Category: thankful and grateful

Our Abi

So my precious Abi turned Three. She was my Vacation Bible School baby. And every year we have the challenge of celebrating Abi – outside of the excitement of VBS.

This year we celebrated before the long week of joy and exhaustion began.

 

Abi,

You’re three now. And even as you continue to get older, I know you know that you are my baby. Yes, of course there’s Hannah who is my actual baby right now. But you know far too well that you will always be my baby. You will always be the one I have to exercise self-control to keep from spoiling. I can’t help it! You look like Daddy. And those blond curls… oh and those blue eyes. Here, just take my checkbook and spend all the kids’ inheritance now. 😉

 

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Abi, you know Mommy loves you so. Yes, I tell you ‘no’. Yes, I still expect you to work hard around here. And no I’m not going to baby you. But there is a special place in my heart for my blond-haired, blue-eyed beauty.

You are still a bit lost in your reckless two’s, even though you’re three now. You recklessly ran head-long into the road to save falling sticks. You recklessly dance and sing through the house, running into an intruding  counter-top or piano seat. It’s hard to be small. Oh and then when those eyes turn a bit gray… oh child, we run for the hills then. But when they’re that crystal blue you’re back to your normal self. Funny how God gives us the warning in your eyes.

And while you have this passion that overtakes you (many times in the form of fits and screaming-matches at the above-mentioned intruding objects), your laugh is utterly to die for. And those puppy-dog eyes. Did I already mention those? My goodness, girl.

Your personality is on the bloom. Your enunciation is still a bit shady. Sure glad the commentator steps in sometimes. But you sure take my breath away sometimes when you bust out some crazy homeschool byproduct intelligence – like that time you painted an “A” and told me it was the first letter of your name. “Why yes, Abi, you are completely right!” And then I picked my jaw up off the floor. Or that time you matter-of-a-factly rattled off colors while passing by pictures on the wall. Yep, I picked up my jaw then too. I’m sure once your enunciation works itself out a bit more out will poor a whole world we never realized was right in front of us all the time.

 

Abi, you are my wild child. You dive headlong into dirt and jump in puddles in your church shoes before I can get out a reminder to keep your shoes clean. You paint your chair and the back of your hands because you are too curious for your own good. And everything still goes in your mouth because life should be experienced to the full. Oh my little Abi, you are my unpredictable bundle of delight. And while you learn hard lessons many times, I sure do admire how you throw yourself into life without reservation.

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And even while you’re in mid-sentence explaining how big you are, I love it how you still want to snuggle in for a good book and share your blanket with Daddy while watching a movie.

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You bless us so much, precious girl. We couldn’t adore you more.

So hats off, sweet Abi. Hats off to another wonderful year ahead of us…

A year of Ms. Three!

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Overwhelmed by love for you,

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Better Late than Never… Right?

To celebrate Daddy’s birthday he chose to take the kids out of Chuck-E-Cheese for lunch. Talk about a giving Daddy.

 

And we all had an utter blast!!!

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Happy 27th, Love.

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– We adore you.

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Flipping

This week my Matthew is off to a youth missions trip for six days. And thanks to our precious Aunt Sarah, who just completed her freshman year of college, we’re having a new roommate and helper with the masses this week. So I’ve taken the opportunity of extra hands during the day, when she’s not working, to bite off my huge summer projects.

This week I’m flipping the bedroom furniture in the kids’ rooms and going through all the stored kid clothing (they are already boxed by size, but the boxes need to be weeded through since some of the lids don’t fit and I just throw the clothes into the boxes as a child grows out of the articles with some regard to condition). We’re donating any unwanted furniture/clothing to the women’s center (a place supporting women who would have otherwise opted for an abortion) and other second-hand shops.

I got an email a while back from my sister’s in-laws saying they had the top bunk of the set of bunkbeds they gave us now available for pick-up, along with the generous donation of two dressers. And just a week after a sweet friend of mine offered me her kiddo’s old baby crib. Since Hannah was shaking the bolts free of her crib (resume skill), I thought it a good idea to do some crib switching.

