I Lost My Husband One Year Ago

  I don't know if people still read blogs but sometimes my IG posts are getting too long and hard to read through all the comments.  So I'm back here to share our story and the journey.

I hope to go back an tell more of our story but for now here is a summary of what has happened.

Thought I had my hands full with 3 children but after a while God kept putting this little girl in my mind and I struggled with trusting Him and indecision over having a 4th for like a year. 

My husband was happy with 3 but He supported that sense that our family wasn't complete and agreed to having a 4th.  

I still struggled to trust and tormented myself with fear and indecision, but ultimately trusted.

We found out we were pregnant with our 4th and were excited.  

9 weeks in I had an ultrasound with no heartbeat.  I ultimately needed to have a D & C procedure because my body would not release the baby on its own.

We tried again when the Dr. said we could and were pregnant again.

We experienced another miscarriage, however after that, turned out to still be pregnant with a baby girl!  We had another beautiful homebirth using the same midwives as last time.  This time Tyler read a doula book and even though he was always a good birth partner, he really stepped up his game and I nicknamed him my Moula (man-doula).

When baby girl was 6 months old, I got the call from my mom that my dad, 7 years into his ALS battle, was starting morphine.  My husband had the baby and I on a flight within 8 hours to get cross country and I was able to get there in time for my dad to lay eyes on his 10th grandbaby for the first time before he became unresponsive. He peacefully passed on 9/11 and we felt relieved for my dad that he was no longer confined to that prison of a body ravaged by ALS.  

As we planned my dad's funeral, my husband Tyler was running a lot and began having pain in his leg that didn't feel like shin splints and so he figured it was a stress fracture from all the running and hiking he was doing and stubbornly refused to pay for an MRI when they can't do anything about it anyways, so when we got home from my dad's funeral, he picked up a bike and started cycling while he tried to limit the stress on his leg.  

November, He had 2 colds back to back that lasted longer than he normally experienced and started wondering if something was wrong with his immune system. Thanksgiving was at the end of the month that year and he felt good on Thanksgiving and made the entire meal like he always did and we decorated for Christmas that night, something we never did before.  We usually waited but for whatever reason we did. the next week He was starting to have a headache and coming home from work early which, if you knew Tyler, was a beast and could normally push through anything.

I had made a dr appointment that was a week or two away because it was hard getting in any sooner the end of the year.  Took him to a massage and the next day discovered awful bruising on his back that had me really alarmed.  Things started to go south quick and took him to a walk in clinic rather than wait for that appointment.  We didn't expect it to be anything awful, but the next day he went from bad to worse, he was cold but sweating profusely, I really got scared, reminded me of my dad as we were by his side the night he slipped away.  I called them to rush his lab results.  They called back and said his blood cell count was high and to go to the ER, and that he likely had leukemia. 

He went to the ER on Dec 12, (speaking of beast mode he actually was trying to go into the office that morning as he was concerned about finishing a project but I wouldn't let him...and if you know me I rarely would stand in someone's way) the ER doctor confirmed the Leukemia diagnosis. Next day transferred to Cancer Center and further testing narrowed down to ALL with the Philadelphia Chromosome.  I plan to share more details about this time later, but for now the short story is, he began Chemo, had a bad feeling about it, he felt like something bad was going to happen and rightly so, an hour or so into being hooked up to his first treatment he suffered a devastating brain bleed as I watched hospital staff pour into the room and try to revive him.  He was shocked and intubated and then on life support for 3 days which was removed December 23, 2019.  He was a strong, successful, amazing father and husband and only 36.

This Christmas marked our one year as a family without him with us.  It's still hard to fathom all that happened and that he's really gone.  For months the kids and I felt like he was on a work trip and would be walking in the door any moment, but as the year pressed on despite our resistance, the reality settles in more and more.  Covid and everything else in 2020 just felt like...well why not? Our world already didn't make sense anymore losing Tyler going into all that, it was hard to even be phased by it and other times it just compounded the overwhelm of life without Tyler.  But with all that, one of the last things I said to the ICU nurse as she held my hand near the end as I faced the impossible was "I still believe God is good." And a year later, despite the highs and lows, I still believe that God is good...even more so. 

BLOOM

Sometimes a winter freeze comes along and it may feel cold, lonely and isolating...but the cold period is needed before the spring bulb can bloom and bring forth a fresh, new season.

