Celebration

The last few weeks have been a blur load of fun for this Gradke family.  We've remodeled a house, and are now paying mortgages for two lovely homes.  I'd like to just own just one home, so feel free to buy my house if you feel so inclined.

Today was a day of celebration.  One celebration is so bittersweet just a couple of days after Sharon Washburn's birthday.  And one to celebrate my sweet Reed's 5th birthday. 

Remember the Center for Hope?  The Center for Hope will partner with Open Arms to provide support for battered women and their children who are fleeing abusive situations.  Because of God's amazing provision and abundant blessings, we were able to partner with an amazing group of friends to furnish a 3 bedroom apartment for one of these families.  A very special shout out to the Waltons, Moores, Railsbacks, Ridgells, Rogers, Russells, Micheners and Alversons for helping to make this possible.  In the next couple of weeks, a family will move into the apartment we furnished.  When the mother completes the program, she gets to take EVERYTHING in the apartment with her.  How awesome is that!!

We moved the last of the furniture in today.  We (and I mean my decorating diva friends) have some work left to do as far as hanging wall art, etc, but the apartment is looking great!  To be honest, I would've liked to take some things home to my own home!

Dining room

Living Room

Master Bedroom

Hall Bathroom

Boys room

Girls room

 Master Bathroom

I pray for this family.  I pray especially for this sweet mother, who I love even though I've never met her.  I pray she will lean on God to give her the strength to build a new life, a life filled with joy that only a relationship with our loving Father and Jesus can fulfill.

A few short hours later, we celebrated Reed's 5th birthday at Chuck E Cheese. Chuck E Cheese, seriously?  This place is so far outside my comprehension of fun.  But he could not be bribed talked out of it. He would not stop talking about the ticket machine.  Well, I think we've cured that obession:

Reed loses it in the ticket machine:

Reed asked us for a booster car seat for his birthday. He's been in the same 5pt harness since he turned one. A booster seat? Really? Booster seats are for big kids!  But he got one with flames on it.  And he loves it.

After 67 pictures of Reed darting his eyes around the chaos of Chuck E Cheese, this is the best photo I got with the cake.

 I have some other cute pictures from Reed's birthday but they are turned sideways and I don't have the energy to try and turn them around.  They probably will post better on facebook.

Happy Birthday Reed and Sharon!  I love you both more than cake.