animals

Last weekend, we went and spent a fun family day at the Ag Fest at the Fairgrounds. We got to see & pet all kinds of animals, ride ponies, and do all kinds of other great things. We had a great time, the girls loved it, and we can't wait to do it again next year!

last night...

Matt was off to his basketball game, the girls were in bed, and I thought maybe I would take a little quiet "me time". About 5 minutes in my bathtub and I heard the wails from upstairs.... Bella came down to inform me that her sister really had to go potty. (this is a new thing, Meritt has recently decided that she needs to "big poop" all of the time) I told her I would be up shortly, to go back up. In the next five minutes the noises from upstairs went from wails to hysterics. I threw my robe on, ran upstairs, and took Meritt to the potty. (she decided she needed the downstairs little potty, so off we went) (we sat for what felt like forever... nothing, OK Meritt time for bed. She came unglued!) So, I told Bella to go to bed, scooped Meritt up, and took her down to my old squeaky rocking chair. My on the go, busy, never quiet toddler laid quietly on my chest like that was all she needed in the world. While I could have been annoyed that I wasn't having the evening that I had planned, that my husband wasn't there to help, I didn't feel that at all. I sat in that quiet moment, and watched my baby girl, knowing that these moments are fleeting. Her hands will only be little like this for a short time, I will only be able to rock her to sleep for a little while longer, and the thought that this may be the last time that she lets me rock her like a baby, was all I could think. We sat there in the quiet dark for over an hour, with only the sound of the squeak of the rocking chair, and the deep breaths of a sleepy baby. It was better than any night I could have ever planned! Maybe we both needed that?!!

is this blog dreadfully boring???

Hello out there.... I have a question for whoever is out there reading this... what do you want to read here at Bella's little Rose, or see? Please leave me a comment, you don't have to tell me who you are, you can be anonymous if you like. I am going to give topics and you can answer either by their number or with suggestions of your own. I would like to start posting something everyday (just a personal goal). But, it would give me a good push if I knew what you wanted to read about!

Thanks for the help friends!

1. pictures of the girls and stuff their doing
2. decorating & gardening
3. funny things that happen day to day
4. quotations & poetry
5. recipes & cooking
6. motherhood
7. remodeling an old house
8. observations on life
9. places we like to go
10. suggestions??? are Welcome!

a friday thought...

belated...

Your Birthday got a bit out shadowed by Easter yesterday. I know you didn't mind. I also know it wasn't your best Birthday... I'm sorry for that. But, in keeping with my theme lately on writing Birthday notes here on my little blog, I didn't want you to think you were forgotten. Because you are never forgotten. You are my best friend. And I am so thankful each day that you are mine. You and the girls are my reason in life to strive to be better than I was the day before. I don't want to get too mushy, too sentimental, because you know I could sit here and write pages and pages of mushy, sentimental things (especially when you are involved.) But, I won't because there really are not enough words in the English language to express what it is that you mean to me, and how much I care. All I can adequately say, is I love you, I am grateful for you. On this Birthday, I wish your heart every happiness in life. I know your Birthday didn't quite turn out the way you wished, but someday, I know that when your not expecting it, you will get that BIG break, that lucky find that you've been waiting for.... and it will be even sweeter because you were patient!

Happy Birthday Sweetheart, I love you!!!

His Eye Is On the Sparrow...

Why should I feel discouraged,
Why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely,
And long for heav'n and home,
When Jesus is my portion,
My constant Friend is He;
His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.

I sing because I'm happy,
I sing because I'm free;
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.

"Let not your heart be troubled,
"His tender word I hear,
And resting on His goodness,
I lose my doubts and fears,
Tho' by the path He leadeth,
But one step I may see;
His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.

Whenever I am tempted,
Whenever clouds arise,
When song gives place to sighing,
When hope within me dies,
I draw the closer to Him;
From care He sets me free;
His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know...
He watches me.

Happy Birthday Dad!

I told mom yesterday that I feel like I could never do enough to say or tell you how much I care and appreciate you. I would like to take this opportunity today to say thank you. You are my rock in life, you're the glue that holds us all together. You exceed my expectations of what a dad should be, and what a grandpa is. You give us all the best thing in life, and that is your time. You are a very selfless person to give so much of yourself to everyone around you. I don't even want to calculate all of the time you have put into working on my houses over the years, or the time that you have spent at the park with the girls just because it makes us so happy.

I hope you have a very Happy Birthday, I know that Birthdays aren't your favorite, and I know they always get you down... but I hope today you know how special you are to everyone who's in your life.

