Overwhelmed...

There are moments in my life where the Lord just overwhelms me with His grace, love, and mercy. God has just poured out blessing upon blessing in my life and I am just overwhelmed.

In the past year, God has reminded me of this verse over and over again.

Have your roots firmly and deeply planted [in Him, fixed and founded in Him], being continually built up in Him, becoming increasingly more confirmed and established in the faith, just as you were taught, and abounding and overflowing in it with thanksgiving. Colossians 2: 7

I want nothing more that to be firmly planted in the Lord. I want my faith to continue to rise up in Him. I want to overflow with thanksgiving. I want to grow in my faith and knowledge of the Lord daily.

As I look at my life, I realize it's pretty chaotic. I am so blessed to have the opportunity to stay home with the girls. Some days are tough. Some days I want to throw in the towel and go get a "real" job. Some days I just want "me" time. But then I look at those precious faces and tears roll down my face. Tears of joy and of thankfulness that the Lord counted me worthy enough to be their mom. To be able to stay home with them and teach them the ways of the Lord. Show them an example of what a Godly mother looks like. One that fears the Lord. One that loves each of them with the love of Christ. This leaves me overwhelmed with Thanksgiving.

I have a husband that I simply do not deserve. I know our Sovereign Lord orchestrated our lives to be together in a way that only He can. I am so thankful for Matt. He is my best friend. My greatest supporter. My biggest fan. He loves me and I KNOW he loves me with everything that is in him. I find so much peace in this. Matt loves the Lord. Like really loves the Lord and wants to be more like Him everyday. Wants to know Him more. This is the thing I cherish most of all.

Matt is the best dad. He loves his girls and they absolutely adore their daddy. They run to the door when he is home. They cry if he isn't here to tuck them in. Matt is so involved in their lives. I am so thankful they have a Godly daddy who loves them and is a great example for them to look to!

I am so thankful the Lord reminds us of his faithfulness and his greatness even in the chaos of our lives. He loves us enough to break through the noise of the crying baby, the child begging for just one more snack, and the begging to read "Just more Bible story" just to show us His love and humble us in our life. I love these moments. A moment that I needed. A moment that I cherish. A moment that I feel extra loved my my Heavenly Father.

Time's running out!!

Time is running out for my first giveaway! Please go to laurengraceboutique.blogspot.com to put your name in for a custom pillowcase dress or tunic! Whether you have a little girl or not, these are perfect gifts for newborn babies!!:)

Hurry on over...

Hurry over to www.laurengraceboutique.blogspot.com. I am doing my first giveaway and I am thrilled to be able to do it!!

I will draw for the dress on Wednesday!!

Fabulous Fridays with Princess Allie...

Princess Allie made an appearance this morning at the Ward house. She walked the halls in heels and her tiara claiming her palace was not quite as fun as she had hoped for. "Being a princess is not all that fun, said Allie." "I don't get to have a husband or children!"

She traded in her heels for her tennis shoes and began her morning workout! She said, "Where are my push-ups (weights) because I need to do my workout with my tennis shoes on!" When I asked if she finished her workout she said, "Well, no. I did some of it, but now I am playing with my girl friends." "A girl has to have some fun, you know!"

The imagination has been running wild today, But isn't is always:)

Getting too big

Bella Grace is just growing so fast. She is talking so much and moving non stop. I always hear, "She's the busiest baby I have ever seen!" "How do you keep up with her?" Well, considering I don't have an option, I buckle up and hang on! She is so sweet and loving, very strong willed, and way independent! This is how I found her the other day!

Just sitting in the big chair eating her snack.

Making her way in the chair. She's getting too big:(

Very proud of herself!

Back down again.

Happy Thursday!

Busy weekend...

This has been a great weekend at the Ward house! Friday night, Matt and I headed to Ruth's Chris for dinner. I got a sitter and surprised my love with a night out to the amazing Ruth's Chris. Oh it never disappoints us! We love the slow pace of Ruth's and the amazing service. We spend so much time rushing through meals trying to keep the little one content so it's nice to sit down and relax just the two of us. There was no rush. We just enjoyed being together and relaxing in a slow paced environment. They have one of my all time favorite desserts. I hate to admit that I halfway picked Ruth's because of this fabulous dessert. We got the dessert menu and neither of the things we get for dessert were on the menu. I was a little bummed, but I drank some coffee, we talked some more, and then headed to maggie moos for ice cream. So yummy!

It was a fabulous evening with the man of my dreams, my life long partner, my best friend. He means the world to me and there is no one that I would rather spend my time with. We absolutely LOVE being together and doing just about anything and for that I am sooo thankful!!

Today was a great day! It warmed up. The sun came out and we could actually go outside with the girls without a jacket. So we did! We spent the whole day outside. Matt re-stained the front door today and it looks so great! (pics soon) I worked around the house and on some orders this morning. We also stripped our kitchen table and are in the process of staining it. It had a horrible top coat on and I have not liked it since we got it. It's impossible to keep clean and just never looks polished and kept. So, we will see how it turns out!

So we spent the rest of the day outside. The girls and I played chase, ran around the yard playing soccer and catch, jumped on the trampoline and watched daddy do back flips, and the girls finished the day coloring in the front yard!

We ran and grabbed some dinner, drove around looking at land (our favorite thing) and finished the night with the olympics and red velvet cake balls!!

Oh I love weekends like this! Such sweet memories with each other, and our sweet girls.

God you are so good to us!

This was the converstaion I just had with Alyssa.

Alyssa: "Hello Mam!"

Me: "Well Hi!"

Alyssa: "I'm going on a hike this weekend with my husband."

Me: "Really?" (Trying not to laugh)

Alyssa: "Yeah." "Should be lots of fun!"

Me: "Where you heading?"

Alyssa: "Just to Bob and Sue's." "Well we better get a move on it cause we don't want to be later, afterall!"

Alyssa: "Wait!!" "Where's the way to Africa, cause that's where Bob and Sue live?"

Wow my child has grown way too fast!!

This is what she has on for her hike!

looking back...

I was just looking back at a few pictures of when Bella was born and I ran across this picture. I sure do love you two girls.

Alyssa you have been the best big sis to Bella Grace. Such a great helper (sometime too much) and a fun big sis! You make Bella belly laugh! Just like you have always made us laugh!

We love you two sweeties!!