He went to OUR Jesus...

We had a man die who attended our church this past week, who Will had been able to connect with and encourage the family throughout his leaving-to-be-with-Jesus state.
So, death was being unusually spoken about more often in the home, for our little almost-three year old.
When we were on a family drive last night the Little Bug spoke up loudly, obviously out of her own conversation going on in her head, from the backseat...
"Craig died." (pause)
"He went to be with Jesus." (pause)
"Our Jesus."
I looked at the hubs, as if to say...did you tell her that?
He looked back at me with that look that said...kind of sort of not really exactly like that.
Hmmm...
I guess our wee one had been gathering her own little bitty BIG thoughts, this week, about life and death and where we go and WHO we are with when we get there.

  

Where he went, Father, may she also be someday. 

In Your arms for eternity. 
With You as HER Jesus too. 
And grant me that simple, matter-of-fact, 
confident, no qualms or questions asked about it kind of childlike faith,
that just knows that she knows that she knows, 
where we will go someday and that we'll all meet again 
with OUR Jesus forever too.

 

 (photo credit to Live to Worship blog)

An exciting new book-maker!!

So, I'd heard the name of this company going around Blog-dom
and finally decided to try them out for myself.
Paper Coterie
Doesn't the name just sound fun and fresh?!
Well, they just so happened to totally and completely live up to that ring!
I've been wanting to create a journal for my cheeky and full-o-sass little two-point-five year old to record and forever remember, for her and for us, all of the craziness that comes out of that mouth all.day.long.
When I saw that Paper Coterie had a coupon code for journals for, wait for this...
FREE...
I jumped all over it and ordered right up!
Shipping was my only fee!
So, you can imagine my excitement as the days ticked off the calendar to receive my FREE treasure!
What stay-at-home-mama doesn't love a good freebie?!
When it arrived and sunk into my happy little hands,
my pleasure increased the second I opened it up and the contents spilled onto my lap!
I'll just give you a little guided tour of the treasure trove itself.
These P.C. people think of everything, down to the very last drop...

The packaging, ahhhh....

A mini letter in a darling bite-sized envelope for me?!?!

What?! WHO are you people, to send me a necklace to boot?!

I have already sported it, often.

Could the cuteness factor even rate any higher?!

A welcome to the circle note!

And then the glory unfolded!

Ahhh, need I say more?!

Incredibly quality and professionally done, beautiful product!

Not a beat was missed!

Dearest Paper Coterie People,

That's it, you did it, I am forever yours.

Happy 4 years...

of shepherding your flock of littles and their families, lovey!
So proud to be your wifey,
so proud to be the mama of your girl,
so proud to be the one to hold up your arms,
so proud to be the 1st hearer of your sermons,
so proud to watch you shape little hearts and minds,
so proud to be with you celebrating the beauty of His body,
so proud to be by your side on the days when it's a little more tough than beauty,

so proud to be the prayer for your soul,
so proud to be the one waiting for you when you get home,
so proud to be the one cheering for you from the crowd,
so proud to be the one giving back to you when you give out so much,
so proud to be the one following your lead,
so proud to be the one making you a home,
so proud to have your people as my people and your God as my God.
Thank you Sutherlin Family Church for giving us such a beloved home for 4 years now.
Thank you Pastor Will Irwin for drawing me, your beloved, into this amazing life with you.
And thank you our beloved Jesus, that by your precious grace, you've considered us worthy of this call and have sustained us thus far.
Here's to many many more!!