A Thankful Heart

I assume it’s just normal toddler behavior, but we have been battling Eli’s selfishness so much in the past few months. The word “MINE” became a big part of his vocabulary, and we have just gotten so sick of hearing it! We’ve been trying to teach him to have a thankful heart, to think of the person/people who work hard to provide him with what he needs and so much of what he wants, to remember that everything good is a special gift from God. And, dare I say it, we are starting to see glimmers of a truly grateful heart in him.

The other day I handed Eli a cup of orange juice, a totally normal occurrence. He took a sip and then handed it up to Eric, saying, “Taste this Daddy! It’s so GOOD! Taste it!” Eric took a sip and Eli said, “Good, right? Really good!” It cracked us up. But I love that he was so grateful for something as seemingly small as a glass of orange juice.

Yesterday he was playing in the big bathtub in my bathroom while I was getting ready, just climbing into it and out of it, having a good time. He said, “I LIKE this bathtub! Thank you, Mommy, for buying this bathtub for me!” Again, it was comical, but I am SO thankful to start to see him apply the lessons we’ve been trying to teach him for months now. When he enjoys something, he is learning to choose the right words to express himself… instead of claiming what he loves for himself by saying, “MINE,” he is learning to be grateful for something to enjoy and for the person who provides him with it.

This has been a big lesson for me, too, as I’ve been trying to teach Eli. It is all too often that I tightly close my fist around something I love or enjoy, essentially saying with my heart and attitude, “MINE.” I am trying to teach myself, as I teach my son, that everything good is a gift from the Lord. Instead of claiming what I have as my own and trying to protect it, I need to instead express my gratitude for each and every gift and willingly share it.

Being a parent is humbling work! I am thankful, though, for the sin that God is revealing to me in myself, as I try to parent my son well! Hopefully after 18 or so years of parenting we'll all have hearts that are a little more thankful and a little less selfish! :)

Lake Whitney

We spent the past weekend at Lake Whitney. This spring has been so busy for us, and we were thankful for the opportunity to slip away for a few days, just the three of us. Eli had a blast, as usual, and we so enjoyed just playing and relaxing and being outside!

Of course, the trip included lots of fishing...



Eli was super proud of this big perch!



Roasting marshmallows...



Playing the the pretty water...



A good time was had by all! This will probably be our last camping trip until the fall, so we were super thankful for the PERFECT weather and such a fun time together.

Three

Dear Eli,

Today you turn three years old! Today I will tiptoe into your room at 5:04am and kiss your sweet, soft cheek, and I will remember so vividly the very first time I kissed you three years ago. I can't believe that my tiny baby is now a boy!

And what a boy you are! You are so full of life, Eli. You love to play outside, to have a catch, to go camping and fishing, and to play hide-and-seek. You love tractors and trains, ice cream and cheetos, bugs and snakes. You are sweet and tenderhearted, the first one to offer help and compassion, good-natured and fun. You love your cousins and your grandparents, and you still love to be cuddled by your mommy. But you are your Daddy's boy through and through! You are a joy to us, sweetheart, sunshine in our lives.

I am so proud of who you are, Eli. Daddy and I look at you and just smile with thanks to the Lord, remembering just how far you've come from a tiny little preemie in the NICU. What a fighter you are! And you've come through with such light and life and joy!

We pray daily for you, that you will become a man of God strong and faithful and fully of kindness and integrity. Already we are seeing your love for Jesus develop, and we rejoice in your tender heart. We pray that this gentle and pure love for Christ will remain for the rest of your life.

Today we celebrate YOU, Eli Dane! We celebrate all you are and all you do, a wonderful and special creation of the Lord. Daddy and I love you more than anything else in this world, and we always, always will.

Happy birthday, my sweet boy! I am so thankful and proud to be your mom.

Always,
Mommy.

Eli's 3rd Birthday Party

On Saturday we celebrated Eli's third birthday! We had family and close friends over and celebrated with food and fun in our backyard. I think everyone had a good time, and we are so thankful to celebrate with such dear people!

Our birthday boy...



