Wow! I can't believe it has been so long since I last blogged. We have had so many beautiful days, I have hated to stay inside. A few weeks ago I found a hot pink swing for Gabby so between that and her wagon, we spend a lot of time outside.

I can't believe my baby will be one at the end of the month! It seems like yesterday we were bringing her home from the hospital. God has blessed me so much with this child! He heard my prayers and after teaching me patience and strengthening my marriage, He brought her to us.

She has been helping me get ready for her Circus birthday party. Saturday night, after Nick and I got back from the marriage retreat Gabby and I put together goodie bags. Gabby and I decided to try out the clown noses.

We had a great time at the retreat. If it is offered again, I HIGHLY recommend you married couples going. He covered topics that most preachers are too embarrassed to talk about but topics that should be discussed. It really made me think about how I am going to approach the "sex talk" with Gabby when she is older. Mom's philosophy was that my older sister would teach me. (Sorry MOM!) I think too many times we are afraid to discuss with our children the "Birds and the Bees" . So they go elsewhere to find out about it and usually get their information from kids their age that are just as confused and clueless about the topic. I have never feared having that discussion with my children. I don't know if it is because I am a nurse or if it is the fact that I believe that the when your child is ready, the more you explain and talk to them, the less likely they are to go "experimenting". I don't know how old I was when I found out that you couldn't get pregnant from swimming with a boy! The retreat also made a lot of us hit the "reset" button on our marriages. We get so caught up raising our kids that we forget about the one person that will be there when the kids are grown and moved away, our spouse. I don't want to realize after we finish raising kids that I no longer have anything in common with my husband. Nick spent the rest of Saturday night earning points. Cooking supper, loading the dishwasher, finishing laying the new hardwood floors. I guess he did listen this weekend! I am so glad we go to Marion Street! I feel like we all strive to encourage and help each other on our spiritual journeys. God knew what he was doing when he placed us there. By the time Saturday night rolled around I was too busy and too tired to fight Gabby in the tub so I pulled out her ducky and filled it up with water in the kitchen floor.( I had to mop anyway) She loved it!

Better go get a couple of hours of sleep before I go get her. Hopefully I won't wait so long to blog again!