A BRIEF BIT OF THE LAST FEW DAYS

WE HAVE HAD A GOOD LAST FEW DAYS... I AM COMPLETELY WORN OUT

PHYSICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY... I WILL TRY TO POST TOMORROW ABOUT ALL THAT WE DID TO REMEMBER OUR PRECIOUS SAMUEL, BUT FOR NOW I WILL POST A FEW PICTURES BEFORE I HEAD TO BED.

OUR SWEET, PRECIOUS ANNA

THE PICTURES GOT POSTED IN THE WRONG ORDER, BUT RIGHT NOW I AM TOO TIRED TO EVEN CARE... HERE IS THE INSIDE OF SAMUEL'S RAINBOW CAKE:)

I DECIDED, REALLY FOR MY OWN PERSONAL BENEFIT... (I AM NEEDING THE ENCOURAGEMENT)... THAT SINCE WE WERE MAKING A RAINBOW CAKE FOR SAMUEL THAT WE WOULD FOCUS ON GOD'S PROMISES. THE RAINBOW WAS A REMEMBRANCE THAT GOD WOULD NEVER DESTROY THE EARTH AGAIN WITH A FLOOD. WE STARTED WITH THE BARE CAKE BELOW. THEN WE HAD ALL OF OUR GUESTS HELP DECORATE THE CAKE. WITH EACH SKITTLE THEY STUCK TO THE CAKE THEY TOLD A TRUTH ABOUT GOD OR HIS WORD. I REALLY JUST WANTED TO HEAR THE TRUTHS OF GOD OVER AND OVER AGAIN. I HAVE NEEDED THAT REMINDER THAT REGARDLESS OF HOW I FEEL, HIS TRUTHS ARE STILL THE TRUTHS I CLING TO... HE LOVES US... HE DIED FOR US, SO ONE DAY WE CAN BE REUNITED WITH HIM AND SAMUEL... HE IS OUR PROVIDER, COMFORTER, AND HEALER... HE WILL NEVER LEAVE US OR FORSAKE US... BECAUSE OF WHAT HE DID FOR US WE CAN BE A NEW CREATION... HE CONQUERED DEATH AND THE GRAVE.

OF COURSE FOR ANNA AND JOJO, THEY JUST LOVED PUTTING THE SKITTLES ON AND IT BECAME A LITTLE MORE OF A "WHAT CAN WE THANK GOD FOR... OUR HOME, OUR FAMILY, OUR FRIENDS, OUR CAR, CHRIST... FOR ME THAT WAS FINE... THAT IS THEIR WAY OF EXPRESSING THEIR FAITH... THE FAITH OF A CHILD, I LOVE IT.

I WILL NEVER FORGET LAST YEAR RIGHT AFTER WE LEFT THE HOSPITAL AFTER SAYING GOODBYE TO SAMUEL FOR THE LAST TIME, WE WENT TO THE AIRPORT TO PICK UP MY MOTHER. WHEN WE OPENED THE DOOR FOR HER TO GET IN, JOJO JUST BLURTED OUT, "GRANDMA, MY BROTHER SAMUEL IS DEAD, HE IS IN HEAVEN WITH JESUS."

HE WAS SO MATTER OF FACT. IT ALMOST BOTHERED ME A LITTLE AT THE TIME. HE JUST STATED IT, LIKE IT WAS OK. AND REALLY IT IS, (OF COURSE I STILL STRUGGLE WITH IT DAILY, BUT) WE HAVE ALWAYS TAUGHT HIM THAT IS WHERE WE LONG TO BE AT THE END OF THIS LIFE... SO WHY WOULD HE THINK ANY DIFFERENT THAN THAT IT WAS A GOOD THING THAT HIS LITTLE BORTHER WAS ALREADY THERE . IT JUST SHOWED HIS CHILD LIKE FAITH AND ACCEPTANCE OF WHAT GOD HAS ALLOWED IN HIS SHORT LIFE AT FOUR YEARS OLD.

I WILL POST MORE PICTURES AND MORE ABOUT HOW WE CELEBRATED OUR SON SAMUEL'S SHORT BUT PRECIOUS AND BEAUTIFUL LIFE....

SAMUEL'S CAKE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE NIGHT:)