Our baby girl is 3 today!!!!!

Happy Birthday, Katharina!!!!!!!!

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for three years with such a darling, wonderful little girl!

Kate informed me as I put her down for a nap just a few moments ago that she would never be two again.  Oh, it hit me like a ton of bricks!  Did I enjoy her enough?  Did I do all I could to show her Christ’s love through me?  Did I pray for her enough?  How I long for less regrets at birthday number four!

We celebrated yesterday, since Mamaw and Papaw had to leave last night.  We started the day off with her favorite breakfast.  Biscuits and gravy, of course, being a southern gal!  We have a tradition of putting candles in their breakfast.  You just can’t blow out candles too many times, you know!

In the afternoon we went to the park for cake and ice cream.  Lots of sweet memories….

See, I really was there!

Here is the well known “everyone line up in front of the cake” picture:

And the “opening presents” pictures:

What a day!!!!!!

Their wish is his command!

My sweet Daddy came to pick up my mom and to stay for a week himself.  He pulled into the driveway in his tiny Ford Escort and had the backseat crammed full of goodies, one of which was a jeep for Kate.  Do you think she was excited?

He and Mom also produced a pool for Kate’s upcoming birthday, which everyone enjoyed.  Even me.

Water straight from the well was a little chilly for Katharina!

Dad also put new tires and tubes on all the girls’ bikes and taught Lauren to ride a two wheeler.  Way to go Laurie!

Next on his grandbaby spoiling mission was assembling an old swing set stored in the barn.

Caleb thinks it’s just for him!

Being Daddy’s little girl, as well, I got my share of spoiling, too.  In the back of that car was also a computer chair and a lamp for my living room.  I have to be extremely careful what I say in front of my parents.  If they think you want something, they will oblige.  I also got almost an entire honey - do list wiped out.  I think Josh is relieved!

Much more wonderful than all the gifts and service were sweet times of fellowship.  Every evening we watched Andy Griffith season one.  One of my favorite sounds is my daddy’s laughter.

Titus 2 In Action!

My mother has been here for two weeks now.  Sigh…..  I don’t know how I’m ever going to let her go.  She always ministers to our family in HUGE ways every time she comes.

When she comes, she comes to serve.  Her motto is, “I want to do the things you never have time to do.”  So she has organized every closet in my house, finished unpacking everything from our move, made curtains, mended, cleaned out an enormous junk room, made biscuits almost every morning, scrubbed places I would never scrub, taken over the laundry, and smiled all the while!  (Not to mention kissed grandbabies until they’re rotten!)

My mama has always been so supportive and excited about our growing family.  She is a great example to me of an older woman encouraging and assisting a younger one.  I love you, Mama!

Hugs from home

Last week my mother, daddy, and grandmother drove over seventeen hours to see me! I’m sure the grandchildren had nothing to do with it. We had such a sweet time! I hadn’t seen my grandmother in over three months when I used to see her at least once a week. She was just as soft as I remembered, and just as good at holding little ones.

Mamaw, Mom, and I were three of the coolest chicks in East Tennessee. We visited all the most happening hangouts regularly. You know,- Goodwill, yard sales, all-you-can-eat buffets.

Mom and Dad really outdid themselves while here. They worked nonstop! I told them they were supposed to be taking it easy, but Mom said they came to give me a break. As if it wasn’t enough cooking all the meals and occupying the children, I also got my windows cleaned, flowers planted, shrubs trimmed, laundry folded, storm cellar cleaned, seedlings watered, chickens fed, hair cuts for the entire family, and children put to bed at night! Did I mention I had a swell week?

All my girls insisted on sleeping in Mom and Dad’s room each night. That’s four children and two adults in the smallest bedroom we have!

Here are the obligatory family photos.

Four generations of women:

My sweet Daddy. Isn’t he handsome?

I loved being able to tuck in my mamaw at night!

Grandparents of grandchildren!

The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me. Psalm 16:6

Visit from Tennessee

My parents came for a four day visit this past weekend. I guess you don’t realize how much you’d missed someone until they come back! I think we were beyond the legal limit of grandchildren spoiling, hugs and kisses.

My mom pretty much took over the running of the household while she was here. I even got to read some! And I took 2 naps! It was great! I can’t recall when I have done both in one day. She also tackled my stash of diapers that needed fixing and got almost all of them finished. You know, maybe she was trying to remind me of what I left behind. It worked.

My dad took the opportunity to scout the land around here for pheasants. Yep, my daddy the poacher. He had no luck, though. Mostly he lounged around in front of the stove watching Little House with the girls and spoiling Caleb.

I thought I had recovered from my lack of picture taking disease, but I fear I’ve had a relapse. Not one single picture the entire time they were here. Hopefully, it was just because I was enjoying the pleasant company so much. And we even got an unexpected snow while they were here!

Next month we are due a visit from Josh’s parents. Maybe I’ll do a better job with the pictures then!

In the meantime, here’s a cute pic of my dad and some of his grandkids shortly before we moved: