Pictures of the Princess Party

Our Princess is 13 today

We've made it. My daughter, who is one of the most precious treasures ever given to me, turns 13 today.

She has grown in amazing ways, but most importantly, her heart is aimed to Jesus, and for this I am thankful.

Today we are celebrating with a Princess Tea. "Marie" and I have been taking in the book, The Princess and the Kiss. We have been using the study guide that goes along with it, and have had some rich discussions. (Those of you with Tweens, ages 8-12, I heartily encourage this book.)

Her cousins and aunts will be joining us later today. We will celebrate her near approach of womanhood. I have come to know the truth behind the importance of character over knowledge. You see, my beautiful "Marie" has so many hidden struggles, yet who she is on the inside radiates all around her. I am so thankful for her.

And later today, she is getting this. SSSHHHHH!!! Don't tell!

P.S. I will post pictures later from our special day.

A Special Tea Party

This week, Flower (who used to be Treasure and Ginger; this is the last change) had a special tea party with "Inger". He had a grand time.

He met a new friend, Black Beauty.

High Tea

This past weekend the girlies and I had a day together. So often I think, unfortunately, about what I can get done when I have time, instead of investing in their lives. So, before time escaped I promised them a "high tea" with their American Girl doll friends.

I busied myself getting ready, while they got dressed and fixed their "friend's" hair and clothes.

(Just a note: if you are ever wanting to put on a tea and don't want to spend tons of money, Ross' Stores have great little tea snacks.)

We had a grand time. As we were talking I asked my girls if there friend knew Jesus. I thought this is a good safe way to discuss how to share our faith. And the conversation that followed was very insightful. I wonder if role playing always brings out thoughts and feelings that may not be discussed otherwise.

"Marie" said, 'Yes, Kit knows Jesus and has been wanting to lead a Bible Study with her friends, but has been scared to.'

So my thoughts go to the afternoons that our two little neighbor girls come over. They are from unsaved homes and there has been a couple of times I have had to address issues that are not appropriate for my girls. I think dear little Kit's thoughts have been inside of my "Marie". I intend to address this.

Next, "Inger" tells me, 'Samantha is ready to sleep without the night light on.' Can you guess where my little sweetie is struggling? She wants to be that big girl, but we are not quite there yet.

I think this will come soon. For if Samantha is ready, maybe she is too.

The TeaCup

There was a couple who used to go to England to shop in the beautiful stores. They both liked antiques, pottery, and especially teacups. This was their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary.

One day in this beautiful shop they saw a beautiful teacup. They said, "May we see that? We've never seen one quite so beautiful." As the lady handed it to them, suddenly the teacup spoke. "You don't understand," it said. "I haven't always been a teacup. There was a time when I was red and clay. My master took me and rolled me and patted me over and over, and I yelled out, 'Let me alone,' but he only smiled, 'Not yet.'"

"Then I was placed on a spinning wheel," the teacup said, "And suddenly I was spun around and around and around. 'Stop it! I'm getting dizzy!' I screamed. But the master only nodded and said, 'Not yet.'"

"Then he put me in the oven. I never felt such heat. I wondered why he wanted to burn me, and I yelled and knocked at the door. I could see him through the opening, and I could read his lips as he shook his head, 'Not yet.'"

"Finally the door opened, he put me on the shelf, and I began to cool. 'There, that's better,' I said. And he brushed and painted me all over. The fumes were horrible. I thought I would gag. 'Stop it, stop it!' I cried. He only nodded, 'Not yet.'"

"Then suddenly he put me back in the oven, not like the first one. This one was twice as hot and I knew I would suffocate. I begged. I screamed. I cried. All the time I could see him through the opening, nodding his head and saying, 'Not yet.'"

"Then I knew there wasn't any hope. I would never make it. I was ready to give up. But the door opened and he took me out and placed me on the shelf. One hour later he handed me a mirror and said, 'Look at yourself.' And I did. I said, 'That's not me; that couldn't be me. It's beautiful. I'm beautiful.'"

"'I want you to remember, then,' he said, 'I know it hurts to be rolled and patted, but if I had left you alone, you'd have dried up. I know I made you dizzy spinning around on the wheel, but if I would have stopped, you would have crumbled. I knew it hurt and was hot and disagreeable in the oven, but if I hadn't put you there, you would have cracked. I know the fumes were bad when I brushed and painted you all over, but if I hadn't done that, you never would have hardened; you wouldn't have had any color in your life. And if I hadn't put you back in the second oven, you wouldn't have survived for very long because the hardness would not have held. Now you are a finished product. You are what I had in mind when I first began you.'"

God knows what He's doing for all of us. He is the potter, and we are His clay. He will mold us and make us, so that we may be made into a flawless piece of work to fulfill His good, pleasing, and perfect will.

~author unknown