Funds For Swazi

I have been working and preparing, and now I am ready!! I am ready to start raising some money for Swaziland. Rick, Cody, Lauren, and I are all going on our team trip in June.

I am officially selling strawberry jam and wholegrain bread. A portion of the profits from the sales will go towards our trip and the other portion will go to Beyond Survival to support the ministry we do in Swaziland. To read more about this ministry, go to beyondsurvival.org.

Let me tell you a little about these products:

The bread is made from freshly ground wheat.

This is the good stuff, baby!

I will be preparing 2 kinds of bread to sell.

1. Honey Whole Wheat - This is a great sandwich bread.

2. Buttermilk Flax - This is also a great sandwich bread, but has more ingredients than the other with the added health benefits that come with ground flax.

Can't you just taste it now?

These breads have no preservatives and are made with the finest ingredients. They need to be consumed or frozen within a few days because they are so fresh!!

Strawberry Jam

This jam is so good, I can just eat it with a spoon without bread. Really, it is that good. I will NEVER eat store-bought jam again!

Price List

1. Honey Whole Wheat Bread - $5.00 per loaf

2. Buttermilk Flax Bread - $7.00 per loaf

3. Strawberry Jam $5.00 - 8 oz. jar

$8.00 - 16 oz. jar

If you are interested in purchasing any of these or have questions, comment on the blog or email me at clappfam@comcast.net. Sorry, but I can only take orders in Colorado Springs. Also, please feel to free to share this opportunity for some yummy products to help a great cause with others.

Our Week

Our Spring Break turned out to be less eventful than we had hoped. We had 4 kids sick for almost a week and the other 2 had a couple of days where they felt crummy. I had this list prepared of all the fun things I was going to do with them. Well, that pretty much got thrown out the window. On the positive side, I was able to get some rest. I slept in several days and didn't have to be anywhere. That was definitely nice and much needed. Before the week was over, we had gone to the dollar theater to see "Tangled," got our free Chick-fil-a breakfast to-go, rented a couple of movies, took the big kids to see "Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2", and took the big kids skating on Sunday.

I don't know if you remember my frustration that I shared over making popcorn at home, but I have found a solution to part of the problem. I was at Sam's and saw these popcorn bags. They only cost a penny each!! So, I bought a box of 500, and we are set for a while. Now, whenever we have popcorn, I don't have 6 cups and a bowl to clean up afterwards. Now, I just need to figure out how to get 6 kids not to leave half of their popcorn on my floor when they are done!
There were some sweet moments between brothers and sisters this week as they shared in their sicknesses. We won't talk about the not-so-sweet moments of bickering that just about sent me over the edge multiple times. : )

Here is Isaiah comforting Laila when she was sad

Cody and Laila hanging out.

You can tell by Laila's eyes that she is sick.

She and Isaiah had high fevers for a week!

On one of the days, I found Isaiah and Laila like this

I had told them they could watch TV and to go get ready. When I came into the room they were ready. They did this all by themselves.

Isaiah has figured out a way to watch TV and drink at the same time

This morning went surprisingly smoothly. I expected lots of drama and trouble getting out the door. That was not the case, and I am so thankful. I didn't want to get up!! I never do, but today was really hard after sleeping in so much. I am ready for summer!!

Thank you so much for all of you who have commented about my last post. It has felt so encouraging to have so much support communicated to us. We cannot do this alone!! Our prayer is that God will work in the hearts of others to partner with us in this endeavor. Very soon, I will be sharing with you ways to do that.

Drum Roll, Please....

Some of you have been waiting to hear our big news. Well, here it is:

After much prayer and discussion, Rick and I have decided to launch Beyond Survival as a non-profit organization. This feels really big to us. This June, we will be leading our 5th team from Vanguard Church on a mission's trip to Swaziland. Once this trip is complete, we will have taken almost 75 people to Swaziland over the last 5 years!! In addition, a handful of those 75 people have gone on multiple trips with us. From one vision trip in August of 2006 to now, God continues to move in the hearts of all of us for this special nation.

Once the 5th trip is complete, Vanguard will no longer be continuing this ministry so Rick and I have been praying about what is next. Do we continue Beyond Survival on our own? Do we assume that it has accomplished all it was meant to? We have wrestled with these questions over and over. Over the last 3 months, we feel like God has shown us the next step. We do not feel like our ministry in Swaziland is complete. We feel passionately about the orphans, the gogos, the pastors, and churches that we have been partnering with. There is so much left to do. Our hearts still feel passionately called to this part of the world.