Our friend Kate brought a little bounce house, and the kids had a blast playing in it!



They also played on the slide, the swing, and the sandbox! Eli and Rye...



Eli loved his train cake- it turned out so well, and we're so thankful to know people with such talent! :)



Most of the kids...



And our birthday boy again, with Zeke...



Eli and Jacey...



Eli and Cooper...



Eli and Andy, tired from all the bouncing...




Some of our dear friends and family...



And the three of us!



We are so thankful for such wonderful friends and family and their wonderful influence in Eli's life. It was a really fun day, full of laughter and fun and celebration.



Happy birthday to our sweet Eli!

Easter Festivities

We had such a nice Easter weekend! Eli and I started it off on Friday morning by making hot cross buns. This picture cracks me up. When I tell him to smile, he pokes out his chin and makes this open-mouthed wierd smile. So I said, "Put your chin down," and this is what I got. :) He loved making the buns with me, and I love the symbolism behind them. Plus they're tasty, too! :)



Next up was egg-dyeing. Eli loved this too.



On Saturday I drove to Waco to meet up with my dear friend Jenn, who was my roommate in college for a couple years and who is still such a precious friend to me! We got coffee, had deluxe pedicures, and ate a yummy lunch, complete with watermelon mojitos. :) It was so much fun to be together and just talk and laugh like always. I am so thankful for her and for this little break our husbands gave us to get away for a few hours together!

In the late afternoon my mom did the egg hunt for the kids, which they, of course loved! And after they all went to bed we had our annual "Easter egg relay" for us big kids. :) A good time was had by all. :)



On Easter morning Eli woke up and was thrilled to find that the Easter bunny did indeed fill his basket. He was most excited about this little green chick. He got a blue one last Easter that he carries around everywhere. The green one has joined his slew of beloved stuffed animals now, too, taking his place with Blue Chick, Lobster Bear, and Barney. :)



Our church had Easter brunch during the Sunday School hour, which was wonderful. Chuch was amazing, too, just so full of emotion and gratitude for what this day means.



Our best attempt at a photo with all the kids together- in church before they were all herded to their classes, extremely distracted by candy being offered nearby... :)




After church we had Easter dinner at my parents' house and then just spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing and resting. It was a wonderful weekend.



We are overwhelmed with thankfulness for our Risen Savior, whose death and resurrection tore the veil in two and secured our access to God.

Victory Remains with Love

"O break, o break hard heart of mine!
My weak self-love and guilty pride
His Pilate and His Judas were.

Jesus our Lord is crucified.

O love of God, o sin of man,
In this dread act your strength was tried.
And victory remains with LOVE!
Jesus our Lord is crucified."

(from "O Come and Mourn with Me Awhile," lyrics originally by Frederick Faber)

Happy Easter to all of you! May you rejoice today that the victory is with the love of God, triumphant over all of our sin.

He is risen!

Jesus' House

I am so excited to see in Eli lately a real love for Jesus! I think I give him too little credit for how much he understands, just because his vocabulary isn't big enough to accomodate what he knows. :)

On Sunday in his children's church class they made a project that showed the kids' houses on one side and "Jesus' House" on the other side (cotton balls glued on a cloud). Since then, Eli has been saying so often, "Eli want to go to Jesus' house!" "Jesus come Eli's house!" It melts my heart! We've been talking about the fact that we can't see Jesus right now, but He can be with us always when He lives in our hearts.

Last night I was reading him a book about Easter, and Eli asked again when Jesus would come to our house. I told him that we can't see Jesus now, but we can talk to Him any time we want to, to tell Him when we're sad or happy or need help. Eli picked up the book, looked right at Jesus's picture, and said to it, "Jesus, come to Eli's house! I need help!" :)

He also said that he wants Jesus to live in his heart just like He lives in Mommy's heart and Daddy's heart, and those words brought tears to my eyes. I realize that he doesn't yet have a grasp on what "salvation" is, or what heaven or hell are, or even what "sin" is. But I love that my little boy loves Jesus, because that's a pretty great place to start.

My sweet Eli, may you always, always love Jesus with the simple purity you have now.