"Live with a constant awareness of the ever changing world and your ever shifting self."-Mencius 

Sometimes we go through transitions and we may not know why, relationships, connections, attitudes, purpose, health, passions, jobs, whatever it may be.  You may have been going just fine in one direction and suddenly you don't know what direction you're going but you know it's not the direction you thought you were...things start changing and shifting for whatever reason. it can feel like a cold isolating heaviness when we don't understand what is going on behind the scenes, but if we trust and be patient, God works all things for our good, and suddenly, the ground begins to warm, we push up through the heaviness and we enter into a new season as beautiful spring flowers. The Spring Flowers are there to rise up, give hope and look around as honored guests and see what the master gardener is doing all around them as the rest of spring follows suite.

If you feel lost, in transition, discontent, unsettled or anxious ...start to warm the cold ground around you through trust and gratitude and then look up, push up, rise up and BLOOM!!!

Look up - acknowledge and praise your Lord

Push up - seek and ask with faith, confidence and quiet patience

Rise up - let go of your cares and trust with all your heart and know He is sovereign 

BLOOM- realize you are HIS beloved, that He IS working (no matter the outcome) and you are starting to see and realize it a little more each day as each petal begins to open as his plan unfolds to your view and then rejoice and praise in His work and sing for the beauty of the earth, for the beauty of the skies, from the love which from our birth over and around us lies, Lord of all to thee we raise, this our hymn of grateful praise as you Whitness from the ground first hand the Lillies of the fields and the birds of the valleys being anxious for nothing.

Art.Beauty.Homemaking.Motherhood.

As a sahm and especially a homeschool mom, I know for me personally, there are times I don't feel beautiful anymore.  I think of women who have to get ready for their professional career and polish up everyday or women my age who are not yet mothers and take great care of themselves with great shoes, clothes, regularly maintained and colored hair and the best makeup and nail polish!  Or especially other mothers who seem to do it ALL while looking fantastic.  Then I look down and there is pretty much ALWAYS something on my shirt, chipped uneven nails, just a little but of nail polish left on my big toes that's been wearing off for over a month, a year of highlights grown out, tired dull skin and eyes, and pretty much just feeling plain jane.  When your day starts with caring for a baby, toddler, sick or scared child who kept you up all night, rather than jump out of bed and get beautified for work and friends, it's a zombie walk to the kitchen for coffee first!  Then more kids appear, need breakfast, help, attention, direction...pets also start meowing or whimpering for a need as well.  Your day gets going and before you know it, it's well into the day, you finally catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror when you managed to get a bathroom break and it can be startling to see the tired, disheveled, unkempt, starting to age, worn out person in the mirror and feel like all traces of whatever former beauty have been lost.

I can also feel this way about creativity and art.  I wanted to be a couple things when I was in my youth...number one...I always wanted to be a mom but other dreams included being a fine artist, spending time in Italy as an apprentice to gain and polish professional skills, compose music for movie soundtracks and maybe a few other grand dreams.  When I glance in the mirror on those days and see an uglier version of myself, I sometimes feel that way about my creative and artistic abilities...lost in the wash...probably gone to the same place of no return that all those socks go to....which is why my kids wear mismatched socks a lot of the time!

BUT...as depressing and pitiful as that all sounds, thankfully those days are a small minority of the time because I am reminded that BEAUTY isn't merely a state of being and neither is art.  Both are an expression.  Both can be expressed and enjoyed in many non-tangible, non-capturable ways, all throughout our day...every day!

Motherhood and homemaking are sources of insurmountable joy and satisfaction yet at the same time very exhaustive, stressful and humbling.  Motherhood BREAKS you.  But, if approached with intention, unselfishness, humbleness, a willingness to learn from our children and pray over everything and seek out the Holy Spirit's inspiration as our main go to parenting resource that we can tap into anytime....from or brokenness, a new beautiful creature arises from within.  TRUE BEAUTY.  Expressed in our love for our children, how we teach them, treat them and give our unconditional enduring love, being teacher and students of our children.  Learning who they are, embracing who they are, cultivating their personality traits to work for their good so they can serve as strengths more than weakness...which is ultimately done through constant prayer and seeking of guidance.  This new beautiful strong creature is shed of some of her former self...and usually a lot for the better...shed of shallowness, selfishness, impatience and pride just to name a few.  

Art and creativity are also expressed in child raising and homemaking on a daily basis.  Living simply, unhurried and connected with our surroundings, creating quality time, being up to enjoy and go with the flow to enjoy the spontaneous and the planned moments together, exploring and discovering the world together, creating things together, creating an environment to cultivate their little hearts, minds and spirits....there is just so much that happens everyday that is an expression of art and creativity.  

