Papa time

Aaron has been spending a lot of time with his Papa and Gigi this week. My dad had surgery (which went well) on Monday and I stayed at the hospital with him during the day for a few days. My wonderful 2nd parents (Mark's parents) were so gracious to take great care of Aaron. I'm pretty sure he didn't miss me. Who would if all you do all day long is drive trucks at Baba's, jump in puddles with Gigi, Aunt Saysa and Cole, or ride horses with Papa???!!!!

Inspiration

Tomorrow is Easter. As I sit here at my parents house, a million things running through my head since we arrived Thursday evening. Joy fills my heart as I see my son engaging with family. All the giggles and little words of adoration from his mouth warm my heart. I am full of happiness and comfort to be in a very familar atmosphere with the same noises and laughter from what seems like such a long time ago when I lived at home with my siblings and parents. Anxiety and worry seep into my heart and mind as I think about my dad's up coming surgery Monday morning for a surgery that is supposed to cure a physical pain he has endured for years. Will this really relieve his pain? Does God know his suffering? Mentally and physically? "God please come fix this...seriously...God I think in order for things to be fixed I am pretty sure you need to physically come and fix this." I pray this routinely. I am filled with so many questions that most of my prayers would sound all jumbled up if I were to say them out loud. How do I find peace? How do I find peace when I feel like things can seem so hopeless after so many conversations full of hopelessness?

I read a blog that is so inspirational. My awesome friend Megan mentioned a long time ago that she reads this blog and now I read it all the time. http://kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com/. Her faith is real and is tested daily. I love reading her blog because she asks many of the questions I find myself asking more and more. Her compassion and perserverence is like no other. Tonite as I read her blog about resurrection I find a response to one of my gergillion requests of God. God has come physically. Redemption has started. Realization: I am the hands and feet of Jesus. In my weakness, Jesus makes me strong. In my imperfection, Jesus makes me perfect. I can have peace because God WILL make things forever right. Until then, I will try in His strength to be the one with hope when no one else does. I will put my trust in God and his ability to use me in all my inadequacies (or whoever else wants to use to get the job done). My dad will be made perfect one day, and it will be better than anything I could ask or imagine. I will trust in that.

As I sit here, tears flowing, I am full of hope. I pretty sure it's not because I know I will get all the answers to my questions, which I'm sure I will keep asking until...well let's not put a time limit on it. I am full of hope in a Savior that LIVES and is powerful in this world. I know his love and grace are abounding because I see it everyday when I look at my child as he smiles, or in my dad who has been faithful despite impossible odds from childhood and now into adulthood. As I go to bed tonite I pray a short prayer: God thank you for my father who has shown me what truth faith and service look like no matter what Satan throws in his way. May your grace abound in his life and be visible to those around him. Amen.

CL Easter Egg Hunt

We went to Cedar Lane's Easter Egg Hunt today...it was great! Aaron really did well with the 'put the eggs in your basket' concept. We ran errands this morning before going to the hunt, and whenever we stopped somewhere he would said "easter!" We kept having to tell him that we were going to get Easter eggs later but not right then. It was pretty cute. Here are some of the pictures we took.

"Over there Mr. Gary"

Enjoying cookies after the hunt

Easter 2011

Ms. Donna and Bree Bree

a yellow chick in one of the eggs

'hunting' for eggs

two at a time!

ready for the hunt

Pee Pee Potty

So I think I've decided to start potty training....I think. I have noticed more and more Aaron is starting to become aware of when he needs to go and letting me know. So I decided to see how he does. He can pull his own pants down for the most part. We had our first day yesterday. He did pretty well. He will let me know most of the time if I haven't asked him in a while. So I count that as very good. The only problem we are having is that he doesn't want to go #2 in the potty. He knows when he needs to go and looks right at me before he starts to go, but just doesn't want to use the potty. We only had one #1 accident yesterday but neither #2 episodes were in the potty successfully. Is it weird that this whole post is about going potty? We'll see how today goes. So far no accidents and we've been up for 1 1/2 hours...I'm counting that a success. He goes about every10-15 minutes too...just in case you thought I was celebrating WAY too much for the amount of time we've been awake.

P.S. The pictures are not related to the post. Aaron't cousins Eli and Isaac came to visit last weekend and they had a blast!

late night

Last night we met Papa and Gigi, Luke and Sarah and Cole on their way through Manchester to Florida. It was a late night, but it was so much fun! Aaron LOVED Cole and wouldn't stop trying to hold him. He just looked up at Mark and I with the proudest eyes that said, "Do you see me mom and dad?" It was pretty cute if I do say so myself. Luke and Sarah have the most precious baby boy. We loved getting to see them, even though it was only a few hours.

Aaron was excited to get to hold Cole

Mark giving Cole a bottle..he did a good job

(2nd time feeding a baby EVER)