Our Inspired Journey

Well the day finally came, the confusion is over and we're all thrilled that our big boy really is officially 3 years old. :) Daddy went off to school (or in Ryder's words...that BIG college!) and Ryder, Mommy and Cole had a fun day of baking cupcakes, playing in the backyard and unpacking his favorite train set from the last box in his room.

I really enjoy spending alone time with Ry while Cole takes his nap in the morning. We usually have "school-time" (as my friend Alyssa modeled for me with her oldest son!) where we do a page in either his math book (from Miss Debbie!) or sort shapes and colors with his cards (from Grandma Joanie!). Today, however, we had other business to tend to...making cupcakes for his birthday! Now we all know it would've been much faster (and neater!) if I were to have done this lovely project myself when he was sleeping, but he insisted (and I'm glad he did!) that he help me with EVERY part of the birthday cupcake making process this time because it was MUCH more fun! Here are pictures of my little chef :)

Just as cupcakes were being completed, Cole went down for his nap, Ryder had woken up and was starting to watch Sesame Street, and the door bell rang. I'm thinking, "Who could it be!?" I was tempted not to answer it seeing as how my shirt had cupcake batter and icing spots on it, my hair was undone and makeup was the last thing on my list of things to do that morning as we began the celebrations! Toys were everywhere since the train had come out of its' box and I was just starting to conquer the pile of dishes toppling over in the sink since our cooking festivities had finally commenced that day. All that considered, of course I answered the door a bit timidly, hoping to hide behind it a bit in the shadows and who did it happen to be, but new neighbors from down the street! A mother and her two boys ages 4 and 2 coming to introduce themselves for the first time! I was so excited to meet new friends and so was Ryder as he jumped off the couch and peered at them from behind one of my legs cautiously. We introduced ourselves and quickly found out that our APU license plate frames had drawn them to our door since she had just finished a book by Sarah Sumner and figured we were Christians too! Both delighted (since they also moved here 4 months ago from a town an hour away) we hit it off right away and her oldest boy Levi, being an extreme extrovert, asked to come in and play! So I threw caution to the wind and let our new friends into my messy and totally unkempt house. Those of you that know me well know what a stretch this was for me, but I kept thinking...this would be great for Ryder! He misses his California friends so much and so we've been praying every night that God would help us make new friends. How could I possibly let my perfectionistic tendencies get in the way of answered prayer! I thought later, if I can move half-way across the country to follow God's leading, I can certainly led new friends into my messy house! And so the molding begins...God is continually molding me into the woman he desires for me to be. I wouldn't want it any other way...only by His hands may I become more Christ-like and filled with the spirit who makes the blind see, the lame walk and the deaf hear again. May I be an agent of that change.

So after our new friends came inside, we offered them some of our newly baked cupcakes (perfect! I was wondering what I was going to do with 17 cupcakes!) and the boys played on the deck outside after that with the balls that had been sitting there waiting for friends hands and feet since we'd arrived. Ryder had a blast! For the first time since our move, I saw Ryder come alive in a way he only did when playing with his friends. They made his birthday! Thank-you Jesus for this miracle. I told Ryder in the beginning of their visit when he was still feeling shy, "Ry, remember we've been praying for God to help us meet some new friends? Well, He brought them to our front door! Isn't that cool!" "Yeah mom!" he replied as a light went off in his head that seemed to signify the connection he made of God hearing and answering our prayer. Later that night, Ryder told Daddy over dinner, "Dad! God just brought new friends to our front door!" Thank you Jesus for showing a 3 year old your love through the way you answer his prayers. First by healing his "scar" and now through the gift of new friendship. Here's a picture of Ryder and his new friend, Levi.

After Daddy came home , we ate dinner and got to do what he was looking forward to the whole day...OPEN PRESENTS! My parents had sent a box of goodies to open a few days before, so we put it on the mantle, waiting for the big day to arrive :) Finally it was time to open presents from Gramma and Gramps, Mommy and Daddy and Grandma Joanie who also send a sticker covered package in the mail that week. We had so much fun ripping open the paper and oooing and aahhing over how fun it was to get presents to open! Here's a picture of the birthday boy with a Sesame Street Sticker Book he got from Gramma and Gramps...he LOVES stickers and so he took to this one immediately! We've added it to our school-time routine each morning since he gets to sort stickers into the right places. So fun!