Family Pool Party---FUN,FAMILY,FRIENDS,FOOD!
My daddy and mommy really know how to throw a party. My nana said its a good thing we have pictures to try to capture the memory making moments ! There was such an abundance of FUN-- friends, family, and food there---that i could never tell you all about it. There was so much to do and i played and played all day. I loved the snack table that was just at my height and i could have all i wanted. Nobody stopped me. I wish my nana would have thought to get a picture of me spreading crackers with cheese ! My sister is really starting to notice things and have fun too! She liked being in the pool and being part of the fun. I think she is glad that God gave her to this family because she smiles and smiles all the time. When my nana sang with me at naptime we prayed and thanked Jesus for the many many ways He blesses our family and that we can share those blessing with others. We thank Him for mommy and daddy who worked so hard so we can have fun sharing.

On Wednesday my nana surprised us by stopping and seeing us on her way to help her sister move. nana brought my birthday present that is an activity table. when they took it out of the box on my birthday we were all sad to see it was broken. they had to take it back and get a new one and PaPa put it together for me. Which reminds me---yes i was happy to see Nana---but right away i started looking for my PaPa----i was just so sure he would be coming right behind Nana. I gave a very sad look and scrunched up my nose and shrugged my shoulders and sighed. My mommy and my nana said they never saw me have such a face as that. i guess i really let my feelings of dissapointment show. i am missing my Papa. I did have fun with nana though. She played with me and sister Heidi Grace while mommy went shopping. Nana broke a finger nail so she filed it and i wanted her to file mine too. She seemed to like me sitting so still on her lap while she filed all my nails. she said my granny would like to know that i like having my nails done! When we were in the kitchen, i don't know why---but i had a sudden urge to hug my nana. i just wrapped myself around her leg and held on. i know she loves it when i hug her and she has not even asked me to. she always is so happy when i do that and i love to make her happy. she kept saying i am sweet---and she asks me to please stay sweet! silly nana. of course i will. why wouldn't i be? :) My mommy and daddy have been busy getting ready for the pool party. i know it will be lots of fun---but we all our wishing that our Uncle Matt and Aunt Kate and Elliot could be coming to join in the fun. Maybe when they come it will be time for sleding and making snow-men and snow-angels in our yard. I wonder what Heidi Grace and Elliot will think of the snow. Fun thoughts on a day that is 92 degrees!

"Small Things"
My nana said that i might be small---but i give HUGE Blessings. I think my whole family thinks that because they were talking about fireflys too. I have a small firefly in my bugbox that i showed them. I collected it from our camp-out night in our yard. It was dark out but little tiny fireflys gave us huge blessings because they let their light shine all together----like our family. That is something else my nana said----that our family is letting their light shine together when they share so generously with so many people. All of us hope that the pool party will be a big blessing to every person that comes. Even if there are no fireflys---we can be fireflys. The blessing of family is grace upon grace----its a place where we can really give God's grace to each other---and others. I'm glad that a small little zebra cake blessed my family so much. They said it brings back so many memories. PaPa and Nana said memories are huge grace gifts too. Maybe they say that because they are old. They think they are rich with memories and i like that they share how rich they are with me. They are rich with faith and love too. (They tell me these things at naptime and when we walk around----and i really listen.)See how many huge lessons i am learning from small things. My sister Heidi Grace smiled and smiled over the butterfly balloon that PaPa brought me. (I think butterflys are something special to my PaPa---i'm glad that even though he is a big grown-up he cares about small things) I clipped the butterfly balloon to my bike and when i zoomed around my house it flew behind me like a kite. Everyone laughed and laughed and it was fun. My nana got into our pool for the first time. No "small" thing---but still a big blessing. tee hee. just kidding nana. :) It was a fun part of my 2nd birthday that you would get in the pool with me. My daddy worked so hard on the pool----and i like that he likes to share it. He teaches me big lessons too. Nana brought me a broom because i like to help my mommy. My mommy is always showing me big lessons that even a small person can learn. Even though she was tired she let me help her make cupcakes and we even put them in ice-cream cones. Our family likes to have old "traditions"---but we also like starting some new ones. Heidi Grace is even smaller than me----so i will have fun teaching her these "big girl" lessons every day--not just on birthdays...new things....old things...small things....but everything that blesses because our family has so much love to share. The last thing nana told me when she kissed and hugged me goodnight on my birthday is that Jesus loves me. I know its true because my whole family loves Jesus and it shows. My mommy and my nana tell me my Aunt Kate and Uncle Matthew and cousin Elliot are telling others about Jesus in some far away place---fireflys where they live----and my Uncle Brian too----he teaches others in Illinois about things that are too big for a small one like me---but someday i will grow up to learn those big lessons too. Nana and Papa said that nothing is too big for Jesus---but nothing is too small either. See! I have small things---and BIG things to be happy about on my birthday---and every day! Grace upon Grace.

