Our Christmas Letter!

Three Trick or Treaters! Anakin, Dr. Lawrence, and Boy Wonder!

Merry Christmas, Darien!

Well, it's hard to believe that this year has again flown by the way our folks always said they would with little ones. The days are long and the years too short. I am amazed at God's goodness and feel so blessed with our three healthy and beautiful children! The year has been filled with homework and playdates and a baby that nursed almost a year longer than my plan. God has certainly been at work allowing me the many challenges of parenting and yet the many joys of being a friend and finding that as one of the greatest ministries I could ever chose for myself. We are endlessly training our children to fight against feeling entitled to things that others in this community have and we work diligently to create a life that reflects inner peace.

AJ has taken a preference to being called Alyssa in school these last two years and yet to our friends,' the Bailey family where each member has a "J" names (Jesse, Jennifer...etc), she is "JAEL" only! So, as in keeping with the Lawrence traditions, our daughter has a dozen little names...as do the boys! Anyway, AJ has read over 80 chapter books in this past year, 50 of them in just the past 2.5 months! She continues to dance with Daughters of Destiny at our church and performed a lovely number as a angel to the song "Who Could Imagine a King", sung by Whitney Houston on The Preacher's Wife soundtrack. She enjoys playdates with friends and neighbors. She had a tremendously fun summer at the pool again! She delights us with her desire to learn more about God (loves to be read to from her Study Bible) and she is working hard to remember daily chores and what it means to contribute to helping around the house. She always looks for opportunities to bless me by cleaning up when not asked. She loves her new room and is excellent at keeping it very tidy!

Keenan-- oh Keenan...the little bundle of joy that has grown into such a big boy! He still melts my heart every time I gaze into those big blue eyes. He drives me crazy most days, but thank GOD that he is just so charming! He struggles to get along with Darien most days but the love between them is evident even so. He loves school...and the same little girl since first day of school last year Amanda! He loves Super Hero shows...all of them...The Batman, Batman Brave and the Bold, Superhero Squad, The X-men, GI Joe, and Transformers! If ever there was a #1 superhero fan, it is our boy Keenan! He has this precious little blue baby blanket that is super soft that he loves to pretend is his Batman cape! Accompanying his cape obsession, is his love of making pretend weapons--you can find him sporting some kind of plastic utensil he has fashioned as a sword or, of course, his famed light sabres. Darien and Alyssa play along with him too. Could we have afforded all the costumes, we would have made a stunning Stars Wars clan at Halloween. As it was, Keenan was the handsomest little Anakin Skywalker out there! Just can't say enough about how blessed we are with him...just hope we can make it through the year of FOUR....aka- the year of establishing BOUNDARIES...cause man he likes to push us!

Darien, our sweet, almost 2-year old won't let momma out of his sights without a pretty big fuss. God just knew I needed one more doting boy to fill my little love tank. Church and getting out as a couple are difficult tasks for us right now because of Darien's needs but we know he will be able to work through what I title as Intense Separation Anxiety soon...(please Lord, soon!) Needless to say, Darien keeps us busy. So what if our home is not as clean as it once was. One of these days, everyone will be in school and I can take up my obsessive cleaning habits again. For now, we obsess over Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Special Agent Oso, playdates with his many friends and the book Llama lama red pajama...which at one point I think I read to him 20 times in one day! Age appropriate toys are a thing of the past. Light sabres and golf clubs are the toys of choice. We are all lucky if we don't get out foreheads bashed in at least once a day before I confiscate the toys I thought I had hidden well enough! Had to go with this blog background because he is obsessed with Santa right now and is so funny when he imitates "HO, HO, HO!" I will have to get a video of that to post soon!