Now that some of the basic needs are being met, we want to help children get educated(it is so sad to me that education is not a basic need). We want to create sustainability projects and provide jobs for the Swazi people. We want to invest in the Halfway House where Isaiah and Laila are from. The Swazi people are not just a group of people that we have heard about. They are our friends. We love them.

We are excited to share that both Cody and Lauren are going on the trip with us in June. I will share more about that later as I share their words with you about why they are going. I have some fundraising that I am working on as well. Let's just say, lots of baking and jam making going on around here to help us reach our goal. It feels a bit overwhelming, but we have clearly seen God's hand in these decisions and are trusting His Provision for our trip and Beyond Survival.

We need lots of people, called by God to join us in this endeavor. We hope to continue to provide opportunities for you to be involved whether you can go to Swaziland or whether you participate here in the U.S. We need prayer support in so many areas. Our hope is that God can use this ministry to mobilize people in the U.S. to further His Work in Swaziland. We hope to be a conduit for that.

So, there you have it, the big news. 5 years ago, when this all began in our hearts, we never would have imagined we would be where we are today. God has been so faithful. We feel so blessed to have the relationships that we do in Swaziland. We are so fortunate that we have so many of you who have a heart for the people of Swaziland as well. It has enriched our lives and our family's life in ways we could not fabricate on our own. We now step out in faith to see how God will lead. Will you join us?

To read more about Beyond Survival and what we are doing, go here.

What Was I Thinking?

The "exciting news" is still in the works. Hopefully, I will be able to share in a couple of days. Sorry to leave you hanging. I am excited at what God is doing and want to be able to share it all at once!!

I had this "brilliant" idea that I am now questioning my sanity in. Lauren is having her tonsils and adenoids removed in April. I thought buying this would be a big help in taking care of her:

Then, I thought, "this would be great to use any time one of the kids is sick." I am always so busy, they could let me know when they need something." I decided to try it out with Sam this week. He was home from school running a fever. That boy was trigger happy. He would ring the bell about 17 times each time he needed something. If I wasn't there within 10 seconds, he would start again. Seriously, I had to give him very strict guidelines on how to use it. I would rush to his room and he would hand me his drink to set on the stool that was within arms reach right next to his bed. I wanted to rip the ringer out of that bell.

Here he is with "the bell."

The sickness has spread. Sam is dong better, but now, Lauren, Isaiah, and Laila are all sick.

Isaiah likes to watch Lauren play her ipod touch

Lauren and Laila cuddling. I am calling them my "fever girls" today

If I hear that bell one more time, I might just run down the street in my pajamas screaming hysterically!!

Exciting News!

I have exciting news to share soon!! (I know, don't you love it when someone leaves you hanging?)

I am working this week on a project that will help me share the news.

It is big stuff for our family and for Beyond Survival.

Some random stuff to share:

- Cody came to me last night in his robe and with a British accent said, "Muffy, can you bring me some crumpets." Really, I don't know where this kid gets this stuff.

-Laila loves our "big blue house"(as she likes to call it). She talks about it several times a day.

-There is a "Jake and the Neverland Pirates" marathon on Disney Junior this morning, and it really could not have come at a better time. This is currently Isaiah's and Laila's favorite show and having them occupied for the morning is a blessing today. Yes, I am one of those moms. Oh, and I love how Laila has learned from the show to say, "oh, coconuts!" when something goes wrong. So cute!

-Yesterday, it was 75 and today we woke up to snow. You gotta love spring in the Rockies(said very sarcastically).

- I love Laila's hair more and more every day. It is so easy. So glad I took the plunge.

-March Madness has hit this house. I am so not into it and trying to be a team player for Rick's sake. He has had us all fill out brackets. I can't wait until it is over.

- A friend brought me sweet team from McDonalds yesterday and it seriously made my day!

-Lauren currently has multiple injuries and is scheduled for surgery in a couple of weeks. She burned her arm right where her elbow bends baking cookies, her big toe nail has come off, and she needs to have her tonsils and adenoids removed. I feel bad for her right now.

-Saturday and Sunday are completely open on my calendar and that is just fine with me. I so need some rest.

-Spring break will be here in less than 2 hours. It couldn't be at a better time for me.

-Praying for many friends today who are in the adoption process. Each story is very different, but each one is about a child/children who God wants to be in a family. The spiritual battles are overwhelming, but God is bigger.

