Bedtime Prayers

I just wrote the entry in Chantel's journal that I've been working on throughout Chantel's 5 1/2 years. Tonight she made me cry. Hearing her prayers to God at bedtime are so precious!

I was just re-reading the entry of 5/15/07, when Chantel was almost 4 1/2, like me at that age. She prayed to ask Jesus into her heart. She was giving her lamp a hug and saying sorry to it. We used to call it the "Jesus" lamp because she was afraid that it had eyes that were looking at her. So we told her think of it as Jesus looking at you. Earlier that day, we had talked about why we need to say "sorry to Jesus" for the wrong things we do that made Him die on the cross for us. So, after she hugged the lamp and said sorry, I asked her if she wanted to say sorry to Jesus by praying a prayer. So, she prayed after me, her mom, and Ralph was there too. She asked Jesus to forgive her for "making him" die on the cross for her sins. She asked Him to take her to Heaven to be with Him someday. She was glad she would be going to Heaven like Mommy and Daddy someday. (I reminded her that she would meet "Blessing" our child we lost to miscarriage on 4/20/05, her brother or sister that is already in Heaven.)
She then was concerned who else that she knew would be going to Heaven.
She sounds just like me at her age!

Well, back to her current prayers. A little over a year later, this is her heartfelt prayer to God at night. Hands folded and head bowed.

"God you did good today! Thanks for watering the plants for us."

A day ago, she also prayed something like "Thank you God for making people, the earth, the stars, the planets or the plants."

God must really smile and pay extra close attention when Chantel prays. I hope He can smile that much when I pray? All she wants to do is thank Him. She doesn't just give him a list of needs and wants. Wow! God must love that!

Fireworks, July 6th- A Trip Home- In the Woods, Green Lane Nature Center Trail

Chantel waits for Uncle Mike to light her sparkler/Morning glory.

Now she's loving it!

Chantel plays the drums to Bible School songs on the way home from Maine!

Daddy and Chantel make a funny pose by the Green Lane Nature Center, on the trail.

Please Read on down the page, at least 4 or 5 more posts written today.

Crabs and Ice Cream?

Crabs that we saw at the beach.

That's a Small ice cream in Maine- 4 dips!

Chantel gets a 1/2 a kiddie cone, 1 dip!

Here's my small with sprinkles, peanut butter and cookie dough ice cream!

More Beach photos, July 5th in Searsport, Maine

Ralph and Uncle Mike ride the log. Is it a log rolling contest, in the ocean?

Hannah, Ralph, and Uncle Mike all join in!

Sean, collects more cans! That's 5 cents each in Maine!

Chantel prepares to brave the water, it was comfortable!

Fun at the Searsport Beach in Maine, July 5th

Here is My "Muscle Man", Ralph, my husband!
Here are Chantel and Sean surfing on a piece of wood, "surf board".
Uncle Mike, the "Sea Monster", he is wearing the lovely seaweed from Maine.
Chantel and Sean are trying to roll the famous log, see previous pictures for more. Hannah, looks on.

It was a fun day!

More Park Photos, Saturday, July 5th

My friend Olivia, from college, and her husband Mike.
Sean, their almost 3 year old.
Hannah, their 7 year old.
Chantel, our 5 1/2 year old.

We all hung out at the park before lunch and before swimming at Searsport, Maine. It was hot in the sun, cool in the shade, and just perfect by the beach near and in the water. We got lots of sun that day.

More Parade Pictures on the 4th and Park Pictures, too

The local hardware store advertises
bikes they are giving away. The neighbor
across the street won one!

A band plays on the back of a truck in the parade.
Chantel tries to cross the bars, Mommy holds her

by her feet so she doesn't fall. She does pretty well.

Chantel and Mommy ride the Alligator at the park. It's has 2 seats.

A Parade in Brooks, Maine on Vacation- July 4th

Here are some photos from Brooks, Maine on July 4th, 2008. We visited my college friend, Olivia and Mike (her husband), their children Hannah and Sean. So the above photos are from that trip.

The first one was of an airplane which I thought was cute and a boy riding in it and throwing candy to the crowd. That was the best part, the candy being thrown. It was Chantel's 1st parade, since we're not big into parades, Ralph's not. I like watching the parades on T.V.

The second picture is of Sparky the fire dog. The third and fourth are of the covered wagon and a pink dragon, I believe. They are in support of Child Evangelism Fellowship in Brooks, Maine.

The final one is of some antique cars going through the parade route. It lasted for about 1/2 an hour. We enjoyed it immensely!

Chantel Loves Birds and Bugs!

So, here's the latest of Chantel's newest hobbies. She likes to play with bugs. Ever since the last visit to the Dollar Tree Store in Quakertown; it's just the coolest place. We bought a bug collector kit for--- a dollar!

She collected a moth, a few bees, and with Daddy's help, she collected a few lightning bugs/fireflies! She loves those. Note the nighttime photo!