God has this irritating habit of waiting until I've come to my wits end to teach me a lesson.

Ok, God, you've made your point. I know I'm supposed to run to you and seek your face first but so many times it just seems less complicated to do things my own way.

You'd think I'd have learned by now. I mean, He's super faithful and always right on time. Like the day our third baby was born and we had $11.00 in our bank account. The next thing we knew a friend wrote to tell us that there was a check on the way for $200.00.

And then on my birthday we were broke but I still ended up with everything on my mental wish list including a few other things that were pretty cool.

God has also been there to help me through the emotionally tough times. Like when my friend's husband was cheating on her and I didn't know how to help. My heart was breaking for them but He was there for all of us. And last week when I helped a 19 year-old mother work through the grief of her baby's stillbirth His grace was sufficient. And when I lost my own precious little baby 2 summers ago and was unsure about everything, He held me close and gave me time to question then find the answers in Him.

He is also present in my daily life, when I would rather bury my head under the covers and go back to sleep instead of getting up and making breakfast for my family. By His grace alone am I able to answer 50 pesky questions a minute asked by a 4 year old who likes nothing better than to trip me up, it seems. I am also aware of God's faithfulness when I have to prepare a meal for 4 people with only $2.00 and have some left over the bless a widow. Now that's a miracle.

Time after time He has brought us through when everything around us looked hopeless. Maybe I am learning my lesson after all. And, hey, I have the tears of gratitude to prove it.

5 things that make me cry (in a good way)

• live ballet
• daydreaming about what my kids will be when they grow up
• the Jesus film
• looking at my kids when they're alseep
• Celine Dion's "Miracle" album
  

25 things that brighten my day

1. Kenny's smile
2. a huge mug of coffee, preferably with my mom
   
3. lightening someone's load, especially a young mother
4. watching CSI with Hetee
5. skyping friends in Mexico
6. eating lunch with my kids at their little table
7. having a long nap with no interruptions
8. a hot bubble bath
9. a good book
10. making a new friend on or offline
11. when Nate catches on to a lesson I have been trying to teach him
12. cinnamon toast
13. the way Abi calls me "mama"
14. dinner out with friends
15. finding money, even if it's just a little, from a pocket or an old purse
16. giving something away
17. getting an email from a friend
18. chocolate, of course
19. discovering and passing on a Bible truth
20. looking at my new living room rug
21. window shopping with Hetee
22. smoothies
23. saving a baby's life from abortion
24. trying or inventing a new recipe
25. cooking with Hetee

I love you well, my little brother

And you are fond of me

Let us be kind to one another

As brothers ought to be

You shall learn to play with me

And learn to use my toys

And then I think that we shall be

Two happy little boys

Well, I got my cake! At around 7 pm yesterday, Hetee, the kids and I were lounging around in the living room watching Veggie Tales when a few of my g12 ladies knocked on the door. They came bearing cake and a huge bottle of black raspberry and vanilla bubble bath that I haven't had a chance to try out yet. As always, I forgot to take pictures but here's me after everyone went home =)

Earlier yesterday Hetee took me to eat out at the Texas Pub, the only decent place in town. But halfway through my grape Fanta I realized that I had no urge whatsoever to eat there. So Hetee suggested that we go and buy the ingredients to make a nice supper ourselves at home. We decided on chicken spaghetti and got to work after everyone left and the kids were in bed. It didn't take too long, thanks to my new pressure cooker (a birthday gift along with a rug, and a cool blender-from our pastor friends who were here visiting last week). We ate right at midnight and considering we had to make everything from scratch I'd say we made pretty good time. It was the perfect ending to a great birthday. Hetee washed dishes and cleaned up even though he had to preach 2 times the next morning. That was a gift in itself.

Oh yeah, my hubby gave me chocolates (2 boxes!) and 3 beautiful, red roses to represent Nate, Abi and Kenny.

This birthday finds me very satisfied with my life and at peace with where God has me. My family brings me absolute joy and serving God has been so rewarding, especially in the weeks leading up to my birthday. For some reason, for as long as I can remember I've always wanted to be 25. It's like I was anticipating how good it would be somehow. Now it's here and I've decided to make every day of this year count.

Thank you all for your prayers, birthday wishes and cards. I pray God uses me to bless each of you all throughout this year and in the years to come!