My family and home are my canvas and God is the medium-blended into every color, coated on every brush and layered onto every part of the canvas that I work on everyday.  It all goes on smoother, blends better and has a better overall finish when He is a part of it.

Often when thoughts of not fulfilling or cultivating my gifts and passions, I'm reminded that right now, in this season, my family and my home are my canvas and my various paintbrushes are prayer, unscheduled time, nature, living books, beautiful homeschool resources, nature journaling, character development, devotional/hymn/poetry study, teachable moments, the right extra curricular activities for us, a handful of sweet friends, extended family, Holy Spirit inspiration and God is the paint medium, blended into every color, coated on every brush and layered onto every part of the canvas that I am working everyday.  It all goes on smoother, blends better and has a better finish when He is a part of it.  

Aside from drawing in our nature notebooks or doing art with my kids, using my rusty art skills, I am OK...no actually I am MORE than OK to wait until a season when more tangible art projects will be a part if my life...but for now...living art is what it is and finding the beauty and joy in the messy and mundane moments.  (Have you ever walked into an painting studio?  It's messy and simple and bare...but then, in the midst of the unglamorous setting, stands a beautiful work of art in progress with someone spending hours upon hours, diligently working on it....that is just like life!)

Taking in the simple yet complex beauty of the world as we discover it again in new and profound ways alongside our children, our beauty is expressed through our simple joy and contentment, love of nature, love for each other and ultimately love of our creator.  

My personal beauty is not exactly expressed as it was in more youthful years through youthful glowing skin, flat ironed-still naturally blond hair, push up bras and citizen jeans that fit just so...but it IS expressed through creating a peaceful, loving home and a sanctuary for my children and husband to come home to. I cannot do that so well on my own strength alone-but through Adonai-a loving, understanding and creative Father and Savior who knows me and loves me just the way I am.  

This is the season I'm in and it is full of art and beauty and when I look at it this way I am in no hurry for this season to end, sometimes I with it would never have to end. I am content.  

My Christmas Present

I know this is a little late and after the fact, but I haven't blogged in a while so I thought I'd fill ya'll in!

For Christmas this year my husband wanted to get me a new sewing machine so I could be done with (and possible smash to bits with a hammer) my old brother sewing machine that I got on BlackFriday at Walmart for $50 a couple years ago. I am surprised at how much I actually did make with that machine but I swear everything took2-3 times longer because of the constant problems....anyways....so by the time Christmas came we hadn't purchased a new sewing machine yet because I'm still trying to figure out what I want.  

So for the sake of having something wrapped up and under the tree for me on Christmas, my husband has this tradition of going to the Dollar Store with his dad and brother on Christmas Eve and picking up some random things.  As a joke, he bought my mom a home drug test since she lives in WA and marijuana was just legalized there along with the fact that my mom usually has her essential oil diffuser running in the kitchen and the guys always tease her that it looks like a bong.  So that was funny to watch my LDS mom open on Christmas morning as a gag.  While she opened it and was laughing, I was handed a small gift from Tyler that said on the tag "Don't say I didn't give you anything for Christmas!"  and as I opened it up, it was a pregnancy test from the dollar store!  It was a total joke. I my have said something along the lines of "TYLER!" and quickly stashed it away in embarassment. I had forgotten about it until a day or two later he was about to go out to a shooting range with his Dad and Brother and before he left made a comment "Wouldn't that be awesome if you used that test and you actually WERE pregnant?!?"  I laughed like it was impossible and made some comment like "I'm pretty sure I'm not!" and didn't think much of it...until an hour or two after he left his comment came back to my mind and curiosity got the best of me, even though I really didn't think I was.  I took the Dollar Store Pregnancy test and this is what it read

Two lines....that means positive!  I was super excited and surprised but at the same time realized it was a DOLLAR STORE TEST so it doesn't count.  So later on I picked up another test from Walgreens and this time did it when Tyler was with me since I've just told him I was preggers the last 2 times and he'd never seen a test before.  The next one seemed to be a dud....nothing was happening. I started to get frustrated and shaking it up and down to get that pee to run down towards the results box since it wasn't doing it on it's own...we were about the give up and throw it in the trash...when finally the plus sign started to appear!  

So, even though I still haven't picked out my new sewing machine, I can't say that Tyler "didn't get me anything for Christmas" that's for sure!

