Summertime

Wow!  I can't believe that it is already July!!!  Time has flown since March.  We've had a busy spring!  We went Easter Egg hunting at Church and then we spent Easter with the Spiars.  

April was super busy for Mommy at work.  It was a hard few months for all of us.  I knew that there was a light at the end of the tunnel, because on June 3rd, we left for Disney World!!!  There were many firsts this trip.  You had your first plane ride, bus ride, and seeing the Magic of Disney!!!  You got to meet Aunt Cathy (Mommy's sister), Uncle Von, and Cousin Reeny while we were there.  Poppy and Grandmom Susie even came up for a visit one day too.  I think that your favorite part of Disney was meeting the characters!!!  Mia, you did enjoy many of the rides too!  Lyla, not so much, but you did enjoy the shows.  We were there during Lyla's 2nd birthday, so we celebrated all week and got at least one cupcake every day!!!  After Disney, we headed to Tampa and St. Pete to meet more family and friends.  Before our two week whirl-wind trip was over, we headed back to Disney for one last night.  I can't wait until you girls are older and we can go back!  

First Airplane Ride!

Mia High-Fived Mickey & Minnie and Lyla was all about the hugs!

Well, we are now spending the rest of the summer just relaxing.  We go to the pool almost every day.  In fact, Mia is getting swim lessons from Mr. Chris.  I can't get over how much you two have grown over the past year!!!  I love you girls so much!  At times, I feel so unworthy to be your mother.  God chose us to be a family for a reason!  You are such a blessing in my life!!!  You girls make me laugh!  I love when a praise song ends on the radio and one of you shouts, "Yay Jesus!"  I pray that despite my humaness, you will grow to love and serve Jesus with all of your hearts.  I pray that you will be kind to and love others.  You girls are so loved by so many!!!

Mommy loves you ALWAYS!!!!

Lyla-Laughter

Dear Lyla,
Don't ever stop laughing!!!  It brings such joy!

http://youtu.be/eTNkj-DH-vs

Mommy

Storytime

Dear Mia & Lyla,

I thought that I would share some stories about Mommy and the rest of your family over time.  Today, I want to tell you the story about your Mommy being born blind.  Did you know that?  Well, here it is:
Grandmom Romagnolo (my Mommy) had been told that she shouldn't have anymore children (after Theresa Josephine-who passed away after birth, Cathy, & Alan) because of her diabetes.  Grandmom Romagnolo was a Juvenille Diabetic.  After MUCH pleading, Poppy and her doctor said yes.  This was about 6 years after Uncle Alan was born.  So, on July 22, 1972, she gave birth to your Mommy.  After a while, Grandmom started noticing that I was not reacting to things like I should be.  She took me to an eye doctor who tested me and referred me to see an eye specialist.  The eye specialist proclaimed me legally blind.  This was all before Christmas.  Grandmom Romagnolo couldn't believe it!  How could this be happening?  Poppy had to do all of the Christmas shopping that year because Grandmom could barely function.  Poppy and Grandmom Romagnolo had made arrangements with the Pennsylvania Association of the Blind (Mommy was born in Pennsylvania) that they would start working with my parents when I turned One and then start working with me when I turned Three.  Grandmom was still upset and finally decided to give it up to God.  On January 17, 1973, Grandmom went into her mom and locked the door.  She got on her knees and began praying.  She told God that she would trust Him.  He knew that she wanted me to see, but if it was His wish and will for me to be blind, then with her help she would accept it.  She prayed that something good would come out of it.  The next day, she was at the beauty salon and noticed that I began reaching for things.  I had never done that before because I couldn't see.  She began putting things in front of my face and I would turn my head toward them and reach.  When we got home, she was so excited!  She told Aunt Cathy & Uncle Alan and Poppy, but they didn't believe her.  They thought that she had finally gone crazy.  The next morning, she went in to check on me and found Poppy leaning over my crib, making faces, shaving cream on half of his face, tears coming down, and I was looking up at him and laughing.  That had NEVER happened before.  The doctor could not explain why or how I got my sight!  We know!!!!  Your Mommy is a miracle of God.  His hand has always been on our lives.  Jesus still heals and loves us so much!!!!
Mommy loves you two so much!!!  Hugs!

