We haven't made it to Wye Mountain every year, but we have gone a good handful of times. With the weather giving me a beautiful blue sky and some warm sunshine I decided to pack the kids up and head to the daffodil field.
Ava Jane picked some flowers.
Emerson made a gun out of a stick as usual.
Man, these four children truly have my whole heart, there is not much I wouldn't do for them.
When this next picture popped up in iPhoto I was a little bit stunned at how mature Peyton looks. How can the top of his head be level with my chin? I'm 5'8'', at times it feels like he just started Kindergarten, then I come back to reality and remember all the math fractions and challenging equations we've been working on and I'm quickly brought back to the truth....he's in Middle School, 5th grade to be exact. I'm so proud of the young man that he is becoming and am incredibly grateful God gave me the privilege of being his mom.
Emerson decided the sun was "to bright to smile" so he opted out of this group pic.
Instead, he wanted a "selfie" taken squatting down in the field. I was thinking, whatever it takes to get a smile...sure son, go right ahead and squat down wherever feels right to you. (Isn't he a cutie!)
My heart kind of did a flip flop and swelled with pride when I snapped this sweet picture of my three sons. My little stair steps. They are such good friends and most of the time really enjoy being together. They certainly have their moments when a harsh word for sure brings on the wrath, but usually they play well.
And then there is this little girl. When did she get this big? I got a big ole Texas size lump in my throat when I saw this one upload. I remember her birthday vividly, her heart surgery with impeccable detail and the crazy scary days that followed it. Now she's this adorable letter knowing, word finding, book loving little girl who makes tears form in my eyes because of the depth of my love for her.
She brings me such joy with her big bows, ruffle pants and her nightly requests of "would you please sleep with me Momma" which translates, would you lay with me and stroke my back, legs, arms, head and face?---who wouldn't like that?! And I must admit sometimes I say "no, not tonight", out of pure desire to get downstairs and start checking off my nightly to-do list, but more often then not, I lay with her, listening to Adventures in Odyseey and trying to enjoy every last morsel of time with her while she's still little cause it'll only be this way for a while. (Que all the Momma tears!)
And in light of this weekend and what it means to me and for me, I would be remiss not to include this picture of the cross. It stands tall and white at the top of the hill in the middle of the daffodil field for all to see. Jesus chose the nails for me and for you. He purposefully and lovingly took the nails, shedding his blood, breathing his last, surrendering all of himself in order to make a way for you and me to be saved from our sins that held him to that cross, ultimately creating a bridge to cross the great divide of our depravity.
As I was reading scripture this week, trying to prepare my heart for Good Friday and then for the celebration of Sunday morning, I remembered a book I'd read by Max Lucado called "Just Like Jesus". Here is a little excerpt:
"God's love never ceases. Never. Though we spurn him. Ignore him. Reject him. Despise him. Disobey him. He will not change. Our evil cannot diminish his love. Our goodness cannot increase it. Our faith does not earn it anymore than our stupidity jeopardizes it. God doesn't love us less if we fail or more if we succeed. God's love never ceases."
He loves us just the way we are, warts, sins and all. He loved us so much that he sent his one and only Son so that whosoever believes in him would never perish but have everlasting, unending life (John 3:16).
I Timothy 1:17 "Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible the only wise God, be glory and honor forever and ever Amen!" I look forward to celebrating all that God did for me and for you tomorrow, when all around the world, people will be celebrating that Jesus conquered sin and death. He who chose the nails walked out of that tomb ALIVE making a way for you and I to have access to God, salvation and the gift of an eternity spent with HIM! Thank you Jesus for your sacrifice! Thank you for the cross!
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