Praises and Love

I had an email today about how to tell if your child loves you. There were 7 signs, but only the first 4 were for infants and toddlers(the rest were for pre-schoolers and grade-schoolers). It made me feels so good to read it because all 4 were things that I see in Calleigh:

1. Your newborn stares into your eyes — he's actually working hard to memorize your face. He doesn't understand anything else about the world, but he knows you're important. I love it when she stares straight at me and then laughs or smiles!

2. Your baby thinks about you even when you're not around. Between 8 and 12 months old, he'll start to scrunch his face and look around when you leave the room — and he'll smile when you return. She does this when I leave a room sometimes, let alone when I leave her at my mom's house!

3. Your toddler throws wicked tantrums. Nope, those screaming fits don't mean he's stopped loving you. He wouldn't be so hurt and angry if he didn't trust you so deeply. She has developed a little temper!

4. Your toddler runs(or in Calleigh's case, crawls as fast as the speed of lightning!) to you for comfort when he falls down or feels sad. Kids this age may not truly understand the meaning of "I love you," but their actions speak louder than words. I love that she can crawl to me, pull herself up on my leg and babble at me, how can I resist that? I don't!

She has been the biggest blessing in my life. I love her more than I ever thought possible! Now on to my praises.

Yesterday was a sad day. I got a phone call from a friend of mine letting me know about another friend of ours. Chelsa was 34 weeks pregnant and she lost her baby yesterday. Please pray for her as she along with her husband and son go though this tough time. This is something that I can't imagine, but in all of this I praise the Lord. I praise him that they are strong in the faith and God will be walking with them. I praise the Lord that he knows the plans for their life. I praise him for giving her this time with Andon, although it was short. I praise him for giving her the opportunity to be a wonderful mommy to the little boy she already has. I praise him that she is also a wonderful wife to Ryan. I praise him the she is a good friend to me. I praise him the she loves the Lord and we all see it in her. She is a inspiration to many and I know that she will be leaning on the arms of the Lord during this time as he has them wrapped around her. I will praise him in their time of need.

I thought about all of the wonderful things that he has allowed me to have in my life. There are too many to list, but I will give him praise for the just a small amount of them. I praise him for giving me a family who has blessed my life in such a huge way. My parents, who have loved me no matter what, unconditionally, and they are such a blessing in my life. I praise him for my mom, who is my best friend and who has raised me in church and showed me a life through the Lord. I praise him for my dad, who believes in the Lord, but someday will have the kind of relationship that I do with him. Keep him in your prayers. I praise him for my extended family, who sometimes falter, but most have an enormous faith. I praise him for my friends, who have all grown in the spiritual lives just as I have. I praise him for Andrew, the love of my life, who has shown me so much in just the short 6 years we have been together. We have grown in the Lord together, and I also praise him for that. I praise him for the angel he has given me to take care of here on this earth. He knows just what we need, when we need it, and I praise him for that. I am very thankful for the life he has given me here on this earth and hope that I have many more years ahead. But whenever he chooses my time to go to my heavenly home, I praise him for that. I thank that Lord for all of the great blessings in my life.

Sometimes, we think life gives us more than we can handle. With the economy right now, many people are having a tough time praising the Lord. He gives me air to breathe and a family who loves me, so no matter how bad it may get, I still have a reason to praise him. I hope you do too!

God bless each and every one of you, and please keep my friend and her family in your thoughts and prayers.