Grandmom Romagnolo & Mommy
January 14, 1973 - Just days before I got my sight! 

Mommy at 13 months old

Poppy & Mommy - 1977

Grandmom Romagnolo & Mommy
Christmas Day 1973

Mommy
February 1974

Mommy
June 1974

Grandmom Romagnolo & Mommy
June 1974

Mommy loves you so much too!!  Hugs!!!

Mia

Fun times after a bath!!!!  Mia, you just randomly started doing this while I was putting lotion on you and I just burst out laughing!  You can hear Lyla in the background.  I love you girls.  As I sit here typing this, you are supposed to be sleeping in your room, but I hear Mia reading her Color Book out loud in the dark and Lyla just being goofy!!!  Go to sleep you silly girls!!!  Thank you for making me smile!!!

http://youtu.be/vY9cOHrQUag

Dedication

Dear Mia & Lyla,

Today was your Baby Dedication at church, Prestonwood Baptist Church.  What a blessing to be able to share this day with you!  Today, I promised that I would raise you in the Church and I gave you to God.  I trust Him with your lives!!!  I pray that you girls will grow up loving Him and being secure in His love for you!!  No one will ever love you as much as Jesus does!!!
Meghan Tabor held you Lyla, while I held Mia and we posed for a picture with the pastor.  You were so cute that the congregation even loved you!  You girls loved your little Bibles!!!  After church, we went to meet the Spiars' for lunch!!  You girls LOVE the Spiars!!
I love you girls so much!!!  You make my heart smile.  God has blessed us so much!!!  Mommy will always love you!!!  Thank you for choosing me!!!

January 2012

Dear Mia & Lyla,
January flew by.  Mia, you had your 2 1/2 year check up.  Everything was great until you had to get the flu shot and as the nurse left, you pointed in her direction and cried, "she hurt me!"  What a trooper you were.  Then, 5th's Disease was going around daycare and Lyla got it and then shared it with you.  I love that we share!!  :) Tonight as we were going through the drive thru at Chick-fil-a, you (Mia) mentioned something about a dada (I think you always think that the guy working the drive thru window is your dada).  Then you asked to pray for a dada.  You asked to hold my hands and than Lyla chimed in..."hands" and I said, "Dear Jesus, please bring us a dada."  You both chimed in real loud..."AMEN!"  So cute!!!!  While this is so precious, I do hope and pray that someday you girls will trust God as I do.  I believe with all my heart that this is the path that He has chosen for us.  While I continue to hope and pray that He will bring me a husband, and you two a daddy, I KNOW that His plans are better than ours!!!  The Bible promises that He will NEVER leave us or forsake us!!!  I pray that if He chooses not to bring a human father into your lives, that you will see and know Him as your loving Heavenly Father.  He loves you so much.  No one will ever love you more or accept you completely as you are than Jesus!!!!  Our lives are not empty.  We are so richly blessed!!!  I love you girls so much!!!  I love you ALWAYS...good AND bad!!!

Hugs!!!!

Mommy

Jesus is our Dada!

Here is a little story to share with you girls.  We were in the car getting ready to head to church and Mia said, "Princess be right back!"  I said, "That's right princess, we'll be right back.  We are going to church to worship Jesus! Right?"  Mia answered, "Yes!"  You said something about dada that I couldn't quite get and I said, "but we don't have a dada."  Mia answered "Jesus is our dada!"
Out of the mouths of babes!!!  I pray that you girls will always have child-like faith and trust Him through the good and bad!  No one will ever love you more than your Heavenly Father!!  How much does Jesus love you?  (How much!)  How much does Mommy love you!  (How much!)
I love you girls sooooo much!!!  I love you always...good AND bad!!!

Mommy