So, what have Don and I been up to? Well, a client here and there for me-more would be nice, but just not always enough hours in the day. My work is always rewarding and fulfilling when I get an opportunity and I am thankful the God sends me such wonderful folks to work with. I am still involved in a playgroup for Darien and participate in some MOPS events as well. I have lots of great friends out here but just never the time to really get the amount of girls night out time I would really like. And Don...well, he's the Super Employee, Teacher, Student (still plugging away at the Doctoral Program), Husband and Father of the year. Don't really know how he does it all but we are making efforts to strike a balance of some sort. I imagine right when we finally feel that we have a handle on it, something else will be added or changed! Blessed are the Adapatable is the new Beattitude in our home--because we have surely done our fair share of major changes, moves, and tranisitions in our almost ten years of marriage! That's right, this May 27, 2010...we will reach our 10 year Anniversary mark! Thanks to those who have prayed us thru the "for better, or for worse!"

OK, so I know I have taken enough of your time, but I came across this Christmas Devotional by oneof my favorite spiritual leaders. I'd like to end close our letter with some insight from his book, Follow the Star.

I found it interesting to think about the Bethlehem star in this way as Jakes puts so eloquently. He recounts a story of when he was a small boy in his mother's Kindergarten class and he asked why God made stars and she wisely replied that "He knew it would get dark sometimes and when it did, you would need a night-light."

There have been too many times in life when I have needed a night-light and though real stars may not have five points (like the ones we help our children draw and put atop our tree) these five names in the scripture below have helped me see the light on a dark night.

The Bethlehem star can point us to these five names describing Jesus in Isaiah 9:6 "For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

"I hope you'll take a moment this Christmas to gaze upon Jesus and let yourself be filled with wonder. I hope you'll seek the advice of the Counselor and experience the power of the Mighty God. I hope you'll know Him intimately as your Everlasting Father and that His reign of Peace will rest upon you and your household this holiday season. If it gets dark at any time throughout the coming year, remember that God always turns the night-light for His children!"

Yes, Darien looks like Keenan but he looks like his Daddy so much too!

AJ's first day of 3rd grade with an attempt at straight hair on a way too hot August day!

Keenan's first day of preschool...year #2

Chillaxing...as AJ calls it!

Keenan's Birthday Party!

Well, a week after a super fun birthday at Disney, Keenan celebrated with friends at a nearby park for his "superhero, transformers, Star Wars'' party! That's what the cake says..."Happy Birthday to our Superhero, Transformers, Star Wars fan!" We couldn't make him decide on which character was his favorite! Really, he is "into" so many cool boy things...but AJ plays right along! Anyway, he had so much fun on the hottest, craziest day at the park. Don wasn't feeling great, Darien was major fussy and I felt as unorganized as I have ever been! But, alas, he didn't have a clue that poor his poor mamma felt out of her mind in the heat and stress! He had a blast and so did all his buddies. We had such a great turnout of his neighborhood friends and preschool buddies! Favorite toys that he opened at the park ( not in my plan...but he wasn't going to be persuaded otherwise!) were Bumblebee, Bakugan, and a book about Dex the Superhero Dog. And of course he got some great cars from his Pre-school girlfriend and a major favorite superhero shirt from the first little friend he made when we moved here! Keenan is so blessed and we were as well by the parents who braved the heat and the crazy valet parking that silly private school had for their event on the same day as our party...(you had to be there, but it was just so funny!) Keenan was celebrated well this year...this kid will not ever have the middle child syndrome, if we can help it! We are doing everything we can to make sure he feels super duper loved! PS...Kudos to my friend Jen who took these photos since I was so totally out of it that day! I would have just cried had she and her family not showed up just in time to get all the photos and videos of opening presents since Darien wouldn't let me out of his sight for a second!

A whole sheet of cake...we Lawrence's...we like our cake!

Daddy, I really just like giving only Mommy

a hard time...ugh!

Keenan and Jen's son Justus...a sweet family we are bonded with from our church...we are like sisters and our kids are like cousins!

A happier boy there could not have been that day!

Keenan and his big brother neighbor boy named Kyle!

A rare portrait of just the three of us! So glad Jen captured this!