A little back story-We originally wanted to start trying towards the end of spring 2012 but then we found out we would be moving to a new state and decided to wait until after we were moved and settled...which we thought would take like 2 months to sell our house and buy our next but obviously things haven't gone that way.  As the months passed we both still had it strongly on our hearts and finally not long ago, decided...you know what? it could be a year or more by the time we sell our house move and are settled and it could take up to a year to get pregnant after that!  It took 8-9 months to get pregnant with our 2nd. So we decided to place it in God's hands as his timing has proven time and time again to be much better than our own timing.  So we weren't TRYING, but we were just not worrying about it and trusting the Lord.  I was so surprised and didn't think it was possible because we had barely made that decision to put it in God's hands so that is why we were surprised to have a + result so soon!  And I am very thankful because I know what it's like to get frustrated when it's not happening right when you want and I know plenty of people wait a lot longer than I did with my 2nd so I am NOT taking this for granted at all.  

Also, the other concern we had and why we originally held off on baby #3 was because my past 2 pregnancies were HORRIBLE!  I was so sick I always lost weight, could barely function for more than half the pregnancy because the sickness was so terrible...and when I wasn't puking all day then I had debilitating migraines.  Our concern was how am I going to take care of 2 kids, homeschool one of them and keep the house clean for showings when I am that incapacitated!  But we gave it all up to the Lord and amazingly I have only been sick 2-3 times...both times revolved around a migraine but I have been to a chiro a couple times and that also seems to be helping.  And rather than puking my guts out non stop like I did the last 2 pregnancies....I actually have to eat like every 1.5-2 hours or else I start to feel crappy. I am not used to having a real appetite like this, especially eating while pregnant and not puking right after every time.  

I'm a little over 10 weeks right now and the only major complaints I have is being really really tired....oh and as my 5 year old informed the nurse at my prenatal visit with my midwife as we went over my medical history and symptoms she piped in "AND she has a lot of tutti frutti!" the nurse was confused and I was turning red. She asked her what Tutti Frutti meant and J plugs her nose and says "you know, pee-eww! like the baby has a poopy diaper or something!" then the nurse looked at me confused as I was laughing and I said "She's trying to tell you I have more gas than I used to!"  

And on that note....I figured I'd share our Christmas Family Portrait.  My two younger brothers in the back not standing next to any females are available :)  

Bedtime Blessings

Bedtime Blessings

100 Bedtime Stories and Activities for Blessing Your Child

by John Trent

We've been doing the Book Bedtime Blessings with our 4.5 year old before bed and it has been so enjoyable and something we both really look forward to each  night.  The stories and activities are short and sweet and each activity ends with a related blessing for your child.  Tonight was maybe one of my favorites, the activity was for her to write a letter to God and here is what she dictated for me to write down

Dear God,

Angels protect us.  I'm Jordan and you can send me email God.  God, thank you for giving lots of dress up clothes and please, God, help me be brave.  I love you God thanks for dying on the cross.  God, thank you for my lipstick I got for Christmas. Thank you for my butterflies that hang on my tree and protect me. Thanks for my beautiful room. Please bless that I can have a life with you God.  Thanks you for my wonderful church dresses.  Thank you for art I can do.

How a Lovey Taught Me Something

This is very random, but I was just rocking my fussy son in the rocking chair, my eyes tired and heavy and just reflecting on the great company we had just had over for lunch.  (A family we just met 2 days ago through craigslist when we bought an elliptical from them!!! crazy huh? They are an amazing family who is going to be moving to plant a church in another state-).  Anyways...that's not even the random thing I was going to say although that was super random.  where was I?  Oh yeah, so I was rocking him in the rocking chair calming him down and he was holding his special blankie.  I don't know why, but this thought came to me all at once out of the blue. But this is that back story... he had this wonderful, cute, soft, cozy blankie that I had been giving him repeatedly to be his security object because he didn't have one for a long time.  This blankie I kept giving him was just so soft and plush, and in my mind, ever since we received it as a gift when he was born, I "knew" it was going to be his special blankie, it was perfect....he just hadn't attached to it yet.  I kept on giving it to him and he was indifferent...then one day we were in his room looking for an outfit to wear and he was trying to get into the closet when suddenly he stopped, his eyes got big...he got excited and then pulled out this little yellow and white blanket that I had put away because it was just one of those  thin blankets you use to swaddle them when they are tiny.  Anyways, he pulled that out and from that moment on, it has been his special blankie that goes everywhere.  He won't sleep without it and he drags it around everywhere like little Linus....I couldn't even keep it away from him at the spray park this summer so he drug it through all the fountains and sprinklers...

