Prayer for a Friend

I was going to blog about something else tonight, but then I read my friend Kristen's blog www.betterisonedayinhiscourts.blogspot.com. I have known Kristen since high school and her sweet husband Kirk since college. I had the privilege of praying for them as they waited on the adoption of their first son Zachary. Since then they have welcomed Mackenzie (also adopted) and now after 11 years of trying, they are pregnant with a little boy. They got some bad news today. The kind of news that just takes your breath away as you read it. Visit their blog for more detail. Even if you don't, please join us as we pray for this amazing family.

Happy Birthday Andrew

Okay, so Andrew's birthday was actually one month and one day ago. But those of you who know me know what a hassle it was to blog about birthdays. I have a NEED for everything to be equal, and I wanted each baby to have their own special entry. But I was so terrible at keeping up with the blog, I was afraid, Andrew (b-day first) would have just 2 days for his birthday and I would post Annabelle's and then forget to post a few days after and her b-day would be up for weeks, while Andrew's would have only been up a few days. Then it would look like Annabelle was my favorite... You can see the problems this creates. Well now that I am blogging up a storm, I can blog for each of their special days without worry of favoritism! Yeah!-so here is Andrew's 4th birthday:

Celebrating all the March birthdays on Bill's side: Andrew and Great Grandma Elsie on the 8th, Grandma on the 9th (Grandma couldn't make it to the party), and Annabelle on the 10th. Annabelle shares her b-day with our anniversary (which Bill forgot this year, but that's another post)! We are busy in March!!!

Andrew and Annabelle on Andrew's actual birthday

Opening presents from mommy and daddy- helmets, for what you may ask.... follow the story line please!! Andrew ran away from his present from Uncle Justin- he needed a little time to adjust!

"I love me some "shake shake" (parm cheese)!!" That is a ring of parmesean cheese on his face from trying to stick his whole mouth in the container.

Oh- here is the present from UB- a scooter!!!! WOW!!!

"Now let me just get the wheels going the right way, not that's not right, grrr!! This better be awesome once I figure it out!"

AND IT IS!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday Sweet Baby Boy! We love you so much and are so proud off all you have accomplished this year. It seems like you are learning more and more everyday. We love your laugh and your precious hugs. We will never get tired of hearing you say "I yuv you so much!" You are truly an amazing blessing and we cannot wait to see what the next year has in store.

Sun Bathing Babies

Today it was 85 degrees and we took advantage by getting in our swim suits and filling up the water table. BTW- they got the water table for their 1st birthday from my mom and dad and we still use it all the time!!! So if anyone out there is looking for a great b-day gift for a baby- WATER TABLE IS IT!!!

Andrew in his new swimsuit- Thanks Mimi, uh I mean Easter Bunny!

Annabelle modeling the 2010 old Navy swimsuit collection (notice the coordinating, not matching swimsuits? THAT'S HOW WE ROLL!!! Again, thanks Mimi)

A little sibling love IN the water table (now, I had to get a pic before I yelled at them for being in the water table... I think the weight limit is like 30lbs-oops)

This is how our sweet moments often end, in terror!! Andrew is a little bigger than annabelle and a lot stronger, so he usually body slams her, or picks her up or in this case squishes her and causes her to almost fall out of the water table. Although it doesn't take much since she loses her balance climbing more than 4 stairs without a grown up and a handrail.

MAN DOWN!!!

So I missed my blog yesterday. In my defense- I fell asleep in my clothes at 8:30pm and woke up at 3:30am to two ice cold hands on my feet (Annabelle had a nightmare). So I am going to cheat and post twice today. I am on my way outside to take some pics of my sweet babies playing in the water! I love AZ!! Remind me of this when it's 115 for the 10th day in a row! Post again tonight!!

Almost midnight

I just came into my room and saw the computer and realized I STILL HAVEN'T BLOGGED TODAY! Yikes! Okay... Short and sweet! I finished a Bible study tonight- Beth Moore's Breaking Free. It was awesome! Ladies- if you've never done a Beth Moore study, GET TO IT!! All of her studies involve homework time, but not too much and you will be spending a lot of time in the Word. This particular study focused on how we often let our lives be ruled by sin- and we don't even know it. She is a wonderful Bible teacher and so knowledgeable. Plus, her sweet southern accent puts a kind spin on anything she is preachin! I try not to "sell" people or things on this blog- but this study was amazing!!! To learn more about Beth Moore's life and ministry go to www.lifeway.com

6 down, 24 to go!

Easter with Team Sanborn

Here are a few of the pics from the Easter season- starting with easter egg hunt at Grandma and Grandpas, moving to Easter Eve morning at Mimi's, then Easter morning at our house and ending with easter egg hunt at Aunt Brenda and Uncle Kim's. Details from the Easter on yesterday's blog, but pics today!! Happy Easter!!

Annabelle and Andrew hunting for eggs at Sanborn's

The first "swim" of the season

Easter Eve morning getting Easter baskets at Mimi's

Of course they got the movie Alvin and the Chipmunks to go along with the "build-a-bears"

Oh sweet brother- the Easter Bunny has come, please wake up!

If you have ever had Easter at the Cates home you know exactly what this is... A trail of Robin Eggs leading from Annabelle's bed to her Easter basket

Andrew's Trail

Andrew's basket

Annabelle's basket

Our new family tradition of Daddy reading the Easter story

Collecting our "trails" to put in our Easter baskets

Posing for the camera at church

6 of the 7 great grandbabies... Blakeleigh was sleeping

Caiden, Cooper, Annabelle, Andrew, Brenton and the little guy in the back is CJ

Annabelle loves that her eggs are easy to find... All are hot pink!

Andrew says- what hunt?! I dominated those eggs sucka!

The Theme for this month is "Big"

The theme of "National Blog Every Day for a Month" this month is "BIG". So sometimes we will be blogging about big, and sometimes not. Today, we are. Today was a BIG day. Of Course first and foremost was the day it self. Easter- it's a pretty BIG deal. Thank you Lord, for dying on the cross and saving us from ourselves.

We had a BIG day with our BIG family, 7 kids under six (for one more day anyway- happy b-day tomorrow Caiden), 8 easter eggs for each (that's 56 easter eggs stuffed with goodies and hidden in Aunt Brenda and Uncle Kim's yard), 8 first cousins (kind of like aunts and uncles), 12 grown ups (who we love so much and are also related to us in one way or another) and this is the BIGGEST part of the day- 14 BIG hours with no tantrums. Yes that's right guys!!! BIG deal!!!! Church (not at our church with sunday school and familiarity) for almost 2 hours. Sitting still too!!! Move to Aunt Brenda and Uncle Kim's for almost 4 hours- again, no tantrums even when it was time to leave. Playdate in Jillian and Elliot's yard for 2 hours in the evening, no tantrums. Dinner and bedtime with no tantrums. BIG deal again. I am feeling so blessed for so many things today. I am blessed by my savior who died for me, blessed by the grace extended by that same savior everyday, blessed by an amazing family, blessed by the "easter Bunny" who always knows just what my kiddos need (thanks Mimi), blessed by the memory of my sweet Daddy who would have loved every minute of today, blessed by my husband who was so helpful during the chaos, and blessed by my precious babies BIG day with no melt downs. I guess you could say I am blessed BIG time!