Our Easter Fun

Coloring Easter Eggs with Daddy and MeMaw

In our Easter Dresses before church

In our house, Cinderella and the Easter Bunny are close friends, so Cinderella filled Raylen's Easter basket this year. She brought "real" glass slippers, a bubble wand, a personal letter from her on her Castle stationary and one of her own ball dresses. (The dress was actually mine when I was in my uncle's wedding)

The Hunt!

Elastigirl

Last night, I was very sick. I still am sick today, but last night was worse than this morning. Jason didn't make it home until 8:30 pm, so I had Raylen to myself and was desperately trying to get her to understand that Mommy just needed rest. I finally begged her to sit on my bed with me and watch The Incredibles while I slept. I made her promise that she wouldn't get off the bed until I told her. She seemed to understand. I think I slept for about 45 minutes or so when I was awakened by Ray tapping my face saying "Mommy, I'm going to be Elastigirl!" Still groggy, I said, "okay" and went back to sleep. Some time later, I heard some noise and woke up to find Raylen jumping around the room like a super hero. I reminded her that she was supposed to be on the bed to which she responded "Mommy, I'm Elastigirl!", in a tone annoyed that I should have remembered her earlier declaration. It was then that I caught a good glimpse of her face and I was shocked to find that she had indeed become Elastigirl, with a little help from my makeup bag. The picture doesn't do her makeup job justice....

The moral of the story is, when you have a three year old, never, and I mean never, fall asleep.

Happy Anniversary

Today is Jason's parents' 32nd wedding anniversary. Congratulations!

Jason and I are both very blessed to come from families where marriage is a treasured blessing and lasting for the long haul is the top priority. My own parents were married 27 years when my dad passed away. We have seen by example that things aren't always easy and more than once one or both of you will want to quit, but also that it is well worth sticking it out.

Just Your Average Everyday Texas Snowstorm in March

Here we are in March and we currently have five inches of snow on the ground. We took full advantage. Here are some shots from our snowy adventure.

Adoption Journals Recently Posted

I have recently posted most, if not all of the adoption emails I sent out during the time we got Raylen and the journey we went through. They are located on this blog under 2006 if you are interested in reading the joys and challenges we faced.

The Littlest Flower Girl

Saturday, Raylen had the delight of being in my cousin Aaron and his bride Emily's wedding. She was asked to be the flower girl and she loved every minute of it. At the party after the ceremony, Raylen danced the night away. We literally had to drag her off the floor when it was time for the special dances. That girl has got the groove in her! Here are a few of my favorites from the night. Congratulations Aaron and Emily!

I LOVE my Girly Girl!

As sure as I always knew I wanted to be a mother, I also always knew that I wanted to have a girl. Sure I would like to have boys too, but there's just something about frills and bows and pretend tea parties that don't transfer well to boys.

And anyone that knows me at all knows that I am a girly girl. No, I don't dress to the nines all the time and I can be pretty loud and boisterous in the right setting, but otherwise I love all things pink and pretty.

Having not given any of my DNA to my daughter, I wondered before I got her and even sometimes after if she would be anything like me at all. I wondered if we would bond while playing Barbies and enjoy facials and cucumber sandwiches with the crusts cut off while discussing the latest fashion trend.

And although she has always adored playing dress up (she calls it "Getting Married") and LOVES shoes of all kinds, Raylen's fate as a girly girl in my head wasn't sealed until this evening. While I was packing up the guest room, we came across a floral tiara with ribbon streamers I once wore at a Renaissance festival, a pair of pearl buttoned elbow length gloves and the cherry on top, the wood and leather platform shoes my Granny gave me to wear for dress up when I was just a little older than Ray. Of course she wanted to try everything on and the picture above shoes how happy she was to play in them. I wish I could show you too, the smile on my face knowing that our journey together as girly girls is just beginning and how blessed I am to have Raylen in my life.