and with love comes acceptance and everything in between. Why can't we just all love, genuinely love one another? The world would be so different.
I thank God everyday for the loving and caring parents he has given to me and only pray that I can be the same with my children.

Loving Anna

Cousins are such beautiful things. I grew up with all of mine and have great memories of them. I'm so happy to see Alyssa loving her cousins as much as I did/do. This morning she awoke and came looking for Anna. She must've been dreaming about her because she was insistent that Anna was here and heart broken when I told her she wasn't and was actually at school.

Then later in the morning I was cleaning and caught Alyssa chanting "who's Anna". Confused, and thinking she was again asking "where's Anna", I told her she was at school and maybe we could see her soon. She continued and continued until I looked and saw she was holding a piece of artificial grass from my flower arrangement. It then dawned on me that she was praising God and chanting "Hosanna" in her own special way. She seriously thinks that the word Hosanna is asking who's Anna. "Thats silly" she said to herself. I love the childhood innocence that my children have and I hope they hold onto it for a long long time.

So I lost my xanga. It's gone forever and I don't think I'll bother starting another one. It was weird though. I only forgot my password so I had them send me a note to my email so I could retrieve it but I'd never receive the email. Yet I'd receive updates to my email, so it was on file. I emailed help told them the situation and they said they'd email me back. No go. So I'm boycotting xanga. I think I'll just stick with my blog!

My baby is 1!

Giana Leigh, you sweet little thing! She's one already and I can't believe how fast the last year went. It was challenging to say the least, but the best year of my life by far!

Her new "tricks" are playing peek-a-boo, clapping and blowing kisses. Not walking yet, but we are just fine with that! I love watching babies crawl. 

For her 1st birthday party we decided to invite just family and try and keep it low key. I spent hours on the cake as usual and then asked myself why I don't just "buy" one! But this proud mama just wants them to be special and homemade, so I'll probably continue the cake decorating for years to come. Here is a peek at the cake and cutest cupcakes ever!

Giana was eating a pretzel here and would not dig into her cake. She ended up being "fed" because she didn't want to touch it. She's such a girl!

Giana, you are such a blessing and we love you so much!

~Mommy & Daddy

Being a full-time mother is one of the highest salaried jobs... since the payment is pure love.

Spring time!

Wow, you can tell it's spring around our house. I've been having fun exposing the girls to all kinds of good stuff. We've been doing a bit of bird watching too. A family of robins had made a nest in our "swinging" tree out front (pic left) and surprisingly found a some of our fly away easter grass from Alyssa basket. I had to get a picture. It blew away when Alyssa brought a small basket home from church back at easter-time and I found it hilarious that it's reappeared. We got a chance to watch the mama sitting on the nest, then the babies hatched and we could watch them being fed. Then finally last week, while we were swinging they flew the nest. Alyssa loved watching them.

We've been helping Great Grandma Peters in the garden this year. Alyssa didn't seem too interest but loved hulling the peas with me, eating a few in between.

I'm enjoying my hydrangea bush. I had planted it a few years back and almost lost it to mold but it's back and bigger than ever! Beautiful baby blue color too!

 

Oh, Giana, you've been such a challenge. These are the faces I get on a daily, sometimes hourly basis. I've come to adore them and think they are quite cute. Most days Mommy has lost her last nerve and I'm finding quite a few gray hairs lately, but know that I love you dearly and you have been such a blessing to me and our family. I love you Giana Leigh!