Family Update

Things have been pretty crazy around the Bruce household lately. We took Cambree in last week for her 4 month visit. She is now 12.7 lbs (25%) & 25 1/2 inches (90%), so it looks like she is going to be built like her sister...tall & skinny. Her eyes have stayed blue so far but her hair has definitely lightened up. After 4 months of breast feeding, it seems like she is just not getting enough food during those feeding times to meet her needs, so Heidi has started to introduce formula & bottles. Cambree has taken to that well & is sleeping much better at night.

The 4 of us went on our first camping trip on Friday night. It was a great trial run as it was at a friend's ranch with a house on location--fortunately. I set up the tent on Friday afternoon & both girls absolutely loved it. I had Amaria's tent set up inside our big tent for her & Cambree's co-sleeper fit perfectly next to our air mattress. Both girls were sleeping great until about midnight when we got word of a tornado warning in the area until 4:00 am. We moved the girls & Heidi inside to the big house & I stayed up for a while to just watch the weather & see what it was going to do. Finally, around 2:30 or so, I was convinced that we weren't going to get anything too bad & went to crash in the tent. It held up to some pretty strong winds. I think we are ready for our big camping trip in May--a trip to the Palo Duro Canyon & Groom. It should be an interesting but fun trip.

Saturday, Heidi & I had an absolutely amazing experience. We attended the Hillsong United concert in Austin. (If you don't know Hillsong or any of their music, go youtube them). It was so cool to see so many people, from all ethnicities, & all different age groups, just completely sold out for the Lord. It really was a life-changing experience for both of us. I don't know when they'll be back in the states, but we have decided that we will go see them again when they get back on this side of the Earth.

Amaria is almost done with dance, & she couldn't be happier. She has endured through the class all year, but to say that she really doesn't like it would be an understatement. In an effort to find something fun for her to do, Heidi took her to a trial gymnastics class on Monday. AMARIA LOVED IT! She will be enrolling in gymnastics immediately. She is also signed up for swim classes this summer in an effort to fine tune the swimming skills she learned last summer.

I hope that catches you up on the family. I'll try to get back in the habit of posting more often, but sometimes life just gets in the way.

God bless & thanks for reading!

Do you like horns?

So Amaria just asked me, "Daddy, do you like horns?" I was thinking deer & big bucks, so without even thinking I said, "Of course!" I immediately got a very evil look. She said, "But you can't like horns." I was intrigued & confused all at the same time--"Why not?" "Because horns remind me of a certain team that wears orange & has a bull. Can you guess who it is?" I said, "AH....the longhorns...maybe I don't like horns after all." She finishes it up with, "Good, because horns remind me of the poor t-sips, & I sure would hate to quit talking to you if you like them." Laughter truly is the best medicine & that's why kids keep us so healthy.

God bless & thanks for reading!

Amaria in Rare Form

Yesterday was just one of those days for our eldest. She had her Spring Program at school last night & she was very excited about it. I had the luxury of dropping Amaria off in her classroom last night before the program, & amazingly enough, we were running early. We actually were the first ones to arrive. But, shortly after, her classmates started to file in. However, her teacher, had yet to arrive. Time for Amaria to take charge: She grabbed the book that they had used to learn about the letter X earlier in the day. She then instructed her classmates to sit on the rug at the front of the classroom as she stood in front of them. "Today, we are going to learn about the Letter X," she informs them. "But first, we need to know what day it is." So she grabs the finger pointer, turns to the calendar & proceeds to count the days on the calendar, stopping at 13. "Today is the 13th!" Fortunately, for all involved, Mrs. Doyle arrived as this was wrapping up.

The program went great, & Amaria sang & danced her heart out to Old McDonald. By the time we got home it was time for bed & everyone was running late, so I put Amaria to bed while Heidi fed Cambree. Amaria & I mutually agreed that we would both take part in her nightly prayers. I prayed first & then it was Amaria's turn:

"Dear God, please help me to be good in school & do what Mrs. Doyle says. And please take care of Kiki (our deceased dog) & Daddy's momma up in Heaven. And dear God, I can't wait to be with them in Heaven because it's going to be so cool. In Jesus name we pray. Amen!"

I told her how sweet her prayer was & then she says, "Daddy, I wish I was in Heaven." I explained that while it is going to be great to be in Heaven, we still have things that God wants us to do down here. And then she comes back with, "But Heaven is the greatest place EVER!"

It brings tears to my eyes to know that we are so blessed to have a little one who has such a great understanding of our Lord. I thank God every day for her & Cambree.

On that note...Cambree update. She has started to mock us. If we make an "aaaaahhhhhh" sound, she will repeat it. Same thing with an "ah, boo," sound. She is growing like a weed & it's really cool to see her progressing so rapidly. Heidi took the girls last week to have some pics taken in their Easter dresses. Hopefully, I can figure out how to post them soon. God bless & thanks for reading.

The Last Supper

So today was a good day for The Last Supper at our house, I guess. Amaria just came to me & said, "It's time for The Last Supper," & she handed me an apple juice box. Then she said, "This is Jesus' blood." Then she handed me a piece of bread & said, "Eat this. It's Jesus' body." I was amazed that she grasped all that, so I went to tell Heidi....only to find out that Heidi had already taken part in her own version of Amaria's Last Supper just minutes before.

I wish I could get that girl to listen to me like she listens in Sunday School & Bible Study.

Happy Easter

I think Amaria's school has done a great job of hammering home Easter & it's true meaning. She brought home a card today & on the inside was a cross. On the cross she drew a man & said that it was Jesus. She colored red on Jesus & said that it was his blood because he died on the cross. She also placed a Palm Tree sticker next to the cross & said that it was sent by God & that it was a prayer tree. So sweet!

Then she just brought me a monkey doll that she has along with a ribbon. She asked me to tie the ribbon around the monkey's belly because it was going to be a saddle & that the monkey was going to be a donkey for Jesus to ride because on Palm Sunday Jesus rode a donkey.

That you, Lord, for such a precious child who loves you so much!