do you love jesus?

Today I had an eye opening experience. I was making lunch and I started asking the big girls some fun, crazy questions:

"Who's crazy?!" "I AM!" we all responded!

"Who's happy?!" "I AM!" we all responded!

And then an innocent question posed by me, brought a response that both gladdens and saddens my heart.

"Who loves Jesus?" "I DO!" I said. "I DO!" Julia said. "I DON'T!" Katey said. I looked at her and said, "You don't, Katey?" "Umm, I mean, I DO!"

I did a double take. I'm thinking in my head, "Kate just said she doesn't love Jesus. Holy smokes. What've I done wrong?! She doesn't love Jesus! I'm a failure of a mom."

But then I got to thinking. Katey hasn't trusted in Jesus as her Savior yet. So she DOESN'T love Jesus. It was a brutally honest answer. We talk to her almost every day about Jesus coming to die on the cross, about WHY He came to die, about her need to trust Him too. I don't want her to just SAY that she loves Jesus because that's the right answer. I don't want her to be deceived.

I called her over to me and picked her up. I asked her why she doesn't love Jesus but I didn't really let her answer. I'm not sure that she would be ABLE to answer. Instead I told her I appreciated her honesty. I told her that because she doesn't trust in Jesus yet and believe that He died on the cross for her sins, she DOESN'T love Jesus! I told her that I pray for her that God will soften her heart and that she'll love Jesus someday real soon!

I'm glad I asked that question...it really let me see her heart. I love my sweet girl and can't wait for her to really love Jesus too!

precious girl!

kate's an awana cubbie!

Last night was the first night of Awana...and Katey was a Cubbie! She missed last year because I was pregnant with twins or something crazy like that, but this year...WE'RE ON IT!

Here she is all ready to go!



Isn't she just the most precious thing you've ever seen?!



And here she is enjoying some Awana activities!



I'm so glad she gets to be in Awana this year! Awana has been such a blessing to me in all my growing up years! I know most of the Scripture I know, because of Awana! I'm so excited for Katey to start memorizing Scripture through Awana!

new do's!

Me and Kate got our hairs cut! Katey got to go to this totally cool place where you get your hair cut in a Barbii-mobile! Seriously?! And they have flat screens playing the Disney Channel! Cool!
This was Kate's first hair cut...EVER! Yes, I KNOW she's four. But her hair was so beautiful! I have to say, it's pretty cute now though!



All done!


The goods! A Dum-Dum sucker, balloon and cool tattoo. Nice!



A couple days later, I got my hair cut too! It was about time! From long, to not so long!

kate's 4!

Our big girl turned 4! What in the world?! Time sure does go fast when you're having fun!

Here's some pictures of the festivities!

We needed some pictures for her party. It was "Kate's Candy Shoppe" themed! So bring on the giant lollipops!










Lots of friends came to celebrate with us!







On Kate's actual birthday we took the girls to Pump It Up, this indoor bounce house place of awesomeness that Katey absolutely loves! Here Katey and Julia are, waiting for entry!




Ainsley really enjoyed it too. See...


Then we left that place of awesomeness for ANOTHER place of awesomeness! Chuck E. Cheese!




Happy 4th Birthday precious girl! We love to the moon and back!

whipped cream shots!

Katey started talking about witches the other day. Where she learned about witches, I'm not sure. She wasn't sure either.

Anyway, after several mentions of witches, I finally told her that I don't want her pretending about them anymore.

So today, at nap time, Jason was putting her down and she says, "the wi--uh, whipped cream is going to shot me." (She also likes to pretend about getting shots for some reason. Crazy girl.) Anyway, Jason kinda laughed and she said, "What? Did you think I was going to say 'witch?"'

Silly, silly girl! But good job remembering and obeying! And good job making us smile!

oh how i love this girl...

school is fun when you're 3

We started doing some "school" work with Katey last week. And of course...

she LOVES it!

She asks to do school at all hours of the day. We're doing fun things like letters and phonics, coloring, learning to use scissors, practicing writing (with a mechanical pencil and everything!), a children's catechism and Bible stories with cooking projects.

Here's Kate practicing her writing (notice the little tongue sticking out...that's some serious concentration!). I was surprised at how quickly she caught on to using the pencil. And look how she's holding it...we didn't even have to tell her to do that! Little smarty pants!



The Bible stories start in the book of Genesis and work their way through the Bible. This project goes with the story of the Garden of Eden, God providing good food for Adam and Eve to eat. The cooking project? Fruit salad! Kate had a blast cutting up the fruit and splitting it into four cups (one for each of us!). She had more fun making it than eating it, go figure!

santa...and an almost broken heart

The other day Jas said, "guess who Kate just called you..." I was thinking something like "Nana" or maybe someone from church.

Yeah, I wish.

"She said you look like Santa Claus."

Horror!

Gasp!

Tears!

Then I asked her WHY she thinks I look like Santa Claus.

She said, "Because of your red shirt."

Oh. Of course! My red shirt! NOT my insanely massive belly!

And so she was forgiven and my heart was saved from a very near break!