Digging into the Bumblebee toy that every kid

wanted while buddy Austin looks on!

Keenan's 4th Birthday!

Our sweet son, Keenan turned 4 on September 19th and with the free on your birthday special going on just this year at Disneyland, we again took advantage of this neat opportunity. Don had such a blessed and wonderful time with Keenan for his first ever visit to see Mickey Mouse and even better was the opportunity he got to be a part of the Jedi Training Academy. He is such a huge Star Wars fan that we knew he was going to flip at the chance to see Darth Vader and portray a real Jedi! Thanks to Grammy Shirley and Papa Donald for making it possible for Don to make Keenan's special day at Disney happen. Eventually we'll make it there as a family, but the experience I had with AJ and Don had with Keenan was the rare one-on-one time these children in a family of 5 get!

Catching up ...AJ turned 8!

I feel so badly to have been away so long from blogging, but wanted to catch up a bit before jumping to the present.


AJ turned 8 this past July 20th and I took her to Disney...only her second time there and mine too. It was free on your birthday this year only. We had a blast and went on every ride we could, some even twice, especially Space Mountain, which was her favorite. We stayed til almost midnight and were absolutely exhausted from such a wonderful day away from our boys. It had been a scorching hot day but we stayed cool enough in some shady spots and just trekked on since we wanted to make the most of a rare day to ourselves! A favorite moment for her was during the fireworks where the show is done to some favorite Disney tunes and Baby Mine from Dumbo was played and I held her and she cried since it brought her back to when I would sing that to her when she was just two. So many really great moments but that was a highlight for both of us and we needed that time away. Just weeks before her bday, we hosted a small, but busy bday bash at the pool and a sleepover! She was really excited to host her friends and there was no drama at all! I prayed very specifically about that! The theme this year was High School Musical Three and after swimming, eating pizza and cake, decorating my patio with chalk art creations, going for a late night swim, and getting ready for bed, they stayed awake til 1115 when HSM3 ended. They were wiped out! I told them if they were all asleep in 15 minutes there would be a surprise for them! They were thrilled with a pancake breakfast and spent the morning making jewelry and forts, wishing the day wouldn't end. She was such a happy girl! Who needs fancy Calabasas spa parties when your mom is the party queen?!

Tribute to a Father...

Father's Day is always tricky for me. How do I find a way to bless my husband, father to the three most beautiful children I've ever seen?! I realized this year that what I really wanted for Mother's Day is what he should be able to have for Father's Day. And I griped about it when he made the plans to take care of it himself, when really I wished I had the initiative to go ahead and plan it for him myself. I heard a friend detail her ideal Mother's Day Weekend...Friday night in a hotel by herself, Saturday spent alone by the pool or shopping with friends and Saturday night back at home ready for breakfast served in bed by her kids on Sunday morning. Alas, I relinquish that this too is my dream. Albeit, it's not that easy to get away from a baby I am close to weaning but wasn't that close this past Mother's Day. Anyhow, I need to say that Don is all about golf, so why should I make him feel badly when he wants to spend Friday and Saturday morning golfing with friends on Father's Day weekend? I should be grateful to God that He has blessed my hubby with great men to be around, a hobby that promotes exercise and that he essentially finds ways to get to do for little cost. So, this is a tribute to my husband...

You are a daddy who is trying so hard to provide and I applaud you publicly and lift you up for many to see the honor you deserve. The grace in which God will give me as we live out these next three years of this doctoral program WILL be sufficient for me and I commit to being a helper to you, to think of your needs before my own, to wear the smile that won your heart and not the sorrow that can so easily consume me. I could not say it better than our Pastor has...he knows no one who is doing what you are doing...full time job, student, husband, and father to three in one of the expensive but most beautiful places on earth! But we commit anew to do this in God's strength not our own that the life that we are living and the future He has in store for us will only serve to be a great testimony to our God that we receive nothing but by faith, that promotion comes only from Him, that blessed are the poor, that no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly, that He who promised is faithful, and that His grace will be sufficient for us. You are a man to be admired by all who know you. You are a rare and priceless gift to this generation. You have a high calling and I again am humbled to be the woman to pray you through this and...to kick your butt when it needs it! I am your biggest fan and you are my only hero! So, let it be known throughout the land, that Queen Trina bids King Donald the grandest of Father's Day Wishes, the most heartfelt of Father's Day prayers and the most passionate commitment to love, honor, and respect you throughout this new year with God's love and not just my own. I love you.

