boots!

Dilana got the cutest little boots from her cousins Cammie & Ryan. They are still a little big on her but I figured i'd put them on anyways!

play time

Dilana is starting to enjoy stuffed animals--specifically two Christmas present s that she received. One is a rabbit from her Aunt and Uncle Davis and the other is from her Grammey. The dog speaks spanish and sings songs and the rabbit english. I snuck in some shots during playtime...She had a blast!!

Hangin out

Although she has not yet mastered crawling, Dilana has become very very busy. In her own way, she is able to migrate all over our living room getting into this and that. I have created a new evening hangout for her. She can roll and flip and play to her hearts content---even watch tv...all within the walls of the pack and play and I can sit right beside her on the floor :c) Knock yourself out little girl.

A beautiful January Day

I went outside to get the mail today and had to stay for a minute. I was just marveling at the wonderful gift of weather that we have received in the midst of the winter. It was so pleasant out with the sunshining and a warm breeze... it ended with a hail and lightning storm but it was simply wonderful while it lasted.

...and after enjoying the weather, someone wanted to enjoy my computer!

Blogs will resume next week

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/anne-arundel/bal-ar.shower17jan17,0,5598561,full.story

This is what i've been working on all week. I have been busy chugging away at this event. With the event taking place this coming weekend, I will resume my daily blogging efforts...

Josiah's birthday

Yesterday, our godson Josiah had his first birthday party at a moonbounce place. It was really nice with different moon bounce stations all over. He seemed to be having a good time. We weren't able to stay for long because Dilana was due for a nap. I was glad that we had a chance to stop by...

Salvation

Today was the first women's bible study session of the year. Pastor Ingrid began it with an interesting tale:

A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted.

As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation, his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautifully wrapped gift box.

Curious, and somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with the young man's name embossed in gold. Angry, he rose his voice to his father and said "with all your money, you give me a Bible?" and stormed out of the house.

Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realised his father was very old, and thought perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen him since that graduation day.

Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care of things.

When he arrived at his father's house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to search through his father's important papers and saw the still gift-wrapped Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. His father had carefully underlined a verse, Matt. 7:11, "And if ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children,how much more shall your Heavenly Father which is in
Heaven, give to those who ask Him?"

As he read those words, a car key dropped from the back of the Bible. It had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words PAID IN FULL.

How many times do we miss God's blessings because we can't see past our own desires?


She used this interesting story as a prelude to a conversation about salvation, a theme that is all too rare in this day and age. I've come to hear about salvation many a times, but today it finally registered itself in a clever sort of way in mind...

It turns out that, we were taken as ransom into sin after Adam and Eve. Just as one pays a ransom to redeem a loved one, God paid that ransom in order to release us through the sacrificing of His Son Jesus, who was without sin---thus we become saved by faith of this reality.

Now isn't that just a deal breaker!

All Ducked Out!

Motivation

She's on her way...(literally)

Half Birthday

So I have been all excited about Dilana's half-birthday (6 months) but everyone that i've been telling either rolled their eyes at me or laughed because i'm counting 6 months as a milestone. Well, Dilana had her 6 month appointment today and I got there to find another lady and her son there. She asked me how old Dilana was and I told her 6 months. Her face lit up and she said, "its her half birthday!"

Yesss!

...and I finished her scarf!

a tiny scarf

So as we move forward into (dreaded) winter time...the cold weather is becoming bitter (along with my mood). I am ever focused on keeping Dilana warm although she seems to not mind either way. In my recent efforts to do such, I came up with the idea that I wanted her to wear a scarf. I immediately began researching online and was disappointed with my findings--they were either for a toy, an older, child, or an adult, or much too expensive. Finally, I decided that I would just make one. In the past I have played around a bit with crocheting (I think I learned from my grandfather's wife), so I resolved to just make one for Dilana myself. This is the result of a couple of hours of crocheting (i'm pretty slow at it) and it will probably be completed by tomorrow or so. Stay tuned for Dilana's end of the story...

The things they come up with...

So a couple of weeks ago, I bought this toy for Dilana (after seeing Nate's) and I thought it was just the cutest idea! Little ones her age are fascinated with and love to play with their feet so they created these little socks that have toys attached to them. Now that we have them, I think that I am more intruiged by them than she is...she prefers her actual feet. It is still very cute.

Daddy's Girl

My apologies for the lack of posting yesterday. We are experiencing some technical difficulties with power in our home. Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending a celebratory dinner for my sister-in-law at the Bonefish Grill. We were celebrating the pending arrival of niece#2, due in just a couple of weeks! Dilana spent that time with me at the dinner so afterwards she was more than ready to enjoy some time with her daddy. I took a picture to end the evening...

A Striking Resemblance

This is a picture of Dilana beside a picture of her G-Ma. They look so much alike...she even gets her hair texture from G-Ma. One day I may have a child that looks something like me...one day.

Sleeping like a baby...

I'm not sure why, but recently Dilana has chosen this a her choice sleeping position. I don't see how she finds it most comfortable, but whatever works! I snuck in during one of her naps to get this shot. A penny for her thoughts...

Mmmm Mmmm Good

All who know me know that I am quite the picky eater...but recently I have added a favorite to my list of meals --grilled cheese sandwich with creamy tomato soup! I just love this meal now and I find myself fixing it a couple of times a month. When I am finished, I often finish it off with a cored and sliced Fuji apple, yum!

Dilana Amariese

This is my little Dilana. Yesterday was so hectic that I didn't get a chance to post--I will post two for today. The day began with me attempting to do her hair, she was having NONE of it or much of anything else either. I am still trying to figure out what I will do with her hair, it is growing so fast yet is nothing like my own. (sigh of relief) :c)

Nate

Nathaniel is Dilana's little buddy and also her cousin. He's a month older than her; I babysit him a couple of times per week. He's definitely a character and has recently perfected his smile with his first two teeth!

These are the golden years...

I find myself at the point where i'm glad to be beyond the past and i'm hopeful looking forward; while all the time being content enjoying the scenery along the way. I am no longer in a hurry to get through to the next milestone, but am appreciative of each pebble of each passing moment. I am thankful for yesterday and savoring today; tomorrow will have its time.