The End.....but also the beginning

This, my friends, is where my blogging adventures will end.  It's been fun, but it's been way too few and far between these days.  Which is totally OK by me!  I absolutely love reading your blogs and seeing all the amazingly happy pictures that are shared by all of you who so diligently blog...and so, I will keep reading!  However, the time I spend on the computer is taken over by emails, paying bills and saving many pictures to the "Milburn Picture File".  And let's be honest....I'm not much of a computer girl really.  If I do have a moment to myself to actually sit down and do something of my choosing...well, it would have to be either watch an episode of Amazing Race, eat an oreo (or three), call my mommy, or TAKE A NAP!  So...the blog takes the back burner and I think this is a great time to say farewell to the blogging world as I leave you with a picture of my sweet baby girl who is now entering an adventure of her own....SCHOOL!  It's the start of something fun, new, challenging, and exciting for her and this is only the very very very beginning.  I pray she goes off to college one day (which by the way she's informed me that she wants me to come with her and that if I really do have to leave her, I need to teach her how to use her "green owl").  And I pray that her sister and brother both love school as much as Katin has already and that I will also need to teach them how to use their green owls before heading off to college.  So as we embark on a new journey called "Public Education", I will now say  goodbye to LIGHTS OFF and say hello to more frequent fill ups in the mini van, yearly backpack purchases, daily (and probably kinda frantic) lunch packing, fun and not so fun homework, worn out tennis shoes, play dates with new friends, and much much more.  I don't even know what we're getting into really...I just know there will be a few days of playing hookie, that's for sure!  I can't wait to see where God leads us in our "perfect" life!

Matthew Craig Milburn

It was dinner time and our good friends, The Schulz's, were watching our girls so Thomas and I could have a little date.  Thomas ordered the 2am burger.....

So 2am rolls around (not joking) and I get up to do the usual...pee...again...  Well this time my water broke!  Little boy was ready to enter the world.  I was kind of in denial about it and reluctantly woke up Thomas and shared the news.  Then I proceeded to tell him what to pack.  You see...I had a scheduled c-section on June 11-one whole week before my due date.  So I really didn't think anything would be happening on June 6th!  But, alas...here we go!  After having Aunt Becky come over to watch the girls, we were off to the hospital and ready to meet little baby boy.

What a joy!  At 8:57 am on June 6, Matthew Craig was born and what a gift from God he is!  Weighing 8 lbs and 1 oz and 20 inches long...he's just a little bundle of love!  We are so excited for baby brother to join the family and can't wait to see what kinds of fun he brings :)

This mom is thankful for these two little sweeties!  They make me smile everyday...

Do You Believe in Easter?

As Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) has come to a close this year, I've realized just how wonderful it's been studying the death and resurrection of Jesus at just about the same time as Easter.  Our teacher read us the following story this morning about a woman who LOVED Easter.  It's such a sweet story and so perfect for this post.  BSF, I will miss you this summer!  And now more than ever Easter will mean more than egg hunts and candy....although those things are really fabulous!  I am thankful for what I've learned about truly believing in Easter.

Edith Burns was a wonderful lady who lived in San Antonio, Texas. Will Phillips was a gentle doctor who saw patients as people. His favorite patient was Edith Burns. Edith Burns usually introduced herself in this way: "Hello, my name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Then she would explain the meaning of Easter, and many times people would be changed.

One day Dr. Phillips received bad news. With a heavy heart he told Edith, "You have cancer, and Edith, you're not going to live very long."

Edith said, "Will Phillips, shame on you. Why are you so sad? Do you think God makes mistakes? I'm going to see my precious Lord Jesus, my husband, and my friends. You have just told me that I am going to celebrate Easter forever, and here you are having difficulty giving me my ticket!"

Soon it became necessary to put her in the hospital. Edith told the doctor: "Will, I'm very near home, so would you make sure they put women next to me in my hospital room who need to know about Easter?"

They did just that. Many women who shared a room with Edith were changed forever! Everybody on that floor started calling her Edith Easter; that is everyone except Phyllis Cross, the head nurse.

Phyllis made it plain that she wanted nothing to do with Edith because she was a "religious nut." But soon, even Phyllis Cross was drawn to Edith's room like a magnet would draw iron.

Phyllis Cross said, "Edith, you have asked everybody here the question, 'Do you believe in Easter?' but you have never asked me." Edith said, "Phyllis, I wanted to many times, but God told me to wait until you asked, and now that you have asked…."

Edith Burns took her Bible and shared with Phyllis Cross the Easter Story of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Edith said, "Phyllis, do you believe in Easter? Do you believe that Jesus Christ is alive and that He wants to live in your heart?"

Phyllis Cross said, "Oh I want to believe that with all of my heart, and I do want Jesus in my life." Right there, Phyllis Cross prayed and invited Jesus Christ into her heart.

A few days later, on Easter Sunday, Phyllis Cross walked into Edith's room. Edith was in bed. Her Bible was on her lap. Her hands were in that Bible. There was a sweet smile on her face. When Phyllis Cross went to pick up Edith's hand, she realized Edith was dead. Her left hand was on John 14: "In my Father's house are many mansions. I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also."

Phyllis Cross left Edith's body, walked out of the room, and over to a table where two student nurses were sitting. She said, "Hello, my name is Phyllis Cross. Do you believe in Easter?"

Yo Ho Ho!

Aubrey's Pirate Party

A few weeks before Aubrey would turn 3, I asked her what she would like to do for her birthday.  Not to my surprise, she said she wanted a cake with Jake on it.  So....that idea led to our pirate party complete with eye patches and peg legs.  She had a wonderful time celebrating with her family.  We are so thankful for all of the aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents Aubrey has in her life to love her and cheer her on!  

 We even had an appearance by Jake, Izzie and Cubbie!

 Treasure Hunt for the kids- best and worst part- the Pixie Dust (glitter!!!!) Pouches

 The Pirate Grub

Yummy Cake!  

Aubrey said her favorite part was eating her Jake cake and ice cream.  But she still hasn't taken off her pixie dust....yikes!

Crested Butte

If you've never been to Crested Butte, I recommend you take a trip!  It's such a beautiful place and all the rumors of it being lovely are very true.  I hope to visit again in the summer time.

Our little getaway was so wonderful...hanging out with friends and family, sledding, skiing, watching David keep the fire going ALL weekend, playing games, watching the Olympics, eating yummy food together.  It was much more than I would've asked for in a mini vacation.  And to spend it all with the Kinneys and Mercers was the highlight!  Thanks guys!!

A few of the captured moments of the trip:

Such great memories!  WE LOVE CB!

Super Bus

Here in Erie, CO we've got a local team of ma and pa gymnasts who drive their super bus down to the rec center almost every day to teach young ones how to somersault and stand on their heads.  Aubrey and Katin love the super bus and we've had them in the class for three sessions now.  I'm hoping to sign them up again because during the warmer months, the super bus pulls out the big guns and puts the big ole trampoline out for the kids to jump on.  What more could you ask for?!

The Super Bus is an old school bus that was possibly sent to "Overhaulin" and transformed into a gym inside complete with a slide, rope swing, parallel bars, climbing net and maybe some more.  It's pretty awesome!  The girls have class together, which they love and they start in the gym and then head out to the super bus.  The last day of class is one where parents get to watch and take loads of pictures (which is exactly what I did).  Oh, and did I mention it's a drop off class??  Yeah, so awesome for mom!

So now, I present to you the future Olympians....Katin and Aubrey!

My little gymnasts make me so proud!