A Monumental Week

This has been quite the week.

From Wednesday to Wednesday it has been pack filled with the exciting and monumental.

To begin, last Wednesday night we sent Charity to a sitter's, and took about 15 youth to The Rock & Worship Roadshow in Bakersfield. The highlights of the show were David Crowder and Mercy Me.

If you have never been led by David Crowder and his band in worship, you just may need to experience it some time. It is truly a heavenly experience. Spending time in worship like that to my God nourishes my soul. I am a singer at heart, so this form of worship comes most natural to me. In addition, it was nice just to be without Charity for the evening. Obviously, a concert wouldn't be the appropriate atmosphere for a baby, but it also allowed me to worship freely.

Then, Thursday night's experience was truly monumental: Charity took her first steps! I noticed her attempting to test her walking legs while she held her sippy cup, so John and I got out our wonderful flip, and we were lucky enough to catch her very first steps on video... check out the genuine reaction:

Then, last Friday, for the first time ever (drum roll, please), we took an overnight trip without Charity. Amazing, right?! We went down to Hollywood with another couple that we have recently become friends with where we lived it up for 24 hours. That night we went to The Magic Castle in downtown Hollywood where John is a member. John and I used to spend evenings at the Castle often before we had Charity. This was the first time that I had been back since I was 6 months pregnant, so a visit was long overdue. This place is exquisite and especially unique because it is literally a 100 year old castle that hosts magic performances presented by the world's most elite magicians. To attend, you must adhere to a strict dress code: coat & tie for men and cocktail dresses for women. How fun is that? Where else do you get to go formal with your sweetie on you arm and have an elegant evening that's not high school prom or the red carpet?! It's truly a fortunate evening for the one that can spend it at this grand place.

There are two amazing things about having 24 hours without Charity: 1. I hold my husband's hand a lot more often without a baby in the other arm. 2. I still missed my daughter painfully the entire time.

Parenthood changes people a great deal, doesn't it? I now must make a conscious effort to show affection toward my husband, and the ball of mischeif that I am so relieved to have a break from is the same little one I can hardly stand to be without. She's been literally attached to me for so long that when she's gone it's as if I'm walking around without my right limb.

Easter Sunday was, of course, magnificent. How can a day in which I remember why I have purpose in life and that I am living guilt free of my sin not be magnificent? The fact that our Savior is alive today (unlike every other faith's greater being) is a monumental truth that far too often is understated for what it is worth. I think those of us who have grown up in the church are just too used to hearing it. For us, it's like being told that the sky is blue.... when in reality it is more like being told that AIDS is no longer a killer. Now isn't that magnificent?

Easter marks for me how much has changed in a year. Last Easter was Charity's first time at church. She was so small and helpless then. And I was so curious about who she was and what kind of personality she would have and who she would grow to become. I am still so curious about all those things, but my insight on the subject has at least grown a little deeper.

what a difference a year makes!

To top it all off, Charity is 13 months old TODAY!

Time waits for no one....