I have a few favorite memories growing up of my dad...

My dad always worked rotating shifts when we were growing up, and there were times because of the shifts he worked that we wouldn't see him for weeks on end. He would get home when we were asleep, and was back to work by the time we got home from school. During those times, he would surprise me at school to eat lunch with me. He would squeeze his long legs into the small cafeteria benches, eat two school lunches, and make me so proud to show off my dad. It always made me feel so special. He would put me to bed when he was home, and he would bring his guitar into my room, he'd say what kind of song do you want tonight..... I'd think for a bit and come up with some off the wall idea, (like sing me a song about purple spotted frogs daddy)... and he would. There was never anything out of reach. He'd be happy to give you any opportunity if he could. I'm all grown up, but he is still giving me every opportunity. He has never stopped trying to make my dreams come true. He's more amazing and talented than he will ever know.

Some days dad, I wish you could see yourself like others see you. I wish you could know how talented, funny, generous, and selfless you are. I know that I could never do enough to tell you..... but I hope you know, how thankful I am for you. You are an amazing dad, and an amazing papa. My girls are so smitten with you, it's not even funny. If you knew how many times a day I hear about Papa... your ears would be ringing all day long. I hope you know how loved you are, and how special we all think you are!

Have a Happy, Joyous, and Lovely Birthday...

You deserve it, I love you!

that smile...

That Smile...

melts my heart

gives me joy

gives me hope

makes me happy when I am sad

makes me laugh

makes me love my husband even more

(God help me) makes me want more babies

makes any day brighter

makes my heart grow bigger

the list goes on and on...

amazing how something

so simple can do so much!

it's a beautiful day...

This is the girls and my new song that we love to sing at the top of our voices as we drive along... Everyday as I hear their little voices, I am reminded how blessed I really am. No matter how crazy the day gets, how frazzled, and out of sorts I may feel, this brings me back to reality, and reminds me how easy it really is to decide to have a beautiful day.

Life is a journey,

Not a destination,

There are no mistakes,

Just chances we’ve taken

Lay down your regrets cause all we have is now

Wake up in the morning

And get out of bed

Start making a mental list in my head

Of all of the things that I am grateful for

Early in the morning

It’s the dawn of a new day

New hopes

new dreams

new ways

I open up my eyes and I open up my mind

and I wonder how life will surprise me today

Early in the morning

It’s the dawn of a new day

New hopes, new dreams, new ways

I open up my heart

and I’m gon’ do my part

and Make this a positively beautiful day

La la la la la la la la la

It’s a Beautiful Day

Life is a challenge not a competition

You can still smell the roses

and be on a mission

Just take a moment to get in touch

with your heart

Sometimes you feel like you’ve

got something to prove

Remind yourself that there’s

only one you

Just take a moment to give thanks

of who you are

Early in the morning

It’s the dawn of a new day

New hopes, new dreams, new ways

I open up my eyes and

I open up my mind and

I wonder how life will surprise me today

Early in the morning

It’s the dawn of a new day

New hopes, new dreams, new ways

I open up my heart

and I’m gon’ do my part

and Make this a

positively beautiful day

La la la la la la la la la

It’s a Beautiful Day

Let’s make this a wonderful

Let’s make this a powerful

Let’s make this a Beautiful Day

It’s a Beautiful Day

Life is a journey,

Not a destination,

There are no mistakes,

Just chances we’ve taken

Lay down your regrets

cause all we have is now
India Arie ~ Beautiful Day

I know these days it's pretty hard to stay up beat. Especially with all that's going on in the world, our nation, and heck even our own cities. We have all in our own ways faced difficulties this year, in this season of uncertainty. But, at the end of the day ~ and at the beginning of a new one; the things that most matter, are not things at all.

Blessings come to us in small packages, in hidden meanings, in ways we may not even notice, especially when we are too wrapped up in other things to acknowledge them.

Here is what I know for myself...

I am most blessed, when I give thanks to God for the little things. For the people in my life that give my life meaning, and in finding gratefulness for what he has given me. To hear the laughter of my children, and wake up each day next to the love of my life, and to know that God has blessed me with those things, then the other things just don't matter. I only have this one life, and I want to live it... not look back and regret it. I don't want to be tied down to worry. I don't want to be paralyzed by fear. I want to start each day feeling like it really can be beautiful.

I really hope that if you are having a hard time feeling life has beauty, that you can find it... start by buying the new India Arie CD, blast track no. 16... and sing... trust me, it will work!!!