The Joy of a Lost Tooth

For two weeks Whitney has endured a loose tooth. It has wiggled. It has hurt. It has changed her eating habits, until...it fell out when she was sitting on the couch. What a surprise and what a joy! Now she looks forward to drinking through a straw through the hole where her tooth once was!

I don't usually find joy in the things that I lose...car keys, a child's shoe, etc. Those items bring frustration, not joy when they are lost.

There are other things however, that would bring great joy to lose...anger, a word spoke too harshly, a critical spirit. I have noticed these things are not easily lost, they must be uprooted and the soil replanted with the qualities that come from time in the word and time with God.

In Colossians 3:5 God tells us to "put to death, whatever belongs to your earthly nature" and then later in the chapter He tells us what to "put on"...

"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly love, clothe yourselves with
compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." Colossians 3:12-14

It takes time and intention to make these changes...I'm ready for a few things to be lost! How about you?

Letters & Ribbon

While Tom & Courtney have been in Guatemala, I've been busy getting creative! A few months ago I spray painted letters to put in Whitney's & MaryElise's room, but I never hung them up. I knew I wouldn't be able to get them all straight without Tom's help...then I had a brainstorm. I glued polka-dotted ribbon to the backs of the letters and staggered them on the wall. They look adorable and the girls love them too.

Father's Day Craft Idea

Tile Coasters

I saw this idea for a Father's Day Gift on the Frugal Family Fun Blog. She made coasters using tiles and tissue paper. I thought it was a great idea but decided to add pictures...because I love decorating with photos. So here is how we did it...

First, we gathered all the supplies:

• tiles
  
• Mod Podge
• foam paint brushes
• assorted colors of tissue paper cut into squares
• family snapshots (I used wallet-sized photos that can easily fit on a tile. I ordered my photos through Wal-Mart and got 2 wallet-sized photo on one sheet)
• wax paper (to put down on the table underneath the tiles)
• sealer or glaze
• felt protective circles for the back of the tile (to keep the tile from scratching surfaces)
  

Next, the children chose the pictures they wanted to use.The next step was to place a layer of mod podge on the tile, followed by a layer of tissue paper.After the tissue paper was placed on the tile and covered with another layer of mod podge the picture was placed on the tile and another layer of mod podge was added.

The finished product was beautiful!
We made enough coasters for Dad and both Grandpas!

The kids had lots of fun too!