We just celebrated Mariah’s 6th birthday on Saturday.  Here are some photos for you:

After breakfast, Mariah opened her cards and presents. This year she can read her own cards!

I was so happy the camera captured this moment . . . opening her American girl doll from Aunt Carol.

Mariah and new family member, Kirsten!

She was given an outfit to match Kirsten's by Auntie Amy.

Daddy took her swimming after lunch.

Then it was time for a special dinner with Grandma and Grandpa Mead.

She asked for a tiger cake this year.

Here's a sneak preview of Mariah in the flower girl dress she'll wear in Peter's cousin's wedding in June.

What a sweet princess . . . we love her so much. Mariah is a very loving and joyful little girl who is learning and growing in many ways. She has professed to know Jesus as her Saviour so please pray that she would truly know how much she is loved by God and develop a deep love for Him in response.

And here are a few bonus photos for you and then a “funny” from Mariah from bedtime tonight.

The girls often help me peel veggies when I'm cooking. Joel wanted to join in the other week and proudly peeled his own carrot. It was a milestone for him! God has blessed me with very helpful children.

Yesterday was our one-day holiday club (like VBS for you Americans) at church. It was called "Joy-Story Free" (a take on Toy Story 3). The kids were all asked to wear cowboy/girl gear. We scrounged together a few clothes and here they are, ready to hit the trail for church.

Take Two!

Finally, I had to share this “funny” with you.  Once in awhile, Mariah or Joel will ask to sing a “made-up” song at bedtime.  Here are the words to Mariah’s song tonight (roughly).  I so wish I could’ve recorded it:

“Oh, in my body I have some bones and I have a heart.  I have a nose and some other parts.  God knows all the things I have in my body.  He knows how it all works and how not to get food in your breathing tube when you’re eating.  He made us.  He knows how to make the dead alive again.  If you’re dead, your heart stops beating.  Sometimes you have blood all over your body and that’s because you picked your spots.  (burst of laughter from me here, so maybe she deliberately made it more funny from this point on!  :-))But God has good habits, not bad habits like picking your spots.  Sometimes grown-ups have spots on their face but they put some stuff on them to make sure that you can’t see them.  Then they put red stuff on their cheeks.”

Well, it’s good to know she has picked up a few accurate tidbits about the human body. 🙂

Thanks for those of you who are praying for my sleeping.  I’ve been sleeping much better over the past 2 weeks.  I’ve had a tiny bit of trouble over the past couple of days but nothing like I was having a few weeks ago.  Peter is going to be gone in Italy from Thursday through next Monday.  I often have trouble sleeping when he is away, so I’d appreciate pray for good sleep while he is gone.  The past week or so has been exciting as Cor Deo has been launched.  Some of the guys are in the other room tonight watching a movie about Luther. We are thrilled at the group God has brought together and are trusting Him to do his work in their lives.