Something New I learned today!

Chantel Blows Bubbles the Saturday Before Easter!

Tonight, I was playing a game with Chantel. It was an old Bible Game I used to play when I was little. Chantel and I kept getting sent back to Egypt. Well, I thought that was frustrating. Chantel didn't seem to mind at all.

She was looking at the game which had pictures of Jesus on it. I told her that we would need to stop playing the game soon. So, she said, "No, I want to get to Jesus because I love Jesus. Mommy, when do we get to go to Heaven." She was so sweet.

The game reminds me of the "Christian" Life (game of life??) Life seems to have its "bumps" in the road and we seem to be stuck where we are and want to get out of our current situations or year. Well, our goal should be to not forget that we look forward to seeing Jesus and Heaven. Oh what faith my 5 year old has. That must be why Jesus loved Children so much.

Guess What Happened to me on Easter?

Now Mommy says I really look like a Kindergartener.

On Sunday, March 23rd, I lost my first tooth. I pulled it out right at bedtime. I was very excited. I'm such a big girl now. The tooth fairy was so quick, Mommy got my $1.00 right away.

Hope you like my new smile too!

More Photos from Easter 2008

Look at all the eggs I found, while hunting in the snow!

Chantel poses with her new friends- Nemo and Dory ?

Chantel gets a car. Yeah!

Feliz and Chantel pose with Easter Gifts

Chantel does another puzzle- Cabbage Patch Kids

As Easter Comes- A Reflection On Palm Sunday

This week is a week filled with ups and downs. Our message today at church, helped me reflect and deal with the plethora of emotions I experience this time of year, every year.
First, this is the time of year we found out we were to have another child in 2005, then lost the same child in April 2005. Second, this time of year, we became pregnant with Chantel, in 2002. So, the new life and reflection on loss, are tough to sort out sometimes.
Recently, I've thought about how dealing with the loss of a child, after having a child, and what it would be like if I don't have more children?
Well, I felt like God spoke to that issue today at church. Over the past year, I kind of said to God, no one on our Pastoral Team at church, seems to get my situation. I was trying to find someone who truly understands the pain that I've felt. There never seemed to be an exact match. Well, today I felt like that question was answered.
In a message today, I heard someone share how their family has had 3 children, but there last child died before birth, later in pregnancy though. They shared how seeing families with the number of children they were expecting to have, was difficult at times. They shared the joy they felt and then the extreme sadness when God seemed to provide a child for them and then take it away, due to health needs it had, in the womb.
Wow! That message hit home with me. Being an only child, wanting to have a bigger family, and not seeming to find the understanding or connection with others regarding that fact. It felt good to hear that today. Like God knows exactly how I feel. Even though the Bible says it, feeling it again, especially at this time of year was important for me.
A few points from today's message, as we reflected on Psalm 118, Matthew 21:1-11, and Isaiah 50: 4 -7 (God's help given to Jesus to endure the cross)
1. Jesus trusted God's promises- walking by faith, not by sight
2. We don't need to worry about doing things in our strength-
God is in charge and is powerful.
3. God's Spirit- Jesus endured the pain of the cross because he
looked toward the joy ahead. -Saving the lost and redeeming us
from Eternal death in Hell.
4. God will get us through what is to come.- We can Trust Him.

Wow, I'm just trying to absorb it all. As we think about this week, about the joy of Spring and new life. About the sadness and pain that Jesus went through for us and the joy of Easter as we can celebrate the chance to be with Jesus and our loved ones in Heaven one day. I am counting the days, yet learning how to deal with the pain and joys that I will experience here on earth. Where am I living? Here and now and my joy is ahead, in Heaven. Have a Blessed Easter.

Look at my huge 100 piece puzzle I helped put together!

Chantel thought she would pose by our newest feat. It is a 100 piece puzzle which we all worked at putting together. It took 2 days, apx. 1 hour to complete. Most others only took about 15 min. or so. So, this one is a big accomplishment. She's getting pretty good at helping find the pieces and put the final few in. She helped throughout the project as well.
Maybe we will start on the Phlex puzzle she won at the Philadelphia Phantoms Hockey game she got as a give away at a game, sometime soon.??
(Note the cute little bunny she received as an early Easter gift from Aunt Judy. Also, thanks Aunt Linda for the dog puzzle.)

Kindergarten Registration and Puzzles

Chantel registered for Kindergarten last night. She will start school on September 8th, 2008. Wow, she's growing up so fast. She did very well last night, since her interview person was the principal of her new school. She told Chantel that she was going to see the fish tank with her and later discussed the possibility of her needing help cleaning it. Chantel was shy, but spoke to the principal and counted and wrote things that she asked her to do. We are still not sure whether she will be a.m. or p.m., or even full day yet. Good news, the principal said she does well with a scissors, we should know that since she can cut her own hair. AAAH! Well, she is good with that skill though; we've been working on it since she was about 2 1/2 yrs. old. She also said that Chantel is very "precise". That sounds like a Chantel word and a first born word. Chantel uses lots of big words.
The other day we were going for a walk and in conversation just said the word "apparently" and used it correctly. She loves saying big words. She has said the word "Actually", to one of Ralph's friends on the phone before.
Oh, and we almost lost her stroller in the Unami Creek with the High Winds the other day; she likes to take it with her doll and pez dispenser on our walks. Luckily, Ralph was able to get it with a stick and it was my job to wash it by hand and reassemble it. Not a fun job! Yuck!
Finally, about the Puzzles. Chantel loves to do puzzles. She listened to Hannah Montana book tonight again and then she was ready to do her Strawberry Shortcake Puzzle, that we do on the bed together as a family, before bed. She is improving at her puzzle solving skills. It's a 63 piece puzzle that can be done in 10-15 min. We usually do a game or activity together, i.e. Mommy daughter time, before bed each night.
She also loves to do the 50 states puzzle and can find most all of them by herself and can name most of the states by memory, without help. Maybe we should start learning the capitals now.
Hope you enjoyed her most recent update. By the way, Chantel was really upset when she knew she wasn't going to school today.