So as I sat there rocking him, thinking about other things, I looked down at him cuddling his blankie and had this random epiphany.  Thinking about how he came to have that particular blankey be his lovey rather than the nice, plush perfect one I had thought would be his lovey, it's going to be the same way one day with his future spouse.  We are probably going to have some idea of the person we envision our children getting married to one day and when that day comes, we may be surprised when they just find the right one, and it's not what we had envisioned...but you know what?  Even though it's not the super cool, perfect extra soft blankey we would have picked...it's still a pretty darn cute one... and in his eyes, it's the perfect one.  So my realization (however obvious it may seem but now reinforced) is that I really won't be able to pick my kids future friends, career,and mate just like I couldn't pick out their lovey for them as babies....however...

There's always something we CAN do, even when when it comes to things out of our control...

BUT that doesn't mean there is nothing I can do to help my kids make the right life choices for themselves.  One thing I CAN do is pray for my children (yes, even starting now it's never to early) that they may be kept from the wrong mate and saved for the right one (II Corinthians 6.14-17)  and trust in God's plan for their lives, as He can work far better in their lives than I can.  I can pray for my children to always seek for wisdom and discernment from Him, and turn to Him for all decisions so s/he doesn't make poor choices, that  to Holy Spirit will influence his/her selection of friends and potential mates and all their relationships with others will glorify Him.

So that is my random thoughts for the day....how my son's blankey turned into a lesson to teach ME something I know I will need to remember down the road...it seems obvious but may not be so simple when the time comes to have to truly let go and respect their choices.

Thinking about this reminded me of this great book I have with beautiful illustrations of children, it's called For This Child I Prayed by Stormie Omartian Illustrated by Susan Rios

It is filled with beautiful prayers that I enjoy reading and praying for my children.  My daughter enjoys this book at bedtime, hearing all the wonderful prayers with her name in them, hearing me pray these things for her.  She always wants me to "do another one".  The first prayer in the book was really difficult for me to understand and do when I first became a parent...It wasn't until pretty recently that I have realized and conceded that yes, parenting a child in the way God would have me to is beyond my human abilities and I need His help, that I truly do want to be partners with Him and have access to his wisdom, discernment, revelation and guidance while also NEEDING his strength, patience and generous love flowing through me.  Entrusting Him with the lives of my children, believing that he has a plan for their life that is good, something far better than I could arrange.

"Whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive"

-Matthew 21:22

Scrappy Saturday! Weekend linky!

Happy Scrappy Saturday! I am having lap top trouble this week, first my hubby took it to work, now it is back home but the power cord is messed up and I cannot get the thing to turn on! Err! And I have picture on there i've been wanting to post all week so bear with me! In other news, I have to say I am really enjoying Omaha (area) a lot! I really was skeptical about whether I would actually like it here but i've been so surprised to find out what a nice place it is to live! (that is until winter comes..we'll see how if I still like it then!). But it is just such a relief to know that God really does know best. When we were still in Dallas, I never wanted to leave, I loved the DFW metroplex and all our friends and associations there and just fell in love with the south. I knew there may be opportunities in tyler's future with his career coming up and I always would pray and ask the Lord that he could meet his career goals in texas so we would never have to leave....especially not to go to Omaha...which I knew might be a possibility At some point. The thought of leaving Dallas to go to Omaha just seemed WRONG! Like how could we do that to ourselves?!? So I would always pray that that wouldn't happen, that we could stay in Dallas, that I would love to stay there, but say "Lord, you know what is best for us and so I trust you with wherever you take us, but just so you know...my vote is to stay here in Dallas!". Well, when the the job offer came, I was kind of freaking out, i thought "just because he could get this promotion if we go to Omaha doesn't necessarily mean that is what we are supposed to do! So we were praying about it, and tyler knew right away it felt right...I did not...or didn't want it to feel right...I remember being on the elliptical at the gym one evening pumping away stressing overall of this and frustratedly calling out in my mind "okay lord just tell me YES or NO!!! (please)" in my heart I already knew but I couldn't bring myself to commit to it...then as soon as I finally admitted to my husband it seemed like the right move, everything started falling into placeandworking out WAY BETTER than I could have ever planned or hoped for. I could see the lord's hand on every last detail, things I wouldn't have even thought of. And when it came to our house, my mother in law had suggested starting a list soon after J was born 4years ago, of what we wanted in a house and praying for it specifically. I honestly thought it was a weird idea at the time...like why would I need to do that? But then over time as we thought of and dreamed the things we needed and wanted in a home, the list started itself and I did start praying for it. When we found the house we are now in, which happened so randomly and without much effort, it had everything and it just amazed me how much God cared about our needs and desires, even if they were not the most important things in the world, he cared and we have felt beyond blessed and The more I am here and learning about my neighborhood and meeting our neighbors, and the general area, I just am so grateful that I trusted HIM because HE knew WAYYYY better than I. Without being able to trust in HIM, I know the decision to move and the process would have been so much more stressful and difficult. I am so grateful we aren't left having to rely on ourselves. Everything happened in less than a month and it was pretty much not stressful at all, every little piece just fell into place.
We still miss Dallas and our friends there, but are grateful for that experience and the growing we did there and we are excited to see what God has planned for us here.