A Manageable Amount of Stuff

As a professional organizer, I have come face to face with the state of our culture and the ill effects it has had on so many mothers in the area of managing our households. We are bombarded with so much variety for our kids in regards to toys and then there are the amazing deals we find at Target that even if we have plenty of cute clothes already for our kids, we buy more just to boast of the deals we scored! I ask you though, what is a manageable amount of stuff? Think back to the "olden days" as AJ calls them...really do we think they had toy rooms piled with 8 years of toys and stockpiles of garments that could clothe an army of children? Really, I don't believe it is God's desire that moms have this much stuff to manage, do you? I can't say that I don't enjoy the convenience of modern times, but even though we don't have money to buy our kids every toy their little heart desires, I still say there is no way that I would want to have as much as some mommas house in their kids playrooms, bedrooms, and garages. So what is manageable for me, you ask? A few boxes of cars for Keenan, some flashlights, some dress up clothes, two small bins of Legos, some ride-on toys, an organized shelf of books, a trunk neatly packed with games, crayons and coloring books, and a cabinet that neatly houses two very small shelves with less than a dozen toys for the littlest one. AJ has a dress up bin that she is ready to get rid of but I think the classic Disney dresses in there are something we will save for her children, along with a few special dolls, baby blankets, baby outfits and stuffed loveys. Other than that she has some clothes and some jewelry. She loves to write and swim. I am thankful that Barbies really never caught on with all that much enthusiam and the craft hobby is limited to what I can handle...simple oil pastels that she loves to create magnificient and no mess masterpieces! Maybe other moms are not bothered by the plethura of things out there to amuse a child, but I can tell you as a mom of three, what my kids love... attention from me, going to the park and swimming endless hours at the pool without tons of excessively useless pool toys! I guess you could say, I really do like to travel light and can't wait to get to Heaven where nothing has to come with me,

Zerbert Therapy

So a couple of days ago, I was playing on the floor with Darien. No other kids were home and none of them have ever done this to me. He lifted up my shirt just a bit and planted some loud, juicy zerberts on my tummy! I was cracking up! It was so unpracticed and spontaneous! What a neat way for him to show his love for me! He and Keenan decided that today it would be good to gang up on mom and do double duty on the slobbery fart sounding zerberts! So, thus my title, I received my own healing spa treatment...zerbert therapy! No hefty price, no sticky lotions and smells...just pure, unadulterated spitty love from my little boyfriends! Priceless...let me tell you! I am healed...body, soul and spirit from the love of these little sweethearts!

On another note, AJ had her first audition the other day and it went well. Alas, not hearing from them yet, I gather she did not land this one, but she had fun, it was easy parking, did not take a huge chunk of my day and we got the first one under our belt! Prayers for lots more...her agency says she will have tons more opportunities!

Summer vacation is almost upon us and my mom will be returning for the month of July to help me with the kids while I hopefully land a few more deals with clients. We look forward to celebrating AJ's 8th birthday with a pool party and sleepover...I know, yes, I have pretty much lost my mind! But, poor sweetheart, we haven't had too many sleepovers here due to space and noise issues with wakeful baby D for the past year. SO, I had to give in here. I do hope the girls can find some peaceful things to do...I know I am probably setting myself up for disappointment there, right?!

Just wanted to say to those who read that I appreciate your comments and think it is so fun to keep in touch this way even though I just cannot seem to be quite as faithful as I always promise to be! I have always loved writing and journaling and truly do have every intention to use this as an outlet to yes, archive my kids special moments, but also to offer a moment of encouragement from time to time.

