a monkey birthday!

My little Jovie is 3. I took her to Target to pick out some birthday stuff (plates, napkins, etc.) in full expectation that she would want a Tinkerbell, Princess or Butterfly themed party. What did she pick? The Paul Frank monkey stuff. That's my Jovie. My sister, Piper, nicknamed her "Monkey Girl" a while back and ever since, she has taken to monkeys. So, a monkey party we had! I found the cake idea on Smitten Kitchen and since I originally had no idea I would be making a monkey face, I didn't make ears. Instead, I improvised by using ladyfinger cookies we had in our cupboard, stood 3 of them upright and simply frosted around them for the ears. It worked great!

Jovie is such a joy. She has a terrific attitude and shares with Pear so nicely. Jovie really has a giving heart and it is neat to watch her go throughout her day and bless her family. I love that anytime she forgets what she was going to say (example: she comes up to me, "mom...mom...mommy," I finally say "yes Jovie?" ....pause) she looks at me and smiles and says "I love you." I love that she is so girly. I adore her big blue eyes and the chubby cheeks that she's holding onto for a little bit longer. The way she talks makes those around her smile. I've enjoyed three years of my little girl's life, I am looking forward to the rest!

It's 5:45am here. Good morning birthday girl!

My little monkey.

Waiting for her guests to arrive with her monkey mask.

The monkey cake.

My beauty in her birthday dress.

Pretty girl.

Libbi.

Pin the tail on the monkey. Props to Stephen's mad drawing skills.

Make a wish!

The boys, being boys in the back yard.

1 little, 2 little, 3 little pumpkins...

It's that time of year again. The time that Stephen tries as hard as he can to skirt around going to the pumpkin patch. The time that the kids and I anxiously wait for the sun to peek out in hopes to go to the pumpkin patch. And finally, the day comes that I convince Stephen that we will go to the big dirty fields full of pumpkins. We really had fun! Pear went from one to the next debating whether it was the right one for her. Jovie seemed to gravitate to pumpkins that were rotten, had no stem or some other such flaw. And of course Pike simply loved the fact that there was a field full of "balls." He'd pick on up and carry it a couple of yards, then drop it for another. What fun it is to celebrate life with the changing seasons!

hope...

Ground is shaking all around me. I have several close friends that are suffering from cancer, miscarriage, infertility, and disease and it is breaking my heart. I don't understand why these sweet people have to go through this. I don't understand why I am healthy. All that I know is that I don't know the end to the story that God has written for each individual. I am proclaiming this today for both my life and those around me suffering:

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.

On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

When darkness seems to hide His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace.
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.

His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay.

When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh may I then in Him be found.
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.

Image found here on Etsy