Summer is Here!

Mother's Day Out has ended, school is out so my after-school childcare job has ended, and it's officially summer! I am looking forward to full lazy days at home, at the pool, at the library, and maybe even a few at the beach :0) Life gets so busy and I am really trying to discipline myself to set a more peaceful, laid-back pace for our home. Less seems like much more these days, as I watch our baby grow into a child right before my eyes. Sad and wonderful all at the same time. She is such a joy.

Why is it so hard to enjoy the unfathomable blessings God has given that are right in front of us...husband, daughter, roof overhead, clean water, food, tons of family and friends a phone call away, Bible, journal and a cup of coffee...why aren't these enough? Why, really? Do you wonder, too? Why the endless striving for more? Why the busy-ness? This question will be the focus of my time with God in the coming months...my head knows the answer, but I long to truly believe it with all my being and thus see it in practice daily, both in large and small ways.

On a lighter note, Eden is a hoot people! A hoot! We had "craft time" (I use that term loosely as I was in charge, not daddy) last week and below is the result...a princess crown.


We also had our 6-month cleft clinic appointment for Eden last week and got a great report. Let me just say I LOVE Dr. John Grant at Children's Hospital...he is amazing...and he hasn't even operated on her yet. Such a sensitive spirit and wonderful nature with children. The average age for the next surgery Eden needs (lip/scar revision) is 4 years old. She turns 4 in December. However, after looking at her and the amount of skin he has to work with around her nose he decided it's best to wait in her case until maybe 1st grade. And, one of her ear tubes is out but the eardrum is still moving so this indicates maybe we won't have to replace the tubes...yay! No surgeries for a while right now. The speech pathologist did recommend a dental device that can plug the holes in her gum line to help with speech development, so we're looking into that. It would fit into her mouth like a retainer and keep air from escaping through her nose when she says certain letters. The question is whether or not there is enough to anchor it since she's missing teeth and bone due to her cleft. We're working on getting an appointment with a dental/craniofacial prostheticist right now. Other than that, she is doing amazing.

Eden and I are heading to the beach for a few days this week with my mom, grandmother, and sister and her little one. Can't wait to get away with the girls. I'm sure I'll have tons of photos to share after our trip.

In other news, our house is still on the market. We'll see what happens with that. And, I am gearing up for my mission trip to South Africa in July. Lots of preparation I need to do (on my knees) for that trip. I'm hoping my world gets rocked as I minister to those with AIDS and their caregivers. Also, my brother is getting married at the beach on June 20th, so we're having a mini family reunion down there for a week. Looking forward to sunshine, sand, and time with family I don't get to see that much.

Hope you are all doing great! Love you all...