Look for some pics of the kids again soon...

With thoughts of many of you...

Trina The MOMMY!

Darien

Darien is getting big and man is he hard to catch outside where there are so many birdies to chase after! He is such a sweet little man and I love the little thumb-sucker more than I could ever comprehend that I would have been able to love a third baby! I was terrified when I found out I was pregnant with him that managing three would surely push me over the edge especially after the many changes and tranisitons we had during our early years of marriage. However, the Lord in all His perfect wisdom, saw fit to add to our family and blow my mind in expanding my heart with a love for all my kids that has grown so deep and wide. I can say that I am learning to be content as a mom after all these years. I realized the other day down at the beach with all three by myself that I am okay to be by myself with them and not feel the need to always have to have a companion for myself anymore...like a mommy friend to keep me company. They are becoming my company. My life is so very full with them and I need to keep these moments at the forefront of my mind in the midst of the tricky, troublesome moments that come daily for sure. Oh I hope any and all of you can find strength today to be a mom who is good with just (and not that it's a "just") being mom and knowing that there is so much that the Lord is teaching you in being a mom. Hope you find this funny video of Darien and Daddy playing a funny "drink milk and AHHH...that tastes good" game. Donnie has done this with all of our kids but this may be the first we have captured it on video! Makes me smile...hope you do too!

AJ's beginning...

Well, we have finally made the big jump of getting zed cards and headshots completed for AJ. We are working with someone right now who we really hope will be able to help us get work for her. It was a lot of fun doing this photo shoot and we hope you will all keep this in prayer for us. God's timing is perfect and although we know this is a tough business, we are willing to give it a shot for her. It's only a few times a week that people have been telling us she has "that look" for being in print/commercials., etc!

SO SO REAL!

I realize now that really this blog should be something of a ministry tool of sorts. It is hard to find the time to be as consistent as I would like and I really need it more for just a simple way to keep some friends and family up to date with photos and events in the Lawrence life, but still, I see from some friends who have read that I must continue to speak maybe some of the deeper things of God in our life here in our little home in the Malibu Canyon Villas!

It's so easy to get stuck in the daily grind of my day with the constant clean up and responsibilities of helping with homework and planning playdates that I forget to enjoy these blessings. But when I sit down to blog, it helps to remind me of how wonderful they all are even in the midst of the endless correction and teaching that is necessary.

I feel the need to express again my surrender to not portray any model of perfection, but rather rugged realness, naked honesty of the truly ugly moments motherhood can bring out of me, out of many of us. We are not to leave behind us, in this season of mothering young ones, the things that helped recreate us in times before parenting consumed us. It is clear to me how quickly I become something I am not, (someone I loathe even )when I miss the moment to step away and find the me that isn't just MOMMMY! My committment is to continue to explore those areas again that will help me to get back to some of the me that is kind of missing. I want to be that person that people say, she is so real, I know I can trust her with my most messy stuff. I don't ever want to be the one that other moms look at and say ugh, when I am with her I feel like I will just never measure up. I have had mommy friend's like that who my husband would have to point out to me that, although I would defend myself and say that I just admired the excellence in how they did things, he would counter that I always came away from my time with them feeling as though all of my own mommy intuitions were never quite good enough. SO, let it be shouted from the mountaintops that I shall boast about my weaknesses as Paul talks of in the scriptures...that some of you might now you are not alone in those moments you feel as though you want to give up, that there is no hope for the impatient mom you have been. Know that you change is possible, that God isn't giving up on you and you shouldn't give up on His work in you either. It's often dark for quite some time in the midst of real change that he is trying to work in us. Sometimes we can't see His hand. Today I watched the animated film on Joseph. There is a song that sort of goes like, "you know better than I, you know the way." I watched it with Keenan today and I bawled like a baby at the end again just as I did when I watched it with AJ probably five years ago. There have been so many moments in my life with the difficult drama in my family that I throw myself on the pillow at night, wondering why as Joseph must have when his brothers sold him and he spent that many years in prison for false accusations, why have things had to be the way the have had to be. When will reconcilation come for me and for mine as it did for Joseph when the brothers came to Egypt and he revealed his identity to them and after testing them, forgave them and reunited with them? Will it come? Have I done enough? It is hard to say some days. I want to do more, I want to push for the outcome I want and then I feel to refrain believing somehow in the midst of all that has been that God is my defense, He has allowed these hard times of separation for a purpose far greater than I can understand now. He has allowed what He has to make me who He created me to be. I will not cower and shy away from the gentle hand of my surgeon who is only working in me to not leave me the mess that I know I am but to make a testimony, a great example of His power being made perfect in all of my weaknesses! Oh God, let me be, SO SO very REAL...that they may know how very Real and Alive YOU are!