-I must go put away laundry!

A Big Hit

The rainbow pancakes were a big hit! Thanks, Courtney, for the idea. Supper was easy and it ended up being fun for the kids. Here are the pics:

4 different colors of pancake batter(we used neon food coloring)

Cooking on the griddle

Finished product

Supper was yummy, easy, and fun. It doesn't get any better than that!!

Blah Day

I just feel blah this afternoon.

I am tired.

I don't want to do anything, but I feel the weight of some pretty big things that need to be accomplished.

I need to go to the grocery.

Our food stores are low. Not living in third world country low, just trying to put a decent meal together kind of low.

When that happens, I am even less motivated to cook.

My poor kids. We have had lots of what we call "misc." for dinner in our house lately.

I was inspired by my friend, Courtney's blog, and I think I will make rainbow pancakes tonight.

Basically, you take your pancake batter, divide it into bowls, add food coloring, and make your pancakes with multiple colors in each one. I will post pictures if I remember to take them!

My kids have never had them, but I think they will LOVE them!! I will tie them into St. Patrick's Day with the rainbow/leprechaun theme.

I have about an hour before I have to pick up the kids from school ,and seriously, I just want to stare at the wall.

I have to take Sam for an eye exam after school

I really have to gear myself up for that one.

It is so not fun to go to the Walmart eye doctor with 6 kids in tow.

Oh, and then there is the possibility of glasses for Sam.

Choosing them, buying them, helping him take care of them, kind of just gives me hives thinking about it!

So, it is a blah day, but at least I can take it easy this afternoon. I am very thankful for that!

Laila's Braiding Day

Today was a big day for Laila!! After much fretting, hair products, and daily work on my part, I decided it was time to take her to get her hair braided. Her hair just doesn't seem to be growing. No matter how much I moisturize and no matter how much I try to keep it detangled and oiled, it just doesn't seem to be growing. On Saturday, we went to watch a friend's daughter get her hair braided and have the lady doing it look at Laila's hair. She said what I suspected, Laila's hair needs to be braided in order to grow. It is so coarse and so tightly curled that picking it out every day into an afro is just going to continue to break it off. So, today we took the plunge.

Before

Before

We started the day at my friend, Michele's house. She is now officially my "African Hair Mentor"! She doesn't know this is her new title, but it is. At Michele's house, I washed and conditioned Laila's hair.

Sweet Butterfly Girl

Then, Michele detangled,

greased, and combed out with the dryer!

Really, I would not have known how to do this on my own.

This Laila's "Don King" look!

Who knew this girl's hair could be so long!

Back View

Next stop: Marjorie's house.

Let the braiding begin!

She did so well. She did not cry, she sat still. It took 2 hours and this little chick could not have been better. That gives me hope for the future. I know that these braiding sessions will only get longer as her hair grows and fills in.

The final product!

Laila was all smiles. You should have seen how her face lit up when I took her to the mirror. She kept saying, "I so happy, Mama! I like my hair." Who knew a 2 1/2 yr. old could care so much about hair?

I have mixed emotions about it. She looks so much older to me. She doesn't look like my baby anymore. It is an adjustment to get used to when I have only known her with a fro. Her hair was way longer than I ever imagined when it was straightened and braided If the braids were just a tiny bit longer, I could pull them into pig tails and a pony tail. I look forward to being able to do that and change the styles.

Here is a back view.

I rewarded her at the end of it all with a Happy Meal. This chick earned it. She did AMAZING!!

This should last at least 5 weeks. If it does, it will give me a break from the daily hair routine and give her hair a chance to rest and grow. I hope I can keep it looking nice. I will be calling Michele again when it is time to take out the braids. We will go back over with our toothpicks and learn some more from the master!!

Sammy Jo Jo

Sam recently had his 7yr. pics made. I wanted to share my handsome little man with you!!




I can't even believe that tiny 4lb. baby boy is 7 years old now.

He just finished playing his first team sport, basketball. He loved it and improved so much over the season. In his next to last game, he scored 3 baskets!! Of course I wasn't there and missed it!

He recently lost his front top tooth which has made him so cute and his speech even more adorable.

He also may be getting glasses. We have an eye exam scheduled this week.

Words can't even describe how much I love this little guy. His hugs, kisses, and smile just melt my heart.

My Week

This week feels like it needs to be communicated in short sentences. The things I am writing are the extras. The usual every day activities that involve keeping 6 children alive and functioning are not included below.