So with that, the wooden furniture is headed into the boys’ room (more gender neutral furniture anyway) and the white furniture (more feminine, but at the time of setting up the room it was an incomplete bunk set and I needed the completed bunks for the girls over the femininity) is headed into the girls’ room. It started with the cribs, then the dressers, then followed by the beds while picking off clothing boxes and general storage amidst the whole project.

The project could take someone without kids just a a day or maybe even a day and a half when you add in the clothing, but since life still needs to go on around these parts, and there are morning and afternoon naps to be had, I’m easing the project in phases over a the entire week. Afterall, if the kids are a wreck because of pushing the project too hard, then I’m the one that needs to pick up the pieces… without Daddy.

I took some “before” pictures since Matt’ll be taking the camera on the mission trip. So I give you these pictures and hope to post my “after” pictures sometime at the end of this week or start of next week (depending on my sleep deprivation level). =)

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAEntering into the Girls’ Room

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OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAThe other 3 walls in the girls’ room.

And the boys’ room (warning: less tidy)

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERADoorway entrance (closet is one the left wall similar to the girls’ layout).

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAThe 3 walls.

We. Will. Conquer. This!

 

P.S. I know the boys’ room is kinda plain. I’m working on that. 😉

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And Waking Her

I couldn’t go back to sleep after our early morning nursing session. But Hannah? Oh no, she had no problem. She snuggled into me and slipped into a deeper, satisfied sleep. I kissed her forehead. Brushed aside her strawberry strands. That sleeping baby … never want to forget …

I went to lay back down. Just to give it a try. I knew my brain was already awake. And despite only the five hours, my body wasn’t feeling the need for more sleep. I was just awake. Ready. Wanting to get a jump on the day’s workload. I looked forward to it. That high of throwing yourself into hard work so you can admire the accomplishment.

The house was quiet. Deep breathing over the monitors.

Thank you, Lord. You bless me so. … Beyond words.

The vacuuming. The straightening. A few things here and there. Then I heard her squirm and moan. Odd. She was sleeping so soundly. “Do you need to go potty?” I whispered over her golden locks. A weary, clumsy toddler crawled from her bed. It’s in those moments that I am reminded of how little she is. Even though she’s running her world.

She woke up during her wait. The feet started to swing. A smile crept across her dimpled face. I knew she was up. But I gave her the opportunity to lay back down a bit. That lasted for twenty more minutes of straightening and cleaning. Then two blue eyes peeped out of her doorway. “You can come out.” I answered her eyes.

She watched me divide out the laundry. Putting aside the things that have grown too small. One shirt here, some pants there. And then she broke in, “Mommy, will you play with me?”

“I’ve got to get this work done, just a minute and then I’ll play.” Came the automatic response.

Silence. More folding.

“Mommy, will you get down the princess game? Mommy. Will you play with me?”

“I’m almost done with this stack.”

Her excitement grew as the stack neared it’s finish. A small celebration radiated through her little body at the last item’s folding. And off she darted for the playroom, ushering me in.

Down came the princess game. She scooted in beside me. There was so much other open floor to play on.

I returned to my “to hang up” pile.

“Mommy, will you play with me?”

Ok, God. I hear you. Priorities. She needs me.

I set aside the laundry.

“Yes, baby. I’ll play.”

Her quirky little personality. Her cackling laugh. Her little dimples. Her wild blond hair. Her ticklish squirming. Her concrete definitions. I drank it all in for over a half hour of early morning play.

I cherished it. I cherish it still. Such a rare gift sometimes. Just sitting with her and absorbing her world.

Thank you, Lord, for waking me up this morning.

…And waking her.

– Love her so.

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It’s About Time!

So it’s time to start sharing about California. Buckle up this is gonna be a long ride.

