Outta her way...

It's been just over a year since Maura's baptism. A day which she refers to as "a day that, I mean, changed my life forever!" (Yes, her words not mine.) There has not been one time that we've taken the Lord's Supper that she is not the most eager beaver. And it's all sincere and genuine. She makes sure she is at the end of the pew so she won't miss it. And there have been times when, right in the middle of it, she starts to explain everything to her friends. (We've tried explaining to her that yes, she is to be a witness for God, but during the Lord's Supper and during the preacher's sermon might not be the best times. And that's mainly because she can get kinda loud, er, excited. lol!)

I know God loves a cheerful giver, but I daresay Maura is the most eager of givers I've come across in a while. Dave Ramsey made the comment that a lot of Christians view the contribution as being kinda like the half-time of the worship service. It is the main event some Sundays where Stewart & I sit. Most of you know Maura works for the money she gets - not hard, heavy labor but 8-yr old appropriate labor. We don't have to remind her to give part of what she earns. And if we happen to forget to pay the kids at the end of the week, well, there goes the piggy bank a rattlin'. Anyway... so Maura and several of her friends sit together, usually in the pew in front of us. Oh, and they are one pew away from being on the front pew. So we've taken the Lord's Supper - now it's time for the collection. It is not a good thing for the basket to miss that pew where Maura sits. Heaven help us all if that child doesn't get to put her contribution in the basket. Seriously... she cried one week because it didn't come their way at all. We told her she could just give it the next week. Nope, not good enough. Being the good daddy that he is, Stewart went and hunted down a basket and it made it's way to Maura and the others. A couple of weeks later, the basket skipped the pew again. Maura tood matters into her own hands this time. She just got up and took her money to the back where the baskets had been collected. Came back, saw that 3 other little girls had money to give, too, so she just collected all of that money and marched back there again. Today, before the basket even made an appearance, Maura leans over and lets a little girl know "Don't worry, Claire. If we don't get the basket, I'll take care of it." And I have to say, I don't think we would've stopped her.

All that to say so many people (myself included) could learn so much from the Cheerio section. ;)

Grayson has lost yet another tooth. This makes 4 that she's missing. I told her that if she keeps losing teeth she may have to start eating baby food. She just laughed and said, "I'm not an old lady yet, Mommy!" Now I haven't seen many "old people food" commercials lately but...

Tomorrow is the first day of school for all of us including Emily. Say a prayer for us all. The kids are more excited now that they've put all their stuff in their backpacks. We'll have pics and a full report tomorrow. I'm still not quite ready to see them go, though. This was from the first day of preschool 3 yrs. ago.

Oh, and just have to share... Maura reminded me again tonight after we read "Knuffle Bunny." She wants a hymnal for Christmas or her birthday. Yes, a hymnal. And not just any hymnal. One that has "You Are My All in All" on page 484. (note to grandparents: we've got this one covered)