Mother's Day

If it wasn't for the smelly diapers, up several times a night, screaming fits, scraped knees, water on the floor, snotty noses, toilet training, mounds of laundry, toys everywhere, book reading, time-outs, learning to walk, bumps, bruises, falling out of bed, school programs, parent teacher conferences, fundraisers, freezing soccer games, movies, broken arms, puppies, holes in knees of jeans, grimy faces and hands, rocks in pockets, princess gowns, curling hair, bike riding, Caleb hugs, wet kisses, dirty shoulders on my shirts, zerberts, snuggles, Scooby-Doo, disney world for the first time, fishing poles, worms, bugs, planting flowers, and on and on, Mother's Day would just be time for me to send my mom a present. Instead, I got to enjoy the joy of a child waiting to give his mom a gift. And, what a blessing that is!! I can only imagine this is kinda what God feels like when we take time to celebrate Him in our lives!!

Drew and Grace had made me presents at school. They have been bursting at the seams all weekend. Grace got up, got dressed and ran downstairs to get her present. I had to make her wait several minutes as other things were going on. Finally I opened the present of a clay flower magnet she made and a card with her picture in it. She was just beaming!! What joy it brought me!!

We came downstairs and Drew couldn't wait. I already had a beautiful picture of flowers. He pulls out a poem (where I am 10 lbs and 12 feet tall). He also had a card with a tea bag!! Then, he couldn't wait, Mike had gotten me a present and shown it to Drew last night. He had it out before Mike even got down here. I did wait until Mike had the camera out. They gave me a journey necklace. It had been a joke between Mike and I that I would need one to my belly button at the rate we are going with kids and deployments!! It is beautiful!! I will most definitely wear it (maybe not everyday as it is dainty).

The joy that filled my heart today is priceless!! I cannot imagine anything greater!! Thank you, Lord for blessing me with 4 absolutely beautiful children and a wonderful husband!! Snotty noses and all!!