Tonight our daughter discovered lightning bugs for the first time and her and I had the best view of an amazing fireworks show from the top of a farris wheel.

Okay...and onto the featured linkers from Last Saturday (sorry I'm so extra chatty my phone died and my hubs had the charger with him on a trip and I have spent most of my week mainly talking to a 4 year old!)

Ps-sorry for the typing I am still trying to get used to the iPad and it doesn't always let me move around very well in blogger to edit.

I couldn't pick just one, all of these posts were great!

This menS dress shirt refashion is just neat! I can use my sewing machine but I don't think I could pull this off! See the before and after at second chances by susan

I am loving this simple no sew felt envelope! This would have been much easier and cuter than the play wallet I made j two years ago.
Cheek it out at c.w.frosting

Aren't these just so cute? What a cool idea!

Scalloped shorts From green egs and ham

Easter Outfits - Pillowcase Dress w/ Headband & Baby Boy Romper

I decided last minute to make some simple matching Easter outfits for the kids Saturday night.  I have been wanting to make a pillowcase dress for forever so this was a good time to finally whip one up.  I always thought they looked easy but after making one, it was so gratifying because they really ARE so easy and look so sweet, what more can you ask for...almost instant gratification!  The romper for my 12 month old son took a little longer but it was still pretty simple, it only took longer because I was being cheap and didn't want to pay $13 for the pattern I found at the store so I made my own pattern, but I made it as simple as possible....No diaper changing access and I didn't even take time to make button holes and sew on buttons for the straps, I went with Velcro.  Well....B didn't seem to like wearing his outfit as much as J liked her dress.  He kept ripping it off, which was easy to do with Velcro.  Oh well...it worked for the day, and the fabric was 50% off at Joann's so I'm not too worried if he never wears it again.  I just had this idea it would be cute if they were matching for the day.

Baby Boy Romper

 Pillowcase Dress w/ Matching Headband

 Two things I was excited that we got the kids for Easter was the Jesus Storybook Bible and Bedtime Blessings.  The Jesus Storybook Bible has beautiful colorful illustrations on every page and it tells the stories in such a great way.


We were planning on doing this activity but ended up using up all our eggs when we dyed them.  Here are some instructions for resurrection cookies with a printable chart that I'm going to try and remember to do next year.
http://mama-jenn.blogspot.com/2010/04/resurrection-cookies-wprintable.html

And finally, here are 2 videos, Amazing Grace is just such an amazing song with an amazing story behind it.  If you haven't watched the movie Amazing Grace yet, add it to your list!  Plus I love this version of it.

Easter Weekend 2 - Easter Eggs in a Nest

Easter Eggs in Bird's Nest

 Today we decorated eggs using crayons and an easter egg dye kit.  While we waited for the eggs to dry, we went for a little walk outside to collect some twigs for our bird nest. 

Then we made a bird's nest for the eggs using a brown paper bag and smooshing it up, and taping it in place on the bottom, then used a glue gun to attach broken sticks to our nest.  I got the idea for the bird's nest from this months issue of Family Fun Magazine.  They also had a really cute idea for decorating easter eggs with melted crayons that I wanted to try but forgot about it until we had already cooled the eggs.  

Easter Weekend

Last night we attended a Good Friday service at our church, it was so beautiful.  The chairs were set up in a circle with a cross in the middle that was lit up.  The music was beautiful, every song was amazing.  Then our Pastor spoke and as he stood behind the cross that was set up, it was casting a shadow on him. As he spoke he was looking at us through the cross and we were looking at him through the cross, and he made the point, "What if we could look at everyone through the cross of Christ?"  We would not judge each other, we would not hate each other, we would love them, have forgiving and understanding hearts because we would see others through His grace.