Devils Hockey Game...

The New Jersey Devils Hockey Team hosted a Faith and Family night last week and our church had over 50 people go.

Jason took Brayden, this was Brayden's first hockey game. Sarah had drama practice, so she and I had a quiet night at home.

First, they watched the Devils play the Phoenix Coyotes. The Devils ended up losing the game, but Brayden enjoyed watching and playing with some other kids in an open area right above their seats.

When the game was over, which the Devils lost, Chico Resch spoke. Chico is the Devils TV analyst and former NHL goalie. When he finished speaking the band Sanctus Real put on a concert and after the concert they were able to go on the ice and take some pics!

Chico Resch

Brayden's friend Victoria

Daddy & Brayden

It was a packed night of activities. The guys didn't get home until 1 a.m. They both slept in a bit the next morning and Brayden went into school late.

Sarah - This & That...

I have just a few extra pictures of our Sarah girl from January through March that didn't make it into other posts.

Cousin Stephen came over with Sammy for an afternoon back in January and Sarah got some holding time with him. He is such a sweetie. I love the different ages all the cousins are. From teens to toddlers, we have a wide range.

Sarah is continuing her guitar and voice lessons with Shannon once a week although we have taken a 3 week break with the drama practices. Next week it will be back at it. We appreciate Shannon so much and how she is pouring into Sarah's life. She is someone who sees the gifting and talents in Sarah that we see and she wants to help her grow in those areas.

The Kids...

When Sarah was a baby she had several stuffed animals that she slept with and we began to call them her "Kids" - Pooh Bear, Dolly, Blankie and Bunny

Oh my gosh, my baby girl! I miss these days.

From that point on that is what we call the stuffed animals or dolls that both she and Brayden sleep with.

Sarah has gone through many different kids over the years. Dolly, Pooh-Bear and Blankie are the first and most precious. They have since been put in the keepsake box. Now that she is a bit older she has moved on to Pook-a-Loz and as I look at them I think they match her personality perfectly.

Goofy is so Sarah when she gets what her friends. The complete opposite of Cinderella, who is gracious, kind, caring and soft spoken.

Brayden has quite a few more Kids these days. Despite my searching I can't seem to find a baby picture of him with his original Kids - Giggly Bear, Woody and Blankie. They as well have been put in the keepsake box.

He now has Buddy the dog, SpiderMan, Camel (a hand me down from Sarah), Yellow Bird, Fastball, Mickey, Snoopy and Bear Pillow. He likes to set them up like this each day when we make his bed. Otherwise at night they are lined up on one side of the bed, while he is on the other.

Making sure I'm recording all the little things in my kids lives. : )

The Wookie or Rookie??...

Have you ever seen the Disney movie "The Wookie"? At least that is what Brayden calls it. It is one of those heart felt comeback Disney movies about a wookie (maybe a cousin to Chewbacca not sure) who used to be an aspiring baseball player and then hurt his arm and became a high school baseball coach, but then has a second chance to get back in the big leagues.

It is actually called "The Rookie" and is a story about Jim Morris, but our little B-bear cannot quite pronounce his r's correctly and they sound like w's instead.

Brayden: Can we have a movie night and watch The Wookie?

Daddy: Do you mean The Rookie?

Brayden: That's what I said The Wookie?

A Dream Come True...

Around her 10th birthday Sarah began to dream that one day she would go to Paris and see the Eiffel Tower. As her mom I would love to share that experience with her, so last month when I started journaling and praying over for some dreams and goals I have I added being able to take Sarah on a trip to Paris to my list.

The week after writing that dream in my journal a teacher friend of ours asked me if Sarah and I would be interested in taking a trip next summer with her and a group of students she was taking overseas. I would be a chaperon and Sarah would join the other students. When I asked where they were going, her response was "We first land in Paris." My jaw dropped and I explained how I had just written and prayed over being able to take Sarah there some day. 

After much discussion, Sarah and I are officially signed up to go on the trip in July 2015. We go for 10 days and visit France and Spain. We will be going with a group of approximately 40 students and 10 adults. We just had our first team meeting last week and got to know some of the other students and leaders. We are looking forward to making some new friends.

Daddy and Brayden will be staying home and taking care of each other. We will miss them, but excited to have this opportunity to go and see places we have only dreamed of.

When I wrote it in my journal I didn't expect for the answer to come a week later, but it continues to speak to me and Sarah that God hears the prayers that we pray and he can answer them at any time.

I know God doesn't say yes to every prayer we pray. Sometimes what we pray isn't what he has for us. He has a better plan, a greater plan that we may not see. In my relationship with Christ I have grown and continue to grow in my trust of him. Giving up my control and trusting that he is in control. He knows me better than I know myself. He knows my beginning to end. For whatever "yes", "no" or "not yet" he gives to my prayers I will choose to trust.

For this answer to prayer I am so thankful. I can't wait to walk out this dream with Sarah. Thank you Lord.

Not Feeling So Good...

On Tuesday night Brayden got really sick with a stomach bug. He got up at midnight complaining of a tummy ache and from then until 3:30 a.m. he and I were up going back and forth to the bathroom. He was finally able to sleep for a couple hours until 6:00 a.m. when he was up again.

Unfortunately, this is his third time this school year that he has gotten a stomach bug and through these times I have noticed when Brayden is sick he is very short and stern with his answers. It makes me giggle because it is so not who he is normally.

A few things he said...
When I asked him to get up and go to the bathroom, he said very firmly, "I can't walk, I have to roll." I ended up carrying him.

He repeated constantly "I wish this had never happened." Me to buddy.

"I know one thing, Sarah shouldn't be around me when I'm like this." Glad he is thinking of his sister. 

He laid on the couch all day Wednesday. I felt awful for him. Sarah is battling a cold and was home sick as well. I am so thankful I could be home to take care of my babies.

Sarah went back to school today feeling a bit better.

Brayden stayed home though since he hadn't eaten anything Wednesday and the little water he drank during the day got brought up right before going to bed. However, when he got up he told me right away that his tummy was feeling better and I could even see he was better just by looking at his face. Thankfully it was just a 24 hour bug and my little bear is back to his normal silly self.

Almost Show Time...

Less than 2 1/2 weeks until Sarah and the rest of the cast for Peter Pan, Jr. put on their production.

Drama practice is almost every day now after school. They are working on getting every scene just the way it should be. They will perform a few scenes from the play for the students at school on Tuesday, April 1st and then perform the play in full for audiences on Friday, April 4th and Saturday, April 5th.

This girl has been working hard at memorizing her lines and singing her songs. I have gotten a sneak peek on the lines as she asks me to practice them with her, but we haven't heard a single song.

Yesterday we got her Wendy costume in the mail and it will be the perfect finishing touch for our Wendy girl.

We can't wait to see it all put together. You can bet I will get some pictures and blog about it.