Simple Lovelies

It's the little things that make me happy.  Really, it is.  A text from a friend.  Jon scooping Si up for a bath, freeing me to get the dishes done early.  Eden running up to hold my hand.  Si crawling over to give me snuggles.  And the new-to-me-little-things I'm currently loving...

...these measuring cups, purchased at a recent Anthro trip with my sister.  Seriously, do measuring cups get any more amazing than this?

...and what goes better with a new measuring set than a new recipe?  Pioneer Woman strikes again.  Aprons and stilettos; I love that chick.  She cracks me up and whips up some delish cuisine.  Check her out. 

...this website.  (Spring-Clean-Diva strikes again.) 

...the movie, Temple Grandin.  My new FAVE.  I won't lie - I cried.  Temple is an amazing woman with an incredible story.  Despite personal obstacles - because of personal obstacles - she puts me to shame on the making-the-most-of-it-and-making-something-grand-with-your-life scale.  (Leah and Sara, I have whole new respect for you both in what you do to love those with Autism, professionally and personally.)  Watch it if you haven't, all.  Bring the Kleenex.


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In other news, it's snowing today.  Not lovin' that.  But it does make for better packing weather.  We are prepping for Moving Day Take Two around here, excited about this new chapter and all our Kind God has in store.

So, before we go, I got to relish women I have called "friend" at a sweet farewell dinner my sister put on for me Sunday, a Girls' Night In.  I have stood arm in arm with these women.  We've shopped.  We've planned parties.  We've watched each other's kiddos and met up for picnics.  At times, our times have been inconsequential.  At times, we have sat together and made sense of muddle.  We are not perfect.  We've hurt each other.  But we have stood in the face of some of life's devastations and have not been moved.  Because we stood together.  Real love is hard love, baby.

In Eden's case, a friend is someone who looks at your sauce-covered-face and says, "Oh, no.  Look at yo face.  Let me wipe yo face."  (Edie, babe, you better hold on to Anya.)

Seriously, how cute is she??

So thankful for these women and all the little ways they have loved me well.  And as I said before it's the little things that make me happy.  The little things add up.



vie précieuse

Jon, Eden, Silas, and I have an announcement to make...

...our family is inducting a new member this fall.  And we are thrilled.  Life is precious; sacred.  So many sweet momma's I know have loved and lost their littles.  We do not take this child for granted. 

Sitting in my doctor's office this week, listening to the tiny, fluttering heartbeat of vie précieuse inside me, makes it all so very real.  And giving up caffeine and soft cheeses and sushi becomes all so very worth it.  Watching life in black and white, move and shift and stretch...well, you just never recover.  My momma's heart is forever smitten.

Thank you for celebrating with us!  We look forward to introducing you all to our newest Baby Love come fall.

A Day in A Life

6:30a

Up-n-at-em.

7:30a

Gettin' the paper; walking the dog-child.

8:30a

Quick-like breakfast for the kiddos.

9:30a

Driving to our Ped's office.

10:30a

Still here!

11:30a

Leaving Children's satellite office. (No worries.  The kids are both great!)

12:30p

Reading an incredible email from a dear friend who knows my heart.  (Thank you, Meiks.  SO needed that today.)

1:30p

Lunch with "Avey" (as Eden calls her) and friends.

2:30p

Slidin' it at the Chick-Fil-A.

3:30p

Taking Daddo (what Eden calls my dad) a "Woohoo it's Friday Milkshake!"  (My mom's name is "Karma" to Edie, by the way...Daddo and Karma...two names I bet they never dreamed they'd wear!)

4:30p

Another excursion with the dog-child.

5:30p

R&R.

6:30p

Panini prep.

7:30p

Negotiating with my toddler.  And she's tough.

8:30p

Bath-time!  (Terrible pic, I know.  But just look at how he looks at his sister...)

9:30p

Movie with our girl.  (And she was so locking-eyes-and giggling-happy to stay up with the big girls!)

10:30p

Snuggling my little bunny to bed.

Good night moon.

Discovering Hearts

If I had a dollar every time I....

...got up from the table during meal time...
...was accompanied by small people to the bathroom...
...reminded Eden to be kind to her brother...
...reminded Eden to share with her brother...
...told Miles to chill out (he's kinda spazzy)...
...got a phone call when my phone was upstairs/downstairs and I was the opposite stairs...

Et cetera, et cetera...you get the drill.  If I had a dollar every time...I'd be a billionaire.  Be on the cover of Forbes magazine.  Smiling next to Oprah and the Queen.  What up Oprah?  (I blame radio tourettes for this Travie McCoy outburst.)

