8 years...where have they gone?

We were married nearly 7 years before God blessed us with our daughter, Coral.  Several years of desperately wanting a child, along with a bout with infertility left us wondering if we'd ever be parents!  My life-long dream was to be a wife and mom, so I was ecstatic when I found out I was expecting!

Coral arrived and turned our lives upside down.  We fell madly in love with this little bundle.  The first grandchild on both sides of our family meant she never lacked for love, attention or dresses!  :)

Shortly after her first birthday, we moved back North to be close to family.  And since that move, the years have FLOWN by.  

Coral is a sweet, imaginative, artistic, dramatic and empathetic little girl who loves people and life.  She is personable and bold about her faith.  Her passion for art, music and animals is infectious. While loving everything girly, she longs to bond with her Daddy over football, hockey, ribs, chicken wings, and anything outdoors.  There is never a limit to her imagination, spending hours role playing and thinking of unique things to do.  I SO love this little girl.

I cannot wait to watch her grow and mature and see the plans God has for her life.  There is no doubt that God has created her for HIS glory.  

My daddy warned me that the days would go by fast.  I remember LONG nights of nursing and crying, LONG winter days of potty training and Veggie Tales videos, and sometimes I thought we would be stuck in those LONG days forever.  Yet here we are 8 years later and I wonder what happened to the past 8 years!

Thank you, God, for the gift of Coral.  Thank you for answering my heart's cry for a child.  Please bless and protect her in the days ahead.  Help me to be the Mama she needs and the parent you long for me to be. 

Happy birthday, sweet girl. 

Summertime

How is it that summer is almost over?  The summer has flown by at our home.  Between swimming, mini-vacations to Akron and Indiana, school-supply shopping and a little housework thrown in....we are on our way to a new school year.

Things we have yet to look forward to?  Well, we have 2 birthdays coming up at our house in the next  3 weeks.  We have a fantabulous zoo party to attend, a family member to help move, an American Girl Tea Party....and lots more swimming and watermelon to enjoy!

I have felt emotional this past month as I've realized that this will be our last year at the Preschool/Kindergarten building of our school!  We have spent 5 years there with our two kids and have grown to love and cherish the sweet staff at this building!  How weird to not be there daily.

God has blessed us and given me the opportunity to stay home with our kids.  Its weird to think this is the last year of being home with my little guy.  And yet somehow, God has prepared and equipped me for new challenges ahead.  I am looking forward to working a little more this fall and stretching my brain!

Well, I'm off to enjoy a late afternoon nap...and maybe a dip in the pool!  You know...the school year's not far off!