Trampoline

For her birthday, my mom and stepdad got Branna a trampoline. It's not the huge kind, but it's just perfect for Branna... And it seems very safe. It has secure netting all the way around (even on the underneath side) with a hole to climb through that zips up.

It took a couple of hours for me to get it put together (with Branna asking how much longer every few minutes), but it was well worth the time spent! She has had a great time in it and has wanted to go outside at every opportunity. I was even able to get her to finish her dinner with the promise that she could go jump again. I think we're going to be spending alot of time outside!

April 12: Happy Birthday

Wow! It really is hard to believe that my baby turns 3 today. I never knew how much joy she would bring to my life and she has taught me so many life lessons. As I usually do around Branna's birthday, I found myself looking through the pictures we've taken of her. How blessed I am!

Only a few days old

5 weeks old

4 months old

8 months old

1 year old

2 years old

Not only is this day special to me because of Branna's birthday, but also because it was Saige's due date. As hard as it has been dealing with the loss of our second daughter, I have also grown so much from her. Our family has become closer and we have all gained a deeper appreciation for each other and especially for God. I have not shared these pictures with many, but I thought today would be the special occasion to do so, to celebrate life.

Little Helping Hands

As the completion of my degree neared, I began to daydream about all the things I could do with my time: read a "fun" book, start Branna's school back up again, cross-stitch, and even having the option to do nothing! :) One activity that I also really wanted to get involved with was Branna and me volunteering in the community. However, I had no idea where to even start looking until I saw a news blip for Little Helping Hands.

This is an organization started by a mother of young children who wanted her kids to have an opportunity to serve others in the community as well. All of the activities are geared specifically for younger children. Some of the activities include making meals for families at the Ronald McDonald House, helping to harvest a local garden, and cleaning local parks.

It seems that there are many eager families willing to participate because spots go quickly for the month. Because of that, May will be our first opportunity to volunteer, but I'm excited about the opportunities we're signed up for. Our first event will be making toys for animals at the local animal shelter and our second will be filling bags with rice and beans for impoverished families.

If you're interested, you can go to http://littlehelpinghands.org/ to see what opportunities there are for you and your family.