Cracker Barrel and a Prayer Request

Our daddy is on his way to bury his dear aunt who lost her battle with cancer last week.  Please pray for him as he makes this journey and as he will be performing the funeral services too because Aunt Wanda's pastor is stuck in Africa.  This is a huge privilege for him, but I am sure that it will be emotional as well.  Please pray that he will represent her life well and that God will give him the right words to share the hope we have when we live in Him.

With Daddy away, we girls decided to go on a little outing of our own.  We had a gift certificate we received at Christmas for Cracker Barrel.  So, we loaded up our little treasure and decided to give it a try. She has never been to a sit down restaurant successfully before.  Until today, having someone come to our table we didn't know (a server), talking to us, and bringing us food has been way too scary for her.  She would cry and we would have to leave before eating.  It was lunch time on a Saturday so the place was packed.  We had to wait a few minutes to get a table, but Jillian did amazingly well!  She looked at the toys that spin and light up for the few minutes we had to wait.  She was cool as a cucumber.  She walked through the crowded dining room when it was time to go to our table and wasn't even phased by the noise or the people.  She sat at the table, colored a bit, and signed eat macaroni and cheese.  I did bring all her food, like I always do, because she just seems more comfortable if she can sit down and get started eating her familiar foods right away.  I did order her mac and cheese from the kids menu at the restaurant too and when it came..she took her spoon and dug right in to the bowl from Cracker Barrel.  She didn't even wait for it to be put in her familiar tray!!  It was a beautiful lunch! 

I must have been just beaming because there was a woman near by who just couldn't stop smiling at us as we ate.  As we were leaving, she told me what a beautiful family I have and how it just makes her smile to watch us.  I love this picture to the right.  Can you see how Jillian is holding Emily's hand while she eats?  I tell you, my heart is full today.  I love having time with my girls and if Emily hadn't been sitting in the front seat next to me on the way home, I may have bawled the whole way.  God has brought this little one so far.  The love that we have in our hearts because of her is just truly incredible.  I am blessed beyond measure to get to mother these two precious lives and can't believe God is giving me the chance to love one more.  Just another ordinary moment that seems so miraculous because of the addition of this little Chinese treasure in our lives.  I have been worshiping my Lord all day because of the beauty of it.  I praise Him for giving her to us and am in awe that we get to have one more!  Emily and I were even planning how we would sit at a table in a restaurant when we are a family of five.  Simply too good!