Our family of 3 (almost 4) is such a blessing! I am so thankful to our great God for giving us such a precious gift in Eden. We have so enjoyed watching the world through her eyes. Her sense of wonder is incredible. The joy that dances across her face when she runs is non to be compared. Now we will admit that parenting is not easy, and it's not always enjoyable. But we would also say that our hearts could not LOVE this little girl more! We are blessed beyond measure to have the privilege of raising her.We look at this task, and sometimes it can seem overwhelming. It is easy to wonder if we are doing it "right". The truth is we are imperfect parents in an imperfect world, loving and nurturing our daughter, and hoping that one day she will come to know the one who is PERFECT. Who is her Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. As Christian parents, it is our mission to raise Eden to love and serve her Creator in whatever way she feels called to.
So although, we've only been on this parenting journey for 18 months, we have learned a lot. The most important of all, is that we are not ALONE. Not only has God given us other parents to walk this road with, but He has given us HIMSELF. God did not hand us an instructional manual when Eden was born and say "Good luck". No, He is with us always. In the ups and downs. During the temper tantrums and strong willed moments. During the cute cuddly times and melt your heart moments. He is there to lead and direct us and grant us wisdom and patience as we raise our little girl.
Eden means "delight", and what a perfect way to describe what she has brought to our lives! Our world is more colorful, our home more full, and our hearts have been left overflowing with thankfulness to the Lord! All because of this...one...little...girl. Eden Grace :).
Allow us to share with you some things that we simply don't want to forget about our Eden at this age.
At 18 months you already have quite the personality :). You are sweet but stubborn. You are independent. You have begun to reason things out, which we find utterly adorable. Your two favorite things to cuddle with are your blanket and Mommy. You feed yourself, and will almost NEVER accept help while eating. Your favorite show is Veggietales, which you affectionately call "Tales". You already say so many things...hi, bye, Daddy, Mommy, no, ut-oh, oh-no, ei-ei-o, nice, dog, cat, Papa, Casey, rice, wall, bath, car, slide, ball, bubbles and water :). You absolutely love to be outside and take walks. You love animals, especially dogs. You enjoy books, and have to point out every single dog or cat that is in them. You don't quite understand sharing, but you'll catch on soon enough. Your favorite food is yogurt, with rice as a close 2nd. You would almost always rather follow Mommy and Daddy around than play with your toys. You are simply YOU Eden, and we love seeing the little girl you are becoming!
Love always,
Mommy and Daddy
Oh, and we celebrated Eden's 1/2 birthday by taking her for her first ride on the train, at the mall. She definitely enjoyed it! We then went to Pizza Ranch with the rest of the family to celebrate Nana's actual birthday! What a fun evening!
