Madeline's 1st Birthday...

Baby girl turns 1 today! I still remember my Mom waltzing into our house in the wee hours of the morning today of last year singing "Happy Birthday" to herself. She was thrilled that Madeline would mostly likely be born on her 49th birthday! Besides labor taking all day, everything went smoothly and we welcomed our little girl to our family at 5:04 p.m. August 7, 2008. Madeline has been such a delightful addition to our family. I love having a little girl around the house! It's caused me to be more aware of my example to her.

She woke up bright and early this morning. She doesn't have a clue that today she turns one. She and I have had some 1-on-1 time. The boys are still snoozing. :) We're going to a petting zoo and the sprinkler park today w/ some friends. Then, this evening when Justin's home, we'll have a lil' b-day celebration w/ just our family.

I'm still trying to figure out Madeline's personality. Sometimes she's very sober, and other times, jibber-jabbering and sociable. She plays very well by herself, and is entertained and toughened up by the boys. Her name means "strong woman"...Justin always says that w/ feeling, and a "watch out" attitude! I suppose w/ 2 older brothers, she will learn to be tough. ;) However, I pray that she will be a "strong woman" on the inside. That she would be made of real-stuff...strength and beauty that comes from knowing and walking with Christ. It's our prayer for Miss Madeline, that she would come to know Christ as her Savior, and follow Him all of her days. I have a feeling, that to survive w/ the Lord in her generation, she'll need supernatural strength to live for Truth and Righteousness. It's tricky in this generation and culture to live out godly womanhood...I can only imagine, then next!

I had these verses on my mind this morning, so I'm claiming these promises for my little girl, and praying that she will be an example of such things when she grows up...
"Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any; even as Christ forgave you, so also do you. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your heats, to the which also you are called in one body; and be ye thankful." Colossians 3:12-15

"And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindeness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 1:5-8

**I have some adorable pictures to upload, but I'm out of space...so if anyone knows how I can free up more space w/out paying $$...I'd be happy to know!**