And if I had a dollar every time our family car looked like this...

...Momma would be buying herself a new pair of shoes.  (For the proverbial record, I have never spent close to that amount on a pair of shoes.  Still, they are pretty stinkin' cute, non?)

Winter sends hurricane winds of crumb storms and our car gets...icky.  But, honestly, I can't bring myself to stand out in the freezing cold to clean it up.  And so the layers build, one on top of the other, sucker sticks and cracker bits and the occasional waffle fry.

Ahh....but Spring...

I don't mind that it's cliché, warmer days and sunshine turn me into a spring-cleaning diva.  And two hours of being outside where the air was fresh and wild, scrubbing down car seats and floor mats, vacuuming set crumb storm and jellybeans, gave me the time I needed to do a little spring cleaning in my Momma's heart, as well.

I'm not exaggerating about the number of times I talk to Eden each day about being kind, especially to her brother.  (And I'm starting to have to talk to Silas about not hitting his sister...)  And sometimes I find I'm so focused on the people I want my kids to become, that I am nearsighted to the little people they already are.

I forget to simply be with and enjoy the littles growing before my eyes.  To marvel at the tiny people they are and the unique ways they take in their world.

Eden is imaginative.  (This morning she was playing with her cheerios, putting them on her pinkie finger saying, "Ahh!  Help!  Get us out of here!"  I know I shouldn't encourage food-playing-behavior, but seriously, what's a momma to do?)  She has a tender heart, her own sense of fashion, and is easily embarrassed.  And my girl has loads of gumption.  She's reserved, but fearless.  Last summer at two, she jumped off the side of a boat - as in it was the first time she was ever in a boat, the first time she was ever on a lake - refusing Daddy's offers to help her down.  'Cuz she can do it all by herself, you know.

Silas is laid back and observant.  He misses nothing.  Not the apple juice we have secretly stashed on top of the refrigerator, not the fact that your food looks different from his food...and yours looks better.  He is high on life.  Si is happy to take the world in from a stroller seat, but loves to explore and touch the grass and sticks and leaves around him.  He is a snuggler and always ready to give sloppy wet kisses.  I gotta say, he dishes out the best kisses.

Spring is all about renewal.

RE·NEW

transitive and intransitive verb return to doing something: to begin

something or doing something again, or be begun again

transitive verb repeat promise: to reaffirm or restate a promise or commitment

transitive verb replace something used up: to get a new supply of something

transitive verb make something new again: to make something new or as if new again

And so, in the spirit of renewal...

Eden and Silas, I pledged my love to you both on the days you were born.  I promised to love you, comfort and keep you.  I promised to take care of you, instruct you, protect you, make you sick with affection, put your needs before my own.  I pledged to enjoy you and treasure you, recognizing fully Who you belong to and that you are on loan to me.  Today, I renew my vows to each of you.

I promise you movie nights and tent-picnics.  I promise to do the things you love, like reading books together and playing with balls.  I promise to explore the world together, starting with the great outdoors.  I pledge to find fun in the everyday and to share that fun with you.

While we're at it, I pledge to make my jeans available to any and all rejected apple peels.

Photo by Kenna.

Ditto.  Photo by Kenna.

And I pledge to seek wisdom and understanding into your unique quirks and insights as I discover who your Creator has fashioned you to be.  I renew my promises to Him, that I will join Him in His delight over each of you.

And if God had a dollar...

For the Lord your God is living among you.

He is a mighty savior.
He will take delight in you with gladness.
With his love, he will calm all your fears.
He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.

Amen and amen.

The Big ONE

A year ago today, our hearts expanded.  Our family extended.  We met our son.

We labored over his name (as in the poor ladies from downstairs kept calling with "...So...does baby boy have a name yet?" and we put name options up on our whiteboard for the nurses to tally their votes) and finally settled on Silas (man of the forest) Rainer (wise warrior, strong counselor).

We celebrated his life yesterday and today.  Cake-eatin'-plate-lickin'-style.  'Cuz life is good.  And our little Si-guy is ONE.

Don't you see that children are God's best gift?

Psalm 127:3, The Message

Realities of life's fragile nature leave us as parents mindful that we never know how much time might be left to snuggle and kiss and cherish our children.  To laugh or dance or play with them.  To imagine or dream or race with them.  But today, I'm so thankful that this little green-bearded man who stole my heart when I met him, knows me as Momma.  That I get to whisper "good-nights" and "I-love-yous" into his ear every night. 

Happy Birthday to our sweet Silas.  A best gift wrapped up in God's kindness.