The First Five at Malibu Crumbs!

YUMMMMMMY!!! Let me just say that there are seasons of life that I feel lead to abstain from sweets as some sort of sacrifice, as a fast of some kind. I am soooo glad today was not one of those times committed to such, cause the bakery CRUMBS opened up in Malibu and my clan of five were the first customers in line to receive our share of the 1000 free cupcakes they were to give away today! Keenan was so excited about one with tons of bright green frosting on it with blue sprinkles and chocolate icing on it>>>and of course you know what happened, it was a bit sweet for him, so....I had to help him with it! And then I advised AJ that the oreo cupcake might be a bit too much for her and would she please let me help her pick something a bit more suited for her simple taste buds...but alas no, my little lass just had to appease her curiousity and get that enticing oreo cupcake. Oh, you guessed again...she didn't love it and to her daddy's demise, fussed a bit over it, so Momma got to get a few, maybe more than a few nibbles of hers too! And then, well it was one cupcake per person, so Darien chose the Red Velvet...well, you know I helped him a bit of course! That one is untouched for tomorrow or maybe til tonight's midnight craving! Daddy chose the peanut butter cup one and ate about half of it and don't tell, but I sampled a teeny, tiny bit of that one too! And what you have all been waiting for...I chose the Grasshopper Pie one! I have always loved anything Mint Chocolate Chipy! And I do declare...that my choice was the tastiest one of them all! So, my little, well maybe not so little sweettooth is so totally satisified today with it's 5 gourmet cupcakes! Just had to share a little laugh with you before some of the more serious things that might need to be said here soon!

AJ's first dance performance ever!

This Easter, our baby girl finally got her chance to shine and show off her talent for the Lord's house! She performed(with some other girls too) an interpretative dance piece to the song "My Redeemer Lives" by Nicole C. Mullen. They did such a great job and the girls were all troopers as they had to do the dance number for all three services! AJ has never any formal dance training and we found out about this dance ministry at church just a little after the New Year. It has been quite a commitment getting her there every Tuesday from 6-9 and then a bunch of Saturdays for a couple of hours as well. But, she enjoyed it soooo much and I enjoyed seeing her use her gift which we are so hoping to invest more into within the coming years. Everyone said she looked a lot like me up there on stage and it's funny cause none of them knew about my dance background! If I can ever get around to scanning a pic of me at her age in my dance costume with my hair up, you would definately see the similarities! Don and I both cried as we watched her! The video is nothing great as I was trying to keep it straight while crying and keeping Keenan from jumping over the seats to get to her on stage! Don had the baby and we definately had our hands full, but we all managed to see the whole performance without the baby fussing or anything too crazy coming out of Keenan's mouth! Oh, I just can't tell you how proud we are of her for picking up all the choreography in such a short time. There are plans to continue this ministry and the girls have already been asked to perform at another church at the end of May. What a tremendous answer to prayer and a very sweet blessing for this momma's heart!

