Happy Birthday Hope!

It was such fun to have Hope helping me out in the kitchen to bake her birthday cupcakes! She was taking the cupcakes to share with her daycare friends, and she was so proud to be "cookin.'"
Of course, the best part is always licking the beaters. :)

Our family tradition is to open a gift on "Birthday Eve." Geoffrey wanted Hope to open his gift for her -- she was happy to receive a princess doll from him!

Geoffrey and Hope together is a beautiful thing! Geoffrey was made to be Hope's big brother, and she positively adores him.

Happy Birthday Morning!! It's present time!

I love filling Hope's world with positive images of Black Girls. She was so excited to open this print of Supergirl.

Fabulous!!

Hope made her wishes perfectly clear regarding how she would wear her hair for her birthday. She had been telling me for the last two weeks or so that she wanted to wear her hair in an Afro, just like the Black Rapunzel print she has in her room. "Listen, Mommy, listen... Afro... a tincess Afro... my birgay," which is Hope-Speak for "Mommy, I want a princess Afro for my birthday." You gotta love a girl who knows what looks good!

Hope was so excited with her "Tincess Cake!"

Hope is really growing up -- last year she reached into her cake with her hand. This year, while she did take a few dips with her finger into the frosting, she mainly used her fork. :)

To say that Hope is a joy would never come close to describing how we feel about this precious girl. All my life, I will be forever grateful that God brought her to me and to our family. We simply wouldn't be us without her.

Happy Birthday Hope!

Memories from Christmas 2011

"All done pictures"

Geoffrey and Hope have gotten so close, it is truly a joy to observe their relationship!

A Time for Catching Up (in Pictures)

Never Too Late for 'Jingle Bells'

So... I'm really out of the practice of being present on this blog! But, that's another story for another day. Today I was transferring photos & videos to my computer and I came across this video of Hope from a couple of weeks before Christmas.

Since we are snowed in today anyway, I think a little "Jingle Bells" might be in order.

Too cute, if I do say so myself.

amazing

Even though recent times have been so difficult, I want to make sure I don't forget a very special moment a couple of months ago. And so, before things go any further, I want to write it down here.

I was sharing with a family friend who was asking to hear about Eli. After I told him some of what had been going on, I simply said, "Right now it's a real cross." Truly, I have never in my life spoken those words in that exact way before. You often hear people talk of a "cross to bear," but it is not a phrase I typically use, and I have never referred to the concept in that way.

The following morning, a different friend approached me to inquire about Eli. As I shared with her, she listened intently and offered me support and compassion. She looked into my eyes and said, "Right now it's a real cross." The exact words I had spoken to another person just the night before were being given back to me. In that moment I felt God telling me, "I hear you. I know. I see and I understand."

As our lives begin moving in a direction we never anticipated, I need to remember the feeling I had on that morning. I need to remember that God does hear me--He knows--He sees and He understands. And as long as I continue to walk as His faithful servant, then I can accept my cross, and I can carry it knowing I do not carry it alone.