We're coming to PA!

The thought of driving 12+ hours by myself with both girls at this particular age is, well, ridiculous, really.  I mean, it's hard enough catering to their every need while Barrett is driving and I'm trying to relax and read my magazines!  But when Barrett announced that he was going to JRTC for nearly a month, I decided I needed to be with my family.  I almost had written the idea off as something that was simply not possible.  But it doesn't take much self-doubt before I ask myself "Who says you can't do this??"  Then God chimed in with the encouragement and insight I needed to set forth on this journey.  God opened my eyes to how simple this journey is as far as He is concerned.  The Alpha and Omega, omnicient and omnipotent, Creator of all things, has seen, in simple terms, worse.  He reminded me of the journey that Joseph and Mary took from Jeruselum to Bethlehem.  On a donkey, very pregnant.  Only to arrive in a city where they would find no warm place to lay their heads.  Only a stable, where Mary would then give birth.  Without drugs.  I was humbled at the thought of gas stations every 5 miles and McDonalds every 10.  A car with a DVD player, AC and a lakehouse to stop at along the way.  We will arrive at my parents home where we will be received with open, loving arms.  Needless to say, I no longer fear, but rejoice.  Thank you God for showing me the bigger picture.  And for being a passenger in all my journeys.

My paintings

Before I got married, I took some oil painting classes.  Turns out I am good at mixing colors and have pretty good hand-eye coordination.  I am lacking in the creative department.  I can look at something and copy it pretty well, but do not have the mind to create something from an image in my mind's eye.  This is a painting of a photo I took outside of a bakery in Maastricht, Netherlands.  I was a guest of Rhonda St. Peters, a friend from Daddy's Captain's Career Course after we got married.  We became friends, so I visited her while Daddy was in Iraq for the second time, in 2006.  I gave her this painting as a 'thank you' for hosting me.

 I 'stole' this idea from a painter in Newport, RI.  It was hanging in a gallery and I loved the simplicity and color.  I found it on his website and replicated it.  I suppose it's not illegal or immoral as long as I don't try and sell it!

 I worked on this painting while Daddy was in Iraq the first time (2005).  It is a painting of a photo we had taken at our wedding.  We gave it to Grandma and Granddad as a Christmas present.

 This one also now belongs to my friend, Rhonda.  I took the photo in Heidelburg, Germany, the town where she once lived, while vacationing there with your Grandma Karen.

 I painted the roses during one of my classes in Savannah, GA.  I gave it to Grandma Karen as a Mother's day gift one year.  Unfortunately, I could not find it when Grandpa Emenheiser moved out of their Lebanon, PA home.  No one knows what happened to it.

 This was just a fun painting I was trying out.  I didn't love it, so I gave it to a coworker at the time who did.

 I found this picture in a calender.  It's a part of Central Park.

I don't paint often.  I don't have an ideal place to do it, I dislike the clean-up and really, who has the time?  I will return to it one day.  I do love the finished product.

Boyz II Men

There is a saying "A daughter is a daughter for life, a son is a son till he takes his wife".  This makes me glad I have two girls.  You will always need Mommy and Daddy for a certain kind of nurturing you can't find anywhere else.  But your husbands will be the most important relationship you will have other than the one you have with God.  It is in this relationship that God will complete His work in you.  So, needless to say I am praying for the life of this man even now, while he is still a child, baby or maybe not even born yet.  I pray for his parents and home life.  His education.  His walk with the Lord.  He will be your Prince Charming as long as you don't settle for the frogs along the way.

  We know that dating is a necessary way to understand your likes and dislikes, so we have prepared for that day, too.

Your current dates are supervised, so we don't interrogate them like we will your future escorts.

He is risen!

Eas·ter (str)

NOUN:

1. A Christian feast commemorating the Resurrection of Jesus.
2. The day on which this feast is observed, the first Sunday following the full moon that occurs on or next after the vernal equinox.
3. Eastertide.

While we enjoy participating in secular-world fun, such as the Easter bunny, Easter egg hunts, Santa Clause, etc., we must not ever take lightly the true meaning of such holidays.  They are times to remember and meditate on the sacrifices made and love shown to us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8).  I hope that one day, that fact resonates through your soul in a way that makes you want to weep and mourn over your sins and then shout with joy for the beautiful and perfect gift you were freely given.  Until then, we will dress you up in cute clothes and let you look for chocolate-filled Easter eggs.

Sweet faces

I got a new camera last week and am having so much fun capturing these silly, adorable, precious expressions!

You girls make it so easy for me to get good shots.  Just by being your sweet selves.

 And sometimes, you catch me by surprise by getting into a stamp and using it as lipstick.  On our way to a photo shoot.

 However, I doubt this picture would be half as cute without that little surprise.  In fact, "thank you"...I can't wait to display this at your HS graduation or wedding.

 A little later at an Easter egg hunt, eating cotton candy.  Oh, how I swore my children would not know the taste of sugar before age 5.....  I can't help myself.  You enjoy it so.



Aunt Karli and Alayna's visit

It was so nice to have Aunt Karli and Alayna with us for 10 days!  You had fun playing with you cousin despite her small obsession with both of your heads of hair!

We had fun taking pictures of you girls

Aunt Karli bought you both purses for Easter.  Laken also got some gardening gloves.



We discovered that Marielle and Alayna had the exact same dress, so we were determined to get a nice picture of you both wearing them.  This was the best one we got!!  Alayna had just fallen in the water and neither of you wanted to sit still.  You were both fighting a little stomach bug.

You played on the swingset

 Participated in an Easter egg hunt

 And visited the beach

 After the beach, we stopped at Five Guys for burgers.

Thank you God for blessing us with time together and a safe and easy first flight home for Alayna!