Happy Mother's Day!

Children are indeed a blessing from the Lord. What an amazing gift God has given us in each of these three girls. As we are on the eve of Mother's Day, I am in awe of what a blessing it is to be a mother. It is extremely hard work; I can't say that I've ever done anything more exhausting than pour my heart and soul and time and energy into these little lives, but what an amazing blessing it is!!! They make me crazy sometimes and drive me to the point of tears at others, but I praise God that I have each of them and pray that He will grant me many more Mother's Days with them!

Lainey has been working on Mother's Day presents for the last couple of weeks at school and has been very excited to give them to me. She got up on Tuesday morning and said, "I'm so excited about giving you my surprise today!" But evidently her teacher reminded them they needed to wait until Saturday or Sunday. So this morning after breakfast, she could wait no longer. She gave me her little brown paper sack with her hand print that she had traced and cut out and told me I could open it. Inside, was a little card she had made with flowers on it as well as several little magnets that had some of her artwork on the inside. But I think the most precious thing of all was a note she wrote me that said, "Dear Mom, Happy Mother's Day! I love you because you take me to McDonald's. Love, Lainey". I have to confess, it made me cry. I tear up even now thinking about it. It's just the little things you do for them that makes them think you're special. That's one of those notes that will be kept forever and ever. Lon took the girls out this afternoon so they could pick out a present for me. They came back with a beautiful hanging basket of red geraniums. Both of the girls were so proud as they told me that they picked it out. I love this phase of life (even in its most exhausting moments)!