change.

Other than God's love and faithfulness, it seems that the only thing constant in life is change.

A little background...

I have to start off by giving Jess of Party Box Design a huge shout out for her incredible work on Grace's birthday invitation. I literally sent her a few scribbles on what I envisioned and a few days later she came back with this:Yes, that's the first proof she sent me and it was PERFECT! She got everything right, from the soft, taffy inspired colors, to the feel I was going for...everything! If you are looking for someone with fun, creative, ORIGINAL ideas, then Jess is your go-to gal for all your party invite needs. Did I mention she is super sweet and so personable, to boot? Check out her site HERE. THANK YOU, JESS!

{And just a word of caution here...PLEASE respect other people's creative rights. "Inspired by" does not mean a stamp of approval for COPYING other people's work. Believe me, I've had a recent experience with someone downright copying my work and passing it as their own and it is no.fun.at.all. Please respect Jess's work on Grace's invitation.}

Sorry for the soap box...can you tell it's a sore subject for me? :O

So it goes something like this...
Feeling super excited about the little pumpkin's invites I quickly printed them, stuffed the envelopes, and mailed them off late Wednesday afternoon. DONE! One little task happily completed from my gigantic birthday To Do list.

And then...
The little pumpkin went on a super fun field trip to a new "jumpy jump" (Grace's code work for inflatable party place) with her preschool friends last week, wednesday to be exact. Ever since then she's been talking about how much fun it was and how she would love to have a party there. Something stirred in my heart.

The feeling still there this morning, I asked her how she felt about her upcoming birthday and whether she wanted to have it at the jumpy jump place or at the park like we'd planned with a jumpy there. She looked me straight in the eye and whispered the jumpy jump's name.

After breakfast we got dressed and I took her with me to check out the jumpy jump place since Lance had been the one to go with her on the field trip and I had not seen the place. Her excitement as we pulled up was contagious. Funny how those feelings deep inside are always right. There was no doubt in my mind that this was the place to have her 4th birthday.

Yes, even if it meant switching gears 3 weeks out.
{There's that "change" again.}
Local friends & fam: New party details being mailed out this week.

No, this isn't about a spoiled kid getting her every wish and want. This is about me as a mama, following my heart and going against my mind. Every part of me wants to go ahead with the elaborate, super fun birthday afternoon I'd envisioned after talking with Grace about her birthday months back.

But that's not what she would enjoy the most right now.

So if jumping all over the place at a neon colored inflatable zone is what would make her little 4 year old's heart beam with birthday happiness, then who am I to stand in the way of a bouncing good time?

Sure, it pains me to throw all the other plans out the door, but in reality there's no point in working MANY, MANY late nights (and spending $$) on projects for a party that is not what would bring the greatest joy to the birthday child. After all, it IS about the child and celebrating another sweet, God-granted life milestone.

This little pumpkin of mine has such a sweet, gentle and sensitive soul wrapped up in her little almost-four year old body...tonight as I was giving her little brother a bath, she came into the bathroom, twinkle in her eye, approval-seeking tone to her little voice and said to me..."you know mama, I do want a party at the park for my 5th birthday"...point taken my sweet child.

I love you with all my heart.
~Mama

--------------------------------
P.S. Would it be in bad taste to re-use the gorgeous invite (new photo/wording of course) and other printables if we do decide to run with it next year? HA!