thirty + one

homemade vanilla ice cream, delicious red velvet cake specially made by a sweet friend, help from two little ones to blow out three pink candles...who says being 30+ is a bad thing?!

laughter

Glad to have Daddy at the dinner table with us to celebrate his 31st birthday...

Last year during the months of July & August were some of Michael's sickest months. A short period of relief followed in September before Michael landed in emergency operation to break up a 14" DVT clot in his right leg. Sickness returned. At times we were so discouraged and felt like we were just surviving, waiting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. But here we are, a year later. Michael has docked more sick days than well days over the past year and is recovering slowly from a surgery we would never imagined we'd have to face. We are just thankful for the wonderful love of our heavenly Father and His constant patience in teaching us and helping us grow. We are still in the tunnel, but not necessarily even looking for the light at the end. What if God wants us to stay in the tunnel for all our earthly lives? What if being in the tunnel is the best way for us to bring Him glory? We remind ourselves of that often...and humbly seek to praise Him through the storm. Today we thank our Father for His blessings...

Compared to the other two E's at this age, E3 is the best eater and doesn't want to be left out of whatever the big kids are doing or eating. I gave him a cookie and turned around a minute later to see that he had stuffed the WHOLE thing in his mouth at once.

have you met the little who from whowhittyville named Elli-hoo?

This is how Michael received some of his gifts. I was just being green by saving wrapping paper...teheheehee...