An update from our neck of the woods.......

So- last week was basically like a whirl wind. And it ended with my birthday.

I've never been one to ever have a concern over age, in fact, I've loved having birthdays and growing older. Until now. This one is kind of bothering me. Until I saw this cake, which made it all better. Dan and the kids spent the night in the kitchen the night before and whipped up this. And it was awesome.

The rest of my birthday day was consumed with work, Allyson's room party at school, a home made spaghetti dinner prepared by Dan and a girl scout trip to a horse farm. And then nightfall and the blessed opportunity to sit down came.

In the car Friday night, my car- which was filled with 6 4th grade girl scouts on their way home from the horse farm- one of Allyson's friends spilled the beans about something Allyson had done. It ruined my entire day, and is continuing to gnaw at me even today. Somehow we trust our children to follow our directions and rules, and let me just say, that when you find out that they don't it just breaks you. It did me anyway.

It made for a totally sleepless night and an unpleasant Saturday morning as we laid out the punishment to Miss Allyson- which included cancelling her slumber party (again) that was planned for this weekend. It broke her heart, and mine.

Happy Birthday to me. It is for sure one I won't forget any time soon.

It did make me wonder though. Does God shed tears when he sees our bad choices, our poor decisions, our lack of concern for His word? I'm sure he does. I sat and cried and fretted over the decisions that Allyson had made, and hated to dish the punishment that I knew she needed. And I prayed. For I knew I had been put in the position that He is in often- worry and disappointment- brought forth by His children.

We've all heard how tough parenting is. I am beginning to realize that it has nothing to do with diapers and midnight feedings- that, I'm afraid, is the easy part. Uhg.