Power Weekend

Wow, Nelly, it's hard to blog right now.  It's also hard to unload the dishwasher, make dinner, fold the laundry, etc, etc, etc.  If you ask Finn, it's hard to feel the cold, hard couch or floor or to sleep for longer than 30 minutes at a time during the day. What's not hard, is to see that those two thoughts have a direct correlation.

But I wouldn't change it.  Except for the sleeping, I'd change that.

My quick trip to Louisiana, where I enjoyed lounging in pajamas with my friend and our babies,

led right in to my in law's visit for Ava's baptism and Finn's baby blessing.  As well as Ava and Dan's respective birthdays.

For the weeks leading up, I had been feeling so overwhelmed with love, both from and for, my Heavenly Father.  I know that He is the author of the love that feel.  He gives us these precious families and our love for each other is a manifestation of His love. We give it to each other as an errand for Him. And I feel like I know God because of these feelings. "If we love one another, God dwelleth in us."  When my heart is full to bursting, far beyond what I imagined my capacity to be, I know that is from God.  God is love.

Ava deserves her own post and when I take her 8 year old pictures, she'll get it.

But we went to Luke's end of Pre-K program. He had a great year and I think he'll do great in Kindergarten next year.  He's been saying lately, "I want to be like Jesus" and I don't want to forget that.

We went to the Dallas Aquarium, a personal favorite.

This manatee came right up in for a close up, which thrilled Max and caused him to exclaim, "That made my heart happy!"

Don and Linda gifted the kids with some new things:

Darf lunchbox for Max.

And a world map puzzle for Luke.

They gave Ava a book series for her birthday, pictured a little ways down this post.


We had Ava's baptism.

She was so beautiful and sweet and the Spirit was so strong.

 I am so happy about that girl.  And the fact that she's mine. Mine, mine, mine!

Having my parents, and Dan's parents, and Mimi all be a part of these special days was just awesome.

We tried for some family pictures, we really did. And although Max wasn't feeling it, I'm kind of in love with this one anyway.

And then we had dinner at Ava's favorite restaurant, Babe's, for her birthday,

where she wore the hat and did the chicken dance as they sang to her.

 Then on to cake and presents at home. She thought long and hard about her wish,

and got a Breyer horse, the Rise of the Guardians book series that she could not put down,

a new skirt, a stuffed puppy dog, and the long awaited Golden-Paged Scriptures.

Sunday was Finn's blessing and it was wonderful.

 The fact he had a huge diaper filling session minutes before donning his white outfit, as well as my serendipitous catch with a burpcloth of a spit up fountain just seconds prior to the blessing, were minor miracles.

The blessing was beautiful.  And my dad said that he peeked in the middle and Finn was just staring up at them with a huge smile on his face.

That night was Dan's birthday celebration, and he is easy to celebrate! I could not be happier with him and the man he is! That ooey-gooey burst-my-heart love I mentioned earlier?  He does that to me.

Monday I let out a huge metaphorical sigh of relief.  We didn't do too much.

 We took Grandma Linda and Grandpa Don to the kids favorite scooter path, we all fell asleep on various couches, and then we drove out to the lake and ate fast food for dinner.

The weekend was so full.  But in the best ways imaginable.  I know God loves me because he gave me these people and He fills my heart with love for them everyday.