Ella Bella

It is hard to believe that this picture was taken 2 years ago. It seems like yesterday when we were welcoming Ella Bella into our family.

Now she is a busy, vibrant 2 year old with a mind of her own! I miss you Elizabeth. Sending sweet Happy Birthday kisses your way...

***

ella bella

sweet

flirt

mischievious

beautiful

will we ever find a fella

good enough for our ella bella?

Sewing 101

I have the pleasure of teaching my best friend's two daughters, Drewanne & Lilly, some basic sewing skills. They are homeschooled by their mom and I get to be part of the curriculum! What an honor.

We started in January and have done a few projects. I am so impressed by how quickly they are learning things. It has been exciting for me since I have to figure out new things before I show them, and just simply understand the process more in order to teach it. So I feel like I have learned more than they have.

They are learning how to plan projects, pick out fabric, measure & cut, iron, and finally sew their projects. In some cases, they are learning to create their own patterns.

Here are the projects they have made thus far:

Drewanne

Look out for this one! She is a natural and with her independence and brave fashion choices, may be a future designer. I can't wait to see what she will come up with as she grows!

Lilly

So far, she enjoys ironing the most! And since she is good at it, you may want to consider hiring her for future ironing jobs. The thing I have enjoyed the most with Lilly is she is wanting to plan projects to make for others - matching skirts for Evie and Kate or presents for her friends.

Stay tuned to see what else these two create.

Labels

I discovered this post that I wrote a couple of months ago that I never published. So here it is...

I had the privilege of sharing my story at our annual Women's Retreat a couple of weeks ago. Many of the women there knew portions of it - my infertility, my father's illness, some of my struggles with depression, anxiety, and perfectionism. But I was much more vulnerable about the inner me than I have ever been in front of an audience.

I focused on the labels that I wear. Labels that either I have put on myself or adopted from others. It was quite the ordeal to prepare to speak and then to share.

I felt so blessed by the experience. It brought me back to working on my junk, listening to my heart, and reflecting on how far God has brought me and where I need to go next. It was an incredible experience to share with my friends - to connect on a deeper level and speak into each others' lives. I felt blessed to have touched others with my story - for them to hear bits of their stories within mine.

I am always amazed by how God weaves our stories into each others', providing us with meaningful fellowship and community, to learn from each other, to grow together, to challenge each other, and to love and laugh together.

The week after the retreat, I went through a downward spiral again - emotional and physical exhaustion from the retreat coupled with yet more labels I was placing on myself. It is so tiresome to be me sometimes - can I get a U2Me2 anyone?! But through that, God revealed yet another area of my life that I need to closely examine His truth instead of listening to myself.

I feel honored to be on this journey. I feel that the travel conditions right now are extreme - going from dry, dusty deserts to humid, suffocating jungles. But I know that the final destination will be worth it and I will appreciate my Savior's oasis so much more.

Thank you Lord for loving us. For loving us so much that you bother to refine us.

Cluttered

Cluttered.

A cluttered house.

A cluttered heart.

A cluttered mind.

Cluttered.

6 Months Old

Kate

6 Months Old

Rolling both ways

Adjusting to her glasses

Smiling at the world

Learning to eat food

Attempting to get up on all fours

Babbling

Watching the world

Reaching & grabbing for things

Starting to sleep better

Joyful

Sweet

Kate

S. A. M. spells Sam

Sam is quite the joy and extreme challenge lately. He is learning and is so inquisitive and eager to understand things. He is also really pushing our buttons and seeing how much he can get away with. We are trying desperately to keep up with this little guy!

* Is starting to grasp basic reading concepts. His favorite thing to spell is in our title: his name. He recognizes many words, signs, and knows his letter sounds.

* His drawings are starting to take shape. This past week, I have seen a recognizable stick figure, numerous trees, and various letters and shapes. Usually the letters and shapes are by accident. He is scribbling and sees something familiar and names it. He is getting good at tracing letters and numbers.

* He is getting more aggressive with other kids. He used to be the kid where someone would look at him or barely touch him and he'd freak out. Now he is the one in everyone's face.

* He likes to boss people around. Whitney and Ryan, don't even bother saying it. I already know where he got that trait!

* He is still an awesome eater. His favorite food right now is curry and he can handle more spice than his mama.

* He still loves his little sister, but is now trying to get away with pushing her around when mom isn't looking, like sitting on her in the guise of "playing" or yelling directly in her face.

* He loves music and is getting pretty good at strumming on Daddy's ukelele.

Current Conversations:

* After we read a bible story about Jesus, Sam looks at Kate and then at Chris and I ans says, "Next time can we have a baby like Jesus?"

* Sam to Mommy: "I love you."

Mommy: "I love you."

Sam: "I love you too."

* "Thanks Mom. I really appreciate that." Could be something as simple as handing him a snack or giving him a hug.

* "Can I play Mindiana Joe's?" (translation: Lego Indiana Jones on the XBox)

* "I'm gonna boom ya!" (translation: shoot. It is apparently an innate trait in the male species to turn everything into a gun or other type of weapon.)

* After reading a bible story about Adam & Eve and discussing sin with him, he now likes to tell us, "I was sinful" or my favorite, "I was just sinning a little bit". We're still waiting for the conviction part to kick in - dear Lord, please!

* Everything is a "skill". For instance, "Hey Mom, look at my ukelele skills." or "Do you wanna see my Kate feeding skills?"

Every day is an adventure with this one.

God is Faithful

Give Thanks to the Lord, for He is good

for His steadfast love endures forever.

Psalm 136:1

Lord, thank you so much for how faithful you are to me. I am constantly amazed by your goodness and your love for me, a vile, selfish sinner. I don't deserve the blessings you give me, but you are gracious. I deserve death, but you are merciful.

Just today, you have blessed me abundantly. You have really been working on my heart lately and I feel so lost and confused sometimes, wanting desperately to please you, to make the right decision, and to have pure motives. I just don't always know how or what to do. But this morning, you encouraged me. You gave me your words to uplift and guide me. I am so thankful.

He who dwells in the shadow of the Most High

will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

Psalm 91:1