AJ as The Miller's Daughter

My sweet girl is following in my footsteps starring in her 2nd grade musical "Character Matters" as the Miller's Daughter from Rumpelstiltskn. She was so very nervous about remembering all the words and had a bit of an opps on the actual performance day! ( She was so darling, I am not sure that anyone even noticed...) Anyhow, that is so like her grandmother and I during our first times on stage...scared to death! If you listen carefully you can hear me trying to help her out a bit! And you can hear Keenan singing a bit too since he seemed to know the words better than anyone! Above she is pictured with good friend Luna who played the Witch from Hansel and Gretel and also another dear friend Summer who played Little Red Riding Hood! This was such a special time for her and her friends! We look forward to seeing her enjoy the stage and grow through those jitters! (like we all had too!)

Keenan as The Hulk

This is our very sweet Keenan playing the Hulk very convincingly! Don had introduced the kids to original Incredible Hulk episodes a while ago but lately Keenan is really getting into it...so much so that I have to tell him not to throw his bike across the patio! My mom who was here for a month caught this on video for me while I was working with a client! So, so funny!

Blessings

Okay so I know it's been another long unexplained lapse for my little blog but man things have just been nuts around here! AJ started swim team and the Lord opened up a great opportunity for her to be a part of a dance team at church! So we have been really busy after school and at night I watch a show to relax, fall asleep on the couch and thus...no blogging happens! Anyway, let me just say it was so neat how the whole swim team thing happened. We met with her teacher back in January to discuss how she thought Alyssa was doing and just kind of put it out there that we were struggling with what would be an affordable way to do extracurricular activities since everything seems so pricy around here. Don and I both felt that it would be helpful for her to finally have something consistent to look forward to after school and to participate in with her peers. Dance is expensive, Gymnastics even more expensive and even the chorus at school is like $75 for just a few months! We had been really praying that God would show us what was right for her and our pocketbook!!! Her teacher blew me away when she suggested that she thought swim team would be great for AJ's needs in many ways! And it's only $4 for her to go twice a week for a 45 minute session! This was a total confirmation as it was an idea I had been bugging Don about for months! She is swimming so beautifully and recently had a mock swim meet where she did all four strokes back to back and came in 2nd! We are really proud of her! Not long after that...our answering God provided the dance ministry and she will be performing her first lyrical interpretative worship dance to My Redeemer Lives by Nicole C. Mullen on Easter at church! She really loves it and the girls in the class are all so sweet! I couldn't be happier...but like I said we have definitely been busy. SO...the photos above are yet another fun blessing from God. We went to the park to meet friends and while we were waiting this sweet Pepperdine student was looking for a family of kids to photograph as instructed by her mentor and so my three obliged...they had a lot of fun having someone be their "celebrity" photographer for an hour! I say "celebrity" cause that's what it seemed like for them. They were so happy that someone was so interested in catching their every moment that wasn't "just mom!" Even amidst the busyness of life, I continue to feel very blessed that the Lord fills me with so much love for each of the kids, no matter how nuts I feel most days!

Darien's First Birthday!

On New Year's Eve, our baby boy turned ONE! We can't believe how quickly this year has just flown by. Darien LOVED his cake! He couldn't get enough of it... no questions that he is taking after me! He even fed himself with his own little real baby silverware fork! Our theme was Elmo...that's what AJ had for her first birthday( for Keenan's I baked a teddy bear cake...a rare moment of baking creativity!) Donnie's parents were still in town and it was nice to be able to celebrate Darien's special day with them! The kids were so excited for another birthday to celebrate...poor Keenan wants his birthday to be everyday! We had a nice outing at the park to culminate the celebration! Darien continues to bless us with sweet temperment and is quickly growing up to be a great playmate for Keenan...and of course AJ is a sweet little 2nd momma to him and can't get enough hugs and kisses! We are so grateful that they have each other and the greatest source of our joy is their love of the simple things in life! Here's to a great year being ONE, Darien! You are sooooo loved!