No, in order to remain sane I’ll just start to throw in come CA posts here and there amongst my other ramblings.

So day 1 we traveled. We hauled 3 kids and 2 adults (we met my parents at the airport) out of their beds between 3:30 and 4am and loaded into the van. Rodger, Matt’s Daddy, was so gracious to stay over the night before and drop us off at the airport. You may be wondering why we didn’t take the boys – no it’s nothing personal people. We had just planned this trip before ever getting the placement and there is something MUCH different about traveling with 5 children (two of which are babies) and trying to find accommodations for 7 people and a vehicle that’ll fit us on the other side. Since things would be further complicated with vacation clearance if Mom would even want her boys traveling cross-country and other stuff we nestled the boys in at Grandma’s house and called frequently. We knew she’d smother them with spoiling and love and they’d have many wonderful opportunities to have adventures with her throughout the week.

So our plane took off at 6am ON THE DOT. And we attempted to settle three little ones in for nap #1. Hannah was out like a light at take-off with a little nursing goodness. Abi was next in line with Daddy’s hair petting and Rachael decided to stay awake the whole time and talk my Mom’s ear off. Since my Dad added in at last minute (not knowing where exactly he’d be flying from until his trucking orders were given) we hugged and promised to see him on the other side in CA. Mom graciously joined our clan to provide support staff. 😉

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The girls got a chance to have more “firsts” than just the flying and found themselves enjoying the airport monorail much more than the actual flying itself. Something about the excitement of a train mixed with having your feet decently grounded brought a smile to all of our faces as the girls enjoyed the window seats.

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I am ridiculously proud of how well the girls did on both flights getting to CA. There were many opportunities for meltdowns, but they really did a great job. Since I had adjusted everyone onto almost CA time a week prior to our departure, the effects of an early morning and airplane excitement were the only two challenges that day. Sadly we learned that my dear Rachael felt the effects of air-sickness not on the last landing (in which she started turning a bit green) but in the rental van right before we were about to cross the golden gate bridge. So with a little pull-off on the side of the road, change of clothing, and the use of the last of my baby wipes we gimped along to the hotel, stopping occasionally to coach the poor child through it all. All I can say is, when my kids are physically ill, they are MIGHTY troopers. Though “I need a bag” was a phrase that took a week for Abi to stop repeating in the van after our CA vacation.

So we hit a Subway for dinner (lunch in CA time) and headed back to the hotel (sitting in traffic for what felt like years while the poor Rachael still experienced her motion sickness.

Once finally to the hotel, we put the girls to bed (who went willingly) at 6p CA time. Rachael’s color had returned to her face and her normal spunk post-shower spoke of motion sickness ending with her two feet on solid ground. We were happy to see her keep dinner down before bed and the two girls knocked out without a complaint. Hannah and I knocked out somewhere in the land of “lay down and be quiet so the girls will go to sleep”. I awoke to Daddy watching ESPN and my Mom and Dad bringing us a pizza for dinner. The girls didn’t even stir.

Thus ended our Friday day of travel. And joy CERTAINLY came in the morning with a solid 13 hours of sleep for all.

… to be continued …

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Music Monday: A Worthy Cause

Many years ago this artist popped into my world. My sister brought her in from college and she has become the “above the rest” artist since. It’s been a joy to watch the Lord grow her in her faith and breath His heart for the lost and dying world into her music.

We got a chance to meet her in person at the beginning of our orphan care journey when we first stepped up to the plate of “whatever you’d have for our family in orphan care, you can count on us.” We had been to many concerts, small and big. But what I love the most is so far beyond her…. it’s Jesus coming through her. She just opens herself up.

 

It’s a cleaning day today so naturally I have a soundtrack to keep me moving. There’s a lot to be done and I work better, faster and harder when my heart is focused on Whom I am truly serving by serving my family.

 

“And I love because You loved me when I had nothing…”

 

 

 

I can’t shake that truth from my mind this morning …. and I hope I never do.

 

 

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