Monday

-Trip to Target

-Cardio Mix and Body Fit at the Y

-3 hours of working on my "price book"(I will write more about that later)

-Meet with Abby(we are going through a book together)

Tuesday

-MOPs leaders meeting

-Lunch with a friend

-During that lunch, the beginning symptoms of a Mega Migraine

-Bought my Dyson vacuum(I think we have already emptied that canister 4 times. Yes, my floors were that bad!)

-Quick trip to grocery store

-Lauren to the orthodontist(Yay! At least 6 more months until braces!)

-Migraine became full blown with head pain, nausea, and all around yuckiness

-To bed at 6:30 with a fitful, restless night

Wednesday

-Woke up with a Migraine Hangover(foggy head and fatigued)

-Free Chick-fil-a breakfast with a sweet tea

-Emotional meeting with a friend

-Nap to recover from the migraine

Thursday

-Another trip to Target(having a hard time finding school pants for my daughters)

-Ultimate Conditioning at the Y

-Sorting 3 boxes of kids' clothes

-Bball practice for Sam

-Date with the hubby

Friday

-Breakfast with a friend

-Meeting with a friend

-Farmed out 4 big kids and 2 little ones napping while I catch up on computer work, phone calls, and scheduling for the fam's various events.

-Tonight - Bday party for a friend

Add into all of that, feeding, clothing, and transporting children. No wonder I feel tired. I am ready for the weekend!!

Weekend Getaway

Getting away for an overnight at a hotel last Friday was such a nice break for me. It truly came at just the right time. A few months ago, I purchased a deal through livingsocial.com that gave us a 2 night getaway along with a dinner for 2 for only $99. So, Rick and I split the time away and met in the middle for the dinner. It was the perfect balance of date time and alone time for me.

I left Friday afternoon to head to the hotel. I picked up a bagel and a Panera salad for breakfast and lunch the next day. I had no plans to leave that room until I had to. I was able to store them in the fridge. The day was yucky out, snowy, cold, dreary, the perfect day for staying inside. I also took some chai tea mix and hot chocolate just in case I wanted a warm drink!

First item on the agenda, NAP!! It was luxurious.

Then, I woke up to for a date night with the hubby at our free dinner. It was great, drinks, appetizers, entrees and dessert! It was all included in our deal.

The rest of my time, until 4:00 on Saturday was spent reading, journaling, listening to music, praying, and relaxing.

Here are the books that I took with me:

I love to read. I usually have about 5 or 6 different kinds of books that I am reading all at the same time. I took them all with me. For the longest time, I stopped reading because I didn't feel like I had time. Then, about 8 months ago, I realized I needed to make time to read for my sanity and enjoyment. (It is so easy to put my wants aside for the sake of the family. I am learning that this does not benefit any of us!) Let me tell you about my books(from top to bottom):

1. Holy Bible - self explanatory - I am currently reading through the Gospels.

2. At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon - Fun reading about a pastor that lives in a small town. I enjoy having at least one fiction book at a time to read. I finished this one 2 days ago, and am anxiously awaiting the next one in the series. It is nota grip-your-seat kind of reading, just fun and relaxing.

3. & 4. Cold Tangerines and Bittersweet by Shauna Niequist- I love both of these books. They bring me life and challenge me to live better. They have really shor, easy-to-read chapters. I come away from each one with a nugget of truth. These have been particularly good for me in this season of transition. She focuses on really living our lives fully and always seeing the "sweet" alongside the "bitter" in life. Every time I read them, I find myself laughing out loud, sometimes crying, and always talking back to the books. Any book that evokes those responses in me has my vote!!

5. Lost in the Middle by Paul David Tripp - This book was recommended by my husband. He is reading through it with a group of guys. It addresses middle age(which by the way, according to this book is 35-55. So, even though I am not 40, it applies to me!) He addresses the issues faced during this time of life and shows what the Bible has to say about those issues. Once again, a really good book for Rick and I as we maneuver through our life transition.

6. Journal - self explanatory

7. Have a New Kid by Friday by Kevin Leman - I have felt frustrated lately in my parenting. I like Kevin Leman's style of writing, and tend to agree with his parenting philosophies. He is similar to a "Love and Logic" Style. My favorite part of this book is where he takes most of the issues that we regularly deal with as parents and addresses them in alphabetical order.

8. Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch - I gave up on dieting a few years ago. I have found that my struggle with eating is about so much more than the food. When I severely restrict myself, it triggers all kinds of problems for me. I can do it, but it doesn't really solve the problem, and when the diet is over, I put the weight right back on. I read this book about 4 years ago, and felt like it was time to break it out again.

The other thing I spent some time on is writing in my kids' journals. I try to write to them once a year. Well, I was behind so I took some time to do some catching up. Even though I am doing it for them, it is so good for me to sit down and write out to my kids what I love about them and how thankful I am for them. It reminds me of how great they are. You see, when there are lots of kids in a family, there is always someone upset about something, fighting, or disobeying. This can really make me feel like a crappy mom and like my kids are out of control. This exercise of writing in their journals, reigns me back in and gives me the perspective I need. I have really great kids, but I just can't see it for all the "stuff" I have to constantly deal with in this house.

This is totally random, but I floss so much when I am away!! I know, crazy, right? I have such a hard time fitting flossing into my life. When I go away, I floss like 3 times a day. I should probably go away more often just for my dental health!

On Sunday, I went to church with the kids while Rick finished his portion of the getaway at the hotel. It was the 14th anniversary of our church. We heard the stories and watched 12 people get baptized in the service we attended. It was so cool. I was in such a good state of mind to hear from God after my time away. The verse He kept bringing to my mind was, "He must become greater, I must become less." That is where I am in this process. My identity MUST be in Christ and Christ alone. That has been a theme for me. I am trying to embrace that. My value has to come from God, not people or my works.

It was a good weekend. I am thankful for the opportunity to get away, and a husband who sees the value in that!!

The Theology of Uncomfortable Grace

I am feeling this one today.

"God will take us where we have not intended to go

in order to produce in us what we could not achieve on our own."

~ Paul David Tripp

Oh, how I want to see this perspective and embrace God's direction regardless of the pain, regardless of the uncertainty.

Just when I thought he couldn't get any cuter,

Sam goes and loses a tooth and melts my heart all over again. Not to mention the adorable way that he talks now!!
He is really going to break some hearts some day!

Tender Cuddles Restaurant

A few weeks ago, the girls started "Tender Cuddles Daycare" in our home. They got the name from the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" books. They would have me check in Isaiah and Laila for their daycare. Some days I would even get a phone call from them to come pick a sick or disobedient kid. Tonight they opened the "Tender Cuddles Restaurant." They created a restaurant in the basement and made dinner for themselves, Sam, Isaiah, and Laila.

Here is Lauren preparing the food.

Pasta with marinara sauce

Serving the food

The dining experience in our basement.

It was great because not only did they have fun, but they also fed everyone dinner. They had blueberries for dessert. It was a night off for me!!

Last night, Isaiah and Laila got a little wild with the Ranch Dressing.

Isaiah's Ranch Goatee

Laila's Ranch Soul Patch

Welcomed Escape

Tomorrow I will be spending the night in a hotel, alone.

I cannot tell you how much excitement flows through my fingers as I type those words.

There could not be a better time for me to escape.

I am at the bottom of the barrel right now, scraping every last bit of strength to make it until this time tomorrow.

I am weary. I am exhausted. I am discouraged. I am overwhelmed.

Who knows what that time will look like?

Heck, I may just sleep the whole time.

I have learned not to plan too much or put too many expectations on myself during these brief getaways.

I don't want to end the time feeling like I have failed to use it adequately. The goal of it is not to accomplish a certain amount or mark items off a list, but to rest, seek, search and reset myself.

So, I will take my Bible, my journal, my ipod, a "learning" book, a "fun" book, and my comfy lounging clothes.

I will do what I feel like doing in that moment.

I will seek out what God has for me in this moment of my life.

The last 6 months have totally rocked my world.

I feel like I am on the upswing, but there is still much processing, seeking, and understanding to do.

I am beginning to understand the work that God is doing in me in some areas, and in others, I am questioning why I am still struggling as I am.

There have been so many things about this season that have been refining and defining.

I have learned who I can really trust, I have learned who really loves me, and painfully, I have learned who doesn't.

I have determined to surround myself with people who are for me. I am learning to fill my life with activities that bring me life and joy. I am realizing that my primary ministry is to my family. I am thrilled that as a family we have embraced God's calling for us in Swaziland(more about that one later).

The puzzle pieces are coming together.

The fuzzy picture is becoming clearer and clearer.

God has brought about this season in our family for a reason.

It is not up to me to make it happen or control it.

