Sunday...Praise God!!!

Lately life has become much more routine.  The girls are getting older and things just seem a little easier.  One of the things we promised we would start doing is going to church every Sunday.  For a long time, getting to church was rather daunting-- getting everyone fed, dressed and in the nursery on time was easier said than done.  We made excuses and excused ourselves because of this and that and just kind of let it go.  Then one day I saw this quote and it kind of hit me like a ton of bricks.  If I had ever been looking for a sign, this was it:

How true is this quote?  Once I thought about it, what could be more important than us showing our children the love and grace of Jesus Christ through going to church each Sunday?   We are their models and the excuses needed to stop and we needed to get our family there...every Sunday.  We want our children to grow up in church-- even if it's hard for us to get everyone there.  So we've been going. Sunday mornings look rather chaotic-- I have to admit there are times I wonder if we are going to be able to pull it off, but once we get there and church has come and gone, we feel SO glad that we went.  It is what makes our Sundays and really is the best start to the upcoming week.  

After church, we go out to lunch somewhere.  Today was Houlihan's because we needed to get Ava J diapers at Target.  Lunch is so much fun...We eat outside and talk and sing and laugh and color and it has grown to be our most favorite time of the week.  As we sat outside today singing the ABC's against the backdrop of an impeccably blue September sky, I had this overwhelming sadness for the people in Africa who lost their lives to senseless terrorism this weekend.  So tragic; so impossible to understand. And that overwhelming feeling turned into the sobering realization that one day our girls will find out what the world really like and that horrible things can happen to wonderful people.  What will we tell them?  How will we show them that even though the world is filled with violence and tragedy and heartbreak it is also beautiful and caring and wonderful at the same time?  The answer to that will take a lot of prayer.  But for today, as I looked at Ella, Ava Jane, and Brent singing and smiling on a beautiful fall day-- I felt so grateful that in that moment we had each other and that in the eyes of Ella and Ava Jane the world was still good and beautiful and simple.  Someday they will know.  But not today.  How will we tell them the truth?  I don't know...but I think we are on the right path by teaching them about Jesus' love and eternity and getting them to church.  Until that day comes, we will let them be little and carefree.  

As we continued lunch, I remembered something my Mom told me the other day.  Ella had a sleepover with Nana on Thursday night-- and actually ended up staying Friday night too because she didn't want to leave because they were having so much fun.  My mom called me on Thursday night and said, "Have you seen Ella throw her little hands up in the air and yell "Praise God!!"  I told her I hadn't and she said that we had to ask Ella to show us.  So while we were waiting for our lunch I remembered this and I asked Ella to show us "Praise God!!"  She threw her hand up in the air and yelled "Praise God!!" Like this:

Praise God!

Ava Jane Praising God

And then we all did it...over and over again.  I guess she learned it at school or Sunday school, I'm not sure...but what a blessing to be reminded that we should praise God for all we have been given.  Family time. Each other. A place to worship. A place to have lunch. And for a beautiful Sunday.  The people around us were probably wondering what in the world was going on-- but we didn't really care.

Oh yeah-- here are some pictures from our Sunday lunch.  Ella discovered today that she can work the iPhone camera and take a picture of a subject.  She actually got some pretty decent shots!!  Happy Sunday- enjoy your day!  Praise God!

Ella's photography1...

Ella's photography 2...