How Great is Our God.... and Kiss Chase!

I feel like I need to shout from the rooftop my praises to God today. Several months ago, my friend, Daranda who is a 34 year old mom of 3 boys, was diagnosed with stage 4 melanoma. She started some very aggressive, and difficult, treatments very shortly after her diagnoses. I have watched our church and community gather around her and lift her up. But while so many people were trying to be a blessing to her family, it was really the other way around. Countless people have commented on her faith and peace during this trying time. When people were in contact with her they were encouraged by her strength and her faith in God. There have been so many times that my heart has ached for her husband and her sweet boys.... and as a mom, how difficult this really must have been on her. Well today, Daranda went back for a report from her doctors. She was told that her MRI and CT scan both came back clear, showing no cancer!

Today has been a day I don't ever want to forget. Just like God told Joshua to have his 12 stones of remembrance, I feel like this is one of my stones I will carry with me for the rest of my life! God Answers prayers! He is faithful! His plan is bigger than ours! For the last few months, every night at bedtime we would make our requests known to God and without fail, Macey (5) or Barrett (2.5) would bring up Mrs. A-WaNN-a (that's how Barrett says Daranda). I have heard their sweet prayers and the faith of a child when they brought this need to God. When I was tucking them in tonight, we got to talk about Praise reports.... and when God answers our prayers. What a precious moment! Thank you, God, for the plans you have for Daranda and all the lives that have been impacted by her walk with you! Thank you for letting our family pray for her and witness her miracle!!!!

And now onto other things.... like kindergarten recess. I have to share this because I laughed my face off after picking Mace up from school today. I asked her who she played with at recess, just like every other day when I pick her up, and she told me the names of two boys. This was the first bit that was shocking because she always tells me girls. Anyway, I asked her what they played. She told me it was a game called tag and that boy #2 kissed her today. I squeaked out a "WHAT?" and then a "WHERE?" She said he 'just sneaked up on her and surprised her and kissed her on her cheek!!!' By this time, I am cracking up thinking that my sweet baby has been kissed by a boy!.... and not just a boy she has known forever and all that, but a sweet boy that might think my sassy girl is a sweet girl!!!!! She has been in

kindergarten for a mere 40 days!!!! I'm not sure I'm ready for this kind of stuff! So the rest of the way home, I am grinning from ear to ear because I am thinking that this is soooo sweet and yet shocking at the same time! Please don't be shocked when I tell you that Macey quickly lined me out and told me, "This is not something that is funny! I do not like it when you laugh at me!" Well.... you can imagine that I tried really hard to bite my cheeks! After a few hours of reflection I have come to grips with kiss chase and still have a giant grin on my face! How sweet it is that she shared that tid-bit of info with me within the first 30 seconds after getting in the car with me today. If I can only be so lucky to have that kind of communication when she is 16! I love you Macey Clayton, and if I were a 5 year old boy, I'd wanna kiss your cheek too! :)

I am crazy about this rotten boy, too! This pic was by his request, " Mommy, ooo take picta me whi oooo?" (Translation: "Mommy, you take a picture of me with you?") Who could pass up a photo op like that?!?