Full of Joy

My precious sweetheart. My baby girl. Happy FIRST birthday to you. This past weekend I did my usual Walmart run, very well aware I didn't need to buy you formula anymore. I was so excited to be able to save money by switching to milk I didn't stop to think about it too much. But as I was walking the baby aisle, it occurred to me how there is a sadness in my heart at you moving on from formula. You are leaving infancy and heading into the toddler world. You are already loving life as a toddler. You started walking at ten months old. Our adventure girl! Climbing on any furniture you can reach, crawling behind any furniture you can fit behind, and standing on any arm of a couch you can get yourself onto sets your Mama's heart racing. You are fearless, child. When I think of how to describe you, "pure sweetness" is what always comes to mind. You are absolute sugar. Your laugh sends joy to my soul. Your smile melts my heart into a thousand pieces. You've...

Hi All! Thank you SO MUCH for your comments! Every comment I read brings great joy- it's like a little gift each time. It was wonderful reading about the ways God has crafted each and every one of your hearts in such unique ways. Keep those comments coming- there are more give aways to come soon! Also, thank you for the kind birthday greetings! What a fun week it has been. And now, the moment you've all been waiting for! CONGRATULATIONS to Rachel Chevalley ! Your box will be on it's way very soon! =)

I've been SO excited for this post ever since the launch of the new direction Jesus has given me for Full or Joy! Jesus is a giver. He loves to give, and give abundantly. If you've ever heard of "The Five Love Languages" , Gifts, hands down, mean the absolute most to me. For example, right before I moved away from MN about eight years ago, a friend gave me a soft, fitted T-shirt. It was such a sweet gift from someone I had just started to get to know. I still wear that T-shirt to this day. At this moment I am drinking out of a coffee mug with a cool silicone lid that a teen gave me when I was her small group leader well over five years ago. The hot coffee doesn't just warm my hands, the mug warms my heart far greater. Recently, a baby-sitter of Jase's watched him for a whole morning. They baked cookies, made crafts, and played together. For Christmas, she gave Chuck and I the best gift in the world. A hand-print of Jase's made into an ornament of b...