I am trusting in God to accomplish His will in my life as only He can.

Hotel Escape, here I come!!

Lordy, Lordy...

...Rick is 40!!!!

Sunday was a big day. It was the culmination of our 40 Days for 40 Years Celebration. We woke up on Sunday morning to decorations that the kids had put up around the house.

We walked through the paper streamer door.

There were signs up all over the house.

The kids wanted to give their Daddy his gifts right away. It is so funny to see how their personalities and love languages come out in the gifts that they give.

Abby, made him a Jeep and a football. The really cool part is that the Jeep had a picture of him sitting in the driver's seat and his Cowboys tire cover on the back just like the real thing. She also gave him some candy. She is very artistic and creative. She really put a lot of thought into what she would make for him and worked on it for days.

Lauren gave him one of his favorite candies. This girl loves her some candy. She loves to get candy, so it is often her gift of choice for those that she loves.

Sam always cracks me up. Leading up to someone's bday, he doesn't want to buy a gift. Then, when the actual day is here and everyone is handing over their gifts, he is scrambling to find something to give. He came up with this gift for Rick, a pirate, ninja, and some other little guy figure. Before the week is over, he will probably ask for them back.

Cody is another creative one. He made a video slideshow for Rick on the computer. It was really good, way better, than I could have done. He showed it to Rick that morning, but we also had it streaming throughout Rick's party for everyone to see.

Earlier in the month, Isaiah had given Rick a matchbox Jeep on the day that represented his birth so I didn't really think about having him get his Daddy something else. As Rick was opening gifts, he disappeared. When he reappeared, he was holding something behind his back and had a big smile on his face. He said, "Daddy, I have my gift for you!" Then he pulls his hand around. He was holding 3 pairs of his jeans. He said, "Daddy, you can have my jeans for today! They will have to grow a little before you can wear them." That was so sweet, but the thing that was even sweeter was him sharing his clothes. Clothes are a big deal to him. He didn't have his own clothes before he came to us so they are really special to him. It said a lot about how he feels about his Daddy that he would share those with him.

I totally forgot to take a picture of Laila giving Rick her gift of hugs and kisses. We also gave him his journal that the kids write in for each bday and Father's Day.

Next Stop: Cracker Barrel for Breakfast/Lunch

We had to wait for about 25 minutes because we are a "large party." I always forget about that. It was a busy morning there. The kids passed the time by playing with the toys. We got lots of looks while we were there. There was on older couple that stared at us through the whole meal. I am pretty sure we were their entertainment for the day.

As we were leaving, Isaiah said, "Mommy, take our picture in the rocking chairs." As you can see, Laila was NOT happy.

The rest of the day was spent getting ready for the big party that night. We were so blessed to have the Fowlers offer to let us use their home. Laura and I spent the week getting ready for the party by decorating. We took pictures and memorabilia from throughout Rick's life and created stations throughout the house. Here are pictures of some of them:

License plates from all the places where he has lived.

Wedding stuff and pictures of us.

Cowboys' Corner

Sports corner: This included everything from when Rick played sports, when he coached sports, and his items from his favorite teams. The crutches are not a mistake. He has had a lot of sports injuries over the years.

Swaziland: Pictures, souvenirs, and of course, Chomps!!

School: Campbellsville College and Dallas Theological Seminary

Vanguard Church

Various pictures that gave us all a few laughs.

Pictures and items from his dad, mom, and siblings

Closer

We also had an area that represented his music. There were lots of pictures hanging throughout the house, many of which were hilarious. There was also an area that had some of his favorite things. It turned out to be so fun for everyone to see.

The food was plentiful!!

That was a lot of candles.

He got them in one breath!

I love this man!! I REALLY, REALLY do!!

The night ended with Rick in the hot seat. We shared funny stories, things we admired about him, and prayed over him. It was such an honor to have so many pour into him in that way.

Rick, I love you more than words can express. You truly are a real-life example to me of God's redemption, grace, forgiveness, and unconditional love. I see God's hand on your life. I respect and trust your leadership of our family. I know that this Birthday is the beginning of something new that God wants to do in and through you. You have already created a legacy with your life, but that legacy is not complete. I love that you ground me. You settle me down, when I am feisty. You encourage me when I am down. You listen to my endless talking. You love me despite my weaknesses. You are an amazing father. I love laughing with you. I love experiencing life together. God has something big ahead, Baby. Hold on and get ready for the ride.