Today my nana came to play with me . When we were walking thru the yard and looking around---i just had to stop and hug her tight. I just felt like it i guess--and i felt like hanging on to her for awhile. She told me it blessed her so much because she did not even ask me to hug her---and she wasn't expecting it right then. I love to hug my nana because she told me it gives her energy. I could also tell that she really liked it when i sang Jesus Loves Me with her at naptime. She loves to sing He's Got the Whole World in His Hands too----and we sing about how He has Aunt Kate and Uncle Matthew and Cousin Elliot in His Hands. I got a present today for my 2nd birthday that i really like alot. It is a cell phone and it plays Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee! Another thing i got that is fun to play with is a sleeping bag for my bear JOY JOY. Aunt Kate sent it to me . I am looking forward to Saturday and celebrating with my family that i have been with them for 2 years now. My mommy is making confetti cupcakes and zebra cake with me ! That will be fun! I am glad that Heidi Grace has been my sister for 3 months now. I like to hug her and make her laugh---she likes to watch me play. It will be so much fun when she can play with me . Maybe Elliot will come and play with us too someday.

I found out on our trip up north that i have a very interesting family. You never know what they are going to do next! They are fun and i love hanging out with them!
When we got up north to PaPa's and Nana's we had chicken and dumplings at Granny and Pa's---and chocolate pie. Everyone was very happy about Granny's pies---but i liked looking at all the things she has and wanted to touch everything! :) They got me a stroller with a doll in it named Susie! We saw a deer in their yard too---and lots of humming-birds!
The next day we went to Uncle Bud's and Aunt Jan's lake house and it was a whole day and night of fun with my cousins. I even got to go in the hot-tub and go on a boat ride and play on a sandbar with Shane. At night-time my nana woke me up and then i got to see my first fireworks on the lake. We sat on the pier and i kept saying "sparkles" ! My mommy said she was thinking about the 4th of July her and daddy had with Uncle Matthew and Aunt Kate on a mountain with stars looking down on them.
Sunday morning was PaPa's birthday and Granny brought chocolate syrup over to have with bisquits for birthday breakfast. Even Uncle Mike came and everyone was so happy about it. i said "ohhhh me---ohhhh my"! But really, i did not each much. My nana did though. :)
For Pa Pa's birthday my daddy and mommy took everyone on a trip to an Iron Mine after seeing some kayaks go over a falls and fast water in the river up there. I had to put on a raincoat and hard-hat and i got to ride on a train! It was fun and i loved looking around at the stone and seeing a fish in an underground stream. Granny got to hold my sister while we did that and she seemed very happy about that. Heidi was happy too! My PaPa and my daddy had a "race" home----and Pa showed daddy a short cut so they "won"! My PaPa couldn't believe it!
Nana had supper ready for us when we got back---then after Tunnel of Fudge Cake for PaPa's birthday cake----we had Granny's home-made ice-cream around the campfire! Everyone kept saying the weekend went so FAST----and then we had to go back home. That was not so bad though because our pool was ready to dive into!
I heard that my mommy and daddy are planning to have a pool party. See, my family is very interesting and we always have so much fun together no matter what we do. I love my family. I can tell they love me too.